ABSTRACT
This book is concerned with the relationship between creativity and leadership in science, technology and innovation. Why have we chosen to focus on this topic? There are several reasons. First, it is clear that science, technology, and innovation are crucial driving forces in the development of economies and societies. This is not just confined to the present and the emergence of what has become known as ‘the knowledge economy’. Throughout history, science, technology, and innovation have been central to societal and economic development, with human curiosity and creative endeavors often being crucial to finding scientific, technological, and innovative solutions to the problems confronting humankind. Consider a few significant examples: We have seen detailed astronomical observations of stars and planets already in the earliest cultures of mankind in Mesopotamia over 5,000 years ago, Roman aqueducts for the transport of water made possible by new technologies 2,000 years ago, the invention of the printing press by Gutenberg in 1440, the adoption of electricity by Edison to light houses and streets in the 1880s, a number of effective cures for previously lethal diseases such as pneumonia through the introduction of antibiotics at the end of the 19th century, and so on. All of these accomplishments were driven by a combination of human curiosity, creative problem solving, and skills in an effort to promote societies and make life better. This drive to increase our knowledge in order to bring about the improvement of the world manifests itself in science, technology, and innovation.
