This philosophical article explores individuality and innovation (creating new technology) as they relate to the communication approaches of scientists, engineers, and technologists. I suggest that effective communication between technical and non-technical people is difficult because technical communication lacks humanity, a personal dimension. I also suggest that dimension is lacking because technical people give up their identity to be considered competent and I argue that a different approach to communication education for scientists, engineers, and technologists is required to equip them with requisite communication skills to make their personal contribution to successful innovation.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
National Academy of Science, From Analysis to Action: Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, The National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1996.
2.
National Research Council, National Science Foundation Convocation on Undergraduate Education, NRC Centre for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education and Training, Arlington, 1995.
3.
National Science Foundation Advisory Committee to the NSF Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Shaping the Future: New Expectations for Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, NSF, Washington, D.C., 1995.
4.
SimmonsJ. and the Task Forces of the Review of Engineering Education, Changing the Culture: Engineering Education into the Future, Institution of Engineers, Barton, 1996.
5.
R. West and the Review Committee on Higher Education Funding and Policy, Learning for Life: Final Report of the West Review of Higher Education, DEETYA, Canberra, 1998.
6.
FrohmanA., Building a Culture for Innovation, Research-Technology Management, 41: 2, pp. 9–12, 1998.
7.
JudgeW.FryxellE., and DooleyR., The New Task of R&D Management: Creating Goal-Directed Communities for Innovation, California Management Review, 39: 3, pp. 72–85, 1997.
8.
McBainR. and KusyM., On Team Effectiveness, Team Learning and Learning in Organisations, Manager Update, 9: 2, pp. 20–31, 1997.
9.
MoravecM.JohannessenO., and HjelmasT., Thumbs Up for Self-Managed Teams, Management Review, 86: 7, pp. 42–47, 1997.
10.
SteinerC., A Philosophy for Innovation: The Role of Unconventional Individuals in Innovation Success, The Journal of Product Innovation Management, 12: 5, pp. 431–440, 1995.
11.
ZnaidenA., The Psychology of Innovation, Drug and Cosmetic Industry, 158: 5, pp. 26–34, 1996.
12.
HardyC. and Leiba-O'SullivanS., The Power Behind Empowerment: Implications for Research and Practice, Human Relations, 51: 4, pp. 451–483, 1998.
13.
KouzesJ. and PosnerB., The Leadership Challenge: How to Keep Getting Extraordinary Things Done in Organisations, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 1995.
14.
LeonardD.StrausD., and StrausS., Putting Your Company's Whole Brain to Work, Harvard Business Review, 75: 4, pp. 110–113, 1997.
15.
MarkovichP., Mobilising Your Human Potential, Journal for Quality and Participation, 20: 2, pp. 48–53, 1997.
16.
PascaleR.MillemannM., and GiojaL., Changing the Way We Change, Harvard Business Review, 75: 6, pp. 126–135, 1997.
17.
SchwenkC., The Case for ‘Weaker’ Leadership, Business Strategy Review, 8: 3, pp. 4–9, 1997.
18.
SteinerC., Educating Leaders: From the Abstract and Rational to the Concrete and Personal, Journal of Leadership Studies, 5: 2, pp. 83–102, 1998.
19.
CavayeA., The Sponsor-Adopter Gap—Differences Between Promoters and Potential Users of Information Systems That Link Organisations, International Journal of Information Management, 5: 2, pp. 85–96, 1995.
20.
DoughertyR., Grade/Study Performance Contracts, Enhanced Communication, Cooperative Learning, and Student Performance in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry, Journal of Chemical Education, 74, pp. 722–726, 1997.
21.
FeldC. and MarmolG., Repairing the Dialogue between CEO and CIO, The McKinsey Quarterly, 3, pp. 15–25, 1995.
22.
LoehrL., Between Silence and Voice: Communicating in Cross-Functional Teams, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, 34: 1, pp. 51–56, 1991.
23.
OrrJ. and EisensteinB., Summary of Innovation in Electrical Engineering Curricula, IEEE Transactions on Education, 37: 2, pp. 131–135, 1994.
24.
WilkofM., A Socio-Technical Analysis of an Attempted Innovation: The Clash of Cultures, Journal of High Technology Management Research, 2: 1, pp. 99–112, 1991.
25.
BabaM., The Cultural Ecology of the Corporation: Explaining Diversity in Work Group Responses to Organisational Transformation, Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 31: 2, pp. 203–233, 1995.
26.
ClarkK. and WheelwrightS., Managing New Product and Process Development: Text and Cases, The Free Press, New York, 1993.
27.
DunphyD. and BryantB., Teams: Panaceas or Prescriptions for Improved Performance?Human Relations, 49: 5, pp. 677–699, 1996.
28.
ImaiK.TakeuchiH., and NonakaI., Managing the New Product Development Process: How Japanese Companies Learn and Unlearn, in The Uneasy Alliance: Managing the Productivity-Technology Dilemma, ClarkK. (eds.), Harvard University Press, Boston, pp. 337–381, 1985.
29.
UhlfelderH., (Leadership + Teamwork + Commitment) Equals Success, Journal for Quality and Participation, 17: 4, pp. 24–27, 1994.
30.
JacobR., The Struggle to Create an Organisation for the 21st Century, Fortune, 131: 6, pp. 90–99, 1995.
31.
JeffaneR., Organisational Commitment and Perceived Management Styles: The Public-Private Sector Contrast, Management Research News, 18: 6–7, pp. 9–20, 1995.
32.
KlunkS., Conflict and the Dynamic Organisation, Hospital Materiel Management Quarterly, 19: 2, pp. 37–44, 1997.
33.
MurdickR., Engineer as Executive, in Management Guide for Engineers and Technical Administrators, ChironisN. (ed.), McGraw-Hill, New York, 1969.
34.
NuunallyP. and SaadS., Technical and Business Communication for Entrepreneurs, in Proceedings of the 1993 IEEE International Professional Communication Conference, Philadelphia, pp. 301–336, 1993.
35.
RothwellR., Successful Industrial Innovation: Critical Factors for the 1990's, R&D Management, 22: 3, pp. 221–239, 1992.
36.
KogutL., Using Cooperative Learning to Enhance Performance in General Chemistry, Journal of Chemical Education, 74: 6, pp. 720–722, 1997.
37.
HansenL.GarnerJ., and WilsonB., Teaching Concepts in Beginning Chemistry with Simple Exploratory Experiments, Journal of Chemical Education, 73, pp. 840–842, 1996.
38.
HeideggerM., Being and Time, Harper and Row, New York, 1962.
39.
KuhnT., The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1970.
40.
HeideggerM., The Age of the World Picture, in The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays, Harper and Row, New York, pp. 115–154, 1977.
41.
CromerA., Connected Knowledge: Science, Philosophy and Education, Oxford University Press, New York, 1997.
42.
WolfW., Is Physics Education Adapting to a Changing World?Physics Today, 47, pp. 46–55, 1994.
43.
LatourB., Science in Action, Open University Press, Milton Keynes, 1989.
44.
BijkerW.HughesT., and PinchT. (eds.), The Social Construction of Technological Systems: New Directions in the Sociology and History of Technology, MIT Press, Boston, 1987.
45.
LynchM., Scientific Practice and Ordinary Action, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1993.
46.
PickeringA. (ed.), Science as Practice and Culture, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1992.
47.
GrinnellF., The Scientific Attitude, Westview, Boulder, 1987.
48.
RefinettiR., Philosophy of Science and Physiology Education, Advances in Physiology Education, 17: 1, pp. S31–S34, 1997.
49.
SchrammF., The Myth of Science, Vantage, New York, 1979.
50.
BochnerA., It's About Time: Narrative and the Divided Self, Qualitative Inquiry, 3: 4, pp. 418–438, 1998.
51.
GrahamA. and PizzoV., A Question of Balance: Case Studies in Strategic Knowledge Management, European Management Journal, 14, pp. 338–346, 1996.
52.
KundaG., Engineering Culture: Control and Commitment in a High-Tech Corporation, Temple University Press, Philadelphia, 1992.
53.
TannerD., Total Creativity, Executive Excellence, 14: 2, p. 17, 1997.
54.
MoenaertR. and SouderW., Context and Antecedents of Information Utility at the R&D/Marketing Interface, Management Science, 42, pp. 1592–1610, 1996.
55.
GregC. and MitevN., Re-Engineering Organisations: A Critical Approach, Personnel Review, 23: 1, pp. 6–18, 1995.
56.
LindsayC., Things That Go Wrong in Diversity Training: Conceptualisation and Change with Ethnic Identity Models, Journal of Organisational Change Management, 7: 6, pp. 18–33, 1994.
57.
PurdonW., Increasing R&D Effectiveness: Researchers as Business People, Researcher-Technology Management, 39: 4, pp. 48–56, 1996.
58.
RamseyV. and CalvertL., A Feminist Critique of Organisational Humanism, Journal of Applied Behavioural Science, 30: 1, pp. 83–97, 1994.
59.
MuddimanD., Innovation … or Instrumental Drift?Education for Information, 12, pp. 259–270, 1994.
60.
SteinerCarol J., Constructivist Science and Technology Studies: On the Path to Being?Social Studies of Science, 29: 4, 1999.
61.
SteinerCarol J., Innovating Engineers and the Courage to be Incompetent, Proceedings of the World Innovation and Strategy Conference, Sydney, August 1998.
62.
SteinerCarol J., Educating for Innovation and Management: The Engineering Educators' Dilemma, IEEE Transactions on Education, 41: 1, 1998.
63.
SteinerCarol J., Meeting Employer Demand for Resolute Communicators: Extra-Disciplinary Education for Scientists, Engineers and Technologists, Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Post-Compulsory Education and Training, Learning and Work: The Challenges, Gold Coast, December 2–4, 1996.
64.
SteinerCarol J., Preparing Students for Cross-Discipline Communication: What's the Problem?Australian Communication Conference 1996 Conference Papers, Melbourne, September 16–17, 1996.
65.
SteinerCarol J., Why Technical Writers? A Case for Training Technologists to Speak for Themselves, Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 24: 2, 1994.
