Harvard Business Review on the Innovative Enterprise

In this volume, one in a series of anthologies of articles previously published in the Harbard Business Review, the reader is provided with eight brilliant analyses of how to establish and then nourish innovative thinking entreprise-wide. No brief commentary such as this can do full justice to the rigor and substance of these articles. It remains for each reader to examine the list to identify those subjects which are of greatest interest to her or him. My own opinion is that all of the articles are first-rate. One of this volume's greatest benefits is derived from sharing a variety of perspectives provided by a number of different authorities on the same general subject. In this instance, "the innovative enterprise." Readers will especially appreciate the provision of an executive summary which precedes each of the articles. Also of interest is the "About the Contributors" section which includes suggestions of other sources to consult. These are some of the key questions to which the contributors respond: Which "time pressure" situations yield creativity? Why? (Amabile, Hadley, and Kramer) What are the most effective "tough-minded ways" to "get innovative"? (Pearson) How to break out of - and stay out of -- the "innovation box"? (Wolpert) What causes an R & D "machine" to "sputter" and how to repair it? (Peebles) What does the "discipline of innovation" require of both individuals and organizations? (Drucker) How can research help to "reinvent" an organization? (Brown) If "creativity is not enough," what else is needed? (Levitt) Those who share my high regard for this volumne are urged to check out other "Harvard Business Review on..." volumes such as those on Culture and Change, Effective Communication, Innovation, Knowledge Management, Organizational Learning. Also Thomas Kelley and Jonathan Littman's The Art of Innovation and The Ten Faces of Innovation, Teresa Amabile's Creativity in Context, Evan Schwartz' Juice, Jane Fulton Suri' Thoughtless Acts?, Michael Michalko's Cracking Creativity, and Making Innovation Work co-authored by Tony Davila, Marc J. Epstein, and Robert Shelton.

Today when the word "innovation" becomes more or less a cliche, this book does breathe valuable substance (not sheerly vague concepts but practical advice) to aspired innovators supposedly to have the power to steer the course of an institution. Some readers might think that HBR publications are quality guaranteed. As a regular reader on my company's monthly HBR subscription, I assure you that's not the case. However, this book is really a big beautiful pearl. In particular, I like "the discipline of innovation by Peter Drucker" the most because of the author's emphasis on innovators' need to look for simple, focused solutions to real problems, that the greatest praise an innovation can receive is for people to say "That's so obvious!" and grandiose ideas designed to revolutionize an industry rarely work. Drucker also points out that if diligence, persistence, and committment are lacking, companies are unlikely to succeed at the business innovation. Other passages like "Creativity under the Gun by Amabile, Hadley and Kramer" and "Research that revinvents the corporation by John Brown" are also brilliant. Without exaggeration, it's a very useful and great read. Dont miss it.