The Playful Entrepreneur | 2 May

Playful entrepreneurs adapt and thrive in uncertain and ambiguous conditions. They experiment and learn whilst expressing freedom in their work and having fun at the same time. Such entrepreneurs provide a model for work in the modern age. Mark Dodgson began to explore the importance of ‘play’ in the innovation process in his book Think, Play, Do: Technology, Innovation and Organization (Oxford University Press, 2005). Wanting to pursue it further, Mark began to undertake and collect case studies of successful entrepreneurs, examining how play influenced what they did and how they did it. This led to the book The Playful Entrepreneur: How to Adapt and Thrive in an Uncertain World (Yale University Press, 2018).

In this session you will:

• learn why play is such an important element in successful innovation and entrepreneurship
• examine case studies of playful entrepreneurs
• learn about the personal behaviours that underlie their success
• discuss why this kind of entrepreneurship provides valuable insights for the future of work

Register here.

About Professor Mark Dodgson AO

Mark Dodgson AO is Professor of Innovation Studies at the University of Queensland (UQ) Business School, and Visiting Professor at Imperial College London. His research focusses on how the innovation process is changing. Mark has written or edited 16 books on innovation, and his current major research interests include: innovation in large, complex projects; the playful work of entrepreneurs; philanthropy and entrepreneurs; innovation in China; the future of the innovative university; and innovation the 18th century English pottery and textile industries. He writes a regular blog on entrepreneurship for the World Economic Forum.