Business innovation Books

Book SynopsisDr Tero Ojanperä is a world-renowned technology business leader. The co-founder of Silo AI, one of Europe's largest private AI labs, he is an investor and venture capitalist. Fast Company crowned him the seventh most creative person in business and he is a Young Global Leader with the World Economic Forum. He lives in Helsinki, Finland. Prof Timo O. Vuori is a strategy consultant and professor at Aalto University, a Financial Times top 40 business school. Timo helps companies formulate and execute strategies, helping them transform into intelligent platforms. He lives in Helsinki, Finland.Trade Review"Ojanperä and Vuori's Platform Strategy is a unique book. It combines Ojanperä's hands-on experience of a senior executive grappling with the opportunities and threats of platform dynamics and Vuori's path-breaking work on the impact of affect and emotions on senior team action. As a result, Platform Strategy is an amazingly helpful book linking platforms and AI to an incumbent firm's shift in strategy and, in turn, organizational transformation. The uniqueness of this book is that it provides research-based and experience-based insights to help senior executives both think and feel their way through platform strategies. This book belongs on leaders' desks as well as academics' desks." * Michael Tushman, Professor, Harvard Business School and author of Lead And Disrupt, Winning Through Innovation And Navigating Change: How CEOs, Top Teams, And Boards Steer Transformation *"Creating a platform business and adopting AI are fundamental challenges for many organizations today. Ojanperä and Vuori build on their senior executive experience and top-tier research to provide a step-by-step guide for transforming your business. You learn how to manage both the hard business challenges and the softer human forces that determine whether you will succeed or fail." * Laura Huang, Professor, Harvard Business School and author of Edge: Turning Adversity Into Advantage *"This book provides a comprehensive and cutting edge set of insights on how to succeed in deploying value-creating platforms, relying on state-of-the-art technologies such as AI and machine learning. It provides many practical step-by-step frameworks for executives to plan their implementation of platform-based offerings. One of the book's more distinctive values is that it combines both hard and soft considerations. The authors provide many useful insights related to hard aspects such as strategies, organizational structures and systems, and software technologies such as application programming interfaces (APIs). And they deftly combine these hard aspects with soft behavioural factors such as emotional energy, human creative thinking and responsible control over AI." * Quy Huy, Professor of Strategy, INSEAD *"Platform business models together with AI create a new competitive advantage and superior value for customers. A clear and practical guide on how to build an Intelligent Platform with your team and external stakeholders." * Henrik Ehrnrooth, CEO, KONE *"This book provides hands-on guidance on how platform strategies, combined with the forces of data and AI, will create a competitive edge for companies regardless of industry. The authors' combination of research and in-depth experience provides leaders with the sense of urgency needed to be a winner in the future. Regardless of sector, companies will need the confidence to cooperate in smart and open eco-systems and thereby create greater outcomes together with partners. I especially appreciated the human-centric view on leadership and organizational impact to simplify governance and speed up the transformation for the benefits of customers, employees and society at large. Read it!" * Lundstedt Martin, CEO, Volvo Group *"AI and platforms are common denominators for winning strategies in the future. Ojanperä and Vuori show how you can transform your business with lessons learned from the best companies in the world." * John Lindfors, Managing Partner, DST Global *"As C-Level executives or non-executive directors of technology companies, we all strive to stay current with the technologies that underpin the power and appeal of platforms and AI. The bigger challenge however is to distill this down to a set of practical priorities that are executable and scalable across distributed workforces. The authors explain in a practical way how to get started with building an intelligent platform to transform your business. But even more importantly, you will learn what you can do as a leader to drive change and help your team, colleagues, and external stakeholders succeed in an ever-increasing competitive world." * Rick Simonson, Managing Partner, Specie Mesa LLC and Former CFO, Sabre Corporation and Nokia *"This book brilliantly ties together the essential components needed for transforming your business using AI, platform thinking, and human creativity." * Mårten Mickos, CEO, Hacker One, Former CEO, MYSQL and Senior Vice President, HR and Sun Microsystem *"To build a successful platform and business takes actions in the right sequence to truly benefit and delight your customers and business partners. The seven steps Ojanperä and Vuori outline provide a travel guide for this journey. Starting with energy, create value with focus, and ultimately multiply the benefits by creating the unexpected." * Christian Von Reventlow, CTO or Myrepublic and Former Chief Product Officer, Telstra and Detsche Telekom *"AI and platforms drive digital transformation touching every industry segment. Opportunities to disrupt or be disrupted abound. In between the two extremes, components for sustainable competitive advantages are available for the fastest movers. Platform Strategy provides a straightforward seven-step program on how executives build and execute a strategy for the AI and platform era. Its unique approach builds on extensive research, numerous case studies, and practical guidance - a must-read book for leaders." * Risto Siilasmaa, Chairman, F-Secure Corporation and Former Chairman, Nokia *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction - Intelligent platforms are winning; Chapter - 01: Turn fear into energy; Chapter - 02: Remove friction; Chapter - 03: Focus your actions to create fans; Chapter - 04: Create a learning loop; Chapter - 05: Open up with an algorithmic handshake; Chapter - 06: Create the unexpected; Chapter - 07: Organize around AI; Chapter - 08: References

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Book SynopsisMichael Haupt is a Partner in Deloitte Consulting, based in London. He is a senior leader of Deloitte's Finance, Performance Management and Technology practice in Europe and works very closely with many senior finance, business and technology executives of leading global companies. He is a widely recognized thought leader who has contributed to several publications on finance and performance management. He has written The Contemporary CFO to help current and future finance leaders navigate the demands of an increasingly fast-changing, complex and interconnected world.Trade Review"Brilliant! An insightful and highly relevant view into the ongoing evolution of the CFO role and the transformation of the Finance function and companies more generally." * Tony Latham, Chief Financial Officer, Bacardi *"Business are changing, evolving and adapting at a pace never seen before. CFOs are expected to play multi-dimensional roles, drive the transformation, foster capabilities and deliver performance. By framing the role through the lenses of a digital engineer, entrepreneur and economist, Michael has brought to life the impact a strong CFO can create, both for winning today and tomorrow. This book is a treatise on many highly relevant topics with key insights and practical implementation actions. A must read for all professionals." * Srinivas Phatak, Executive Vice President Finance, Unilever *"A must read for CFOs - and an asset for the wider executive team. By dividing the content into three parts, the book explores the central role of the CFO but also addresses her/his relationships to peers on the board, the need for contemporary finance leaders to integrate across functions, as well as the necessary tools for modern corporate governance in changing times." * Dr Christian Langer, Chief Digital Officer HHLA Hamburger Hafen und Logistic AG, and former Chief Digital Officer, Lufthansa AG *"Spot-on! Michael superbly describes how technology is as essential to finance today as double entry accounting has been for centuries. He provides very concrete clues to help a CFO navigate through a digital finance transformation keeping in mind that data is its Alpha and Omega." * Christophe Lambinet, Global Head of Finance, Legal & Compliance Technology, Nestle *"This book is a super interesting read and details how CFOs should be a driver of change rather than be driven by it. Creating an inspiring work environment and developing psychological safety within the team is, I believe, key to successful transformation. Along with choosing the right people for the team with the right mindset and allowing them the space to come up with bold new ideas, work on projects, develop an intrapreneurial spirit and establish a culture that embraces mistakes as learning opportunities." * Sonja Simon, Chief Financial Officer, SAP Latin America *"An excellent, actionable guide for current and future finance leaders seeking to drive sustainable growth and value creation in an increasingly complex and interconnected business environment." * Mark Shadrack, Chief Operating Officer, Hope and Homes for Children, and former Vice President Finance, Unilever *"A powerful insight into the changing landscape and role of CFOs in this dynamic environment - reminding me of many inspiring conversations with Michael and our Finance Leader Round Table." * Anoop Agarwal, Chief Financial Officer, Mars Pet Nutrition, and former Vice President Finance, Digital & Staff Officer, Mars Incorporated *"Talking about the future is always hypothetical and speculative. The Contemporary CFO brings it to the point: Future is happening now. This makes the book unique: a clear blueprint and call for action for finance executives - supported by extensive original research at academic standards, combined with exclusive insights from in-depth interviews with top management and hands-on experiences from delivering transformational change in leading global organisations." * Dr Ulrich Kloubert, board member, TechFunder, and former academic director, GEM Global E-Management, University of Cologne *"The Contemporary CFO is a must-read for leaders keen to understand and apply the principles underpinning successful digital transformation. Packed with timely, yet timeless insights about business performance and growth in a connected world, this is an essential guide for finance, business and technology executives." * Mark Waller, Chief Digital Strategist, TechShifts Media *"Michael has written a must-read for CFOs and their teams who really want to make the Digital Finance leap. This book helps finance leaders to avoid going after all the bells and whistles and instead focus on what really matters to drive transformational change." * Mohamed Bouker, Partner at Deloitte, and author of The CFO in Pole Position *"This book is absolutely inspiring for me. It reflects very well the situation that most of our CFO community is in - between leaving old business models and creating a new world. Transformation is becoming the main goal of every CFO. This book will help readers to be the leader in a digital transformation and shows the new role of the CFO in the 21st century. Thank you for this inspiring insight!" * Thomas Behrens, Chief Financial Officer, SAP EMEA North *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Section - ONE: The engineer perspective (and the art of design thinking); Chapter - 01: Introduction; Chapter - 02: Beyond process automation; Chapter - 03: Data, data, data; Chapter - 04: It’s all about people; Chapter - 05: The engineer perspective - Summary; Section - TWO: The entrepreneur perspective (and the art of systems thinking); Chapter - 06: Introduction; Chapter - 07: The strategic performance dialogue; Chapter - 08: The operational performance dialogue; Chapter - 09: Performance culture; Chapter - 10: The entrepreneur perspective - Summary; Section - THREE: The economist perspective (and the art of network thinking); Chapter - 11: Introduction; Chapter - 12: Digital business platform; Chapter - 13: Digital business ecosystems; Chapter - 14: Multi-stakeholder value; Chapter - 15: The economist perspective - Summary; Chapter - 16: Bibliography

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Book SynopsisAlnoor Bhimani is Professor of Management Accounting at the London School of Economics (LSE) and was previously Head of the Department of Accounting and Founding Director of LSE Entrepreneurship based in London, UK. He regularly delivers business and technology focused talks at conferences and events across the globe, is a professionally certified accountant and has a PhD from LSE and an MBA from Cornell University where he was a Fulbright Scholar.Trade Review"A great resource for founders looking to understand the key financial measures that impact their businesses, with many worked examples and cases directly relevant to the real challenges start-ups face. An essential addition to any founder's toolkit." * Kamran Malik, Partner, Ernst & Young, UK *"An invaluable resource on the essentials of financial management for established and aspiring entrepreneurs alike." * Acting Dean, Paris School of International Affairs *"A smart, jargon-less book that shows how accounting numbers can be used to propel a tech start-up to success." * Sikrant M. Datar, Dean, Harvard Business School *Table of Contents Chapter - 01: Now is the Time; Chapter - 02: Tech Start-ups - It’s a Different World; Chapter - 03: Start-up Contribution Analysis; Chapter - 04: Start-up Financial Analysis; Chapter - 05: Start-up Progress Analysis; Chapter - 06: The Importance of Being Liquid; Chapter - 07: What’s it Worth to you; Chapter - 08: Tracking your Start-up’s Growth; Chapter - 09: Glossary; Chapter - 10: Resources

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Book SynopsisDr Antonio Weiss, based in London, UK, is a Senior Partner at The PSC, an award-winning public service consultancy specialising in user-centred design, digital, strategy and delivery. He has advised the Office for Artificial Intelligence, the UK Space Agency and NHSx as well as numerous other pioneering digital organizations and frequently trains leaders to become digital transformation experts. He is also an Affiliated Researcher at the University of Cambridge's Digital State programme and the co-founder of Thomas Clipper, an e-commerce lifestyle brand for men featured in GQ, The Guardian and The Telegraph.Trade Review"Refreshingly free of waffle and ego, this is an incredibly valuable guide - in fact almost a recipe - for launching and landing meaningful digital and business transformation. Every page shares precision insights and immediately actionable suggestions with a simplicity and clarity that only comes from many years of walking the walk. As useful for someone starting their digital transformation journey as one despairing about their progress to date!" * Pete Herlihy, Lead Product Manager, UK Government Digital Service *"This is a great book that will be of huge help to those involved in digitally enabled transformation. It is intensely practical, with many good case studies, but also very readable. The book is aimed squarely at those responsible for initiating and leading the change rather than technical experts. From me it comes strongly recommended. I wish it had been written a long time ago." * Lord Bob Kerslake, former Head of the UK Civil Service *"Digitalisation will have a major impact on the way services are provided and how business is conducted. Digital Transformation can seem like a daunting challenge to any business leader and it is essential that we all build our understanding and knowledge as these major changes take place. This excellent practical guide, written by Antonio Weiss will help you achieve this and de-risk your transformation programme. The guide gives you the tools and advice that you will need to succeed as well as being a valuable resource for those leading any digital change process." * Sir Ian Carruthers, Chancellor of the University of the West of England and former NHS Chief Executive *"Organizations globally are spending billions on digital transformation right now; for many, it is one of their very largest investment areas. But it is easy to waste money on technology, consulting and internal costs because organisations and leaders don't know what they are really trying to do, or how to achieve their goals. The Practical Guide to Digital Transformation is truly practical, with great examples, case studies and tips that will be of value to anyone tasked with delivery. I particularly liked the "what you might say in your next meeting" list at the end of each chapter, and this book is destined to become a well-used friend to many senior managers, consultants and business students." * Peter Smith, Procurement expert and author of Bad Buying *"Organisations are more aware than ever of the need to transform themselves for the digital age. But many, perhaps most, still struggle. The Practical Guide to Digital Transformation is the ideal companion for any company serious about adaptation. Written by a leading digital transformation expert, it provides the ideas and vocabulary to bring about change, illuminated by incisive case studies. It is written in user-friendly language, guiding the reader through the "whys" and "hows" of making change happen. This outstanding guide is essential reading for decision-makers, digital leaders, and practitioners seeking to ensure that their organisations thrive now and in the future." * Dr Tanya Filer, Digital State Project Lead, Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge and founder of StateUp *"The Practical Guide to Digital Transformation is a really excellent, step by step primer to help your organisation get the very best from digital technology. It is clear but not dumbed-down. It will expand the thinking of new and experienced digital leaders alike, and gives concrete, actionable ways of bringing your organisation with you." * Phil Buckley, Prix Jeunesse and BIMA award-winning Digital Product Manager *"This book provides a unique, pragmatic, real-world guide to digital transformation. Each chapter unlocks different aspects, viewpoints and the considerations needed to embed change in a multitude of environments. The book is pitched to all audiences, providing the tools needed for anyone interested or actively involved in digital transformation. Antonio has managed to pack the learning from his many years as a consultant into this wonderful book." * Gary McAllister, Chief Technology Officer for NHS London and author of An Introduction to Digital Healthcare in the NHS *"For anyone trying to implement transformative change in their organisation - this is a complete must have. It's a remarkably waffle-free book that shows how to put theory into practice in the most practical of ways - with real world examples of where it's worked and where it hasn't. It's genuinely a breath of fresh air and an invaluable read for anyone interested in using digital principles and tools to transform their organisation." * Tom Lillywhite, Director of Digital Transformation, UK Labour Party *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Section - ONE: Getting the strategy and the roadmap right; Chapter - 01: What is a digital strategy?; Chapter - 02: Choosing your strategic delivery vehicle; Chapter - 03: How to do a digital roadmap; Section - TWO: Making change happen; Chapter - 04: Ways of working; Chapter - 05: Senior and organisational buy-in; Chapter - 06: Funding digital; Section - THREE: Doing digital; Chapter - 07: Understanding your users; Chapter - 08: Doing the bare minimum; Chapter - 09: Building new services; Chapter - 10: Buying technology; Chapter - 11: The cloud, APIs and open-source; Chapter - 12: Using data science to inform decision-making; Chapter - 13: Stimulating innovation; Section - FOUR: Future-proofing; Chapter - 14: Protecting and defending your organisation; Chapter - 15: The ethical digital organisation; Chapter - 16: Upskilling and bringing in new talent; Chapter - 17: Defining the next horizon

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Book SynopsisSimon Hall, based in Berkshire, UK, is a marketing innovator with 25 years' experience in Technology and Services Marketing. He is the Managing Director and Founder of NextGen Marketing Solutions, a B2B marketing and business consultancy. Previously UK Chief Marketing Officer for Dell, he has also held senior roles at Acer, Microsoft and Toshiba. He is a Course Director with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), and lectures at Pearson Business School (University of Kent). He is a B2B council member with the Data and Marketing Association (DMA) and the author of B2B Digital Marketing Strategy, also published by Kogan Page.Trade Review"If you read any B2B marketing publication this year, this should be it! Simon Hall provides us with a refreshing view, relevant content and truly practical advice, touching on many areas pertinent in the B2B marketing world right now and for the future. Absolutely fantastic insight for any marketer" * Catherine Dutton, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Atos *"How do you build best-in-class B2B strategy in today's digital economy? How are great B2B brands built? How do you select the right lead nurturing agency? Innovative B2B Marketingis a rich ­treasure trove of B2B strategic wisdom." * Shenda Loughnane, Global MD, iProspect *"B2B marketers today need to be more dynamic than ever before, but this can be difficult in an environment where the complexity of the tools, technologies, techniques and channels has exploded, leaving many of us floundering. Innovative B2B Marketingprovides the guidance that all B2B marketers need to help them navigate for success. I will be keeping this book very close to hand." * Richard Robinson, Former Chair, B2B Council DMA *"A long-overdue resource for anyone working in the B2B environment or wishing to enter into it. Simon Hall's development of practical and relevant B2B marketing models make this essential reading for marketers and other professionals" * Dawn Southgate, Former Head of Knowledge, The Chartered Institute of Marketing *Table of Contents Chapter - 01: Introduction to business marketing; Section - ONE: Developing your marketing strategy; Chapter - 02: The new marketing mix; Chapter - 03: B2B marketing strategy and planning; Section - TWO: Improve B2B customer-centric marketing; Chapter - 04: Business customers and buying behaviours; Chapter - 05: Acquisition marketing; Chapter - 06: Retention and loyalty marketing; Chapter - 07: Marketing for preventing customer attrition; Chapter - 08: C-suite marketing; Chapter - 09: B2B product and solutions marketing; Section - THREE: ‘Transform’ through content and digital marketing; Chapter - 10: Digital and content marketing; Chapter - 11: Digital marketing strategy and planning; Chapter - 12: B2B digital marketing channels; Chapter - 13: Content marketing; Chapter - 14: B2B social media marketing; Chapter - 15: B2B brand building; Section - FOUR: ‘Collaborate’ with partners; Chapter - 16: Partnership marketing; Chapter - 17: B2B influencer marketing; Chapter - 18: The modern B2B channel landscape; Chapter - 19: Marketing to and through channel partners; Section - FIVE: Optimizing marketing execution; Chapter - 20: Sales and marketing alignment; Chapter - 21: Account-based marketing; Chapter - 22: Lead generation; Chapter - 23: Lead nurturing; Chapter - 24: Modern B2B events marketing; Chapter - 25: Measuring and evaluating B2B marketing

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Book SynopsisPontus Wadström is an independent consultant and advisor in strategy and change based in Stockholm, Sweden, and has worked with all types and sizes of organization in almost all industries. He is also an affiliate researcher and lecturer at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm. His research focus is on how large and complex organizations 'do' strategy in practice, all influenced by his previous studies in both management and behavioural psychology.Trade Review"Too often, we try to control the hyperactive world of business with staid and passive strategies, enshrined in documents and presentation materials rather than in hearts and minds. Pontus Wadström's excellent book on active, behaviourally engaged strategy is a welcome antidote to this passivity, and offers a scintillating take on making strategy a living, breathing thing, without turning it into something convoluted and verbose. It outlines the future of behaviour-sensitive strategizing for an ever more complicated world, and will be a powerful tool for any executive trying to develop smart, straightforward strategies." * Dr. Alf Rehn, Professor and Head of the Department of Technology and Innovation, University of Southern Denmark *"This book has been a great source of inspiration for our company's strategy work and was read by our entire management team. It has helped us de-dramatize and concretize the concept of 'strategy' and clearly demonstrates how long-term goals are achieved by prioritizing shorter-term goals, and by continuously driving and developing behaviour linked to such priorities. Pontus' book can be highly recommended." * Lars Bergh, Vice President and CFO, Elgiganten Logistik *"In this book Wadström presents a truly crucial link between strategy and behavioural science as well as sharp and concrete advice to everyone who wants to make strategies come alive in business. This book is an 'Aha!' experience that inspires one to action!" * Elisabeth Wahlström, Business Development Manager, Manpower Group Sweden *"Pontus describes, in a truly accessible way, how organizations can work to realize strategies in practice. This book is, in my opinion, one of the few management books that can really make a difference in your organization." * Peter Hjelmze, Head of Project Management, AFRY *"Pontus Wadström presents an intelligent combination of the usually separated domains of strategy and behavioural psychology. It is a tangible and hands-on guide to how to actually realize your strategy, which is achieved only by fully understanding and affecting the behaviour of the organization." * Daniel Resh, Business Development Manager, Volvo Cars *"I hope that many will read this book, it makes such an important point! Truly great strategies can be perfectly formulated and yet be a total waste of time since it is not clear how they should be realized by the individuals of the organization. Pontus Wadström has clearly and credibly captured the essentials of psychology and management to present how strategy must be linked to behaviours if we are to improve our organizations. This book is therefore as relevant to the CEO, the board and the management team as it is to the psychologist in occupational healthcare or anyone trying to develop an organization and its members. Pontus' background in both academia and practice shines through as he presents in a simple, understandable and theoretically substantiated way both organizations' strategy realization challenges and pitfalls, and how to manage them in real life. This captured me as a reader." * Carin Dannert, Founding Partner, Heartpace Söderberg & Partners *"In today's turbulent time, finding the 'right' strategy is not enough: excellence in realization has become an utterly critical imperative. By introducing the behavioural dimension of strategy work, this book presents a powerful complement to existing management books. Wadström's own practical experience from leading change processes in major firms, in combination with deep insights into relevant research, makes this text a must read for people interested in strategizing processes in organizations." * Dr. Matti Kaulio, Professor and former Head of the Department of Industrial Economics and Management, KTH Royal Insitiute of Technology *"This truly usable book is a must read for all organizations trying to create competitive edge and value for their customers. Its methods built on science and proven experience will help you thrive in today's changing, challenging and fluctuating markets. Clearly presented and to the point in each chapter, Pontus Wadström forms a system and recipe for company success at all levels. Your clients, staff and colleagues will thank you, and your competitors will gasp and wonder what happened." * Mattias Magnell, Leadership Development Manager, Skanska and Chairman of the board of Swedish Chartered Institute for Standards' (SIS) Human Resource Management committee *"An inspiring and accessible one-stop-shop for change makers in search of understanding and accessing the sweet spot where successful strategy execution moves beyond just plans and metrics into a place of people-centric continuous evolution of learning, changing and adaptation." * Åsa Åberg, Head of Executive and Member Office, Plan International *"Wadstrom strives to create a common leadership language of behavioural psychology that would make an organization continuously eager and self-sufficient, with empowered people moving in the right direction; a behavioural strategy to engage within. This is a book worth reading, to understand and to utilize in any organization today. It is well and clearly written but tough to implement." * Dr. Jan-Erik Nordström Business Development Manager Innovation, Neste *Table of Contents Section - ONE: A theory of everything; Chapter - 01: Introduction to strategy and behaviour; Chapter - 02: Strategy, change and behavioural psychology; Chapter - 03: A common language; Chapter - 04: Behaviour – The least common denominator; Section - TWO: Arbitrariness is over; Chapter - 05: Old management principles are no longer good enough; Chapter - 06: The organization, its development and lack of development; Chapter - 07: Evidence and measurement; Section - THREE: Unexpected simplicity; Chapter - 08: Behaviour – The foundation of everything; Chapter - 09: Activators – The igniting spark; Chapter - 10: Consequences – No feedback is also feedback; Section - FOUR: Strategy is behavioural change; Chapter - 11: A behavioural view of strategy; Chapter - 12: To realise strategy is to change; Chapter - 13: Exploiting competitive advantages – Big, best, fast and beautiful; Section - FIVE: Smart as a competitive advantage; Chapter - 14: From individual insight to competitive edge; Chapter - 15: Smart and behavioural strategising; Chapter - 16: The future of competitive advantage

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Book SynopsisDarrell Alfonso is an award-winning Martech leader with 15 years' experience managing marketing technology at startups and the world's leading enterprises. Based in California, he leads marketing operations at Amazon Web Services and has consulted for Fortune 500 companies such as GE, Abbot Labs and AT&T. He was named a Top Martech Marketer to Follow in 2020 by Martech Alliance and is a two-time Adobe Marketo Champion. He is also a marketing instructor and was previously VP of Communications at the American Marketing Association.Trade Review"In an era of increasingly complex go-to-market strategies, Darrell Alfonso has helped capture some fundamentals that every Marketing Operations and Martech professional needs. What's more, it's an incredible resource for leaders to wrap their minds around the complex (and ever changing) landscape of Marketing Technology." * Mike Rizzo, CEO, MarketingOps.com *"Digital marketing has forever changed how businesses operate. Having personally experienced much of this transformation as it was happening, I can tell you the Martech Stack will continue to expand and evolve as technology, channels and strategies change. This book is masterfully written and a great blend of current practices, and what's next for Marketing teams." * Nick Bonfiglio, CEO and Founder of Syncari *"Darrell's deep knowledge in how Martech really works in an organisation, paired with a thoughtfully researched historical context and visionary foresight into where it's heading makes this essential reading for the seasoned or beginner marketing technologist alike." * Juan Mendoza, Founder and Editor, The Martech Weekly *"To be successful in marketing requires an understanding of how marketing technology is used to create the customer experience and to acquire, engage and retain customers. With this book Darrell Alfonso has made the complex world that is the marketing technology industry accessible and delivers a comprehensive guide to help companies deploy and manage an effective technology strategy. This is a must read for anyone in marketing or the C-Suite." * Anita Brearton, Founder and CEO, CabinetM *"Bible to all marketers. Martech is an integral part and lies at the center of any Marketing organization and all Marketing leaders must have a basic grasp and understanding of Martech. This book is the bible to understanding bringing the right Martech and the right people to orchestrate the strategy and the tools together." * Jessica Kao, Director, F5 Networks *"The explosion of martech in the last decade is a phenomenon that is defining the potential and future of marketing as a profession and a discipline. If you're in any way interested in martech, and what it means for your career in marketing, this book is a must-read." * Joel Harrison, Co-founder & Editor-in-Chief, B2B Marketing & Propolis *"Today, every business is a digital business where consumers are in control of the buying experience. Yet, while marketing technology is foundational to building your brand and growing your business digitally, most senior leaders don't understand "martech." Which is why this book is essential, as it enlightens us on how we leverage the power of marketing technology now and in the future." * Cassidy Shield, Chief Growth Officer, Refine Labs *"The Martech Handbook is a must for every modern marketer. With the acceleration of digital transformation in the world there has never been a more important time for marketers to build their knowledge and capabilities in martech. This book provides a deep dive on the core principles of marketing technology success including stack design, gaining stakeholder martech buy-in to developing robust marketing operations governance." * Carlos Doughty, Founder and CEO, Learning Experience Alliance *"Marketing is now thoroughly a technology-powered discipline. To thrive in today's environment, marketing organizations need to develop strong, mature marketing operations and martech capabilities. You couldn't ask for a better guide to achieving than Darrell Alfonso, a pioneering martech industry leader and marketing ops pro. The Martech Handbook is a treasure map to world-class marketing in an age of digital transformation and beyond." * Scott Brinker, Editor, chiefmartec.com *"This is chalked full of real-world advice to unlock the value of martech. A must read for any marketer thinking about or in the throes of using tech and tools to run Marketing like a business." * Scott Vaughan, Go-to-Market and MarTech Strategist *Table of Contents Chapter - 01: Introduction – The rise of marketing technology; Chapter - 02: The business need for Martech; Chapter - 03: Key categories of Martech; Chapter - 04: What is a Martech stack?; Chapter - 05: The framework for effective Martech stack design; Chapter - 06: The core business systems and platforms for every marketing team; Chapter - 07: Identifying value-add marketing platforms and tools; Chapter - 08: Principles for robust and scalable Martech stack management; Chapter - 09: Martech measurement, monitoring, and governance; Chapter - 10: Getting buy-in; Chapter - 11: Continual improvement

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Book SynopsisDaniel Strode is a culture evangelist and Global Director of Culture and Strategy at Banco Santander, based in Madrid, Spain. The custodian of a common culture, the Santander Way, which is disseminated across 32 countries and to more than 200,000 colleagues, he strengthens the group's innovation focus and cements its collaboration with new financial tech companies. An Adjunct Professor at the IE School of Human Science and Technology, amongst others, he is an in-demand speaker and industry commentator on Corporate Culture, Innovation, Web 3.0, Crypto and DeFi.Trade Review"Innovation is one of the most elusive things to achieve in a company and, in a vast majority of cases, it is not the result of technology or research: it is a matter of developing the right culture.... This book, with a great mix of analysis, theory and cases, is definitely a nice way to get our minds around it." * Enrique Dans, Professor of Innovation, IE University *"A must have for start-ups, entrepreneurs, business leaders and change agents. Read linearly, use as a toolbox or dip in and out." * Marcus Watson, CEO, Investor at Ground Control *"Weaves together facts, stories, thoughtful reflections and up-to-date information that helps us rethink how we can add value by challenging and improving cultural norms." * Michael G. Jacobides, Professor and Sir Donald Gordon Chair of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, London Business School *"There are moments in history when everything comes together and evolution takes a giant leap forward. The Culture Advantage will change the way you think about culture and provide you with a ton of insights and ingredients to build an exciting culture that is future proof." * Wim Focquet, Head of People and Culture, Gala Games *"This is a book for doers looking for an advantage in today's messy, ever-changing, exciting world." * Steven MacGregor, author, ‘The Daily Reset’ and Professor of Health & Wellbeing, Glasgow School of Art *"In this book, Daniel makes several important points on how to create a culture through which we can thrive and flourish at work, making our organizations hubs of innovation and creativity." * Marcello Russo, Associate Professor of Organization, University of Bologna and Director of the Global MBA, Bologna Business School *"An excellent read and highly recommended for all entrepreneurs & C-suite management." * Nabil Hadi, Co-Founder, Digital Nomad Labs *"Corporate culture is one of the most important yet confusing topics in business. The Culture Advantage is filled with examples and real-world advice on what culture means and how to harness it for real business value." * Josh Bersin, global industry analyst *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Chapter - 01: The Culture Advantage; Chapter - 02: Rethink Your Business Plan; Chapter - 03: Create Creativity with Constraints; Chapter - 04: Have a Growth Mindset; Chapter - 05: Use the Wisdom of Crowds; Chapter - 06: Embrace Technology; Chapter - 07: Hire Well; Chapter - 08: Put your People First; Chapter - 09: Leaders, Participate in Culture; Chapter - 10: Closing Thoughts

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Book SynopsisMichelle Carvill is Founder of Carvill Creative - a social media marketing agency whose clients include the BBC, Nuffield Health and Norbord. Passionate about the digital future she advises clients on online marketing communication and social media strategies, and leads a team delivering practical social media planning and daily management. She is the author of Get Social, published by Kogan Page.Ian MacRae is a work psychologist, consultant, speaker, author and Managing Director of High Potential Psychology. He works with, and writes about, a wide range of topics relating to psychology and the workplace. He developed the High Potential Traits Inventory (HPTI), a personality assessment which has been translated into dozens of languages and used by over 50,000 people around the world. Myths of Social Media is his fifth book, he is co-author of Motivation and Performance and Myths of Work, also part of the Business MytTable of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Chapter - 01: Social media is a waste of time; Chapter - 02: All social networks do the same thing; Chapter - 03: Social media isn’t that influential; Chapter - 04: Social media replaces real-life networking; Chapter - 05: Social media marketing is a dark art; Chapter - 06: It’s not worth responding to criticism on social media; Chapter - 07: Sharing more content is always better; Chapter - 08: Social media is free; Chapter - 09: Social media can replace your business website; Chapter - 10: Social media activity is purely a marketing function; Chapter - 11: Social media cannot be done well in-house; Chapter - 12: Social media means my business has to be available 24/7; Chapter - 13: Social media is no use for internal communications; Chapter - 14: Employees know what is expected of them on social media; Chapter - 15: Social media is not effective for business development; Chapter - 16: It’s not possible to measure social media ROI; Chapter - 17: Digital natives are all social media experts; Chapter - 18: Social media influencers are a new phenomenon; Chapter - 19: People have different personalities on social media; Chapter - 20: Saying the wrong thing on social media will get me cancelled; Chapter - 21: Public social media profiles are fair game for employers and recruiters; Chapter - 22: Business leaders don’t need a presence on social media; Chapter - 23: Social media is full of #fakenews; Chapter - 24: Social media is the best source of information; Chapter - 25: Social media intensifies information bubbles; Chapter - 26: Social media is not strategic; Chapter - 27: Social media is purely for broadcasting; Chapter - 28: Oversharing on social media can reveal trade secrets; Chapter - 29: Being active on social media lets me control my digital footprint; Chapter - 30: Social networks will protect my data

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Book SynopsisRebecca Homkes is a high-growth strategy specialist and CEO and executive advisor. She is a Lecturer at the London Business School, Faculty at Duke Corporate Executive Education, and a former fellow at the London School of Economics Centre for Economic Performance. A global keynote speaker and recognized thought leader, she is also the global Faculty Director of the Active Learning Program with the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), leads several fintech accelerators, and serves on the boards of many high-growth companies. She earned her doctorate at the London School of Economics as a Marshall Scholar and is now based in Miami, USA and London, UK.Trade Review"Full of street-smart insight, practical steps and effective techniques - Rebecca's Survive, Reset, Thrive approach delivers for teams that want to perform through real-world disruption and constant change." * Toto Wolff Team Principal & CEO, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team *"As Rebecca Homkes defines for us: uncertainty is a series of future events that may or may not occur, and it is amplified during times of extreme disruption. SRT asked us to embrace uncertainty head-on and find the opportunities it provides rather than protect ourselves from threats. Using SRT gave my organization the power of focus and empowered our leaders to act, not hide in fear. Result we thrived!!" * Garry Ridge, Chairman Emeritus WD-40 Company & The Culture Coach *"Rebecca Homkes has written a highly relevant, readable and practical guide on how to formulate and update strategies to thrive in a fast changing business environment, which should be a go-to guide for all organizational leaders." * Martin Reeves, Chairman, BCG Henderson Institute. *"Survive, Reset, Thrive is an essential compass for entrepreneurial leaders charting a course through today's unpredictable business climate. With a compelling call to embrace uncertainty and harness it for growth, Rebecca offers a pragmatic and actionable strategy for organizations of all sizes. This book is a testament to her expertise, providing a playbook that is both grounded in theory and rich in practical application. It's a must-read for any executive seeking to lead their company to sustainable performance and turn disruptive forces into opportunities. Survive, Reset, Thrive doesn't just offer a path to survival; it's a blueprint for flourishing in an era of relentless change. Leaders who follow this guide will not only future-proof their organizations, but position them to thrive, no matter the market conditions." * Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, Thinkers50 #1 Executive Coach and New York Times bestselling author of 'The Earned Life', 'Triggers' and 'What Got You Here Won’t Get You There' *"Survive, Reset, Thrive was energizing and empowering for leaders in our organization as they learned to adapt intelligently and we were able to succeed in any market environment." * Rich Wolowski, President & Chief Executive Officer, Gordon Food Services *"Most strategy tools do not factor in uncertainty or change. Survive, Reset ,Thrive is therefore a timely guide for leaders as to how we embrace ambiguity and yet still develop and execute strategy in times when the goalposts keep moving. As Rebecca so eloquently puts it " you can't stop the market from punching you, but you can get better than anyone else at taking hits". At its core, this is a book about how to develop the resilience that will enable companies to thrive in an uncertain world." * Steve Brass, President and CEO, WD-40 Company *"Survive, Reset, Thrive is an inherently practical resource for leaders looking to drive strong market returns when facing radical uncertainty. It asks us to reframe what we've learned about linear strategy development when we're leading in dynamic markets and instead guides us through a process of debating, articulating and testing market beliefs, making iterative adjustments to strategy from learning, and placing and executing on growth bets. There are fundamental changes happening to industries we assumed were stable, and Survive, Reset, Thrive helps us face those head on and engage productively on the opportunities that this change presents." * Philip Meyers, Director of Business Development, Associated British Foods *"This book is an essential read for executives and leaders who are grappling with the enormous changes - such as AI- being brought across the economy. AI is already impacting business and operating models of all types of companies and Dr. Homkes helps leaders to develop a strategic framework to reset and thrive in this era. I highly recommend this book for all leaders looking to succeed in constantly changing times." * Karim R. Lakhani, Professor Harvard Business School & Chair of Digital Data Design Institute at Harvard *"Survive, Reset, Thrive is an immensely practical take on strategy. SRT empowers leaders with the 'how' to adapt intelligently, learn fast, and be ready to succeed in any market environment. It helps leaders find opportunities in an uncertain environment rather than protect against threats. At Gorilla, the process engaged my team in the strategy process, simplified a complex world, and provided a simple approach to reset our strategy for growth." * Mark A. Mercurio, President & CEO The Gorilla Glue Company *"These days, uncertainty is everywhere, it seems. Unwelcome tradeoffs are rampant. The result, all too often, is analysis paralysis, leading to blissful inaction. But it doesn't have to be this way. Homkes helps us see that uncertainty can be our friend, not our enemy. By embracing, rather than fearing uncertainty, and by providing us with a pragmatic playbook, she shows us how to survive, reset, and ultimately thrive in even the most daunting situations. If you want your business to grow through thick and thin, this book is for you." * John Mullins, Associate Professor, London Business School Best-selling author, 'Break the Rules!' and 'The Customer-Funded Business' *"It is rare to find a book on strategy that is well written, simple, practical and addresses an aspect of strategy that is often overlooked: uncertainty. I have read many strategy books and written one or two, but I highly recommend Survive, Reset, Thrive as the needed resource for today's leaders to guide their team's with confidence. Rebecca asks us to embrace uncertainty because it creates opportunities. Yes, uncertainty is inconvenient, and can even be a threat. But, as with all change, it disrupts the status quo, and that creates opportunities for those ready to respond. Survive, Reset, Thrive will help you be ready. It provides a playbook that helps business leaders prepare for uncertainty, reset their strategies as events develop and achieve sustainable performance building on the opportunities that emerge. Facing uncertainties such as digital transformation, AI, climate, or changing customer preferences, you will find the playbook powerful. It will help you guide your team with confidence." * Andrew Campbell, Professor, Author of 'Strategy for the Corporate Level' and 'Operating Model Canvas' *"Rebecca Homkes's strategy approach takes away all of the buzz words and provides a set of simple steps that work. This playbook help formulated my understanding of my business, and most importantly how to win. I have used Rebecca's methodology for over six years, and it is consistently helpful and relevant. Using Survive, Reset, Thrive has taken the company from serval years of losses to 10% net profitability. Rebecca's work, style, and content is simple, full of gold nuggets, and importantly it is actionable." * Husam Al-Saleh, CEO of SAC-Motor, Deputy CEO Arabian Hala *"We applied Rebecca Homkes's Survive, Reset, Thrive strategic framework to tripe the size of Primekss. In today's volatile and unpredictable world, SRT is uniquely the best in getting the team to translate the power of crisis into growth momentum, and it does this in an easy to grasp yet smart and comprehensive way. Highly recommend to all who want to grow fast!" * Janis Oslejs, CEO Primekss Group, Chair, YPO Construction Industry Network *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Section - ONE: Strategy under uncertainty - Survive Chapter - 01: Setting strategy under uncertainty Chapter - 02: Survive - Proactive stabilization of the organization Section - TWO: Reset for growth - Strategy choices Chapter - 03: What Is the situation and how will It change? Chapter - 04: How will you win - Competitive advantage and the right to win Chapter - 05: Where will you play - Your who, what, how Chapter - 06: Setting a definition of success - Intent and boundaries Chapter - 07: What will stop you and what should you do? - Setting and executing must-win battles Chapter - 08: There are only three ways to hyper-grow - Setting a high-growth path Section - THREE: Thrive - Building a robust growth organization Chapter - 09: From reset to thrive - Transitioning through the loop and thrive organizations Chapter - 10: Thrive - Building a BLAST organization Chapter - 11: Leadership roles Chapter - 12: Conclusion

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Book SynopsisJessica Zwaan is a startup and technology executive with a background in Operations, People, and Talent spanning across three continents. She is the Chief Operating Officer at Talentful, a talent recruitment company. Prior to this she was the Chief Operating Officer at Whereby, Group Head of Talent at McCann Worldgroup and VP People and Talent at Wonderbly. She is based in New York, New York.Trade Review"At last, new thinking on operationalizing HR. We needed this. If you're thinking about how to take your people team to the next level, read this! Jessica's fresh thinking is the energy we need in an often predictable domain." * Ben Branson-Gateley, CEO and Co-founder, CharlieHR *"A thoroughly enjoyable read. Built for People delivers a practical guide to unleash the true power of the People Team. Jessica lays a clear path for us to follow, and it leads to People teams delivering measurably more business impact." * Huw Slater, COO, Travelperk *"Built for People is an indispensable tool for you and your team that offers a fresh approach to solving new and old issues in the workplace. It offers a clear and concise framework for rethinking how we approach and design programmes with and for employees." * Lars Schmidt, author, Redefining HR & founder, Amplify Academy *"Jessica not only offers a more humane and durably effective approach to acquiring, growing and managing great talent, but also in the fundamentals of great product management unpacked in highly-relatable terms. People leaders will take away a fresh approach to building teams, and product managers will view their discipline through a novel lens. Rarely are these two disciplines discussed in the same place, but Jessica delivers a masterclass in both." * Andy Tyra, Chief Product and Technical Officer, Whereby *"Jessica Zwaan doesn't just tell us how important People Ops should be: she urges us to make that a reality by leveraging principles used by the world's best product teams, often the same principles that our companies are already using, right down the hall." * Michael Wolfe, Co-founder, Gladly & Advisor, Point Nine Capital *"Productivity and performance gains are guaranteed by following Jessica's powerful and deeply practical advice. Her experience in such a diverse range of organizations enables her to recommend an engaging approach to People Operations that is applicable to all, whichever sector and whether you're an established or emerging entity. It's fantastic that her innovative ideas are now accessible to a wider audience thanks to this excellent book." * Abbie Pugh, Head of Leadership Development, Kindred Capital *"Jessica's book offers strategies that will encourage current and emerging leaders to question the status quo. Change driven by COVID and economic downturn makes this book essential reading for modern leaders who are required to manage transnational companies." * Dr Jeanne McConachie, Previous Manager, Griffith Honours College *"With brutal efficiency, accessible clarity and smart framing, this book has given People Operations and HR Professionals no excuse to opt out of "productising" the things it creates. That Jessica describes herself as a terrible (but very passionate) crafter is almost poignant because this book creates craft from process, policy and protocols that are the HR hallmark. Smart, snazzy and searching you will change forever how you view the products that are necessary to enable your people to do their best work. The future of work may be human, but the future of People Operations is product management. It's the clarion call we needed." * Perry Timms, Founder, Chief Energy Officer, PTHR *Table of Contents Chapter - 01: Why change how we execute ? The need to think like a product manager; Chapter - 02: What is the product ? The employee experience; Chapter - 03: The reconsidered responsibilities of people operations; Chapter - 04: Embedding agility with two maxims of product management; Chapter - 05: User research and evidence-based decision-making; Chapter - 06: Execute like a product squad; Chapter - 07: Iteration of people practices and processes; Chapter - 08: Standing out in the marketplace of culture; Chapter - 09: Hiring and building at scale; Chapter - 10: Metrics for success; Chapter - 11: Prioritizing people; Chapter - 12: Closing thoughts on the future;

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Book SynopsisAndy Milligan is a leading international branding consultant. He has worked for almost 20 years advising major organizations on strategies for brand building, customer experience and internal culture, and comments regularly in the media on brand issues. He is the co-author of On Purpose and Bold.Simon Bailey is an experienced business leader and brand specialist who advises CEOs on using their brand to drive business growth. He was formerly European CEO of Interbrand and UK CEO of WPP agency the Brand Union. His agencies have twice been awarded 'Agency of the Year' by Marketing Magazine.Table of Contents Chapter - 01: Myth 1 – Brands are just a way of charging you more for the same product; Chapter - 02: Myth 2 – Once lost, brand trust can never be rebuilt; Chapter - 03: Myth 3 – A good brand can prop up a bad business; Chapter - 04: Myth 4 – Technology is diminishing the power of brands; Chapter - 05: Myth 5 – Branding is just about identity; Chapter - 06: Myth 6 – Brands don’t have any real economic value; Chapter - 07: Myth 7 – There is no such thing as brand loyalty; Chapter - 08: Myth 8 – The customer is always right; Chapter - 09: Myth 9 – It takes large resources and years of effort to build a global brand; Chapter - 10: Myth 10 – A brand is 'owned' by the marketing department; Chapter - 11: Myth 11 – Brand purpose is about effective corporate social responsibility; Chapter - 12: Myth 12 – Customers are seeking a conversation with your brand; Chapter - 13: Myth 13 – There are no real tools to help you manage your brand; Chapter - 14: Myth 14 – In certain businesses, brands really don’t matter; Chapter - 15: Myth 15 – Branding has nothing to do with the customer experience; Chapter - 16: Myth 16 – Branding is all about the product

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Book SynopsisAndy Milligan is a leading international branding consultant. He has worked for almost 20 years advising major organizations on strategies for brand building, customer experience and internal culture, and comments regularly in the media on brand issues. He is the co-author of On Purpose and Bold.Simon Bailey is an experienced business leader and brand specialist who advises CEOs on using their brand to drive business growth. He was formerly European CEO of Interbrand and UK CEO of WPP agency the Brand Union. His agencies have twice been awarded 'Agency of the Year' by Marketing Magazine.Table of Contents Chapter - 01: Myth 1 – Brands are just a way of charging you more for the same product; Chapter - 02: Myth 2 – Once lost, brand trust can never be rebuilt; Chapter - 03: Myth 3 – A good brand can prop up a bad business; Chapter - 04: Myth 4 – Technology is diminishing the power of brands; Chapter - 05: Myth 5 – Branding is just about identity; Chapter - 06: Myth 6 – Brands don’t have any real economic value; Chapter - 07: Myth 7 – There is no such thing as brand loyalty; Chapter - 08: Myth 8 – The customer is always right; Chapter - 09: Myth 9 – It takes large resources and years of effort to build a global brand; Chapter - 10: Myth 10 – A brand is 'owned' by the marketing department; Chapter - 11: Myth 11 – Brand purpose is about effective corporate social responsibility; Chapter - 12: Myth 12 – Customers are seeking a conversation with your brand; Chapter - 13: Myth 13 – There are no real tools to help you manage your brand; Chapter - 14: Myth 14 – In certain businesses, brands really don’t matter; Chapter - 15: Myth 15 – Branding has nothing to do with the customer experience; Chapter - 16: Myth 16 – Branding is all about the product

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Book SynopsisNick Hague, based in Manchester, UK, is co-founder and Head of Growth at B2B International. He has over 25 years' experience working across all industry sectors in B2B market research. He hosts the B2B Insights Podcast where he regularly interviews experts on B2B marketing, customer experience and branding. Paul Hague, based in Manchester, UK, is co-founder of B2B International. He has close to 50 years of practical experience in running a successful market research agency and is the author of Market Research in Practice 5e and The Business Model Handbook, also published by Kogan Page.Trade Review"In the customer experience space, we more often than not tell stories from the B2C world and give examples of customers who have been 'Wowed' or 'Saved' or 'Delighted'. How do we translate these lessons to an environment where the customer isn't buying a $80 jacket but a multimillion-dollar contract? Can these lessons even be translated, or do we need a whole new paradigm shift on what B2B Customer Experience is? This book answers that question." * James Dodkins, Customer Experience Rockstar & CX Evangelist, Pegasystems *"One thing that all businesses and consumers have in common is that they are on the receiving end of customer experiences on a daily basis. While consumer facing organisations have been consciously aware of this fact for many years, organisations that predominantly provide products and services to other businesses have been much slower to catch on. Defining, delivering and managing the customer experience in a B2B environment is becoming ever more critical in a business world that continues to be challenged and disrupted from many fronts. Nick and Paul not only recognise this, but they have pulled together a piece of work that will help any organisation understand how to turn the words 'customer experience' into a tangible reality - a reality that leads to improved customer perception AND financial performance. The authors brilliantly provide the building blocks that turn the science of customer experience into something you will be able to practically adopt and deploy. B2B Customer Experience is a hugely valuable read for anyone who has an aspiration to achieve sustainable growth." * Ian Golding, Global Customer Experience Specialist *"Nick and Paul Hague do a brilliant job of tackling a topic that many have written off as impossible - how to deliver a great B2B customer experience. If you're in a B2B business and have customers who you want to delight, this book is a must-read. The Hagues masterfully take the reader through each of the foundational elements that are critical to designing and delivering a great customer experience in an easy-to-understand approach that is supported by customer stories and case studies, making this book a practical guide for your successful B2B customer experience transformation." * Annette Franz, Founder and CEO, CX Journey Inc. *"Too many of the books that are written about customer experience are dominated by insights and stories from B2C companies and markets. Therefore, it's refreshing to find a book that has been written with B2B companies and markets in mind. This is a really useful guide that will help B2B executives understand and apply the fundamental elements of what it takes to deliver a great customer experience." * Adrian Swinscoe, Adviser and Bestselling Author of How to Wow *"There are more B2B companies than B2C companies in the world. Every B2B company needs to be an experience-led business. This book will help you become one." * Blake Morgan, Customer Experience Futurist *"While much has been written about customer experience in the consumer space, the business-to-business sector is typically neglected. The focus on B2B is what makes this book a compelling read. Nick and Paul Hague's vast experience has been detailed in five easily digestible sections that hold the readers hand from 'Why bother?' through to developing strategies and implementation of CX. The case studies where clients share their experiences in their own words help bring the authors concepts to life." * Shep Hyken, Customer Service and Experience Expert, Shepard Presentations *"Nick and Paul Hague have done an extraordinary job of capturing every aspect of how to create and maintain world class B2B customer service for any industry or organisation and even to help entrepreneurs figure out how to compete with the big guys. I consider myself an expert on customer service after my 42 years with Hilton Hotels, Marriott International and my final role of running Walt Disney World Operations for 10 years, but I can honestly say I learned some new ways to think about going from average to good to great to greater with customer service. Keep this book on your desk as your go-to resource for creating magic for your customers." * Lee Cockerell, Former Executive Vice President of Operations, Walt Disney World Resort *"This book brings the world of B2B CX to life with case studies and data. It's filled with powerful insights that can help B2B companies improve their customer experience." * Peter Weinberg, Head of Development, B2B Institute/LinkedIn *"A goldmine of insights into how to create winning B2B customer experience and its vital role in building loyalty and driving growth. Unlike many B2B texts, Nick and Paul remind us of the importance of emotions to B2B businesses; that 'emotional factors usually trump rational factors when it comes to supplier choice'. This book is powerful support for those who champion emotional intelligence in B2B." * Peter Field, Marketing Consultant *Table of Contents Section - ONE Part one: Why Bother?; Chapter - 01: What is customer experience and what triggers it?; Chapter - 02: The importance of customer experience; Chapter - 03: The Net Promoter Score and customer experience; Section - TWO Part two: A Plan For Delivering Excellent Customer Experience; Chapter - 04: The six pillars of customer experience; Chapter - 05: Staying on track; Chapter - 06: Staying ahead of the competition; Chapter - 07: Drivers of customer experience; Chapter - 08: Customer experience throughout the customer journey; Section - THREE Part three: Turning The Customer Experience Plan Into Action; Chapter - 09: The long and the short of customer experience; Chapter - 10: Selling your customer experience strategy within your company; Chapter - 11: Building a customer experience culture; Chapter - 12: Horses for courses; Chapter - 13: Getting the right people; Section - FOUR Part four: Linking Customer Experience To The 4Ps; Chapter - 14: How your brand affects customer experience; Chapter - 15: How your products affects customer experience; Chapter - 16: How your prices affects customer experience; Chapter - 17: How distribution and the supply chain affects customer experience; Chapter - 18: How advertising and promotions affects customer experience; Section - FIVE Part five: The Role Of IT In Customer Experience; Chapter - 19: Make or break; Chapter - 20: Customer relationship management; Section - SIX Part Six: Moving Forward; Chapter - 21: Continuous improvement in customer experience;

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Book SynopsisIgor Pejic is a leading expert on tech-driven shifts in banking and finance. Having held multiple management positions in banking, he is based at one of the largest banking groups in Europe. Pejic is an international keynote speaker and expert panelist, voted by McKinsey and The Financial Times as one of three finalists in the Bracken Bower Prize with his work on blockchain. He is the author of Blockchain Babel also published by Kogan Page, winner of the Independent Press Award 2020 and profiled as a Financial Times book of the month.Trade Review"A deep dive into the fast-changing frontier of money from blockchain and Big Tech to Web3." * Ronit Ghose, Global Head, Future of Finance, Citi *"A must read for anyone who thinks they understand the ongoing transformation of the orthodox geopolitical landscape. A brilliant examination of the fact that it's not who owns tanks but banks that matter. The ownership of data including your identity, who controls marketing and fulfilment for SME ecommerce, who designs the prevailing digital token of exchange and how it facilitates global payments will determine whether central banks and financial services incumbents or fin and big-tech insurgents will control our destinies." * Bob Wigley, Chairman, UK Finance *"This wide ranging book is a must-read for builders and operators looking to tame the disruption happening in the financial industry. From exploring the role of centralized technology companies to understanding the infrastructure of decentralized blockchains, readers will learn about the most important levers of tomorrow's economic landscape." * Lex Sokolin, Chief Economist, ConsenSys & Founder, Fintech Blueprint *"Big Tech in Finance is a must-read for anyone interested in the impact of digital on the finance industry. The book provides a comprehensive overview of how big tech companies and new technologies such as Distributed Ledgers are transforming the landscape, and how these trends are converging. The author's ability to break down complex concepts into clear and concise chapters makes this book accessible to readers with varying levels of expertise. Overall, it offers very valuable insights into the future of digital finance by explaining its history." * Huy Nguyen Trieu, Co-founder, CFTE (Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship) *"Many of us working in financial services innovation can clearly see that Big Tech is circling the banking and finance industry. In this book Igor describes why Big Tech is interested and what they will probably do next. What is more interesting is what should be done about it - banning them would deprive us of the innovation and improvement they will bring. Big Tech needs to be monitored and regulated. It is time that regulators and governments worldwide realise that they need to up their game to address a fast changing industry. A must read book that is also fun. Don't miss it." * Alessandro Hatami, Founder, Pacemakers.io & co-author of Reinventing Banking and Finance *"Big Tech in Finance" provides a comprehensive and insightful analysis of the impact that Big Tech has on the finance industry. It is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the motivations, risks and opportunities associated with Big Tech's foray into finance and how to navigate the ever-changing world of blockchain technology." * Karl Zettl, CEO and Co-Founder, Iknaio Cryptoasset Analytics *"Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize society for the better, and those institutions embracing this technology will thrive in a society where data is controlled by the user. Igor succinctly describes how the world is changing, what the impact will be on the financial services industry and how the future of money will change geopolitics. A must-read if you want to understand the future of finance." * Dr Mark van Rijmenam, strategic futurist, author and speaker *"This is a book that should make anyone interested in the future of our economy sit up and take notice. The world of the 2020s will be defined by the clash of the titans of tech and finance, and it will be a new wave of technologies - like blockchain - that will determine the winner. Igor Pejic's sharp and thoughtful book gives an up-to-the-minute view of what will drive the economy of the next ten years, and what is at stake for everyone today!" * Laura Stojcevic *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Chapter - 01: Finance as Big Tech’s El Dorado; Chapter - 02: Railroads for a new age – birth of the blockchain; Chapter - 03: Lure of the wild – redefining the idea of money; Chapter - 04: Two roads ahead – centralization; Chapter - 05: Land rush – crypto-economics; Chapter - 06: DeFi unicorn stampede; Chapter - 07: The decentralization delusion; Chapter - 08: Robber barons feel assured… and overshoot; Chapter - 09: The sheriffs come to town – regulation bends the trajectory; Chapter - 10: Dawn of a new era – central bank digital currencies vs private stablecoins; Chapter - 11: Commercial banks and the frontier experience; Chapter - 12: Setting out for the next frontier – the metaverse and Web3; Chapter - 13: Final remarks; Chapter - 14: Glossary;

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Book SynopsisRhian Lewis is a consultant software engineer and former digital journalist at The Times who is a regular international conference speaker and panellist on all things blockchain and cryptocurrency. She launched the altcoin portfolio tracker countmycrypto.com, co-founded the London Women in Bitcoin meetup group in 2014 and has acted as an advisor and strategist on various blockchain projects for the last seven years. She blogs on cryptocurrency and is the author of The Cryptocurrency Revolution (Kogan Page). She is based near Plymouth, the UK.Trade Review"Understanding Decentralized Finance is a comprehensive guide to the world of DeFi. In a space that is fast moving and hard to navigate, Rhian takes the reader by the hand and describes the promise, the evolution and the current state of this emerging technology. A great read for newcomers and degens alike." * Jonas Seiferth, RetroPGF Lead, Optimism Foundation *"Rhian Lewis presents a balanced and informative view that expertly intertwines the evolution of money and markets with these novel, and potentially game changing, set of technologies whilst unravelling and demystifying the lexicon of arcane terminology and acronyms that have followed the hype into the public psyche in recent years." * Paul Gordon, Founder, Coinscrum *"If you think about the factors stopping DeFi to fulfil its potential, many cite regulation (or lack of regulation) and lack of understanding/knowledge of this space. As it is difficult to control the regulatory part, we can build a deep understanding of what DeFi represents, its components, and the exciting new opportunities it offers - as well as the considerable challenges that occur when the old system collides head-on with the new. I found it exciting that you can boost your knowledge by learning cool concepts such as DeFi mullet, social trading, finfluencer, crypto meme culture and more." * Mirela Ciobanu, Lead Editor, Banking and Fintech, The Paypers *"Weaving together concepts, definitions and real-world examples, Rhian Lewis covers the basics of decentralized finance, the realities of today, the hopes of tomorrow, and the potential blocks to the realization of truly decentralized finances. A must-read for those interested in moving from online hype posts to broader comprehension of the space." * Lloyd Evans, Product Manager - Ventures, 11:FS *"Understanding Decentralized Finance not only gives you a good input into the world of decentralized Finance, but also enables you to deep-dive into topics around this phenomenon." * Christian Steiner, Head of Regulatory, Bitpanda *"Understanding Decentralized Finance is a comprehensive and thought-provoking look at the future of finance, including the intersection of gaming and finance. It offers insights on the challenges of creating a universal system that captures the economic activity of games. A must-read for anyone in the DeFi industry, as well as gamers and enthusiasts." * Julien Paredes, Head of Partnerships, Tropee *"The world of decentralized finance (DeFi) is one of the most exciting, fast evolving areas of money, operating at the intersection of technology and finance. Many jobs will be created and good opportunities. This book will give you a good way to imagine the future of DeFi. I highly recommend this book." * Tram Anh Nguyen, Co-founder, Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship (CFTE) *"This book is a comprehensive guide for beginners or experienced professionals seeking to expand their knowledge and understanding of Decentralized Finance (DeFi). The author, Rhian Lewis, possesses extensive knowledge and expertise and has effectively simplified and communicated complex DeFi concepts clearly and captivatingly." * Enrico Mariotti, CEO, Skytale Finance *Table of Contents Chapter - 01: Introduction; Chapter - 02: The current state of financial markets and how they work; Chapter - 03: Overview of DeFi; Chapter - 04: Decentralized Exchanges; Chapter - 05: Decentralized Lending and other financial instruments; Chapter - 06: Risks and challenges; Chapter - 07: What is a DAO?; Chapter - 08: NFTs and DeFi; Chapter - 09: The regulatory environment; Chapter - 10: What the future holds

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Book SynopsisAshutosh Garg is the CEO & Founder of Eightfold.ai and the host of the 'The Brand Called You' podcast. He is based in San Francisco, California. Kamal Ahluwalia is an author, AI expert and the President of Eightfold.ai. Kamal is based in San Francisco, California. Alexandra Levit is a workforce consultant and futurist. She is also a columnist for the Wall Street Journal and the author of Humanity Works. She lives in Chicago, Illinois.Trade Review"Deep Talent is the book for now. The journey towards the skills-based organization is accelerating exponentially, driven by significant advances in AI. Ahluwalia, Garg and Levit provide us with the roadmap for getting there." * Ravin Jesuthasan, author, futurist and Global Leader for Transformation Services, Mercer *"Enlightening, inspiring, and practical, Deep Talent is the definite guide for business and people leaders to understand and make sense of the massive shifts happening in the world of talent, learning, diversity and technology, and their impact on the workforce in 2023 and forward. The authors provide a comprehensive framework to learn and operate in today's work world." * Enrique Rubio, HR Thought Leader and Founder of Hacking HR Community *"Deep Talent is an essential read to help managers and leaders to understand the accuracy and fairness of AI in the new world of work." * Laurie Ruettimann, HR thought leader and author *"Organizations need both people and technology to grow and be profitable. Deep Talent is the must-read to bring those two forces together and create positive results. The real-world examples and case studies make it a resource that will never collect dust on your bookshelf." * Sharlyn Lauby, HR thought leader and founder, HR Bartender Community *"Deep Talent is a critical conversation worth reading if you value talent attraction, development, and retention in your organization. This book is for anyone who wishes to chart the most effective path forward in our new and evolving world of work." * Joey Price, President and CEO, Jumpstart:HR and host of While We Were Working *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Chapter - 01: It’s a matter of perspective; Chapter - 02: The role of deep learning in talent; Chapter - 03: Under the hood of talent intelligence; Chapter - 04: Skill acquisition and the rise of customized learning; Chapter - 05: Diversity is everyone’s issue; Chapter - 06: The government’s role in skill development; Chapter - 07: Talent intelligence and industry-specific labor shortages; Chapter - 08: Taking talent intelligence into the future; Chapter - 09: Conclusion;

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Book SynopsisDeborah Weinswig is the founder and CEO of Coresight Research, a firm which helps retail clients accelerate innovation and growth. Based in New York City, New York, she was previously Managing Director at Citi Research. She is a frequent keynote speaker and sits on the advisory board of the World Retail Congress. Deborah was recognised as a Top Retail Influencer of 2022 by RETHINK Retail. Renee Hartmann is the founder of consulting firm CLA. Based in Lisbon, Portugal she has over 20 years experience in retail, innovation and global expansion, co-founding several companies including C2 Global.Trade Review"A must-read for anyone interested in the massive $25 trillion retail industry. From customer experience to media, payments, loyalty, the impact of Web 3.0 and supply chain, Deborah Weinswig and Renee Hartmann take an incisive and comprehensive look at the trends impacting the sector, while providing a prescient view of what we can expect to see in this ever more complex industry. Truly a superb read which I highly recommend." * Philip Guarino, Board Director, Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs *"The last few years have not only presented challenges to the retail industry but also uncovered tremendous opportunities that were never before possible. Next Generation Retail is the ideal guide for early and professional retailers, navigating the myriad of changes in the retail industry to innovate for the future and grab market share." * Guy Yehiav, President, SmartSense *"This book and its authors will change your business and life." * Kay Unger, Kay Unger Design *"When you're connected to Deborah, you are connected to the retail industry. You are connected to the trends. The insights. The possible futures. The up-and-comers. The disruptors. The data. Deborah sets a high bar in the industry and is passionate about challenging while pressing for progress." * Justin Honaman, Head of Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods, Amazon *"Deborah is one of retail's most dedicated students, offering unique insights from her many years of industry research." * Brian Cornell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Target *"Among the thousands of colleagues I have worked with throughout my career, Renee Hartmann stands out among the very best. She is smart, insightful, thorough, quick, charismatic, and I have watched people young and old, junior and senior, as well as many CEOs, gravitate to her. Next Generation Retail is a treasure trove of insight for anyone wanting to build a retail business while attracting, converting and retaining consumers along the way. This is a mustread for anyone operating, or looking to run, a retail business." * Scott Kronick, Senior Advisor and Former CEO of Ogilvy Public Relations, Asia Pacific *"I had known Deb for 15 years when I first experienced her as a top Wall Street retail analyst. Her take on the consumer and investor was always deeply rooted in data mining, and her sage wisdom on strategy was a distinguishing element of her coverage. I have always been impressed with her critical thinking prowess and how she approaches our industry with a high learning orientation, be that with retail technology, supply chain, or data analytics. Her expanded view of the global economy has also influenced her perspective on sustainability and the transformative trends that retailers must get right in the future. This book is a must read for retail professionals and what lies ahead." * Jeff Gennette, CEO and Chairman, Macy’s *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction – The changing nature of today’s consumer; Section - ONE: Reaching consumers in new ways; Chapter - 01: Unlocking the metaverse; Chapter - 02: Livestreaming; Chapter - 03: New channels - Instant commerce; Chapter - 04: Connecting with Gen Z and Gen Alpha using their language; Chapter - 05: Creating compelling content to drive commerce; Section - TWO: Monetizing consumers with innovative models; Chapter - 06: Creating retail media to monetize consumer traffic; Chapter - 07: To NFT or not?; Chapter - 08: Bringing blockchain to retail; Chapter - 09: Unique collaborations and crossovers to drive energy and sales; Chapter - 10: Monetizing retail data while maintaining customer trust; Chapter - 11: Embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for retail optimization; Section - THREE: What’s ahead? The future outlook for retail; Chapter - 12: What’s ahead?; Chapter - 13: Creating your roadmap

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Book SynopsisSimon Hall, based in Ascot, UK, is a marketing innovator with around 30 years' experience in technology and services marketing. He served as UK Chief Marketing Officer for Dell and held senior roles at Acer, Microsoft and Toshiba. He founded NextGen Marketing Solutions, is a Course Director and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and lectures at the University of Kent .. He is also the author of Innovative B2B Marketing Strategy, published by Kogan Page.Trade Review"A brilliant, rare and impactful insight into areas to consider when creating a B2B digital marketing strategy. Great guidance on how to think about your customer journey throughout the process, not just in the implantation phrases. Highly recommend this read as an essential for all marketers." * Catherine Dutton, VP Global Account-Based Marketing, Pegasystems *"Simon Hall has written a B2B Marketing primer for the 2020s, which, by definition, deals with the realities of a digital first world. This is a long overdue I the world of B2B Marketing and will no doubt become a standard source for the discipline. I recognize through my own practice that this digital transformation from "outbound" marketing - or a "tell" approach - to inbound, customer journey-focused marketing, with all of its personalized digital touchpoints and omni-channel focus is today's B2B marketing reality and Simon does a good job of comprehensively covering all of the key elements, from content, to social, SEO, SEM and Web - as well as the enabling infrastructure: martech, data, marketing processes (eg lead nurturing, ABM) and analytics. Simon presents a best-practice approach to each, steeped in personal experience and in that of leading companies in the technology market. He provides theoretical context and practical how-to guidance, with great detail on management and execution across the buyers' journey. The chapter on digital strategy points to the need for digital to be a clear part of the overall marketing strategy which delivers clear outcomes based on business goals. Too often in my experience, marketing strategy is confused with annual budget and resource planning, so the tools and approach Simon summarizes here are a useful reminder to understand the context of your digital strategy. This book is a really valuable addition to the B2B marketing armoury and is highly recommended for those who intend to build their career in marketing." * Ceri Jones, former Vice President of Marketing, Basware *"This is a well-written book suitable for both beginners and seasoned practitioners on a topic that's very important to business today. The case studies and tips are practical and useful for any business." * Jayson Gehri, Vice President of Product Marketing, Delinea *"Digital marketing continues to be a minefield for marketers, especially those in B2B where extended decision-making groups and lengthy sales cycles pervade. Clear, engaging and practical, B2B Digital Marketing Strategy helps navigate the complexities of digital marketing." * Richard Robinson, former Chairman, B2B Marketing council, DMA *Table of Contents Chapter - 01: The new evolving business landscape; Section - PART ONE: DEVELOPING THE B2B DIGITAL STRATEGY; Chapter - 02: B2B digital marketing strategy; Chapter - 03: B2B customer journeys and the customer experience; Chapter - 04: B2B personalisation marketing and buyer personas; Chapter - 05: B2B customer insights and data management Section - PART TWO: GENERATING AWARENESS; Chapter - 06: Generating awareness; Chapter - 07: B2B SEO and search strategies; Chapter - 08: B2B websites and website strategies; Section - PART THREE: Digital for lead generation and lead nurturing; Chapter - 09: B2B digital marketing for lead generation; Chapter - 10: B2B digital and lead nurturing; Section - PART FOUR: Digital campaign management and integration; Chapter - 11: B2B content marketing; Chapter - 12: B2B digital marketing campaign planning; Chapter - 13: Digital integration marketing in B2B; Chapter - 14: Digital marketing and sales; Chapter - 15: Measuring digital marketing; Section - PART FIVE: Digital for retaining customers; Chapter - 16: Digital retention marketing Chapter - 17: Digital retention marketing channels; Chapter - 18: Digital retention marketing strategies; Section - PART SIX: B2B social media and digital marketing platforms; Chapter - 19: B2B Social media marketing strategies; Chapter - 20: Digital marketing technologies and platforms;

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Book SynopsisDuena Blomstrom is CEO and co-founder of PeopleNotTech, a people software solution focusing on psychological safety and high-performing team dynamics, and is based in London, UK. She is also an international keynote speaker, a prolific writer on Forbes and LinkedIn, and the author of several books. She is a top 100 global influencer in the tech space and has been recognized as a LinkedIn 'Top Voice'.Trade Review"Tech-Led Culture makes the case that your organization needs to organize people to create new operating paradigms around tech advances. The book should be required reading for EXCOs and CEOs trying to transform their culture." -- Brett King, author, futurist and speaker"Tech-Led Culture illuminates how technology both causes the need to reinvent company culture and enables the necessary changes. This is a must-read for leaders wanting to sustain a competitive edge in this modern world." -- Dana Finster, Senior Technical Expert, Walmart"At a time when our way of work is ever evolving, when the need to rethink how, when, where, and why we work is more urgent than ever, this book is a timely read. We are humans, after all." -- Theodora Lau, author, podcaster and Founder, Unconventional Ventures"In Tech-Led Culture, Duena Blomstrom provides a sweeping review of how workplaces and models of leadership have evolved, assesses the current state of work, and provides a framework and approach for a future that is more human-centric and sustainable." -- Allessandria Polizzi, CEO and founder, Verdant Consulting"Captures the essence of our new worldwide need for empathy and psychological safety. Finally, guidance that has near term and long game strategy!" -- Tracy Bannon, software architect and digital transformation advisorTable of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction: demystifying culture Section - Part 1: The new paradigm of workplace culture Chapter - 01: Workplace culture: accidental or by design? Chapter - 02: Organizational crises Chapter - 03: Crises at the team level Chapter - 04: Redefining engagement and continuous improvement Section - Part 2: Making the new ways of working work Chapter - 05: Remote, hybrid or office-based Chapter - 06: True flexibility - redefining outcomes and performance Chapter - 07: Diversity and demographics Chapter - 08: The new ways to run a team Chapter - 09: The work/life balance Chapter - 10: Burnout, the 4-day week and self-care Chapter - 11: Servant leadership and agility Section - Part 3: How to revolutionize your work culture Chapter - 12: An honest audit Chapter - 13: Start with "why" Chapter - 14: Change behaviour to change cultures Chapter - 15: Overcome resistance and entrenched attitudes Chapter - 16: Wellbeing, mental health and job satisfaction Chapter - 17: Lean on the superheroes Chapter - 18: Conclusion

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Book SynopsisNeil Mullarkey is a communication expert based in London, UK. He has delivered hundreds of keynotes and workshops to various organizations, including Microsoft, KPMG, WPP, Saatchi & Saatchi, Vodafone, EY, Google, Deloitte and GSK. He is a guest speaker at London Business School, London Business Forum and Bayes Business School. He is also a prominent comedian. He performs weekly at the Comedy Store London and often appears on TV and radio shows such as QI and The Pentaverate.Trade Review"A creative masterclass for every moment." * Mike Myers *"Neil Mullarkey is the master of the moment and this book weaves together his planet-sized brain and funny bones with uber practical ideas to bring magic to the mundane." * Caroline Goyder, author of 'Gravitas' *"Neil Mullarkey has done the unthinkable: he's managed to write a book about improvisation and business that is devoid of cliches. In the Moment provides practical insights to unlock the creativity and innovation of your best self." * Kelly Leonard, VP, Creative Strategy, Innovation and Business Development, The Second City *"Innovative, smart, practical, original, and above all, a fun read." * Nigel Nicholson, Emeritus Professor of Organisational Behaviour, London Business School *"This masterpiece gives you the tools to seamlessly blend structure and creativity, unleashing untapped potential and heralding a new age of unprecedented accomplishment." * Stephen Shapiro, innovation expert and author *"In a world that's more volatile and uncertain than ever, businesses need people who can communicate with confidence. This is what Neil does and he teaches it brilliantly." * Matt Brittin, President, Google EMEA *"Neil Mullarkey has written a masterpiece on how to improve your spontaneity to increase momentum at work." * Mark Bowden, author and communication coach *"This book has everything. It shares a message we all need to hear about leadership in the moment and in virtual times. We should risk winning if we are to build the world we all want to live in." * Dr Jacqui Taylor, Founder & CEO, FlyingBinary *"A concise, powerful read that redefines collaboration and communication, perfect for professionals eager to thrive in today's dynamic landscape." * Michelle Taite, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Intuit Mailchimp *"Technical ability and knowledge is important but not enough. It's about the people, relationships, communication and respect. Neil takes you on a journey of stories and practical tips essential for today's leaders." * Dr Lynne Maher, Adjunct Associate Professor, The University of Tasmania *"Discover the full importance of human ingenuity and relationships at work. Neil's unique approach makes this both a fun and insightful read." * Ben Renshaw, leadership thinker and author *"Neil Mullarkey is a master of his craft. He is educated, erudite and enthusiastic about how business can be better by using the soft skills associated with his comedy career." * Paul Boross MBE, speaker and pitch doctor *"In a world moving at pace and in unpredictable directions, improvisation is an essential leadership capability in its own right. Neil is a master and he has set out the principles for us all in this book." * Dr David Pendleton, Professor in Leadership, Henley Business School *"I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to increase their productivity and enjoyment at work." * Luke Johnstone, author and entrepreneur *"This book shows you how the magic of being 'in the moment' can transform your career. Simply brilliant!" * Graham Shaw, coach and award-winning author *"The interpersonal and communicative skills that this book will sharpen are absolutely critical for business leaders to navigate complexities and manage teams." * Doris Claesen, Ads Marketing Lead, APAC at Google *"This book will help every leader make an impact and create momentum." * Lesley Uren, Senior Client Partner and President, EMEA Consulting, Korn Ferry *"An amazingly eclectic, thought-provoking and above all, useful book. There is something for everyone in Neil's great book, one that I'll pick up time and time again." * Andrew Cross, Professor of Practice, Hult EF *"You'll be better at communication, comprehension and life by reading this brilliant book." * Michael Heppell, author, speaker and coach *"No technology can replace the human ability to collaborate, communicate and create at work. Learn how you can sharpen these abilities with Neil's fascinating book." * Steve McDermott, author and founder, The Confident Club *"Wow, Neil is simply the best of the very best. If confidence, innovation and turning work into an adventure are on your agenda then read this book today!" * David Taylor, author and founder, Naked Leader *"A highly engaging and elegantly written book. Neil discusses the tension between structure and spontaneity and offers some great practical tools and techniques for the reader to improve their own practice, whatever it is they do." * Dr Graham Curtis, Director of Operations, Roffey Park Institute *"Road-tested with top executives from around the world, Neil's techniques will ensure that you succeed whatever your role." * Dave Allen, Founder, Brandpie *"Neil has written a stirring playbook for personal growth and leadership. The ease, clarity and depth with which he discusses these topics will rewire your thinking and vocabulary for good." * Asad Ur Rehman, expert media and communication professional *"A refreshing antidote to all those "be a great leader" courses and books which are inflicted on us. Read this instead!" * Richard Westney, HR Consultant *"There are no three greater skills in life than confidence, communication and creativity, and no better person than Neil Mullarkey to help you master them." * Luke Manning, Head of LSEG Foundation, London Stock Exchange *"Like a Swiss Army Knife for effective business communication." * Veronika Elsener, Chief Marketing Officer, Victorinox *"In the Moment is chock-full of practical tips, road tested with real leaders, and great fun to read." * Donald Sull, Senior Lecturer, MIT Sloan School of Management *"This book is proof of how serendipity and improv and work together in daily life to actively create futures." * Annie Pye, Professor of Organization Studies, Cardiff University *"The warmth, wisdom and wonder of Neil Mullarkey radiate out from every page of this entertaining, inspiring and rigorously researched book. If you want to be your best, buy this book!" * Simon Lancaster, speechwriter and author of Connect *"Gives a 360 degree perspective for everyone to utilize fascinating insights before taking the advantage to craft their own success." * Erwin Parengkuan, CEO & Founder, TalkInc. *"If you want to have a future in work then this is a book that demands to be kept within an arm's reach." * Steve Martin, Faculty Director, Columbia Business School *"Charming and practical advice for those navigating the uncertain and often confusing corporate world." * Mike Southon, co-author, The Beermat Entrepreneur *"No technology can replace the human ability to collaborate, communicate and create at work. Learn how you can sharpen these abilities with Neil's fascinating book." * Sophie Devonshire, CEO, The Marketing Society *"This book is a menu of practical ideas that you can select as you wish to boost your esteem, presentation skills and creative powers." * Brendan Barns, Founder, London Business Forum *"Neil Mullarkey has such incredibly diverse experiences and so many brilliant stories. This book brings his insights to life." * Kate & Helen Richardson-Walsh, Olympic Hockey Gold Medallists *"Whether you're seeking to connect with a co-worker, feel more credible and confident in a presentation, or step up to lead in a new situation, Neil Mullarkey's insightful book will show you how to communicate - and learn - more effectively." * Herminia Ibarra, Charles Handy Professor of Organizational Behaviour, London Business School *"A powerful case for a more collaborative and more creative approach to work." * Stefan Stern, columnist and author *"A fabulous quiver of practical tools for the business executive of any level - a great reminder to listen, experiment and empower." * Tom Gathercole, Head of EMEA & EVP, Aircastle Limited *"It's delicious to imagine a corporate world in which all of Neil Mullarkey's insights and tips are heeded and acted upon; where we all approach the world with a "yes and..." mindset." * Sarah Nelson Smith, Global Head of Corporate & Commercial, Legal at Booking.com *"Outstandingly written, thought provoking and hugely transferable into daily life for business professionals." * Simon Ewins, Managing Director, UK Hotels & Restaurants, Whitbread PLC *"Ever wondered what improv comedy can offer the world of organisations and business? This book has many answers, with a unique blend of stories and research." * Paul Z Jackson, Director, The Solutions Focus *"A truly excellent book. Neil has connected all of the dots between improvisation and business for you." -- Deborah Frances-White, comedian, author and screenwriter"Backed up by fascinating research, stories and case studies, Neil Mullarkey offers some home truths and superb advice." * Caroline Webb, leadership coach and author, How to Have a Good Day *"Easily digestible, this book provides a mix of great hints and tips with case studies." * Joanna Causon, CEO, The Institute of Customer Service *"Neil Mullarkey's insights bring flexibility to corporate strategy and strengthen human connections as our work paradigm shifts." * Jesús Fernández Muñoz, Principal Office in Europe, Office of Outreach and Partnerships, Inter-American Development Bank, Madrid *"How spontaneous are you? Are you willing to drop your plans and be inspired? If so, this brilliant book was written for you." * Robert Holden, author, Shift Happens and Higher Purpose *"A must read for anyone leading or managing, Neil Mullarkey is entertaining and practical in equal measure. Some insights that will make you stop and question, balanced with real examples and tools that you can use yourself." * Malcolm Brown, CEO, Angel Trains Limited *"This book teaches interpersonal skills which ChatGPT can't do; and which are even more necessary now that ever." * Vanessa Lui, CEO and co-founder, Sugarwork *Table of Contents Chapter - 01: Improv and me; Chapter - 02: Human connection; Chapter - 03: Collaboration; Chapter - 04: Creativity; Chapter - 05: Leadership mindset; Chapter - 06: Meetings; Chapter - 07: Humour; Chapter - 08: Serendipity; Chapter - 09: Storytelling; Chapter - 10: Where next?;

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Book SynopsisSally Percy is an experienced journalist, editor and author specializing in leadership and management. She is a leadership contributor to Forbes and is the former editor of Edge, the official journal of the UK Institute of Leadership. She frequently makes radio appearances and writes for various publications, including The Telegraph, The Times, Accounting and Business, CFO World and Economia. She is the author of 21st Century Business Icons, also published by Kogan Page and is based in London, UK.Trade Review"A gem of a book, written with the sparkle and insight that characterizes Sally Percy's renowned coverage of leadership and business. A great learning lesson in leadership."" -- Matt Symonds, Director, Fortuna Admissions and Editor-In-Chief, BlueSky Thinking"Whether you are wanting to learn more about today's successful business icons, or pick up tips and ideas to enhance your own practice, Sally Percy's book is an interesting and inspiring read." -- Audrey Tang, Chartered Psychologist and Leadership Development Trainer"Sally Percy writes with insight about established icons and about emerging leaders. I found something new and interesting in every chapter, and found the chapter summaries very powerful. It's a book I'll be referring to time and time again." -- Roger Delves, Professor of Practice for Leadership & Management, Hult International Business School"Such an insightful book and a must-read for anyone in business or thinking of starting one. Motivating and inspiring - and a book to come back to again and again!" -- Martina Doherty, Business Psychologist and Leadership Coach"If you are looking for a dose of inspiration to guide the next steps in your career, look no further. Sally Percy's gift for storytelling shines through her 21 profiles of some of the world's most impactful entrepreneurs." -- John Mullins, Associate Professor, London Business School"This is a must-read for anybody who aspires to a senior leadership role. It certainly won't be one of those business books you buy but never quite get round to reading!" -- Mark Simmonds, creativity expert and mental health champion"If you want to know how today's most influential business bosses got to the top, look no further than this book. Sally's knack of getting quickly to the heart of a story makes it a real page-turner, and it's a fascinating source of insight about the personal journeys of leaders." -- Patrick Woodman, editor of Dialogue magazine and freelance consulting editor"Through inspiring stories and thoughtful analysis, this book teaches us valuable lessons from modern leaders. Whether you want to be a leader yourself or just love reading about business, this book helps us understand the qualities and sacrifices that drive success." -- Rameez Kaleem, Founder and Managing Director, 3R Strategy"Sally Percy provides a unique insight into the philosophies, mindsets, behaviours, and backgrounds of some of the most successful leaders of our time. This book will become the sought-after text for anyone who is trying to make sense of what it means to be a leader during these tough and challenging, yet hugely exciting times." -- David Liddle, Founding President, People and Culture Association and CEO, TCMTable of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Section - Part One: LEADERSHIP ICONS OF TODAY; Chapter - 01: Mary Barra (General Motors); Chapter - 02: Jeff Bezos (Amazon); Chapter - 03: Sara Blakely (Spanx); Chapter - 04: Rosalind Brewer (Walgreens Boots Alliance); Chapter - 05: Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczyk (Airbnb); Chapter - 06: Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia); Chapter - 07: Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast); Chapter - 08: Sir James Dyson (Dyson); Chapter - 09: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (Biocon); Chapter - 10: Elon Musk (SpaceX, Tesla and Twitter); Chapter - 11: Satoshi Nakamoto (Bitcoin); Chapter - 12: Melanie Perkins (Canva); Chapter - 13: Zhang Ruimin (Haier Group); Chapter - 14: Ugur S¸ahin and Özlem Türeci (BioNTech); Chapter - 15: Whitney Wolfe Herd (Bumble); Chapter - 16: Mark Zuckerberg (Meta Platforms); Section - Part Two: THE NEXT GENERATION; Chapter - 17: Lucrezia Bisignani (Kukua); Chapter - 18: Mette Lykke (Too Good To Go); Chapter - 19: Nthabiseng Mosia (Easy Solar); Chapter - 20: Akindele Phillips (Farmcrowdy); Chapter - 21: Andrea Thomaz (Diligent Robotics); Chapter - 22: Conclusion;

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Book SynopsisPaul Hague is founder of B2B International Ltd, a global market research company. Based in Manchester, UK, he is Fellow of the Market Research Society and the author of ten books, sharing 30 years of practical experience in market research and marketing. He is a visiting fellow at Manchester Metropolitan University and a guest lecturer at Manchester Business School. He is the author of Market Research in Practice and co-author of B2B Customer Experience, also published by Kogan Page.Trade Review"This exceptional handbook is a must-have for entrepreneurs and professionals. It provides detailed insights on each model including when to use it, how to use it, practical examples and key considerations. Having personally experienced the benefits of some of these models, I am thrilled to have this invaluable resource of additional tools at my disposal." * Helen Winter, Founder & Managing Director, Business Bullet and author of The Business Analysis Handbook *"An excellent guide from a trusted source, this book will fast-track knowledge for managers wishing to develop their strategy or indeed their strategic thinking." * Professor Stuart Roper, Associate Dean of Research Innovation and Knowledge Exchange, Huddersfield Business School *"Paul Hague has produced an excellent all-in-one handbook that covers a multitude of business models that are used every day by marketing professionals. The Business Models Handbook is a practical text that all marketing experts should read." * Jeroen Beukeboom, Financial Analysis Manager, Henkel Global Supply Chain B.V *Table of Contents Chapter - 01: Introduction – An overview of business and marketing models; Chapter - 02: 3C framework – Maximizing a company’s strength relative to the competition; Chapter - 03: The 4Ps – How to design your marketing mix; Chapter - 04: ADL matrix – Strengthening a product portfolio or strategic business units; Chapter - 05: AIDA – A business model for improving marketing communications; Chapter - 06: Ansoff matrix – How to grow your company; Chapter - 07: Balanced scorecard – Measures and targets for achieving a strategy or improving performance; Chapter - 08: Benchmarking – Setting targets for business and marketing KPIs; Chapter - 09: Blue ocean strategy – Kick-starting innovation and new product development; Chapter - 10: Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix – Planning a product portfolio or multiple strategic business units; Chapter - 11: Brand audit – Improving the strength of a brand; Chapter - 12: Bullseye for brand positioning – Finding the core values of a brand; Chapter - 13: Business model canvas – Looking at key building blocks to see where improvements can be made; Chapter - 14: Competitive advantage matrix – Working out requirements to obtain a competitive advantage; Chapter - 15: Competitive intelligence – Assessing market strengths and weaknesses; Chapter - 16: Conjoint analysis – Assessing optimum pricing and the value of component parts; Chapter - 17: Customer activity cycle – Determining opportunities to lock in customers and give them more value; Chapter - 18: Customer journey maps – Assessing the current performance of marketing and sales processes; Chapter - 19: Customer lifetime value – Estimating customer spend over their lifetime with the company; Chapter - 20: Customer value proposition – Creating a compelling purchase motive; Chapter - 21: Diffusion of innovation – Launching new products and services; Chapter - 22: Directional policy matrix – How to prioritize segments or new ideas; Chapter - 23: Disruptive innovation model – Identifying unique ways of beating the competition; Chapter - 24: Edward de Bono’s six thinking hats – Brainstorming problems and generating new ideas; Chapter - 25: EFQM excellence model – Improving an organization’s quality and performance; Chapter - 26: Four corners – Analysing competitor strategies; Chapter - 27: Gap analysis – Improving areas of weakness in a company; Chapter - 28: Greiner’s growth model – Recognition and transition through different phases of company growth; Chapter - 29: Importance-performance matrix – Improving the effectiveness of any business initiative; Chapter - 30: Kano model – Identifying purchase motivations; Chapter - 31: Kay’s distinctive capabilities – Adding value by identifying your distinctive capabilities; Chapter - 32: Kotler’s five product levels – Adding value to a product or service; Chapter - 33: Market sizing – Assessing the size and value of a served or potential market; Chapter - 34: Maslow’s hierarchy – Differentiating market positioning; Chapter - 35: McKinsey 7S – A company ‘health check’ audit tool; Chapter - 36: Mintzberg’s 5Ps for strategy – Devising a competitive strategy; Chapter - 37: MOSAIC – Setting objectives for current and potential opportunities and how to reach them; Chapter - 38: Net Promoter Score® – A tool for driving customer excellence; Chapter - 39: New product pricing (Gabor–Granger and van Westendorp) – Pricing new products; Chapter - 40: Personas – Improving the focus of marketing messages; Chapter - 41: PEST – Assessing four major macro factors that shape a company’s future; Chapter - 42: Porter’s five forces – Assessing five economic factors for competitive intensity; Chapter - 43: Porter’s generic strategies – Pinpointing the strongest competitive position; Chapter - 44: Price elasticity – Outlining opportunities for raising or lowering prices; Chapter - 45: Price quality strategy – Guiding a company’s pricing strategy; Chapter - 46: Product life cycle – Determining a long-term product strategy; Chapter - 47: Product service positioning matrix – Positioning products according to quality and service value; Chapter - 48: Segmentation – Using customer groups to gain competitive advantage; Chapter - 49: Service profit chain – Connecting employee satisfaction and performance with company profits; Chapter - 50: SERVQUAL – Aligning customer expectations and company performance; Chapter - 51: SIMALTO – Identifying the customer value placed on product or service improvements; Chapter - 52: Stage gate new product development – Planning the development and launch of new products and services; Chapter - 53: Strategy diamond – Entering new markets; Chapter - 54: SWOT analysis – Analysing growth opportunities at product, team or business level; Chapter - 55: System 1 and System 2 thinking – Identifying the emotional forces that drive decisions; Chapter - 56: Tipping point – How small changes to behaviour can result in big achievements; Chapter - 57: USP – Pinpointing the unique selling point of a product or service; Chapter - 58: Value chain – Identifying product or service value during the manufacturing process; Chapter - 59: Value equivalence line – Managing price and product benefits in a business strategy; Chapter - 60: Value net – How to benefit from competitor collaboration; Chapter - 61: Value-based marketing – Adding value to products and services to improve profitability; Chapter - 62: VMOST – Defining strategies and preparing a business plan; Chapter - 63: Weisbord’s six box model – Assessing the efficient functioning of an organization;

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Book SynopsisMark Shayler works with businesses and corporations to reduce their environmental impact and his clients include Coca-Cola, Nike, Bacardi, WPP, Samsung Electronics Europe, Welsh Water, Hiut Denim and Novatech. He is a founding partner of the Do Lecture series and is a Visiting Fellow in Sustainable Design at Loughborough University. He lives near Leicester, UK.Trade Review"Mark Shayler is a pioneer of the notion that going green is good for business, and this brilliantly accessible book shows how every workplace can make a difference for the planet, and still be business winners." * Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, founder of River Cottage and environmental campaigner *"All small businesses should read this book because it's a revolution waiting to happen. I truly believe that business can change the world and nobody breaks down the steps to making a profit with principles better than Mark does here. If you want to make a (real) difference but aren't sure how, this is a superb place to start." * Holly Tucker MBE, Founder of Notonthehighstreet *"This is the book I was waiting for. With his characteristic verve and straight-talking swagger, Mark Shayler shows you the sustainability bits that matter and ditches the ones that don't. Suddenly everything makes sense! Keep this book in your back pocket for meetings, project pitches and getting lost in the forest. A must-read and a must-act book which illuminates your path every step of the way." * Lucy Siegle, Author and Journalist *"An honest and enlightening manifesto for change. Between the sober truth and some reasons to be cheerful, Mark highlights the brutal reality of our current road to terminal illness, whilst explaining that every business can contribute to our road to recovery by correctly harnessing the power of its people. Energy. Circularity. Mobility. Regeneration. Resilience. Education. Activism. If any of these words are resonant with you, this book is your must-have guide to understanding the impact of doing business on the planet, providing a multitude of options to re-think and re-invent why an accountable, progressive and regenerative business culture is the key to designing a better future." * Raoul Shah, Founder and Joint CEO, The Casbah Group *"Mark Shayler has been around a bit in the world of corporate sustainability - in fact, more than 30 years. And he's worked with a shedload of companies during that time. So he knows what he's talking about, the anecdotes are authentic, and his humour a tonic in what can be very arid territory. Part 'how to' primer, part explainer of all things relevant, and part celebration of the power of creative design. You Can't Make Money from a Dead Planet ticks all the boxes." * Sir Jonathan Porritt, environmentalist and former Director of Friends of the Earth *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Chapter - 01: Where are we and how did we get here?; Chapter - 02: You can’t make money from a dead planet; Chapter - 03: The main environmental challenges; Chapter - 04: Business impacts; Chapter - 05: Is there any good news?; Chapter - 06: How do we do good and still turn a profit?; Chapter - 07: The strategic tools you need to change your business; Chapter - 08: The practical and science-based tools to change your business (and still make a profit); Chapter - 09: Re-framing business; Chapter - 10: The regenerative business; Chapter - 11: ‘The last chapter’; Chapter - 12: Notes;

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Book SynopsisJoe Wheeler is a bestselling author, speaker and consultant. He is the CEO of CX/Digital, a subsidiary of The Service Profit Chain Institute (SPCI), a Boston-based consulting firm. Before launching The Service Profit Chain Institute, he was the Quality and Productivity Executive for Bank of America. Prior to this, he was Executive Vice President with The Forum Corporation, where he managed the firm's Customer Experience Consulting Practice.He earned his MBA from Edinburgh Business School and lives in Hingham, Massachusetts.Trade Review"Joe Wheeler's latest book hits a lot of my hot buttons: immersive experiences, customization at scale, flywheels of learning and of course digital technology. Get your highlighter out before you open it up and let Joe's principles and case studies lead you in developing your own playbook for thriving in today's Experience Economy." * B. Joseph Pine II, co-author of 'The Experience Economy: Competing for Customer Time, Attention, and Money' *"A timely treasure for those who wonder whether, why and how 'digital' fundamentally changes the customer experience, with an added bonus 'playbook' for designing business models up to the task." * Susan Fournier Allen, Questrom Professor and Dean, Boston University, Questrom School of Business *"A must-read for managers looking to stay current on this rapidly changing topic. The book could not be more timely or useful!" * Leonard A. Schlesinger, Baker Foundation Professor, Harvard Business School *"Joe's book reminds us that in a digital-first world, our people have never been more important. That the brands customers love understand how to design experiences that create enduring value for employees, customers and shareholders. I highly recommend it." * Maxine Clark, Founder, Build-A-Bear Workshop; CEO, Clark-Fox Family Foundation *"Creating a best-in-class digital experience requires a design that resonates with your consumers. This book focuses on the role of design and the importance it plays in creating the deepest relationship with your consumer and the impact that is possible for your business." * Chris McCann, Chief Executive Officer, 1-800-FLOWERS.Com *"Joe Wheeler is my 'go-to' for anything related to customer insights and customer experience. There is no one better. This new book shares the wisdom of a true master." * Robert C. Wolcott, Co-Founder & Chair, TWIN Global *"A focused manifesto for companies looking to leverage digital technologies to deliver a highly valued customer experience. Joe's ability to boil this down to seven intuitive strategies with carefully chosen examples to bring these to life with actionable playbooks make this a must-read for multiple departments." * Abhi Ingle, Chief Operating Officer, Revenue Operations Qualtrics *"A hallmark of Joe Wheeler's work has always been his clear-eyed understanding that it's not enough merely to design a great product or service. You also have to be able to deliver it consistently, at reasonable cost and in a sustainable manner. This practical perspective permeates The Digital First Customer Experience. Joe outlines an approach that is both simple and sophisticated, both immediately impactful and enduring. And he does it through a series of engaging and enjoyable stories, making it as accessible as it is essential." * Rob Markey Partner, Bain & Company, and co-author of 'The Ultimate Question 2.0' *"What Joe's book Managing the Customer Experience did for the experience economy, so his latest book will do for the digital economy. If you want to understand how to create leading edge CX, this book is for you." * Shaun Smith, Founder, Smith+Co *"I deeply admire Joe's passion for creating enduring customer experiences. He is relentless in seeking to understand how human centered design can improve the digital experience to create shared value for the customer, employee and enterprise." * Brad Warner, Board Member, Capital One *"I've seen first-hand the perils and promise of digital-first strategies. Wheeler's playbook ensures the former is avoided and latter is achieved. I highly recommend it." * Dana Stalder, Partner, Matrix *"Joe Wheeler's book is a gift to those who work to take up the cause which I love and have made my own life's work: to improve lives. I know you will find his book an outstanding arrow in your quiver of resources to elevate your company to one that is admired and loved." * Jeanne Bliss, Author of Chief Customer Officer 2.0' and 'Would You Do that to Your Mother?' *"Joe Wheeler continues to innovate as the global market leader in customer experience strategy. Through digital-first, Joe has created the digital roadmap that customer-centric leaders can execute to grow their business." * Michael Crosby, Chief Executive Officer, AquOm Incorporated *"I love this book. If you are operating a business in 2023 and beyond, it's critical you understand and master the CX Digital space. The Digital-First Customer Experience by Joe Wheeler tells you how you do it." * Brad Smith, Founder President of Vector Business Navigation, Inc; CXPA Board member alumni *"Joe Wheeler's new book succinctly describes the 'digital tsunami' that is changing the way all companies will deliver customer experiences in the future. His advice? Instead of just adapting to it, put it to your advantage. I couldn't agree more, and this book shows you how." * Diane Hessan, Founder and Chairman, C Spa *"The Digital-First Customer Experience provides actionable strategies to design next-generation experiences, move AI from the back office to the customer and to help you make the right choices in a digital-first world." * Geoffrey Parker, Charles E. Hutchinson '68A Professor of Engineering Innovation, Dartmouth College; co-author of 'Platform Revolution' *"The Digital-First Customer Experience provides a peek into how successful companies across different industries deliver a personalized path to engage customers throughout their journey. Key AI/ML tech enablers serve as a backdrop while the design principles framework provides structure to innovate an engaging CX-driven solution." * Sherri Dorfman, Chief Executive Officer, Stepping Stone Partners *"Joe Wheeler is a long-time friend and colleague who I respect and admire. I highly recommend reading his new book, The Digital-First Customer Experience. The fusion of digital and its impact on looking at holistic experiences vs. fragmentation is essential for the success of CX and employee experiences in the future. The time has come, if not long past, for CX and EX professionals to be well versed in the essential shift from the Industrial Age perspectives to the Age of Transformative Experience. Value creation has been with us for a while, yet CX perspectives seem siloed and fragmented. A recipe for ineffectiveness." * Lou Carbone, Chief Executive Officer, Experience Engineering, Inc. *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Chapter - 01: PART 1: The new 3 C’S Chapter - 02: PART 2: The 7 design strategies Chapter - 03: DESIGN STRATEGY 1: Achieve emotional peaks across channels, finishing strong Chapter - 04: DESIGN STRATEGY 2: Create a personalization flywheel to grow customer engagement Chapter - 05: DESIGN STRATEGY 3: Strengthen customer commitment by providing choice and control Chapter - 06: DESIGN STRATEGY 4: Foster ownership through customer community and co-creation Chapter - 07: DESIGN STRATEGY 5: Inspire rituals that create shared meaning Chapter - 08: DESIGN STRATEGY 6: Empower customers through immersive experiences Chapter - 09: DESIGN STRATEGY 7: Link digital assets to leverage value over cost Chapter - 10: The 7 design strategies summary Chapter - 11: PART 3: The playbook Chapter - 12: Start by solving the right problems Chapter - 13: Build your business case Chapter - 14: The design process Chapter - 15: Execute to scale Chapter - 16: Epilogue Chapter - 17: APPENDIX: CX/digital maturity assessment Chapter - 18: APPENDIX 1: The CX/digital design accelerator

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Book SynopsisNell Watson is a researcher, writer, speaker and applied tech ethicist. She is President of the European Responsible AI Office, an AI Expert at Singularity University, and pioneers global standards as an AI Ethics Certification Maestro at IEEE. She advises leading organizations on their machine learning strategies, specializing in AI research and ethical advocacy.

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Book SynopsisGabriella Lojacono is an Associate Professor of International Management at the Department of Management and Technology of Università Bocconi and SDA Bocconi School of Management based in Milan, Italy. She is also the Director of the Executive Master in Luxury Management at SDA Bocconi.

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Book SynopsisRita Martins is a Financial Services Executive, currently serving on the Advisory Board of KIMA and advising a portfolio of Web3 startups. Previously, Rita was the Head of FinTech Partnerships, for Global Functions, at HSBC. Martins worked at Ernst and Young and Accenture, advising C-suite executives on the applicability of new technologies in finance. Martins is a recognized expert and regular keynote speaker on web3, fintech, DeFi and a judge at fintech innovation awards. She currently mentors at Web3 Techstars and Outlier Ventures. She is based in London, UK

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Book SynopsisRoger Spitz is a futurist, author, and President of Techistential, a foresight strategy consultancy. He also chairs the Disruptive Futures Institute, a global education hub which empowers organizations and entrepreneurs. His work has been featured in numerous media outlets, such as Fast Company, WIRED, and MIT Technology Review. He is based in San Francisco, USA.

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Book SynopsisHarry Korine is a professor and consultant who advises business owners, board members and executives on leadership and value generation. He teaches corporate governance, global strategy and family business at the London Business School, the University of St. Gallen and INSEAD. He is based in Zurich, Switzerland.Michael Hilb is founder of DBP Group and a board member of multiple organizations. He is a titular professor at the University of Fribourg and teaches strategy, entrepreneurship, corporate governance and family business at the Universities of St. Gallen and Zurich and Singapore Management University. He is based in Burgdorf, Switzerland.

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Book SynopsisMohamed Zaki is Professor at the Institute for Manufacturing, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge and Deputy Director of Cambridge Service Alliance, a research centre that brings together the world's leading firms and academics to address digital service transformation challenges. He has consulted and lectured for over 50 organisations, including Manchester United, Caterpillar and IKEA. He is course leader for the Data-Driven Design for Customer Experience (CX) online course at Cambridge University Press and Assessment.

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Book SynopsisJeremy Dalton is a leading expert on emerging and immersive technologies. He is the Head of Immersive Technologies at PwC and also sits on the Advisory Board of SXSW and Immersive Tech Africa. He works closely with the European Media and Immersion Lab as an independent advisor. As a technology expert, he has featured in global media outlets including the FT, the Economist, and the BBC. He is based in Austin, Texas.

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Book SynopsisBrian Wagner is a security and technology executive and leader who has extensive experience in successful security and technology transformation and a dual focus on innovation and robust cybersecurity practices honed over a career spanning over twenty years. The Chief Technology Officer at Revenir, Wagner has also held previous c-suite and leadership positions at Bulletproof, Defense.com, Moody's RMS and Amazon. He is based in London, UK.

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Book SynopsisBen Eubanks is an author, speaker and researcher living in Huntsville, AL. He is the Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory. His team surveys thousands of workers each year to understand the latest workplace trends and changes. He also founded HR Summer School, a virtual event with more than a million minutes watched every year. In addition, he hosts We're Only Human, a podcast focusing on improving human resources in the workplace.

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Book SynopsisJoanna Jensen is Founder of the multi-award-winning baby and child personal care brand, Childs Farm. She is on the Angel Investor Committee of the Invest in Women Task Force, as well as the advisory board of Buy Women Built, Lemonade Dolls and Clothes Doctor Ltd and is a NED to Biscuiteers. Joanna Jenson is Chair of the EISA and the Parella Club, Paralympics GB. She writes a monthly column in The Sunday Times and is based in Marlborough, UK.

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Book SynopsisMartin Newman has over 35 years' experience in marketing, digital, CEO and Chairman roles working with major brands including Harrods, Burberry, Pentland Brands and Intersport. Based in the UK, he serves as a Chairman and Board Advisor to a host of well-known brands, and is the founder of The Customer First Group and Customer Service Action. A renowned thought-leader, he has been named by Retail Week as one of the 50 most powerful people in online retail for 5 consecutive years, and listed in the Retail Insiders top 100 Retail Movers & Shakers and the British Vogue Online Fashion 100. He is the author of The Power of Customer Experience (also published by Kogan Page).Professor Malcolm McDonald is Emeritus Professor at Cranfield and Honorary Professor at Warwick Business School. As Chairman of six companies, McDonald works with the operating boards of some of the world's leading multinationals and has written over 40 books, including the bestseller, Marketing PlaTrade Review"The vital importance of customer-centricity is an enduring business truth. Newman and McDonald's book creates a contemporary perspective on how businesses can embrace this goal in new ways. Typically, their ideas are hugely practical and straightforward for organizations to implement." * David Wild, CEO, Domino’s *"A pithy, practical, enjoyable and thought-provoking book that brings new insights into consumer behaviour and how to improve the experience you deliver. This book will appeal to anyone who works in a consumer business, irrespective of the sector. A book that you can read from cover to cover and then dip in and out of when you are looking for inspiration to change the way you might be framing a consumer challenge. I really love the practical and relatable examples." * Debbie Hewitt MBE, Chairman, White Stuff *"Written by one of the world's leading multichannel customer experience experts with the support of one of the world's leading marketing academics, this practical guide to improving customer experience is essential reading for anyone who wants to thrive in an increasingly disrupted, hyper-local, mobile world. I have worked with both of them separately, but this author combination provides a powerful fusion." * Andy Rubin, Chairman, Pentland Brands *"100 ways to turn disruption into opportunities. This book should become your best friend in a fast-changing retail environment. Newman's common sense is brilliant!" * Paul Delaoutre, President, Al-Futtaim Retail *"If you are a CEO, buy this book for your team and devote an off-site day (or two) to undertaking an honest appraisal of how you score against Martin Newman's 100 recommendations for transforming your service culture. If you are not a CEO, buy this book and give it to your CEO." * Richard Pennycook, Non-Executive Director and Chairman, retail sector *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Chapter - 01: Put the customer first: if you don’t, someone else will; Chapter - 02: Marketplaces and disruptors are eating your lunch (taking your market share); Chapter - 03: Removing friction from the customer’s journey: getting the basics right in travel, retail, food and beverage, leisure and financial services; Chapter - 04: How to be disruptive in your own business; Chapter - 05: The role of the store and its new footprint; Chapter - 06: We live in a hyper-local world where mobile is key; Chapter - 07: Organizational design to put the customer first; Chapter - 08: Cultural change – must be top down and bottom up; Chapter - 09: Less about corporate, more about social responsibility; Chapter - 10: Retail as a service; Chapter - 11: Winning the hearts and minds of customers in international markets; Chapter - 12: Customer-centric marketing communications; Chapter - 13: A new framework for the marketing mix: the Customer Mix or 6Ws; Chapter - 14: Strategic social media and its importance to the whole organization; Chapter - 15: The impact of AI, augmented virtual reality, machine learning and voice on customer experience; Chapter - 16: The rise of the ‘ations’ in driving differentiation; Chapter - 17: Understanding customer behaviour: turning data into actionable insight and the key drivers for customer relationship management; Chapter - 18: So where do you start to transform your business?; Chapter - 19: 100 practical ways to improve customer experience;

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Book SynopsisMichael Brito is a digital strategist, author, TEDx speaker, and adjunct professor at San Jose State University, with almost 20 years' experience helping organizations solve marketing challenges. Michael Brito is currently Head of US Digital Marketing and GM of San Francisco for LEWIS Global Communications, and previously was the Head of Social Marketing at W2O Group, and Senior Vice President of Social Strategy at Edelman Digital where he consulted for Fortune 500 companies globally.Trade Review"Employees are the most valuable asset of any company. If you know how to unlock their passion, you can build an army of powerful advocates for your brand. It's not about training your employees to parrot your company's message. It's about building passion around your company's brand and its purpose - and shaping your company's culture such that it empowers your employees to advocate. Brito, a leader in the industry, helps you do just that: beginning with the fundamentals and then sharing practical tips on how to weave employee storytelling into the fabric of your organization." * Maria Poveromo, Vice President, Communications, Adobe *"It's widely known that employees are viewed as trusted and credible sources when others are seeking information about a company or brand. Brito delivers a very structured plan that guides large and small companies on how to truly activate employees to be storytellers and drive brand relevance." * Jascha Kaykas-Wolff, CMO, Mozilla *"If you're wondering how to inspire and mobilize your employees to be brand storytellers, ask Michael Brito. His book is an exceptionally thoughtful and actionable "how to" guide and a journey through the learnings of courageous companies creating true engagement and informed, digitally connected brand advocates." * Jerilan Greene, CMO, Yum! Brands *"The key to successful digital transformation is building a culture of trust and transparency, starting with the employee experience. Brito does a fantastic job of bridging the gap between internal employee engagement and external customer relationships. The result being a powerful community of brand storytellers who are constantly engaged and adding value with customers, prospects and partners." * Elise Steele, Former CEO, Jive Software *"Your business is already filled with promoters and every marketer needs to figure out how to unlock the power of employee advocacy. Brito shows you how to do this and then integrate that trusted employee-driven content into larger brand marketing initiatives." * Lauren Vaccarello, Vice President, Marketing, Box *"Trust and authenticity are critical factors for marketers today. And there's nothing more trustworthy than employee voices. Brito builds a strong case for employee advocacy and shows marketers how to integrate trusted employee-driven content into broader marketing initiatives." * Jackson Jeyanayagam, CMO, Boxed *"Participation Marketing unequivocally puts the transformation back into digital transformation by focusing on the single most underplayed element of successfully reimagining markets - our people. Brito offers a practical blueprint for how to put your employees at the tip of the spear of your transformation goals by first making them your biggest fans and then, your most genuine and loudest advocates." * Sameer Patel, CEO, Kahuna *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction by Russ Fradin: your people are your brand; Section - ONE: Setting the groundwork; Chapter - 01: Employee advocacy: making a believer out of you; Chapter - 02: The future of work: the new office, inside and out; Section - TWO: The business case for employee advocacy; Chapter - 03: Contextualizing the marketplace for employee activation; Chapter - 04: The psychology of ‘what’s in it for me?’ and how it affects employee advocacy; Chapter - 05: For brands, employee advocacy is a business imperative; Chapter - 06: Employee advocacy as a business model; Section - THREE: Blueprint: launching your employee advocacy programme; Chapter - 07: Employee advocacy: a model for disruption; Chapter - 08: Building your employee activation plan: who is responsible for what?; Chapter - 09: Identifying, segmenting and training the workforce for brand engagement; Chapter - 10: Bringing employee storytelling to life; Chapter - 11: Choosing the right employee advocacy technology;

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Book SynopsisKen Banks, founder of global non-profit organization kiwanja.net, devotes himself to the application of mobile technology for positive social and environmental change in the developing world. He is a PopTech Fellow, a Tech Awards Laureate, an Ashoka Fellow and a National Geographic Emerging Explorer. He was appointed Entrepreneur in Residence at CARE International in 2015, elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2012, and in 2013 he was nominated for the prestigious TED Prize.Trade Review"Full of hope. A book that will inspire." * Peter Gabriel, Musician *"I believe this collection will inspire more than a few readers to explore their passions and translate them into incremental stories of meaningful change." * Alex Moen, Vice President of Explorer Programs, National Geographic *"This important, timely book gives the reader an invaluable insight into the workings of the world of social entrepreneurship. It is a must-read for students, practitioners, policy-makers and anyone with a passing interest in how to work for the greater good." * Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder of the World Economic Forum and Co-Founder of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship *"The world's most challenging problems are being taken on by people motivated by their personal passions, informed by their deep understanding of local realities and shaped by their frustration with inadequate solutions. Ken Banks and the other remarkable innovators here offer inspiration and insight into building practical solutions while calling into question established wisdom about social innovation." * Ethan Zuckerman, Director of the Centre for Civic Media, MIT *"This book is a refreshing antidote to pessimism about the potential of individuals influencing 'social change.' The author of each chapter has a personal story to tell, but each in such a way that it helps us to better understand the different ways it is possible to make that change happen." * Dr. Elizabeth Harrison, Head of International Development, University of Sussex *Table of Contents Chapter - 00: Introduction [Ken Banks of kiwanja.net]; Chapter - 01: Wonders of the Solar System: Reducing Maternal Mortality in Developing Regions [Laura Stachel of We Care Solar]; Chapter - 02: Closing Latin America's Digital Divide [Rodrigo Baggio of Centre for Digital Inclusion (CDI)]; Chapter - 03: Patent Wars: Fighting Big Pharma to Enable Access to Drugs for All [Priti Radhakrishnan of I-MAK]; Chapter - 04: Data Science, Technology and Design for Social Justice [Jessica Anderson and Joumana al Jabri of Visualizing Impact]; Chapter - 05: Bringing the Silicon Valley Revolution in Technology and Business to Global Healt [Joel Selanikio of Magpi]; Chapter - 06: Food Waste Meets Food Poverty: Closing the Loop [Kelvin Cheung and Michael Norton of Foodcycle]; Chapter - 07: Innovation in Africa's Silicon Savannah [Erik Hersman of Ushahidi]; Chapter - 08: Touch-Based Treatment for Autism [Louisa Silva of Qigong Sensory Training Institute (QSTI)]; Chapter - 09: Reconnecting the Disconnected: A Story of Technology, Refugees and Finding Lost Family [David and Christopher Mikkelsen of Refugees United]; Chapter - 10: Let a Billion Readers Bloom [Brij Kothari of Planet Read]; Chapter - 11: Keep Calm and Dream in Tunisia: Supporting Sustainable Development in Tunisia and North Africa Through Empowering Youth, Women and Farmers [Sarah Toumi of Dream in Tunisia]; Chapter - 12: The Reluctant Geneticist [Sharon Terry of Genetic Alliance]; Chapter - 13: Power to the People: Reengineering Democracy [Tarik Nesh Nash of Govright]

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Book SynopsisThis book provides practical strategic and managerial guidance for business leaders looking to find new sources of value and to maximize their brand's potential in today's fast changing global marketplace.Table of ContentsA Note from the Author Introduction Part One: Unlocking a Different Kind of Value 1. The Most Valuable – and Most Misunderstood – Asset on Your Balance Sheet 2. Creating Business Value 3. Barriers to Unlocking Value 4. Introducing the New 4Ps 5. The Six Success Factors behind Brand-Driven CEOs Part Two: The New 4Ps and Six CEO Success Factors in Action 6. People 7. Process 8. Intellectual Property 9. Partnerships Part Three: Brand-Driven CEO Assessment and New 4Ps Playbook Acknowledgments Notes Index

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Book SynopsisIn The Capacity to Innovate, Sarah Giest provides insight into the collaborative and absorptive capacities needed to provide public support to local innovation through cluster organizations. The book offers a detailed view of the vertical, multi-level, and horizontal dynamics in clusters and cluster policy and addresses how they are managed and supported. Using the biotechnology field as an example, Giest highlights challenges in the collaborative efforts of public bodies, private companies, and research institutes to establish a successful ecosystem of innovation in this sector. The book argues that cluster policy in collaboration with cluster organizations should focus on absorptive and collaborative capacity elements missing in the cluster context in order to improve performance. Currently, governments operate at different levels from the local to the supranational in order to support clusters, and cluster policies are often pursued alongside other programs, leadiTrade Review"In the dense field of cluster research, it is challenging to come up with a new perspective on the topic. Yet Sarah Giest’s recent publication, The Capacity to Innovate, does precisely that. It examines the process of cluster development from the novel lens of cluster management, deploying the concepts of collaborative and absorptive capacity to study the role of cluster managers in building, sustaining and expanding cluster development." -- David A. Wolfe, University of Toronto * Regional Studies *Table of Contents.Contents List of Tables and Figures 1.Introduction Biotechnology Methodology Outline of the Book 2. Capacity Concepts in Cluster and Innovation Research The Geography of Innovation Systems of Innovation Network Sociology Clusters The Institutional Layer The Capacity Framework 3. Cluster Policy and Cluster Organizations The Role of Government Innovation and Cluster Policy Evaluation Challenge Cluster Organizations Propositions 4. Cluster Analysis The Biotechnology Sector Key Cluster Performance Indicators Medicon Valley: The Divided Cluster Chicago: Driver of the Midwest Super Cluster Singapore: The Government-Driven Cluster Vancouver: Finding the Competitive Edge Summary 5. The Innovation Context for Cluster Management Cluster Organization Characteristics The Capacity Mechanism The Outlook for Biotech Clusters 6. Concluding Remarks: Capacity Building in Biotech Clusters Summary of the Findings Advancing Innovation and Cluster Theory Limitations and Future Research Questions Policy Recommendations References Index

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Book Synopsis1. Space and Tools.- Chapter 2: People and Knowledge.- Chapter 3: Communication.- Chapter 4: Showing Off.- Chapter 5: Conclusion.Table of Contents1. Introduction (5 pages)2. Space and tools (40 page)From the way a space is laid out to how often teams eat with each other as a proxy to family life, this section will link existing research and anonymised interviews to discuss the power and impact of these tools and strategies.a. Stationary & interior designi. Open plan offices ii. Hot desking & Co-Working spacesiii. Canteens & eating ritualsiv. Post-its & Whiteboards1. Power & Opinions3. People & Knowledge (30 pages)From ‘Master Inventor’ to ‘Head of Labs’ the way companies assign power to people and departments in charge of innovation shapes how that work happens but also is perceived. In this chapter we will examine the way we view the innovation coming from within and outsiders, the culture of youth around innovation and the segregation we create to manage the impact the ‘real world’ has on cultures of creativity and innovation. i. Job titlesii. In-house1. Futurists & Evangelists2. Internshipsiii. External1. Consultants2. Gurus, Nomads & Piratesa. Case studies3. Attending conferences4. Brown bag lunches & other internal training 4. Communication (30 pages) The structures we use for people to work together is also part of how companies identify themselves as innovative. Whether its written communication or how collaboration is organised, there are myths and data about the effectiveness of these approaches and patterns but they are rarely considered in a ‘monkey see monkey do’ culture of innovation. This chapter will look at each and present the pitfalls and limitations of each tool and approach. i. Written1. Email2. Slack3. Trelloii. Collaboration1. Buzzwords, in-jokes & office language 2. Meetings a. Formats i. Stand upsii. Walk & Talkiii. Note taking3. Conference calls4. Away days5. Methodologiesa. Brainstorming b. Design Thinkingc. Agiled. Business Model Canvas6. The IT department a. Security strategies & Clean desk policiesb. BYOD5. Sharing Innovation (40 pages)Finally innovation isn’t recognised unless it is shared. Here again the patterns most companies adopt are the same, from client-facing innovation physical spaces with blue LEDs in their offices to PR stunts at CES, the effectiveness of these efforts is rarely measured and this chapter will focus on questioning these approaches with case studies. a. Dedicated innovation spacesi. Their purpose & design 1. Case studies b. Maker spaces c. Incubators, Accelerators & Hubsd. PRi. Videoii. Social mediaiii. Tradeshows & conferences1. CES2. SXSW3. TED6. Conclusion (5 pages)Total page count: 150

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Book SynopsisUse this comprehensive Agile product and project management guide with real-world case studies and examples for self-learning or as a student textbook. Whether you are a CEO or a student, this book will take you from Agile delivery to team topology and product-market fit.Agile delivery is becoming a mainstream project management framework, increasing demand for an understanding of modern related concepts. Agile Product and Project Management covers IT delivery and project management basics while approaching IT as a customer-centric product delivery ecosystem. The book covers two major topics: building the RIGHT product and building the product RIGHT. Each chapter builds on the materials in the previous chapter. Terminology and exercises are introduced sequentially. The book takes you on a journey from identifying a product using Agile principles to delivering and iterating on this process, step-by-step. The final chapter providesTable of ContentsIntroduction: The Role of Project and Product Management in IT This chapter covers the history of project management as a profession and uses IT industry examples to show the need for incremental and iterative delivery, a collaborative work environment, innovation, and a customer-centric approach to product delivery. It incorporates an interactive review of the primary Agile delivery frameworks. CLASS ACTIVITY: COMPARE TRADITIONAL AND AGILE FRAMEWORKS CASE STUDY: FROM BLOCKBUSTER TO NETFLIX SIMULATION PROJECT: A BUSINESS IDEA QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. TOPIC: IT DELIVERY VALUES AND PRINCIPLES. HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN IT ADDITIONAL SOURCES (A LIST OF ONLINE RESOURCES AND RELEVANT MATERIALS TO REVIEW): AGILE MANIFESTO, PMBOK INTRODUCTION, AND SOFTWARE GUIDE Part I: Building the RIGHT IT Product Chapter 1. Starting your IT Project with Why This chapter covers the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework as a part of the project management. It outlines why every project has to align with organizational objectives and shows how these objectives are used to measure project success. In addition, it explains the difference between a project and a product and introduces the distinction between project and product management in all primary project management frameworks. CLASS ACTIVITY: REVIEW MISSION STATEMENTS AND OKRS FOR APPLE, AIRBNB, DISNEY, FACEBOOK, ALZHEIMER ASSOCIATION CASE STUDY: MEASURE WHAT MATTERS (BONO CASE STUDY) SIMULATION PROJECT: CREATE YOUR OKRS TEMPLATES: OKR TEMPLATE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. TOPIC: GOOD AND NOT-SO-GOOD OKRS. OKRS FOR IT HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: OKR CRITIQUE ADDITIONAL SOURCES (A LIST OF ONLINE RESOURCES AND RELEVANT MATERIALS TO REVIEW): MEASURE WHAT MATTERS BY JOHN DOERR Chapter 2. Getting to Know Your Customer This chapter covers Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid product management practices, applying the "working backwards" framework from the customer to IT projects. It builds on the knowledge of business objectives to focus on customer needs. It explains the concept of a persona type and provides tools and templates to identify the customer, empathize with the customer's problem, and define the product as "working backwards" from customer needs. CLASS ACTIVITY: CREATE A CUSTOMER PERSONA TYPE CASE STUDY: KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER SIMULATION PROJECT: EMPATHY MAP TEMPLATES: PERSONA DEFINITION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: PERSONA REVIEW AND TARGET MARKET ANALYSIS 1 There may be further changes to content outlined in this document, including but not limited to case studies, examples, or subsections. The structure and the number of chapters will remain as stated. HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: DESCRIBE PERSONAS FOR FIVE WELL-KNOWN IT COMPANIES ADDITIONAL SOURCES (A LIST OF ONLINE RESOURCES AND RELEVANT MATERIALS TO REVIEW): LEAN UX BY JEFF GOTHELF Chapter 3. Validating the Product Hypothesis in IT Projects This chapter covers the Lean Startup framework of product design, based on the "build-measure-learn" feedback loop, and compares it with Waterfall requirements gathering and project scope management. Once the customer is identified, it is essential to validate whether our understanding of the customer's need is accurate. This chapter introduces the concepts of customer hypothesis, validation, minimum viable product (MVP), and the principles of making a decision to pivot or persevere. It describes the non-linear nature of lean startup validation, which is equally relevant for IT projects. CLASS ACTIVITY: DEFINE AN EXPERIMENT BASED ON AN IT PRODUCT CASE STUDY: AMAZON FIRE AND GOOGLE PLUS SIMULATION PROJECT: VALIDATE YOUR SOFTWARE PRODUCT HYPOTHESIS TEMPLATES: VALIDATION CANVAS FOR SOFTWARE DELIVERY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: LEAN STARTUP PRINCIPLES AND BUILD-MEASURE-LEARN LOOP HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: USE VALIDATION CANVAS TO IDENTIFY MVP ADDITIONAL SOURCES (A LIST OF ONLINE RESOURCES AND RELEVANT MATERIALS TO REVIEW): LEAN STARTUP BY ERIC RIES Chapter 4. Defining the IT Product This chapter covers Design Thinking and customer research practices. Once the customer is identified, and the customer need is validated, it is possible to define the product, its features, and sequence of delivery. This chapter introduces value proposition analysis, user story mapping, and other product definition techniques based on industry examples. It includes Google Ventures' Design Sprint concept and related case studies. Customer research practices cover the topics of stating the research goal, identifying research methods, recruiting respondents, conducting interviews, and aggregating results of the research. CLASS ACTIVITY: REVIEW A UNIVERSAL STUDIOS APP CANVAS CASE STUDY: IDEO DESIGN THINKING OR GOOGLE VENTURES DESIGN SPRINT SIMULATION PROJECT: CONDUCT FIVE CUSTOMER INTERVIEWS TEMPLATES: PRODUCT CANVAS AND BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: SOFTWARE PRODUCTS, PRODUCT PROPOSITION, VALUE STATEMENT, DESIGN SPRINT ADDITIONAL SOURCES (A LIST OF ONLINE RESOURCES AND RELEVANT MATERIALS TO REVIEW): BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS BY ALEX OSTERWALDER AND THE PRODUCT CANVAS BY ROMAN PICHLER Chapter 5. Creating and Maintaining IT Requirements This chapter covers Waterfall scope management and Agile product backlog practices. It addresses high-level software requirements elicitation, process modeling, UML principles and artifacts (use cases, data models, all relevant diagrams), UI wireframing and UX design tools, and covers multiple approaches to managing and defining requirements in IT Once product features have been identified, the next step is to create a prioritized list of features and split them into smaller requirements, referred to as "user stories." This chapter describes the product backlog taxonomy (epic, user story, subtask, bug, etc.), prioritization techniques, ongoing maintenance, and stakeholder communication. Topics such as product backlog health, prioritization techniques, technical vs. functional requirements, and product backlog refinement are covered. CLASS ACTIVITY 1: REVIEW A WATERFALL IT PROGRAM PLAN AND ATLASSIAN'S PRODUCT BACKLOG FOR JIRA, AND IDENTIFY IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES CLASS ACTIVITY 2: MODEL PROCESSES, DEFINE USE CASES AND USE UML DIAGRAMMING TO CREATE AN AMAZON WEB STORE REQUIREMENTS. CASE STUDY: KINDLE SIMULATION PROJECT: BUILD COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT PLAN TEMPLATES: USER STORY BACKLOG AND AN INVEST CHECKLIST, REQUIREMENTS MANAGEMENT DOCUMENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: IT REQUIREMENTS QUALITY QUEST HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: IDENTIFY FIVE TECHNIQUES FOR REQUIREMENTS PRIORITIZATION BASED ON COST AND RISK MANAGEMENT ADDITIONAL SOURCES (A LIST OF ONLINE RESOURCES AND RELEVANT MATERIALS TO REVIEW): USER STORY MAPPING BY JEFF PATTON Part II: Building the IT Product RIGHT Chapter 6. Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid Delivery Frameworks This chapter covers major aspects of IT delivery, including Agile teams, roles, frameworks, and success criteria. Once the IT MVP is created, it is essential to identify the delivery framework, whether it is Waterfall, Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming, or any other Agile framework. In this chapter, these frameworks will be described, compared, and discussed based on their fit to a company, its culture, products, and business objectives. CLASS ACTIVITY: COMPARE MAJOR IT DELIVERY FRAMEWORKS CASE STUDY: SPOTIFY DELIVERY SIMULATION PROJECT: SELECT A FRAMEWORK TO FOLLOW FOR YOUR PROJECT TEMPLATES: TEAM STRUCTURE, ROLE DEFINITIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: FRAMEWORKS COMPARISON HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: WHICH TEAM ROLE WOULD YOU PREFER AND WHY? ADDITIONAL SOURCES (A LIST OF ONLINE RESOURCES AND RELEVANT MATERIALS TO REVIEW): PMBOK Chapter 7. Estimation and Planning in IT This chapter covers Waterfall planning and Scrum in detail, including its Sprint structure, artifacts, roles, and ceremonies (meetings). It discusses how the Sprint structure is used to estimate effort and plan delivery and compares the approach to Waterfall. It talks about short-term and long-term planning, story point estimation, and Definition of Ready and Definition of Done. The five levels of planning are discussed based on real examples. In addition, it introduces the concepts of integration and IT project management. CLASS ACTIVITY: "FRUIT SALAD" ESTIMATION EXERCISE CASE STUDY: PMO TRANSFORMATION SIMULATION PROJECT: ESTIMATE THE BACKLOG AND CREATE A ROADMAP TOOLS: TOOLS (OVERVIEW OF M.S. PROJECT, TRELLO, JIRA, AND RALLY) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: DEFINITION OF DONE AND DEFINITION OF READY HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: CREATE A FREE TRELLO ACCOUNT AND ENTER FIVE USER STORIES IN PROPER FORMAT AND WITH STORY POINT ESTIMATION, THEN COMPARE THIS PLAN WITH THE WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE-BASED GANTT CHART ADDITIONAL SOURCES (A LIST OF ONLINE RESOURCES AND RELEVANT MATERIALS TO REVIEW): ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES BY MIKE COHN Chapter 8. Incremental Delivery and Continuous Improvement in IT Engineering Culture and Communications Management This chapter covers delivery, reporting, and continuous improvement. First, it provides examples of release plans and delivery reports based on actual projects in a wide range of companies and discusses technical debt and quality management concepts for software products. Next, it discusses team empowerment, feedback loops, and retrospective techniques. In addition, it discusses the idea of a product lifecycle and how it affects incremental delivery. Finally, it introduces the topic of engineering culture based on team empowerment and product delivery. CLASS ACTIVITY: IDENTIFY SUCCESS METRICS VS. VANITY METRICS CASE STUDY: FIDELITY'S DEVOPS CASE STUDY SIMULATION PROJECT: IDENTIFY YOUR REPORTING FORMAT BY TARGET PERSONA TEMPLATES: RELEASE MANAGEMENT TEMPLATE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: RELEASE PLANNING, METRICS, AND REPORTING, PRODUCT LIFECYCLE, CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: IDENTIFY FIVE RETROSPECTIVE TECHNIQUES ADDITIONAL SOURCES (A LIST OF ONLINE RESOURCES AND RELEVANT MATERIALS TO REVIEW): AGILE GAMES Chapter 9. Agile Implementation Beyond IT Budget management, Risk Management, and Capacity Management in Agile This chapter covers the topic of delivery beyond software products. It demonstrates that project management covers all work areas, including marketing and finance, human capital management, the service industry, and beyond. In addition, it covers cultural aspects of project management and organizational change management, leadership, and influence without authority. Finally, it also addresses traditional management areas, such as budget management ("beyond budgeting" principles), risk management via impediment resolution, and capacity management. CLASS ACTIVITY: COMPARE THE TRADITIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND AGILE STRUCTURE CASE STUDY: SPOTIFY SQUAD MODEL SIMULATION PROJECT: IDENTIFY BUDGET, RISK, AND CAPACITY MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR YOUR PROJECT TEMPLATES: BUDGET AND CAPACITY MANAGEMENT IN AGILE AND WATERFALL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN BUDGET MANAGEMENT IN MULTIPLE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORKS? HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: CREATE BUDGET MONITOR FOR THE SAME DELIVERABLE IN AGILE AND WATERFALL ENVIRONMENT ADDITIONAL SOURCES (A LIST OF ONLINE RESOURCES AND RELEVANT MATERIALS TO REVIEW): ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE BY HENRIK KNIBERG Chapter 10. Scaling Agile Delivery This chapter covers project management at an organizational level, referred to as Scaled Delivery. It compares project and portfolio management with Scaled Agile approaches, including Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Large Scale Scrum (LeSS), and Scrum@Scale. Complexities of large-scale project delivery, including enterprise[1]level prioritization, project and product portfolio management, organizational alignment, and related organizational structures, are discussed and corporate culture and mindset. Finally, it covers the concept of organizational Agile transformation and successful patterns (pilots, change management models, communities of practice) and teamwork and innovation at the enterprise level. CLASS ACTIVITY: BUILD YOUR SCALED ORGANIZATION (GAME) CASE STUDY: TRANSFORMERS SIMULATION PROJECT: SCALE YOUR DELIVERY MODEL TEMPLATES: P.I. (PRODUCT INCREMENT) PLANNING QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: COMPARISON BETWEEN AGILE SCALING MODELS HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: REVIEW ONE OF THE SCALED AGILE SUCCESS STORIES (METLIFE, BOSCH, PEPSICO, OR CISCO) AND SHARE THE FINDINGS ADDITIONAL SOURCES: PMBOK, SCRUM@SCALE BY SCRUM ALLIANCE, SCALED AGILE FRAMEWORK BY SCALED AGILE ACADEMY, LARGE-SCALE SCRUM BY CRAIG LARMAN AND BAS VODDE, (SLIGER/BRODERICK) THE SOFTWARE PROJECT MANAGER'S BRIDGE TO AGILITY Chapter 11 Conclusion: Project and Product Management Interview Techniques, Career Progression, and Continued Learning The Conclusion covers pragmatic aspects of the project and product management profession. It describes what the possible roles are (Project Manager, Program Manager, Scrum Master, Agile Program Lead, Agile Coach, Product Owner, and Product Manager) and outlines standard career progression for each of those. It provides helpful tips on how to pass a job interview for each of these roles. In addition, it contains a comparison of professional certifications (PMP, PMI-ACP, CSM, CSP, KTP, SCP, and many others), exams, and knowledge areas with advice to undergraduate students and graduate students who already have job experience in adjacent fields. Finally, it provides tips on professional associations to join and communities of practice to follow. APPENDICES A: PRODUCT AND PROJECT CAREER PATHS FOR IT PROJECTS B: INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES (STAR TECHNIQUE AND AGILE STORYTELLING CHECKLIST) C: PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS IN AGILE PROJECT AND PRODUCT MANAGEMENT D: PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE GLOSSARY Textbook Features Final Project Presentation: Agile Product and Project Management While each chapter of this textbook can be read independently, the book is structured so that each chapter builds on the previous one, similar to moving from product envisioning to the end of the product lifecycle. In each class, every group of students iterates on their product idea. At the end of the course, student teams present their final project. Evaluation criteria and relevant templates are provided. This course structure makes it highly practical since students go through the whole journey of Agile product and project management in one course - from ideation to delivery. Quizzes The book contains Quizzes with answers, containing over 100 questions to be used for testing. Each quiz has ten multiple-choice questions and a question for a short essay. Glossary The book includes a Glossary. There is a lack of accepted definitions around Agile delivery in general, so the Glossary fills this gap by providing precise and non-ambiguous definitions. These definitions cover the Agile terminology used throughout the book. References and Reading Materials The book contains a detailed list of References to a carefully selected set of reputable sources on Agile delivery, both printed and online. In addition, reading materials are grouped by category. Agile Professional Organizations and Certifications The book contains Agile professional organizations, including Agile Alliance, Scrum Alliance, Scaled Agile Academy, and others. In addition, it provides a set of references to Agile certifications described in detail in the Conclusion. Sources for Agile Career Advice The textbook provides practical advice in Agile product- and project management career progression, interviewing techniques, sources for continued learning and contains a list of interview questions for Agile professionals with guidelines for answering them

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Book SynopsisIn today’s business environment, companies that find and win points of strategic control are those that win. This book is about not only how to spot them, but how to control them and extend them to multiple market opportunities.Table of Contents1. Introduction Part 1. Strategic Control in a Single Market Context 2. Understanding Strategic Control Points (“The Stick”) 3. How to Spot Strategic Control Points Part 2: Extending Strategic Control to Multiple Markets 4. Extending the Concepts to Multiple Markets 5. On the Outside Looking In: What Happens When Someone Else Owns a Strategic Control Point? 6. What Can Go Wrong When You Own a Point of Strategic Control? Part 3: The Carrot and the Stick: Strategies for Today’s Interconnected Environment 7.The Concept of Aligning Incentives (“The Carrot”) 8. Why the Carrot and the Stick Matter 9. Game Theory, Signaling, and the Strategic Use of Information 10. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThis volume addresses the governance and evolution of Canada's international policies, and the challenges facing Canada's international policy relations on multiple fronts.Table of ContentsList of Figures and Tables Preface 1.Canada at the Crossroads: Canada’s International Policy Relations in an Era of Political and Economic Uncertainty Geoffrey Hale and Greg Anderson Part One: Overarching Issues 2. The Great Unravelling? The Construction and Deconstruction of North America’s Governance Architecture Greg Anderson and David Jones 3. Days of Future Past: Evaluating Canadian Foreign Trade Policies Christopher Kukucha 4. International Regulatory Cooperation and Multilevel Governance: Motives, Methods, and Outcomes Geoffrey Hale 5. Who Is Us? The Shifting Sands of Foreign Direct Investment Policies Greg Anderson Part Two: Market Movements, Human Flows, and Canada’s Multidimensional Borders 6. Cross-Border Movements and Governance: A Multidimensional Shifting Landscape Geoffrey Hale 7. Reforming High-Skilled Temporary Worker Programs in Canada and the United States: Sticks and Carrots Meredith B. Lilly 8. Managing Cross-Cutting Interdependencies: Canada’s Cross-Border Transportation and Infrastructure Regimes in a North American and International Context Geoffrey Hale 9. Dividing and Uniting Transportation Border Markets: The Role of Cabotage Barry E. prentice and John Coleman 10. National Security and Economic Security: Distributed vs. Hierarchical Management of Domestic and Critical Infrastructure Security in Canada and North America 230 Geoffrey Hale 11. Environmental vs. Territorial Borders: Canada-U.S. Cooperation on Environmental Issues and the Resilience of Transboundary Governance Debora Vannijnatten and Carolyn Johns Part Three: Trans-Border and Cross-Border Regions 12. The Pacific North West Economic Region: An Institutional Analysis of Effective Regional Governance Patricia Dewey Lambert 13. Cross-Border Constraints and Dynamics in the Northeast Stephen Tomblin 14. Attributes of Cross-Border Economic Policymaking in the Great Lakes Economic Region: Insights into Complex Bordering Processes at the Subnational Scale Kathryn Bryk Friedman 15. Canada’s Arctic Boundaries and the United States: Binational vs. Bilateral Policymaking in North America Carolyn C. James Part Four: Sectoral and Subsectoral Issues 16. Whither Canada’s Automotive industry? Policy, Trade, and Regional Competitiveness Brendan A. Sweeney 17. Canadian Energy in North America and Beyond: Between an Economic Rock and a Progressive Hard Place Monica Gattinger 18. Is NAFTA’s Northern Border Thickening for Agri-Food Products? William A. Kerr and Jill E. Hobbs 19. International Trade in Arms Regulations and Quebec’s Aerospace Industry Mathilde Bourgeon and Elisabeth Vallet 20. Capacity for Choice? Managing International Policy Relations in a World of Shifting Borders Geoffrey Hale and Greg Anderson Bibliography Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisCovering issues within the scientific community, In Sight is a deeply personal memoir of a woman's experience transitioning a major scientific treatment from grassroots development to commercial breakthrough.Trade Review"The early part of this book is quite fun. We learn how little Julia Levy, then called Julia Coppens, transformed herself from an untidy girl whose clothes kept bunching up into a dedicated scientist who knew what she wanted." -- Sheldon Goldfarb * The Ormsby Review *Table of ContentsForeword by Molly Shoichet 1. Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop 2. Does Your Dog Always Sit in the Front Seat? 3. Where I Wanted to Be 4. Life in Bed-Sits 5. Woefully Outclassed 6. Whose Lab Do You Work In? 7. Earning My Stripes 8. Seeing the Light 9. Becoming Part of a Biotech Start-Up 10. Positioning QLT as a Photodynamic Therapy Company 11. Colleagues at American Cyanamid Come to Our Rescue 12. The Nation’s Blood Supply 13. PDT Is Different from Other Cancer Drugs 14. I Was Surprised and Not at All Pleased 15. Splitting Up 16. Failure Was Never an Option 17. Nothing Can Prepare You for the Torture of ODAC 18. Taking Big Steps in Our AMD Clinical Trials 19. An Open and Respectful Relationship 20. Our Work on Age-Related Macular Degeneration Is Her Legacy 21. We at QLT Were on Pins and Needles 22. People Couldn’t Stop Smiling 23. More Than a One-Trick Pony 24. Launching the Product and Hoping for No Unpleasant Surprises 25. Growing the Company 26. Time to Reflect 27. An Enormous Rush of Relief 28. A Biotech Company with a Lot of Money Is in Danger 29. I Thought These Problems Would Be Transient 30. Ongoing Headaches 31. He Felt Thoroughly Betrayed 32. Problems with Activist Shareholders 33. New Opportunity Acknowledgments About the Author Index

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Book SynopsisThis volume addresses the governance and evolution of Canada's international policies, and the challenges facing Canada's international policy relations on multiple fronts.Table of ContentsList of Figures and Tables Preface 1.Canada at the Crossroads: Canada’s International Policy Relations in an Era of Political and Economic Uncertainty Geoffrey Hale and Greg Anderson Part One: Overarching Issues 2. The Great Unravelling? The Construction and Deconstruction of North America’s Governance Architecture Greg Anderson and David Jones 3. Days of Future Past: Evaluating Canadian Foreign Trade Policies Christopher Kukucha 4. International Regulatory Cooperation and Multilevel Governance: Motives, Methods, and Outcomes Geoffrey Hale 5. Who Is Us? The Shifting Sands of Foreign Direct Investment Policies Greg Anderson Part Two: Market Movements, Human Flows, and Canada’s Multidimensional Borders 6. Cross-Border Movements and Governance: A Multidimensional Shifting Landscape Geoffrey Hale 7. Reforming High-Skilled Temporary Worker Programs in Canada and the United States: Sticks and Carrots Meredith B. Lilly 8. Managing Cross-Cutting Interdependencies: Canada’s Cross-Border Transportation and Infrastructure Regimes in a North American and International Context Geoffrey Hale 9. Dividing and Uniting Transportation Border Markets: The Role of Cabotage Barry E. prentice and John Coleman 10. National Security and Economic Security: Distributed vs. Hierarchical Management of Domestic and Critical Infrastructure Security in Canada and North America 230 Geoffrey Hale 11. Environmental vs. Territorial Borders: Canada-U.S. Cooperation on Environmental Issues and the Resilience of Transboundary Governance Debora Vannijnatten and Carolyn Johns Part Three: Trans-Border and Cross-Border Regions 12. The Pacific North West Economic Region: An Institutional Analysis of Effective Regional Governance Patricia Dewey Lambert 13. Cross-Border Constraints and Dynamics in the Northeast Stephen Tomblin 14. Attributes of Cross-Border Economic Policymaking in the Great Lakes Economic Region: Insights into Complex Bordering Processes at the Subnational Scale Kathryn Bryk Friedman 15. Canada’s Arctic Boundaries and the United States: Binational vs. Bilateral Policymaking in North America Carolyn C. James Part Four: Sectoral and Subsectoral Issues 16. Whither Canada’s Automotive industry? Policy, Trade, and Regional Competitiveness Brendan A. Sweeney 17. Canadian Energy in North America and Beyond: Between an Economic Rock and a Progressive Hard Place Monica Gattinger 18. Is NAFTA’s Northern Border Thickening for Agri-Food Products? William A. Kerr and Jill E. Hobbs 19. International Trade in Arms Regulations and Quebec’s Aerospace Industry Mathilde Bourgeon and Elisabeth Vallet 20. Capacity for Choice? Managing International Policy Relations in a World of Shifting Borders Geoffrey Hale and Greg Anderson Bibliography Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisThe case for innovation and a clear, targeted strategy for planning and implementation that will help small- and medium-sized mature enterprises (SMMEs) thrive through reinvention and renewal. In contrast to large companies, SMMEs are on their own to win or lose in the marketplace. They may lack the relative economies of scale and scope, available to large companies, to understand and invest in innovation. Often they are in a position of sustained disadvantage with no perceived path of renewal. As SMMEs approach maturity, it is common for them to choose to only maintain what they believe to be the safety of maturity attained rather than to opt for a strategy that also includes constant reinvention and renewal. But as Bruce A. Vojak and Walter B. Herbst argue, this path of seemingly least risk and least resistance can be the most detrimental to the company in the long run. The real risk is to not innovate. No-Excuses Innovation makes the case to owners, advisors, executives, and leaders—as well as those in the trenches—of the value of innovation: why it's worthy of investment and what it can do for the health and longevity of a company. This book also details how innovation, and thus reinvention and renewal, can be most effectively and efficiently implemented. With case studies and narrative examples drawn from their time in industry and the academy, the authors present a valuable strategy guide specific to SMMEs and to one of the biggest existential dilemmas they encounter.Trade Review"As a retailer, it was always evident that those who don't constantly innovate with new product, new merchandising, and store design eventually failed. This book shows how change and innovation are crucial for any success in business."—Gordon Segal, Founder, Crate & Barrel"With over 3 decades of buying and building over 50 companies in consumer and commercial markets, I can attest that this book should be mandatory for anyone wanting success in growing their business."—Keith Jaffee, Chairman of Middleton Partners, CEO of Banyan Acquisition Corp (NYSE)"It is a real treat that the authors provide valuable insight not only into their own creative genius, but that of others as well. No-Excuses Innovation illustrates that innovation is the most important factor underlying economic growth and prosperity."—Morton Schapiro, Professor and President, Northwestern University"No-Excuses Innovation shows how consistent innovative development can help business leaders enhance value, set themselves apart in the minds of investors, create better employee engagement, and, as a result, generate higher business valuations. A must-read for business owners considering ownership transition."—Kenneth Serwinski, Chairman, Prairie Capital Advisors, Inc."Both grandmasters in the field, Vojak and Herbst bring a confluence of wisdom in their understanding of the pathways to innovation and the barriers to renewal for small and medium-sized companies. A brilliant business book that will compel fresh dreams and unpack the secrets towards a company's sustainable growth."—Robert T. Schwartz, FIDSA, DMI, Dean, Schools of Arts, Design and Business, Mount Mary University"No-Excuses Innovation simply "revs-up" the reminder of our role in innovation. This is a quick "go-to" guide, helping to steer the vital evolutionary process of our company in today's "disruptive" world. Pick it up and GO!"—Rick Delawder, President, SWD Inc.; past Chair of the Illinois Manufacturing AssociationTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Case for Innovation 2. Design Thinking 3. Emotional Design 4. Innnovation Processes and Tools 5. The Innovators and Those Who Manage Them 6. Strategic Innovation Management 7. Midtronics: An Exemplar of SMME Innovation 8. A Call to Action

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Book SynopsisAvailable open access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licence. Why does scholarship on innovation tend to fixate on particular classes of technology while neglecting others? This book shows how common methodological tools and techniques of innovation carry neoliberal market biases that dominate the field.

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