great read for everyone that has a sag in how a business should evolve since it shows that sometimes it’s better to focus on one specific core thing instead of trying many different things and do everything at once!

This books seeks to show that not all businesses have to take the“Big Bang disruption” approach. David provides examples from renowned companies (LEGO, Nike, Apple, Uber etc)and their approach to growth

At the heart of this book is the theory that when a company/person identifies and focuses on what their core business is, it would be clearer how they can stay relevant and competitive in the market place

The realistic approach detailed in this book gives the reader a blueprint of how to innovate incrementally

Excellent book addressed to product manager or similar.
Innovation is fundamental for the permanence of brands, but also has its edges and risks. The author explains that a revolutionary, radical or disruptive innovation is more likely to fail, or in other words a success low rate.
The book provides an approach to innovation with the objective of maintaining a competitive product in the market that remains relevant, fresh and attractive to the consumer. But also this strategy can be applied to develop new successful products, or introduce existing products into new markets.
This type of innovation is called the Third Way, first it seeks to innovate around the core product to complement it and not to change it substantially, second it focuses on making it attractive for a segment of key customers, and third it poses little strategic risk, therefore little investment and also if it fails does not seriously affect.
In some cases the authors also mention the decrease in advertising on television, a percentage towards online to social media. The strategy is clearly explained, with detailed examples of very successful real cases. The third way is the way to keep the promise to customers of continuing to obtain value from the company's products, or rather the key product and continue to depend on and rely on it. In addition, the authors have created an attractive website with resources to expand the understanding and application of this strategy.
My gratitude to the Publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review the book

Mighty oaks from little acorns grow is a phrase that can describe the theory behind this book: in other words, little ideas can be powerful.

Here the author shows that not all innovations need to be ultra-large, super-disruptive and truly global. Sometimes the smallest things can have great power and potential and maybe still, who knows, they can grow into the next super-thing. They can also contribute to larger elements, or be just as valid in their own right. There is a lot of power and utility in having a range of complementary, smaller innovations that can co-exist and co-operate around a product or service that work towards a common goal, but are not going to radically change it.

The research is backed up by real-world examples from a range of global companies who have used this approach. Many companies have also sabotaged attempts, consciously or not, to use this method and changing their modus operandi can be difficult, but not insurmountable.

A thoughtful, informative and powerful book that deserves wider attention. For many it should be essential reading.


The Power of Little Ideas, written by David Robertson and published by Harvard Business Review Press. ISBN 9781633691681. YYYYY

a book very different from other business books on the subject. The author keeps it simple, engaging and full of innovative ideas.

Last month I attended a two day workshop on Critical Thinking and have been doing some work on innovation and fostering change so I thought I would comment on several recent non-fiction books which touch on these topics from a variety of perspectives.

THE POWER OF LITTLE IDEAS by David Robertson, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, presents a "low-risk, high-reward approach to innovation." In this book from Harvard Business Review Press, he argues that there is a third way to approach innovation beyond incremental (small) or disruptive (big). Robertson uses the examples of successful businesses like LEGO and Disney to illustrate his points, stressing these three key elements:
-- Creating a family of complementary innovations around a product or service....
-- [Using] complementary innovations [which] work together as a system to carry out a single strategy or purpose; and ...
-- Innovating around a key product does not change the central product in any fundamental way.
While focused on the business environment, I am curious to see how Robertson’s "third way" for innovation might apply to an educational setting - perhaps in conjunction with The Third Teacher which discusses how design and space can impact teaching and learning.

Link in Post: https://www.amazon.com/Teacher-ODonnell-Wicklund-Pigozzi-Peterson/dp/0810989980/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1495302743&sr=1-1&keywords=third+teacher

Was not able to read the Kindle version of the book as the book didnt display properly in my kindle device. would love to read the book and give the review like earlier

This book presents great way to innovate existing products without radically changing the way companies do things. It presents a compelling argument that we don't always need radical changes to stay relevant in the marketplace.

I'm reading for my July-August review in Global Business and Organizational Excellence and these titles pretty much run the gamut on innovation. From a core product that needs some new life to a disruptive, groundbreaking, category-changing idea, there are some excellent insights offered in each of these new books.

When you read a book and it sounds like common sense, I think that the authors have done a great job. That is the feeling, I had when I read the book..

I am sure that the book will do really well.. All the very best to David and the publishing team.

I love this book. I happened to have a Gatorade protein bar and too read the story of how that was the brainchild of marketing to shift from one product to what a customer needs - eg Usain eating skittles for a specific energy need is said to be one of the unmet needs before the Gatorade protein bar. Excellent story there.
Many examples to show how companies can really care for their customers and rake in profits too.