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The first item in the “Recent Research” column from the Summer 2006 Strategy+Business Magazine (free registration) notes a Harvard Business Review working paper that addresses a growing situation with potentially global impact.

The blurb, appropriately titled “AARP University”, starts this way:

“A survey of 50- to 70-year-old Americans found that more than half wanted, after their primary career ended, to dedicate their time to national or community service. But for most senior citizens, there are few opportunities to do so, and their years of experience are ignored and rejected by societies enamored with youth.”

HBR authors Kanter, Khurana & Nohria recommend (and will even offer in 2007) a new level of higher education geared specifically toward seniors, specifically designed for those who now have the time and resources to get involved, but who may be lacking in ideas, knowledge or skills to pursue new goals. The idea is to provide a “think-tank”-like institution that serves as an idea incubator in order to focus on global challenges.

While I disagree there are “few opportunities” for seniors to participate - opportunities are plentiful, you just have to know where to look – kudos to the Harvard Business School for recognizing a need and doing something about it!

The implications are exciting don’t you think? Just imagine aggregating all those years of experience from virtually every field; turning their accumulated knowledge into an innovation engine, one that can focus on those large, difficult challenges we humans face every day. Think of the potential for innovation! This, after all, is what collaboration is all about.

It’s like creating a really big brain! But I wonder – where will you find a hat that big?

You know, it would just be absolutely finer than a frogs hair if you would subscribe to my RSS feed!