The Idea Factory

The Idea Factory was also a book where a guy journed his struggles through MIT grad school (mech engineering I think). Was interesting though gloomy: http://www.amazon.com/The-Idea-Factory-Learning-Think/dp/026...

Wasn't this the manner in which Google pursued its research initiatives under Schmidt? Total secrecy as to the revenue numbers in order to spend as necessary on research without objection from the shareholders and analysts. Something changed when Larry Page took over, or maybe it was a coincidence of circumstance, but for a short period, Google was an "Idea Factory". Maybe Facebook under Zuckerberg can be the next Idea Factory.

The clear inference is that the leadership must be strong and unwavering in the face of shareholder objections that only care about quarterly financials rather than long term vision. Ellison also comes to mind, but he's lost much of his visionary spark. Jobs may be the last unless Page and Zuckerberg truly take on the mantle to pursue fearlessly the vision of an Idea Factory as an end in itself.