Thinking outside the box

"Innovation and Entrepreneurship Are Everybody's Business" is the topic of four discussion sessions to be conducted by Thomas S. Lyons, director of the Center for Research on Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development at the University of Louisville .
At the sessions on Wednesday, Lyons will discuss the importance of being innovative and being an entrepreneur. He will assess the skills of people who want to be entrepreneurs.
"We are stressing innovation and creativity," said Bill Smith, associate professor of management. "Innovation can take place anywhere. Our goal is to raise awareness and encourage people to think about innovation.
"We seek to build such an entrepreneurial community in Emporia and the Flint Hills of Kansas ," Smith said.
Lyons ' research specialization is in state and local economic development planning. His current research interests include the evaluation of public programs for new enterprise development and sustainable local development. He periodically evaluates Wisconsin 's local business-incubation programs. He recently assessed Louisville 's system for providing assistance to minority entrepreneurs and developed and installed an improved system. He is the co-author of six books on economic development.
For more information, talk with Smith at smithwil@emporia.edu or 341-5729.
Open-discussion times and sites are:
- 10 a.m. , Earl Center , Room 201
- 11 a.m. , King Hall, Room 214
- 1:30 p.m., Roe Cross Conference Room, Cremer Hall, Room 206
- 2:30 p.m., Roe Cross Conference Room, Cremer Hall, Room 206

Last Updated July 2, 2007>