The art of innovation

In this address to the National Press Club, the innovation minister stresses that the humanities, arts and social sciences are absolutely central to the innovation process, for four reasons. First, they drive innovation themselves: ? especially the kind of incremental, process innovation that frequently goes unnoticed; ? especially in the service sector; and ? often in unexpected ways ? I love the story about how creative writers at Edith Cowan University are helping Alzheimer?s patients recover and retain memories. Second, they raise the standard of scientific and technical innovation by shining an inquiring and sometimes critical light on its ethical, historical, cultural and social consequences. Third, they give people the skills they need to use the innovations coming out of our laboratories and R&D centres. And fourth, they empower individuals and communities to deal with change ? whether by adapting to it, or by asserting their own view of how it should happen