Negentropy: Systems Theory and Chaos for Universities

Table 1

Negentropic vs. Entrepreneurial vs. Innovative models within faculty tasks

Negentropic

Innovative

Entrepreneurial

Scholarship

Reaches out to public

Breaks new ground

Focuses on marketability of ideas, transfer to industry, patents

Teaching

May disrupt away from current content, tends to question the foundations

Utilizes new technologies and approaches to deliver current content

Engage learners in partnerships with industry, ‘pitches’ competitive models

Curriculum

Creates new programs focused on connecting across disciplines, disrupting status quo

May work within existing programs but with different class approaches

Creates new programs focused on market need, gaps, contracts

Service

Transcends to real outreach practice

Works to improve current committee work and try new ideas for improving existing practices

Considers how to connect service with community companies and translate into consulting or contracts

Overall focus

On fighting back entropic tendencies

On doing new things, new for better/ improvement

On personal advancement typically through consulting