The Innovation Delusion: How Our Obsession with the New Has Disrupted the Work That Matters Most
Summary. This paper critiques the widespread adoption of 'innovation-speak'—a Silicon Valley ideology that prioritizes disruptive change over maintenance and care. The authors argue that this rhetoric has infected cultural institutions like archives and libraries, creating a false hierarchy that devalues essential maintenance work. They demonstrate how this ideology damages organizations by neglecting the unglamorous but critical labor that keeps systems functioning, and call for institutions to adopt a 'maintenance mindset' instead.
Cite this article
Owens, T.. (2021). The Innovation Delusion: How Our Obsession with the New Has Disrupted the Work That Matters Most. The American Archivist. https://doi.org/10.17723/0360-9081-84.2.545
Owens, Trevor. “The Innovation Delusion: How Our Obsession with the New Has Disrupted the Work That Matters Most.” The American Archivist, 2021. https://doi.org/10.17723/0360-9081-84.2.545.
Owens, Trevor. 2021. “The Innovation Delusion: How Our Obsession with the New Has Disrupted the Work That Matters Most.” The American Archivist. https://doi.org/10.17723/0360-9081-84.2.545.
@article{owens-2021-innovation-delusion-how-our-obsession,
title = {The Innovation Delusion: How Our Obsession with the New Has Disrupted the Work That Matters Most},
author = {Trevor Owens},
journal = {The American Archivist},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.17723/0360-9081-84.2.545},
url = {https://doi.org/10.17723/0360-9081-84.2.545}
}
TY - JOUR TI - The Innovation Delusion: How Our Obsession with the New Has Disrupted the Work That Matters Most AU - Trevor Owens JO - The American Archivist PY - 2021 DO - 10.17723/0360-9081-84.2.545 UR - https://doi.org/10.17723/0360-9081-84.2.545 ER -
Details
- DOI
- 10.17723/0360-9081-84.2.545
- Countries
- United States
- Regions
- North America
- Categories
- innovation-theory, policy, general-innovation
- Added
- 2026-04-28