Introduction
Education is an integral part of the development of every human being, irrespective of it being in the form of formal education or not. From this perspective, the motto is steeped in the philosophy of human development. Business is what gives practical meaning to human development through the creation of products and services or in other words acts as a significant medium towards human development.
My Embodiment of the Motto
Changes in individuals occur at different stages of life. Education brings about a significant manner in the way an individual thinks and acts in everyday situations. In other words education guides and molds the thinking processes that include the use of imagination and judgments, in what may be considered moral thinking, which is a form of creative imagination that brings into reckoning several factors. The right use of imagination, brought about by the increased awareness of the differences in individual experiences and the experiences of others that give rise to different perspectives, has been a significant factor in human development.
A simple and well-known example of this is the revolutionary idea of the sun being the center of our solar system and not the earth. Hence university education fosters the right sort of thinking and imagination in an individual for the purpose of individual development and through that the development of society, leading to human development. (1).
This fostering the right sort of thinking in universities leads to creative thinking and the formulation of innovative ideas. Innovative ideas generated from imaginative minds remain in thoughts only unless they are translated into a useful form for human development. There are several means to making practical use of innovative ideas, business being one means to action. However, businesses differentiate between actionable ideas that are innovative and those that will not work, due to the inherent inefficient processes.
In other words, the fostering of actionable ideas in universities needs to be constructive towards serving either business or social needs. It is in this that the embodiment of the word service lies. Educational institutions not only foster the generation of ideas, but also critical thinking that enables the translation of ideas into action into services useful to society and business.
This culture of creative and actionable ideas arising from universities is the nutrition on which businesses thrive. From a business perspective innovation, the product of actionable ideas creates new products and services in the development of humanity. A simple example of the linkage between education and business, wherein creative ideas are made actionable into innovation for the development of humanity is in the business activities of Microsoft.
In this information age, Microsoft is a pioneering business that has translated creativity emerging from educational institutions into action. The results of their activities have led to dramatic and revolutionary products and services that have enhanced the quality of life. This is not a one-time process in the business activity of Microsoft, where dissolving old ideas, creating new models and forms lead to constant reinvention. (2).
Conclusion
In conclusion briefly, the fostering of the culture of imaginative thinking that creates actionable ideas, leading to innovation in the service of the development of humanity is necessary to any university. This is the reason for the American University motto: Ideas into Action; Action into Service.
Works Cited
Van Haaften, A. Wouter & Wren, E. Thomas. “Philosophy of development: an invitation”. In Philosophy of Development: Reconstructing the Foundations of Human Development and Education. Eds. A. Wouter van Haaften, Michiel Korthals, and Thomas, E. Wren. Springer: New York, 1997, 1-12.
Naiman, Linda. “Creativity and the Meaning of Work”. 1998. Creativity at Work: Articles & Tips. Web.