Author: Norbert Majerus
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1000546306
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 470
Book Description
Davanti Nella Gara, an Italian bicycle company, makes the best racing bikes in the world. But after decades of market dominance, competitors have brought the industry leader back to the Peloton. The company’s second-generation owner longs for retirement, but a tired product lineup is pushing down profits and the firm’s market value will never support his ride into the sunset. The flawed but beloved owner seeks out the counsel of an old friend and successful businessman, who steers him toward a fast and remarkable transformation, one fueled by a relentless focus on innovation excellence. An engaging business novel, Winning Innovation dives into the art and science of innovation; the thrills of the European bike-racing circuit; the vibrant landscape and cuisine of Italy; and a cast of intriguing characters who work to put Davanti on the road to sustained prosperity. The company’s leader isn’t afraid to learn and apply new ideas to reenergize his company, and finds he cares more about his employees than he could ever imagine. A young innovator struggles to see a product idea to fruition as well as rise into management — and he falls in love along the way. A newly promoted R&D director brings teamwork and transparency to product development and aligns the entire company around innovation. With the help of a seasoned and persistent change agent, in just a year, Davanti deploys a well-defined and -sequenced transformation — a complete and seamless process that can be replicated and scaled by most companies. The leader engages associates in pursuit of the right vision and strategy, candidly supporting them all as they unleash their creative sparks, work through personality conflicts, and take on real-world challenges faced by companies every day. They learn and apply traditional R&D principles in new ways (e.g., cost of delay, sprints, fail fast, late start) and successfully leverage emerging innovation and change-management principles (e.g., idea-creation events, knowledge management, workplace humility, visual management, lean project management). And an aligned, three-phase innovation process — from idea creation to technology development and product design — provides the innovation infrastructure the company needs for revenue creation and success beyond racing bikes. From a top-heavy organization dominated by power struggles and finger-pointing emerges a new Davanti Nella Gara — a flattened, innovative company with: Clear vision and endorsed goals and strategy Speed, responsiveness, and agility Widespread, successful creativity Collaboration and teamwork Superior risk management Respect for people Unquestionable ethics Changed leadership and associate behaviors Project management excellence Rapid problem-solving and experimentation Not just the story of an R&D transformation, Winning Innovation illustrates a companywide transformation of a magnitude that only superior R&D can make possible. It may well be the first book to chronologically introduce the principles for a complete innovation excellence transformation along with the parallel people transformation that is necessary for real change to occur. The end result for Davanti Nella Gara is a dominant new culture based on respect and humility, highly efficient processes that will deliver a wealth of innovations, sales, and profits for many years to come, and an owner who leaves a bright future for the people and company he’s known and loved his entire life.
Winning Innovation
Author: Norbert Majerus
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1000546306
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 470
Book Description
Davanti Nella Gara, an Italian bicycle company, makes the best racing bikes in the world. But after decades of market dominance, competitors have brought the industry leader back to the Peloton. The company’s second-generation owner longs for retirement, but a tired product lineup is pushing down profits and the firm’s market value will never support his ride into the sunset. The flawed but beloved owner seeks out the counsel of an old friend and successful businessman, who steers him toward a fast and remarkable transformation, one fueled by a relentless focus on innovation excellence. An engaging business novel, Winning Innovation dives into the art and science of innovation; the thrills of the European bike-racing circuit; the vibrant landscape and cuisine of Italy; and a cast of intriguing characters who work to put Davanti on the road to sustained prosperity. The company’s leader isn’t afraid to learn and apply new ideas to reenergize his company, and finds he cares more about his employees than he could ever imagine. A young innovator struggles to see a product idea to fruition as well as rise into management — and he falls in love along the way. A newly promoted R&D director brings teamwork and transparency to product development and aligns the entire company around innovation. With the help of a seasoned and persistent change agent, in just a year, Davanti deploys a well-defined and -sequenced transformation — a complete and seamless process that can be replicated and scaled by most companies. The leader engages associates in pursuit of the right vision and strategy, candidly supporting them all as they unleash their creative sparks, work through personality conflicts, and take on real-world challenges faced by companies every day. They learn and apply traditional R&D principles in new ways (e.g., cost of delay, sprints, fail fast, late start) and successfully leverage emerging innovation and change-management principles (e.g., idea-creation events, knowledge management, workplace humility, visual management, lean project management). And an aligned, three-phase innovation process — from idea creation to technology development and product design — provides the innovation infrastructure the company needs for revenue creation and success beyond racing bikes. From a top-heavy organization dominated by power struggles and finger-pointing emerges a new Davanti Nella Gara — a flattened, innovative company with: Clear vision and endorsed goals and strategy Speed, responsiveness, and agility Widespread, successful creativity Collaboration and teamwork Superior risk management Respect for people Unquestionable ethics Changed leadership and associate behaviors Project management excellence Rapid problem-solving and experimentation Not just the story of an R&D transformation, Winning Innovation illustrates a companywide transformation of a magnitude that only superior R&D can make possible. It may well be the first book to chronologically introduce the principles for a complete innovation excellence transformation along with the parallel people transformation that is necessary for real change to occur. The end result for Davanti Nella Gara is a dominant new culture based on respect and humility, highly efficient processes that will deliver a wealth of innovations, sales, and profits for many years to come, and an owner who leaves a bright future for the people and company he’s known and loved his entire life.
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1000546306
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 470
Book Description
Davanti Nella Gara, an Italian bicycle company, makes the best racing bikes in the world. But after decades of market dominance, competitors have brought the industry leader back to the Peloton. The company’s second-generation owner longs for retirement, but a tired product lineup is pushing down profits and the firm’s market value will never support his ride into the sunset. The flawed but beloved owner seeks out the counsel of an old friend and successful businessman, who steers him toward a fast and remarkable transformation, one fueled by a relentless focus on innovation excellence. An engaging business novel, Winning Innovation dives into the art and science of innovation; the thrills of the European bike-racing circuit; the vibrant landscape and cuisine of Italy; and a cast of intriguing characters who work to put Davanti on the road to sustained prosperity. The company’s leader isn’t afraid to learn and apply new ideas to reenergize his company, and finds he cares more about his employees than he could ever imagine. A young innovator struggles to see a product idea to fruition as well as rise into management — and he falls in love along the way. A newly promoted R&D director brings teamwork and transparency to product development and aligns the entire company around innovation. With the help of a seasoned and persistent change agent, in just a year, Davanti deploys a well-defined and -sequenced transformation — a complete and seamless process that can be replicated and scaled by most companies. The leader engages associates in pursuit of the right vision and strategy, candidly supporting them all as they unleash their creative sparks, work through personality conflicts, and take on real-world challenges faced by companies every day. They learn and apply traditional R&D principles in new ways (e.g., cost of delay, sprints, fail fast, late start) and successfully leverage emerging innovation and change-management principles (e.g., idea-creation events, knowledge management, workplace humility, visual management, lean project management). And an aligned, three-phase innovation process — from idea creation to technology development and product design — provides the innovation infrastructure the company needs for revenue creation and success beyond racing bikes. From a top-heavy organization dominated by power struggles and finger-pointing emerges a new Davanti Nella Gara — a flattened, innovative company with: Clear vision and endorsed goals and strategy Speed, responsiveness, and agility Widespread, successful creativity Collaboration and teamwork Superior risk management Respect for people Unquestionable ethics Changed leadership and associate behaviors Project management excellence Rapid problem-solving and experimentation Not just the story of an R&D transformation, Winning Innovation illustrates a companywide transformation of a magnitude that only superior R&D can make possible. It may well be the first book to chronologically introduce the principles for a complete innovation excellence transformation along with the parallel people transformation that is necessary for real change to occur. The end result for Davanti Nella Gara is a dominant new culture based on respect and humility, highly efficient processes that will deliver a wealth of innovations, sales, and profits for many years to come, and an owner who leaves a bright future for the people and company he’s known and loved his entire life.
Innovation Capital
Author: Jeff Dyer
Publisher: Harvard Business Press
ISBN: 1633696537
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 289
Book Description
Learn from the Best Great leaders of innovation know that creativity is not enough. They succeed not only on the basis of their ideas, but because they have the vision, reputation, and networks to win the backing needed to commercialize them. It turns out that this quality--called "innovation capital"--is measurably more important for innovation than just being creative. The authors have spent decades studying how people get great ideas (the subject of The Innovator's DNA) and how people test and develop those ideas (explored in The Innovator's Method). Now they share what they've learned from a multipronged research program designed to determine how people compete for, and obtain, resources to launch new ideas: How you can build a personal reputation for innovation What techniques you can use to amplify your innovation capital How you can garner attention for your ideas and projects and persuade audiences to support them What it means to provide visionary leadership and how you can achieve it Featuring interviews with the superstars of innovation--individuals like Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Elon Musk (Tesla), Marc Benioff (Salesforce), Indra Nooyi (PepsiCo), and Shantanu Narayen (Adobe)--this book will help you position yourself and your ideas to compete for attention and resources so that you can launch innovations with impact.
Publisher: Harvard Business Press
ISBN: 1633696537
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 289
Book Description
Learn from the Best Great leaders of innovation know that creativity is not enough. They succeed not only on the basis of their ideas, but because they have the vision, reputation, and networks to win the backing needed to commercialize them. It turns out that this quality--called "innovation capital"--is measurably more important for innovation than just being creative. The authors have spent decades studying how people get great ideas (the subject of The Innovator's DNA) and how people test and develop those ideas (explored in The Innovator's Method). Now they share what they've learned from a multipronged research program designed to determine how people compete for, and obtain, resources to launch new ideas: How you can build a personal reputation for innovation What techniques you can use to amplify your innovation capital How you can garner attention for your ideas and projects and persuade audiences to support them What it means to provide visionary leadership and how you can achieve it Featuring interviews with the superstars of innovation--individuals like Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Elon Musk (Tesla), Marc Benioff (Salesforce), Indra Nooyi (PepsiCo), and Shantanu Narayen (Adobe)--this book will help you position yourself and your ideas to compete for attention and resources so that you can launch innovations with impact.
Winning at New Products
Author: Robert G. Cooper
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 0465093337
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 587
Book Description
For more than two decades, Winning at New Products has served as the bible for product developers everywhere. Robert G. Cooper demonstrates why consistent product development is vital to corporate growth and how to maximize your chances of success. Citing the author's most recent research, Winning at New Products showcases innovative practices by industry leaders to present a field-tested game plan for achieving product leadership. Cooper outlines specific strategies for making sound business decisions at every step-from idea generation to launch. This fully updated and expanded edition is an essential resource for product developers around the world. "This is a must read. There's so much new in this book, from how to generate the breakthrough ideas, picking the winners, and driving them to market successfully." -- Philip Kotler, Professor of International Marketing, Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 0465093337
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 587
Book Description
For more than two decades, Winning at New Products has served as the bible for product developers everywhere. Robert G. Cooper demonstrates why consistent product development is vital to corporate growth and how to maximize your chances of success. Citing the author's most recent research, Winning at New Products showcases innovative practices by industry leaders to present a field-tested game plan for achieving product leadership. Cooper outlines specific strategies for making sound business decisions at every step-from idea generation to launch. This fully updated and expanded edition is an essential resource for product developers around the world. "This is a must read. There's so much new in this book, from how to generate the breakthrough ideas, picking the winners, and driving them to market successfully." -- Philip Kotler, Professor of International Marketing, Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management
Winning At Innovation
Author: Philip Kotler
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
ISBN: 9781137479174
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Innovation is a responsibility normally assigned to R&D departments but this is not enough. Companies need a systematic framework so innovation can occur at different levels of the organization. The world's leading expert in marketing and innovation Philip Kotler, and Fernando Trias de Bes together present a revolutionary model for innovation.
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
ISBN: 9781137479174
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Innovation is a responsibility normally assigned to R&D departments but this is not enough. Companies need a systematic framework so innovation can occur at different levels of the organization. The world's leading expert in marketing and innovation Philip Kotler, and Fernando Trias de Bes together present a revolutionary model for innovation.
Winning Sustainability Strategies
Author: Benoit Leleux
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319974459
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 304
Book Description
Despite recent optimism and global initiatives, the implementation of corporate sustainability programs has been slow at best, with less than a third of global companies having developed a clear business case for their approach to sustainability. Presenting numerous award-winning cases and examples from companies such as Unilever, Patagonia, Tumi, DSM and Umicore alongside original ideas based upon 20 years of consulting experience, this book reveals how to design and implement a stronger sense of focus and move sustainability programs forward. This proven combination of purpose, direction and speed is dubbed “Vectoring”. Based upon practitioner cases and data analysis from the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, Vectoring offers a plain-spoken framework to identify the relative position of companies compared to their peers. The framework and its 4 archetypes deliver insights for practitioners to locate inhibitors and overcome them by providing practical suggestions for process improvements. This includes designing and executing new sustainability programs, embedding the SDGs within company strategy and assessing the impact of sustainability programs on competitiveness and valuation. Offering directions for CFOs to shift companies from integrated reporting to integrated thinking in order to accelerate their sustainability programs, Winning Sustainability Strategies shows how to achieve purpose with profit and how to do well by doing good.
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319974459
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 304
Book Description
Despite recent optimism and global initiatives, the implementation of corporate sustainability programs has been slow at best, with less than a third of global companies having developed a clear business case for their approach to sustainability. Presenting numerous award-winning cases and examples from companies such as Unilever, Patagonia, Tumi, DSM and Umicore alongside original ideas based upon 20 years of consulting experience, this book reveals how to design and implement a stronger sense of focus and move sustainability programs forward. This proven combination of purpose, direction and speed is dubbed “Vectoring”. Based upon practitioner cases and data analysis from the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, Vectoring offers a plain-spoken framework to identify the relative position of companies compared to their peers. The framework and its 4 archetypes deliver insights for practitioners to locate inhibitors and overcome them by providing practical suggestions for process improvements. This includes designing and executing new sustainability programs, embedding the SDGs within company strategy and assessing the impact of sustainability programs on competitiveness and valuation. Offering directions for CFOs to shift companies from integrated reporting to integrated thinking in order to accelerate their sustainability programs, Winning Sustainability Strategies shows how to achieve purpose with profit and how to do well by doing good.
Reverse Innovation
Author: Vijay Govindarajan
Publisher: Harvard Business Press
ISBN: 142218398X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Book Description
The gap between rich nations and emerging economies is closing. As a result, the global dynamics of innovation are changing. No longer will innovations traverse the globe in only one direction, from developed nations to developing ones. They will also flow in reverse. Authors Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth explain where, when, and why reverse innovation is on the rise, and why the implications are so profound—for nations, for companies, and for individuals. The authors focus in particular on a traditional pillar of rich-world economic vitality: successful and long-established multinational corporations. All are now seeking explosive growth in emerging economies, and all must learn new tricks in order to succeed. Reverse Innovation shows leaders and senior managers how to make innovation in emerging markets happen, and how such innovations can unlock opportunities throughout the world. The book highlights the tribulations and triumphs of some of the world’s leading companies (including GE, Deere & Company, P&G, and PepsiCo), illustrating exactly what works and what does not. The new reality is that the future lies far from home. Whether you are a CEO, financier, strategist, marketer, scientist, engineer, national policymaker, or even a student forming your career aspirations, reverse innovation is a phenomenon you need to understand. This book will help you do that.
Publisher: Harvard Business Press
ISBN: 142218398X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Book Description
The gap between rich nations and emerging economies is closing. As a result, the global dynamics of innovation are changing. No longer will innovations traverse the globe in only one direction, from developed nations to developing ones. They will also flow in reverse. Authors Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth explain where, when, and why reverse innovation is on the rise, and why the implications are so profound—for nations, for companies, and for individuals. The authors focus in particular on a traditional pillar of rich-world economic vitality: successful and long-established multinational corporations. All are now seeking explosive growth in emerging economies, and all must learn new tricks in order to succeed. Reverse Innovation shows leaders and senior managers how to make innovation in emerging markets happen, and how such innovations can unlock opportunities throughout the world. The book highlights the tribulations and triumphs of some of the world’s leading companies (including GE, Deere & Company, P&G, and PepsiCo), illustrating exactly what works and what does not. The new reality is that the future lies far from home. Whether you are a CEO, financier, strategist, marketer, scientist, engineer, national policymaker, or even a student forming your career aspirations, reverse innovation is a phenomenon you need to understand. This book will help you do that.
Winning the Next War
Author: Stephen Peter Rosen
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501732315
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 286
Book Description
How and when do military innovations take place? Do they proceed differently during times of peace and times of war? In Winning the Next War, Stephen Peter Rosen argues that armies and navies are not forever doomed to "fight the last war." Rather, they are able to respond to shifts in the international strategic situation. He also discusses the changing relationship between the civilian innovator and the military bureaucrat. In peacetime, Rosen finds, innovation has been the product of analysis and the politics of military promotion, in a process that has slowly but successfully built military capabilities critical to American military success. In wartime, by contrast, innovation has been constrained by the fog of war and the urgency of combat needs. Rosen draws his principal evidence from U.S. military policy between 1905 and 1960, though he also discusses the British army's experience with the battle tank during World War I.
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501732315
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 286
Book Description
How and when do military innovations take place? Do they proceed differently during times of peace and times of war? In Winning the Next War, Stephen Peter Rosen argues that armies and navies are not forever doomed to "fight the last war." Rather, they are able to respond to shifts in the international strategic situation. He also discusses the changing relationship between the civilian innovator and the military bureaucrat. In peacetime, Rosen finds, innovation has been the product of analysis and the politics of military promotion, in a process that has slowly but successfully built military capabilities critical to American military success. In wartime, by contrast, innovation has been constrained by the fog of war and the urgency of combat needs. Rosen draws his principal evidence from U.S. military policy between 1905 and 1960, though he also discusses the British army's experience with the battle tank during World War I.
The GAME of Innovation: Conquer Challenges. Level Up Your Team. Play to Win
Author: David Cutler
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
ISBN: 126425749X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 337
Book Description
As a leader, how do you discover and implement breakthrough opportunities? Gamify challenges. Level up your team. And play to WIN. Unveiling a comprehensive approach to extraordinary problem-solving, The GAME of Innovation offers all you need to meet challenges head on and seize the competitive edge. Conceived by a super-creative quartet of top-tier business consultants, The GAME of Innovation builds upon a novel premise: What if you framed problems as if they were games of profound significance? How might you design something new or reimagine the old, particularly when competition increases, technology disrupts, change accelerates, money tightens, and the rules of success are constantly evolving? The book then shares a flexible methodology for designing powerhouse problem-solving GAMEs (Guidelines, Arena, Materials, Experience), aligning teams with 5 problem-solving “lenses,” building consensus behind change, and leading/managing the process. This uncommon, easy-to-read, visual book is packed with actionable strategies that will help you and your community thrive when playing The GAME of Innovation.
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
ISBN: 126425749X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 337
Book Description
As a leader, how do you discover and implement breakthrough opportunities? Gamify challenges. Level up your team. And play to WIN. Unveiling a comprehensive approach to extraordinary problem-solving, The GAME of Innovation offers all you need to meet challenges head on and seize the competitive edge. Conceived by a super-creative quartet of top-tier business consultants, The GAME of Innovation builds upon a novel premise: What if you framed problems as if they were games of profound significance? How might you design something new or reimagine the old, particularly when competition increases, technology disrupts, change accelerates, money tightens, and the rules of success are constantly evolving? The book then shares a flexible methodology for designing powerhouse problem-solving GAMEs (Guidelines, Arena, Materials, Experience), aligning teams with 5 problem-solving “lenses,” building consensus behind change, and leading/managing the process. This uncommon, easy-to-read, visual book is packed with actionable strategies that will help you and your community thrive when playing The GAME of Innovation.
Innovation Tournaments
Author: Christian Terwiesch
Publisher: Harvard Business Press
ISBN: 1422133389
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 253
Book Description
Managers, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists all seek to maximize the financial returns from innovation, and profits are driven largely by the quality of the opportunities they pursue. Based on a structured and process-driven approach this book demonstrates how to systematically identify exceptional opportunities for innovation. An innovation tournament, just like its counterpart in sports, starts with a large number of candidates, with opportunities as the players. These opportunities are pitted against each other until only the exceptional survive. This book provides a principled approach for the effective management of innovation tournaments - identifying a wealth of promising opportunities and then evaluating and filtering them intelligently for greatest profitability. With a set of practical tools for creating and identifying new opportunities, it guides the reader in evaluating and screening opportunities. The book demonstrates how to construct an innovation portfolio and how to align the innovation process with an organization's competitive strategy. Innovation Tournaments employs quirky, fresh examples ranging from movies to medical devices. The authors' tool kit is built on their extensive research, their entrepreneurial backgrounds, and their teaching and consulting work with many highly innovative organizations.
Publisher: Harvard Business Press
ISBN: 1422133389
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 253
Book Description
Managers, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists all seek to maximize the financial returns from innovation, and profits are driven largely by the quality of the opportunities they pursue. Based on a structured and process-driven approach this book demonstrates how to systematically identify exceptional opportunities for innovation. An innovation tournament, just like its counterpart in sports, starts with a large number of candidates, with opportunities as the players. These opportunities are pitted against each other until only the exceptional survive. This book provides a principled approach for the effective management of innovation tournaments - identifying a wealth of promising opportunities and then evaluating and filtering them intelligently for greatest profitability. With a set of practical tools for creating and identifying new opportunities, it guides the reader in evaluating and screening opportunities. The book demonstrates how to construct an innovation portfolio and how to align the innovation process with an organization's competitive strategy. Innovation Tournaments employs quirky, fresh examples ranging from movies to medical devices. The authors' tool kit is built on their extensive research, their entrepreneurial backgrounds, and their teaching and consulting work with many highly innovative organizations.
Innovation X
Author: Adam Richardson
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470482192
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Book Description
A fresh approach to succeeding with innovation, grounded in insights about rapidly changing customers, competitors and technologies Written by a director at the award-winning global innovation firm frog design, this vital book shows business leaders and managers how to accomplish truly effective innovation in today's disruptive climate. Richardson shows how business is filled with "X-problems"- tough new challenges that present massive innovation opportunities, but also risks. Thriving in a world of X-problems requires harnessing four specific approaches: Immersion, Convergence, Divergence, and Adaption. Combining frog design's approaches with insightful analysis of companies such as Apple, BMW, Clif Bar, Google, Maxtor, and Salesforce.com, Richardson illustrates how to envision and realize successful new business ventures, products, and services. Provides a process for translating customer insights into relevant innovations, accompanied by case studies (many of them richly described from frog's own experiences) For the first time, gives real guidance on connecting products, software and services into ecosystems that are actually compelling to customers Shows how to facilitate bringing multiple perspectives to understanding a problem domain, as well as how to manage an innovation portfolio over time Innovation X is an essential guide for companies seeking to create growth and differentiation in increasingly competitive markets.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470482192
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Book Description
A fresh approach to succeeding with innovation, grounded in insights about rapidly changing customers, competitors and technologies Written by a director at the award-winning global innovation firm frog design, this vital book shows business leaders and managers how to accomplish truly effective innovation in today's disruptive climate. Richardson shows how business is filled with "X-problems"- tough new challenges that present massive innovation opportunities, but also risks. Thriving in a world of X-problems requires harnessing four specific approaches: Immersion, Convergence, Divergence, and Adaption. Combining frog design's approaches with insightful analysis of companies such as Apple, BMW, Clif Bar, Google, Maxtor, and Salesforce.com, Richardson illustrates how to envision and realize successful new business ventures, products, and services. Provides a process for translating customer insights into relevant innovations, accompanied by case studies (many of them richly described from frog's own experiences) For the first time, gives real guidance on connecting products, software and services into ecosystems that are actually compelling to customers Shows how to facilitate bringing multiple perspectives to understanding a problem domain, as well as how to manage an innovation portfolio over time Innovation X is an essential guide for companies seeking to create growth and differentiation in increasingly competitive markets.