IMPROVING THE UNIVERSITY'S PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC POLICY EDUCATION

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Technological Innovation

Figure 4. Flow of Resources to New Research and
Educational Functions, Successive Stages

pointing eventually to goals X_n and Y∏ (Figure 4). These goals need
to be conceptualized originally only as broad functions of research
and education for institutional innovation to help direct resources
toward that capacity. Later experience will allow these goals to be
more specifically defined. Without that “capacity goal” of X_n and Y_n,
the pull of the old technological function will reclaim resources in
short order.

Reconceptualization

One lesson learned from history is that, at some stage of process
and product development, men develop new concepts which apply to
what they are attempting to do (that is, from man flying like bird to
flying machine, from horseless carriage to automobile, from farmer
institutes to extension service, etc.) This process of bending old ideas
to new uses goes on constantly. Progress is slow at first and crude in
retrospect. However, at the point of reconceptualization, progress
accelerates rapidly.

Thus in Figure 5 in an indeterminate zone of time R, the university
system will reconceptualize its (Xi to X_n), (Yι to Y_n), and N^th (all
other possible) functions, recasting and reorganizing itself to better
perform the social innovation function. The N^th functions represent
our other institutional systems whose improved performance is crit-
ical to man’s welfare. At the time of reconceptualization, resources
are then not further weaned from the old function but flow from out-
side sources to the new function. This becomes the time when “Hatch

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