John Seely Brown
Encyclopedia
John Seely Brown is a researcher who specializes in organizational studies with a particular bent towards the organizational implications of computer-supported activities.
His research interests include the management of radical innovation, digital culture, ubiquitous computing
, autonomous computing and organizational learning
. JSB is also the namesake of John Seely Brown Symposium on Technology and Society, held at the University of Michigan School of Information
. The first JSB symposium in 2000 featured a lecture by Stanford Professor of Law Lawrence Lessig
, titled "Architecting Innovation," and a panel discussion, "The Implications of Open Source Software," featuring Brown, Lessig and the William D. Hamilton Collegiate Professor of Complex Systems at SI, Michael D. Cohen
. Subsequent events were held in 2002, 2006 and 2008.
Brown graduated from Brown University
in 1962 with degrees in physics and mathematics. In 1972 he received a PhD from the University of Michigan
in computer and communication sciences.
His research interests include the management of radical innovation, digital culture, ubiquitous computing
Ubiquitous computing
Ubiquitous computing is a post-desktop model of human-computer interaction in which information processing has been thoroughly integrated into everyday objects and activities. In the course of ordinary activities, someone "using" ubiquitous computing engages many computational devices and systems...
, autonomous computing and organizational learning
Organizational learning
Organizational learning is an area of knowledge within organizational theory that studies models and theories about the way an organization learns and adapts....
. JSB is also the namesake of John Seely Brown Symposium on Technology and Society, held at the University of Michigan School of Information
University of Michigan School of Information
The School of Information or iSchool at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is a graduate school offering both a Master of Science in Information and a Doctor of Information ....
. The first JSB symposium in 2000 featured a lecture by Stanford Professor of Law Lawrence Lessig
Lawrence Lessig
Lawrence "Larry" Lessig is an American academic and political activist. He is best known as a proponent of reduced legal restrictions on copyright, trademark, and radio frequency spectrum, particularly in technology applications, and he has called for state-based activism to promote substantive...
, titled "Architecting Innovation," and a panel discussion, "The Implications of Open Source Software," featuring Brown, Lessig and the William D. Hamilton Collegiate Professor of Complex Systems at SI, Michael D. Cohen
Michael D. Cohen
Michael D. Cohen is the William D. Hamilton Collegiate Professor of Complex Systems, Information and Public Policy at The University of Michigan.-Early life and Education:...
. Subsequent events were held in 2002, 2006 and 2008.
Brown graduated from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in 1962 with degrees in physics and mathematics. In 1972 he received a PhD from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in computer and communication sciences.
Major positions and roles
- Independent co-chair of the Deloitte Center for Edge Innovation (present)
- Senior fellow, Annenberg Center for CommunicationAnnenberg Center for CommunicationThe Annenberg Center for Communication at the University of Southern California promotes interdisciplinary research in communications between the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Viterbi School of Engineering, and the separate USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, also funded by...
at USCUniversity of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(present) - Chief scientist of XeroxXeroxXerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
Corporation (1992 - April 2002) - Director of the Xerox PARCXerox PARCPARC , formerly Xerox PARC, is a research and co-development company in Palo Alto, California, with a distinguished reputation for its contributions to information technology and hardware systems....
research center (1990 - June 2000) - Cofounder of the Institute for Research on LearningInstitute for Research on LearningThe Institute for Research on Learning was a research group in Palo Alto, California founded by George Pake in 1986 through a grant from the Xerox Foundation, as a spin-off from the Xerox Palo Alto Research Corporation which Pake founded in 1970...
- Board member of multiple companies, including AmazonAmazon.comAmazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
, Corning, MacArthur FoundationMacArthur FoundationThe John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States. Based in Chicago but supporting non-profit organizations that work in 60 countries, MacArthur has awarded more than US$4 billion since its inception in 1978...
and PolycomPolycomPolycom is a multinational corporation with approximately 3,200 employees worldwide and an annual revenue of approximately $1.2 billion in 2010. The company manufactures and sells telepresence and voice communications solutions.-Company History 1990:... - Advisory board member of several private companies, including Innovation ExchangeInnovation ExchangeInnovation Exchange Inc. is an open innovation vendor. IX operates a website which acts as a platform for companies and non-profit organizations to present innovation challenges to a community of innovators. This community is constituted of individuals as well as small and midsize businesses...
and H5H5 (US company)H5 is a privately held company specializing in information retrieval systems for the legal industry, with offices in San Francisco and New York. Founded in 1999, H5 combines advanced proprietary information retrieval technologies with professional expertise in linguistics, statistics, computer... - Former board member of In-Q-TelIn-Q-TelIn-Q-Tel of Arlington, Virginia, United States is a not-for-profit venture capital firm that invests in high-tech companies for the sole purpose of keeping the Central Intelligence Agency equipped with the latest in information technology in support of United States intelligence capability...
Education, degrees and awards
- BA from Brown UniversityBrown UniversityBrown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, 1962 (mathematics and physics) - PhD from University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, 1970 (computer and communication sciences) - Honorary Doctor of Science from Brown University, May 2000
- Honorary Doctor of Science in Economics from London Business SchoolLondon Business SchoolLondon Business School is an international business school and a constituent college of the federal University of London, located in central London, beside Regent's Park...
, June 2001 - Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Claremont Graduate UniversityClaremont Graduate UniversityClaremont Graduate University is a private, all-graduate research university located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
, May 2004 - Honorary Doctor of Science from University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, April 2005 - Design Futures CouncilDesign Futures CouncilThe Design Futures Council is an interdisciplinary network of design, product, and construction leaders exploring global trends, challenges, and opportunities to advance innovation and shape the future of the industry and environment...
Senior Fellow
Publications
- "The Power of Pull: How Small Moves, Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things In Motion", (with John Hagel and Lang Davison, Basic BooksBasic BooksBasic Books is a book publisher founded in 1952 and located in New York. It publishes books in the fields of psychology, philosophy, economics, science, politics, sociology, current affairs, and history.-History:...
, 2010 - "Research that Reinvents the Corporation", Harvard Business ReviewHarvard Business ReviewHarvard Business Review is a general management magazine published since 1922 by Harvard Business School Publishing, owned by the Harvard Business School. A monthly research-based magazine written for business practitioners, it claims a high ranking business readership among academics, executives,...
, 1991 - The Social Life of InformationThe Social Life of InformationIn their 2000 book The Social Life of Information, John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid, discuss recently developed practices in the transmission of information in social and business context.As the introduction states, the authors argue that developing...
(with Paul Duguid) - "The Only Sustainable Edge" (with John Hagel IIIJohn Hagel IIIJohn Hagel or John Hagel III is an author and former consultant who specializes in the intersection of business strategy and information technology. In 2007, Hagel, along with John Seely Brown and Lang Davison, founded the Deloitte Center for Edge Innovation...
) - More than 100 papers in academic journals
External links
- John Seely Brown's website
- Big Shift Blog with John Hagel and Lang Davison -- Deloitte Center for Edge Innovation
- The 2009 Shift Index: Measuring the forces of long-term change
- John Seely Brown's BusinessWeek columns (co-authored with John Hagel)
- John Seely Brown's collaborative site with John Hagel
- "Keeping things simple" article in vodafone-receiver magazine nr.18
- Meet John Seely Brown, Deloitte Center for Edge Innovation
- John Seely Brown Symposium