Innovation--The Missing Dimension

by Richard K. Lester and Michael J. Piore

Book Overview

Amid mounting concern over the loss of jobs to low-wage economies, one fact is clear: America's prosperity hinges on the ability of its businesses to continually introduce new products and services. But what makes for a creative economy? How can the remarkable surge of innovation that fueled the boom of the 1990s be sustained?

For an answer, Richard K. Lester and Michael J. Piore examine innovation strategies in some of the economy's most...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0674019946
• ISBN13: 9780674019942
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

More Interpretation, Less Problem Solving Helps Innovation

I work in a business that struggles to be innovative. There's many very smart people who are superb problem solvers. This book explains why a problem solving mindset may actually interfere with listening to customers and stimulating new ideas. By thinking "who else should I invite into this conversation who might have another perspective," and "how can I get these people together and stimulate a deep conversation," I've begun to see another way to work with my colleagues that may help our organization push the envelope more. The authors offered very specific examples of these kinds of interpretative conversations. This book has good case studies about garment industry, cell phone industry and biotech. Their economic argument pushing for more public spaces where interpretative conversations can occur was of less interest and I thought weaker than their company examples.