Insights from the Emerging Issues Forum

<p> </p> <p>Rick Morse is a School of Government faculty member.</p> <p>I just returned from the Emerging Issues Forum in Raleigh (February 8-9) and am still, as they say, “taking it all in.” The theme this year was creativity and the program was loaded with some of the leading thinkers (and doers) on this topic in the world. It was one of the most intellectually stimulating events I have ever been to and Governor Hunt and Institute for Emerging Issues director Anita Brown-Graham deserve a lot of credit for their leadership in making such an event possible. I want to highlight a few of the big ideas I’ve taken away from the conference that I believe anyone concerned with community and economic development ought to be thinking about.</p> <p>The first and most dominant theme had to do with the notion that creativity and innovation is the key to our nation’s economic competitiveness moving forward. Many experts made a strong (empirically backed) case for this point: jobs—both physical and analytical—that can be routinized are being or will be outsourced. Therefore, state-side opportunities for competitive advantage lie in jobs that require creative thinking.  Daniel Pink uses a metaphor of the brain to explain this point and how “right-brainers will rule the future.” After hearing Pink’s excellent presentation I can tell you that his books A Whole New Mind and Drive are in my “to read” queue now.</p> <p>Another key theme had to do with the implications of the creativity argument. Chief among these are what communities are doing to nurture creativity and [...]</p>