Students Express Thoughts on Innovative Issues Ranging From U.S. Leadership to Pop Culture; GE Launches College Innovation Tour To Address Students` Concerns About Innovation
FAIRFIELD, Conn.--(COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--Apr 30, 2003--With graduation day fast approaching, American college students are concerned about their future because of what they perceive to be a lack of long-term innovation in the United States, according to the first annual GE College Innovation Survey.* In fact, 62% of those participating in study said that innovation is a large enough priority that it should be considered for a political campaign platform.
The survey, conducted over the course of three weeks during March of 2003, asked 1,000 college students in the U.S. about their thoughts and perceptions of innovation and imagination as they pertain to social and economic issues. Following are key findings of the study and an analysis of the results.
American College Students Feel Innovation is Important, But Don`t See the U.S. as Particularly Innovative:
According to the study, most undergraduate students (69%) feel fostering innovation is an important priority for the U.S. However, only one-fifth of the respondents are confident that the U.S. is innovative enough to establish new directions and viable new ideas for the country.
Overall, when asked which countries are making the most innovative strides in developing new products, technologies and ideas to help advance society, students responded with the following:
-Japan (43%)
-U.S. (19%)
-China (8%)
-Germany (3%)
-U.K. (2%)
-India (1%)
Furthermore, a third (33%) of those surveyed feel that American companies have become less innovative over the past five years, while only 25% feel U.S. companies have become more innovative. Additionally, only 9% of the students feel that the country is doing enough to encourage innovation among young adults.
Other U.S.-related statistics for consideration include:
-Students optimistically see the U.S. achieving a greater leadership position during the next thirty years in the following industries: Healthcare, social causes, education, energy and the environment.
-When asked what fields the U.S. excels in with regard to innovation and imagination, nearly two-thirds (64%) of the participants said that the country leads in technological innovation followed by healthcare, which received 30% of the votes.
-Thirty-four% of the students suppose that the next groundbreaking innovation will occur in the field of medicine.
Students` Thoughts on Innovation as They Pertain to Pop Culture...
The survey also probed what college students believe is innovative and imaginative in the world of entertainment and pop culture.
Students found their own generation to be the most innovative one in America, though more students found the ''founding fathers'' (1700s) generation more imaginative (18%) than any contemporary generation other than their own.
When it comes to music, more college students have a fondness for the boys from Liverpool�the Beatles�than any other music group listed in the survey. While most rank the Beatles as the most imaginative (24%), the only other artists to come close were current performers including Madonna (18%) and Eminem (10%). Students also picked The Matrix (28%) as the most imaginative movie, followed by Star Wars (17%) and Lord of the Rings (13%). Other classics, such as The Godfather and Apocalypse Now ranked the least imaginative of all choices.
Finally, when asked to rank the most imaginative parents of all time, Sharon and Ozzy Osborne came in first (20%), followed closely by the Cosby Show`s Cliff and Claire Huxtable (19%) and Homer and Marge Simpson (18%). Bill and Hillary Clinton ranked slightly ahead of George and Laura Bush, 3% and 2% respectively.
GE Launches GE College Innovation Tour to Begin Dialogue With Nation`s Young People:
GE will be visiting college campuses throughout the U.S. in an effort to address the concerns, feelings and aspirations of college students as they relate to innovation and imagination. The tour launches this spring at several universities.
The goal of the GE College Innovation Tour is to elevate the level and frequency of conversation among students and faculty on the importance of innovation in today�s society. The Tour will explore the major obstacles impeding students from becoming more innovative and will address the potential solutions to overcoming such barriers.
If you are interested in reviewing the complete study, please contact Ted Birkhahn.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversified technology and services company dedicated to creating products that make life better. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, medical imaging, television programming and plastics, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company`s Web site at .
[*Source: This survey was conducted by Leflein Associates for GE in March 2003.]
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