Brad Rourke

Brad Rourke’s Blog

  • Experts

    Through a circuitous route, I got to thinking about experts. Seems a Ketchum PR man who’s billed as a social media expert was on his way to present on social media (natch) to a key client, FedEx, at their headquarters in Memphis. Upon landing, he tweeted: “True confession but I’m in one of those towns…

  • Institution Revolution

    Andrea Jarrell pointed out to me that, according to Inside Higher Ed, Brandeis University is selling all of the art it owns.  Says the article: “These are extraordinary times,” said a statement from Jehuda Reinharz, the university’s president. “We cannot control or fix the nation’s economic problems. We can only do what we have been…

  • Can Process Trump Execution?

    I got to thinking recently about a time I spent a half day observing a visioning exercise. I was excited, at first, to have the opportunity to learn a thing or two. The people leading the session have worked with lots of civic groups and local governments over the years. I saw, though, that at…

  • Public's Priorities For 2009

    I found this to be a useful research report from the Pew Center For The People And The Press: “As Barack Obama takes office, the public’s focus is overwhelmingly on domestic policy concerns – particularly the economy. Strengthening the nation’s economy and improving the job situation stand at the top of the public’s list of…

  • Public’s Priorities For 2009

    I found this to be a useful research report from the Pew Center For The People And The Press: “As Barack Obama takes office, the public’s focus is overwhelmingly on domestic policy concerns – particularly the economy. Strengthening the nation’s economy and improving the job situation stand at the top of the public’s list of…

  • A Vision For 2009

    Through my friend Cynthia Cotte Griffiths, I discovered a great way to put together a vision to guide oneself. Just in time, too! Most years I spend New Year’s Day writing out my goals for the coming year. This year, for some reason, I did not do that and I have been hankering to get…

  • Location, Location, Object

    Through one of my Twitter contacts, I ran across an interesting article by Jyri Engeström about why some social networks work and others don’t. It has to do with the presence — or lack — of an “object.” In this case, that means a reason to connect with others. One example is Flickr, which has…

  • The Civic Implications of Student-Centered Education

    My friend John Creighton and I have been thinking together about what it might mean for education to become far more “student centered – a trend that has already begun. Education is one of those areas that so far has been sheltered from some of the more turbulent changes taking place in society. But we…