Innovation is rarely a solo activity. It most often takes place within
networks that bring people together in ways that encourage creativity
and allow good ideas to be turned into action. The place where innovation is most likely to flourish is not at the core of organizations but at
the edge where the weight of inertia is less inhibiting and where disruptive initiatives are more likely to be tolerated.
Digital network technologies are creating new possibilities for collaboration outside the confines of traditional institutions. These new
capabilities not only threaten to disrupt many existing business enterprises but also educational institutions that find themselves challenged
by the rise of Massively Open Online Courses and other non-conventional forms of learning. In each case, it is at the edge of organizations
where the most exciting developments are taking place, where new
ideas, new technologies and new ways of working are being combined
in promising ways. If we are going to re-start vigorous, inclusive economic development, and ultimately realize the full potential of new
ways of doing things, we need to learn how to foster edge institutions
that will accelerate innovation and find more effective mechanisms for
linking the edge to the core