Thinking Inside the Box May Actually Solve More Problems
- Posted By Super User
- HR Management
Almost everyone in the business world is familiar with the brainstorming maxim: think outside the box. However, a recent study conducted at the University of Pittsburgh found ideas that were closely related to a problem helped form the most viable solutions.
Using OpenIDEO, a web-based crowdsourced innovation platform used to address a wide range of social and environmental problems like human rights violations and job growth for youth, researchers—recent University of Pittsburgh graduate Joel Chan and his mentor Christian Schunn of Pitt's Learning Research and Development Center, along with Carnegie Mellon University's Steven Dow—challenged participants to come up with solutions for large-scale problems like "How might we inspire and enable communities to take more initiative in making their local environments better?" and "How can technology help people working to uphold human rights in the face of unlawful detention?"
The phrases used to describe the newest phenomenon in the global workforce are numerous: working from home, telecommuting, remote job, virtual employee. All of these terms describe the ability to work outside of a traditional, co-located office environment. The parameters of the working arrangements will differ by employer but one thing is consistent: The virtual work environment is not a trend, it is a model that will continue to evolve and support the changing landscape of business.
To prepare for the future workplace, the vocational education function must prepare to make five foundational shifts.
