How to create a sustainable culture of innovation - from a unique anthropological and sociological perspective!
How did a motley crew of Aborigines outsmart a highly trained SAS team in a televised survival challenge? What can the traditional cheese rolling race of Italy and the log-rolling race of Papua New Guinea teach us about innovation and progress? And what does this all mean for individuals and organizations that want to innovate today?
Innovation is an essential survival tool. In business it has been found to be a strong indicator of organizational success, a compelling motivator for organizational engagement, and a formidable foundation for competition in the commercial market. Economists estimate that 50-80% of economic growth comes from innovation and new knowledge, and recognize innovation as an important potential factor in dealing with global challenges.
Yet how often do we stop to think about how and why we innovate? Are in danger of innovating for the sake of innovating? And what does all this mean for contemporary organizations?
In The Amazing Innovation Race, Andrew and Gaia Grant address these questions and many more head on. They challenge the typical assumption that innovation is about designing bigger, better, and faster products and services - and suggest, instead, that it should be about creative culture change. By turning the standard 'success' paradigm upside down, they examine the real meaning of progress, and demonstrate how it is possible to transform an organization at the most fundamental levels. They recommend a combination of both individual psychological development and organizational climate change strategies in their unique 'Strategies for Innovative Development' (SID) model.
Presented as a clever parody of reality TV shows, the authors of the popular CSI themed book Who Killed Creativity? ... And How Can We Get It Back? have now created a compelling cultural narrative. The result is perfect the blend of fast-paced entertainment and humor along with anthropological and sociological insights – plus profound applications for staying ahead in the innovation race.
Both deeply thought provoking and intensely practical, The Amazing Innovation Race trailblazes groundbreaking new territory, and is bound to motivate and equip even the most reluctant armchair traveler.
By:
Andrew Grant,
Gaia Grant
Imprint: Wright Books
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions:
Height: 226mm,
Width: 152mm,
Spine: 20mm
Weight: 544g
ISBN: 9780730328995
ISBN 10: 0730328996
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 22 July 2016
Audience:
General/trade
,
Professional and scholarly
,
ELT Advanced
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
About the authors xv Acknowledgements xvii Preface xix Part I: Preparation for the global reality race 1 Destination: Australia Chapter 1: The Amazing Innovation Race 3 Who wins, who loses, who gets eliminated and why we need to change the game Chapter 2: Shifting Perspectives 29 The value of diverse perspectives on creative thinking and innovation Chapter 3: Are you a Tourist or Traveller? 51 How cultural awareness can encourage empathy and increase the potential for purpose-driven innovation Chapter 4: Picasso and the Paradoxical Innovation Process 67 Understanding the challenges of innovation journey, from imagination and ideation to implementation Part II: Destinations 91 Chapter 5: Liberate 93 How to liberate a culture for open innovation Destination: Africa Chapter 6: Initiate 139 How to initiate the innovation process through open connections for exploring diverse ideas Destination: Europe Chapter 7: Motivate 183 How to motivate individuals and teams to come up with unified solutions Destination: Asia Chapter 8: Transform 223 How to transform a culture for implementing innovation Destination: The Americas Part III: The future of the race 261 Destination: Antarctica Chapter 9: Pawns and Players 263 Who really wins in the end? Chapter 10: Future Trends 279 The new innovation agenda Notes 297 Index 339
