TITLE: Hope for Troubled Economic Times
AUTHOR: Eugene Wallingford
DATE: February 21, 2009  7:10 PM
DESC: 
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BODY:
<BLOCKQUOTE><EM>
And we decided to innovate our way through this
downturn, so that we would be further ahead of
our competitors when things turn up.
</EM></BLOCKQUOTE>

"This downturn" was the dot.com bust.  The speaker
was
<A HREF="http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939600/steve_jobs_the_rolling_stone_interview">
   Steve Jobs</A>.
The innovations were the iPod and iTunes.  Seems
to have worked out fine.

My agile friends are positioned well to innovate
through our current downturn, as are the start-ups
that other friends and former students run.
It is something of a clich&eacute; but true
nonetheless.  Recessions can be a good time for
people and organizations that are able -- and
willing -- to adapt.  They can be an opportunity
as much as a challenge.

I hope that the faculty and staff of my university
can approach these troubled budget times with such
an attitude.  In five years, we could be doing a
much better job for our students, our state, and
our respective academic disciplines.
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