Revolutions, whether the overthrow of governments or breakthroughs in technology, are usually visible. The knowledge revolution, though propelled by the twin engines of computer technology and communication technology, is a revolution of minds and ideas rather than of mass and energy. It is nearly invisible and easy to ignore, particularly by those who stand on the seemingly safe shoreline of tradition. This knowledge revolution threatens universities’ advantage in knowledge creation and dissemination. Davis and Botkin paint a bleak picture of the role of schools:
Business, more than government, is instituting the changes in education that are required for the emerging knowledge-based economy. School systems, public and private, are lagging behind the transformation in learning that is evolving outside them, in the private sector at both work and play, with people of all ages. Over the next few decades, the private sector will eclipse the public sector as our predominant educational institution.1
Private-sector intrusion is a real risk for business schools. Cable operators and telecommunications companies are aggressively developing virtual classrooms, often without university involvement.2 Publishers and software houses are developing multimedia products that will substitute for, rather than complement, traditional classroom education. The business school’s own faculty, working independently or as consultants for other entities, represent another serious threat.3 Already there is both an audio- and videotape... To read the complete article, login or sign-up using the form below.
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