Imagine intellectual assets harnessed to solve collectively the problems that plague society.

Much has been written about technological innovation. Indeed, its strength has been tied to U.S. economic competitiveness. However, those dedicated to the learning profession whether their classroom is corporate or on campus know that real value also lies in the benefit to society. There is hardly a function, organization, industry, or nation that is not undergoing massive transformation. These structural changes will set in motion some impacts we may not realize for decades.

In the twenty-first century, knowledge about products and services is likely to become as important as perhaps even more important than the discrete products themselves. Given the acceleration of technology development and worldwide global communication systems, enterprises will have to become far more innovative in how they partner with customers to create, transfer, and apply new knowledge within and across industries.

Looking at the future of our research enterprise from a pessimistic perspective, we could envision decreased investment from industry, continued fragmentation of the science and technology community, and an academic research agenda "driven" by the needs of industry. An optimist might see, instead, a collaborative strategy emerging with innovative relationships that benefit all partners. The network of expertise, enhanced by modern communication systems, enables us to advance the standard of living in our country and throughout the world. I believe such a vision is attainable.

In the evolution of technology transfer systems; I see the emergence of a knowledge innovation system in which people recognize the dynamic nature...