Georgia Tech’s $5M Tennenbaum Institute to Focus on Enterprise Transformation

For most people in the business sector and economic development field, perhaps, the word "innovation" is quickly associated with tech start-ups and entrepreneurial businesses. The new Tennebaum Institute at Georgia Tech, opened last month with a $5 million donation from school alumnus Michael Tennebaum, is hoping to change that.

The multidisciplinary center is structured to help private, public, nonprofit and educational enterprises to recognize and embrace innovation throughout their organizations -- transforming "their strategies, operations, and cultures, thereby enabling substantially enhanced stockholder value." The premise is that innovations involving processes rather than new products are often overlooked, as are innovations occurring within existing businesses.

Executive director William Rouse said the institute would help member companies determine what types of emerging technologies will be available in 5-10 years and how adopting them could change the way the companies operate. Focus technology and business areas will include aerospace, automotive, banking, computing, defense, education, health care, pharmaceuticals, retail, telecommunications, and transportation.

According to Georgia Tech, the institute and its members will work together to research the interdisciplinary nature of enterprise transformation and identify and evaluate best practices for achieving transformation. More information is available at: http://www.ti.gatech.edu/