Not long ago, I spent six weeks teaching leaders in China about new approaches for creativity – based on current insights about the brain. Sessions ran several hours a day and I still stand amazed at the creativity and depth of Chinese thinkers in that large group in Chonqing, a city of 30 million people, located on the Yangtze.
Why was I so surprised? Partly, because several American leaders told me that Chinese leaders lacked creativity. Not so … in fact they often taught me more than I them.
I was far less surprised to read today in an OECD news report about China rising rapidly in R&D …
“Asian powerhouse replaces Japan as No. 2 investor in research and development, OECD says. Candace Lombardi, staff Writer at CNET News.com added that the U.S. still leads the pack.
After being in China, and seeing the creativity of leaders there, it also does not surprise me to read … “By the end of 2006, China will be the second-highest investor in research and development, according to figures from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.”
Check out these CNET calculations on R&D based on spending trends observed between 2000 and 2005.
Apparently ... "China’s R&D went from 0.6 percent of its GDP (gross domestic product) in 1995 to more than 1.2 percent in 2004. That doubling growth rate is faster than the rate of growth for China's entire economy."
This, at a time when we have standardized and brought sameness to bear for the sake of fast profit in big business and in many learning circles.
My question is … given the evidence of their forward race in creativity – What can we learn from China's creative initiatives? Any thoughts?
» China's Business Creativity from The Hao Hao Report
After being warned by American business leaders that Chinese leaders lacked creativity, Dr. Ellen Weber was surprised to that to be completely false. On a recent trip to China to teach the countries leaders new approaches to creativity, Weber learned m... [Read More]
Tracked on: December 6, 2006 12:32 PM | Permalink to Trackback