One thing I would add: A key strategy in innovation is not to get entrenched in any one particular mindset/outlook.

With that in mind, I would recommend 365 Ways to Change the World by Michael Norton.

It’s doesn’t bill itself as an innovation guidebook, but that could be what makes it particularly valuable – the competition is probably not reading it. It’s full of great ideas with wide application that might push corporate leaders’ thinking beyond the usual boundaries, and do a bit for their CSR at the same time!

I would like to recommend two books written on innovation, the author is Clayton Christensen. He did an interesting research and found that (most) companies have a “finite” life cycle and at some point they just go out of business, regardless of how successful or smart their executives are. Those companies reach a stage in which it is difficult for them to see innovations and are usually “disrupted” by new entrants. Actually, the concept is called “Disruptive Innovation”. Examples? Sure, several: Digital Equipment, US Steel, Wang.

Perhaps Microsoft is being disrupted by Google today and it will never be what it used to be in the 1990’s? Interestingly, Microsoft never “saw” the Internet coming and despite its huge investments on that, it just doesn’t have a viable model… yet.

Ok, the books are:

1) The Innovator’s Dilemma.
2) The Innovator’s Solution.

If you don’t have time to read both, the second one is the book managers an business people (like me) need. Practical approach and full of smart strategies to avoid being disrupted!

Regards,
Javier

Meg