The Other Side of Innovation: Solving the Execution Challenge (Harvard Business Review (Hardcover))

I agree with many of the reviewers of this book who were pleased to see a book about the less-exciting aspect of innovation: execution. Although not as exhilarating a topic as the fuzzy front end of innovation, execution is CRITICAL!!!As a seasoned consultant, I can say with some authority that execution is a challenge for at least 90% of my clients, and certainly with the engagements that I've been involved with. Many times organizations believe that their efforts should focus on the important first step of problem identification and then fall short on implementation.The implementation stage typically involves barrier analysis--and foresight. It takes skill to anticipate obstacles or to deal with them expeditiously as they occur, and we most of us know, this is a large part of the execution/implementation battle.Govindarajan and Trimble do an excellent job of describing a model that's research-based, yet pragmatic and realistic. Building the right teams are critical to innovation--as is the ongoing task of managing disciplined experiments. So much can be learned by the trial-and-error processes of Thomas Edison, Einstein, DaVinci, etc. and their innovation successes. Yet in the busy work environments of today, learning most often takes a second seat to profits and quick wins.In concluding, let me say that I've found all of Govindarajan and Trimble's books on innovation helpful and informative, starting with 10 Rules for Strategic Innovators, this book, the companion to this book, a fable entitled How Stella Saved the Farm, and their latest book, Reverse Innovation. All are fascinating reads and all offer pearls of wisdom.

Very good book. I find myself quoting it now and then. Lots of interesting ideas.

I have spent the better half of my career fighting against, "Something" without really fully grasping the source of my biggest challenges. A few months back, I recognized that I feel like a "Mutant" among "Humans" in most corporate settings...fighting against 25+ year veteran business people...attempting to get them to listen to customers...just listen. I see them try, to their credit, to take steps towards innovation but I also have tried rollerblading, just to fall on my face. They bring in contractors and consultants that are also humans, who promise to lead a company towards innovation. No one person, especially those run by "Humans" can possibly understand how to transition into the world we live in today. Being so prone to reports, metrics, P&L statements...all the time spent on old concepts and strategies is time spent away from listening. I was caught between a rock and a hard place because here I am, a 15 year "Veteran" working against a mindset that is arguably many generations old. Am I crazy? How come these people don't see that this and that won't work?From our government to 100% of the companies with which I have worked, embracing innovation means taking risk."Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first." ~Frederick B. WilcoxThis quote encompasses everything that is wrong with the way most corporations operate today. From the author's website:"Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration. Thomas Edison said it over a century ago. No one listened.When companies launch innovation initiatives, they typically allot almost all of their time and energy on that initial one percent -- the thrilling hunt for the breakthrough idea. But the much ballyhooed burst of inspiration ... is merely a starting point. The real innovation challenge lies beyond the idea. It lies in a long, hard journey - from imagination to impact."This is not a book...it is a bible. Any company that wishes to profit from the innovation possible in today's world, from technology to methodologies and so much more in between must read, "The Other Side of Innovation." There are thousands of books on business...they've also all been written by "Humans" and I continue to disagree with most of the context found within its pages.I first learned of these authors when reading, "Stop the Innovation Wars" in the Harvard Business Review. I encourage anyone reading this to pick up a copy of that article (You can download the article for $7 from HBR's website). Once you read it...you will run, not walk, to buy this book.

It's an OK book.

When it comes to innovation in a large company finding great ideas is the easy part- especially when you're fortunate enough to be surrounded by thousands of the most knowledgeable, intelligent, and hard working people in your field. The hard part is taking those ideas and translating them into new business efficiently and without harming the ongoing operations that make your company great today.For anyone involved in an innovation effort this book is almost as therapeutic as it is inspirational and instructional. The author was not only able to very clearly identify and articulate many of the struggles involved in a successful innovation effort but also frame them in such a way as to allow the reader to fully understand their origins and how best to resolve them.For me reading this book really made everything click. It filled in gaps in my personal understanding that were acting as roadblocks to making truly significant progress and then built upon that foundation to provide a solid framework upon which all innovation teams should incorporate into their own processes and ideology. Needless to say I very highly recommend anyone involved in the innovation process to read and understand the principles taught in this book.

Good read.. Detail analysis to drive Innovation

It is simply THE book about innovation, the missing link.Other books will focus on the innovator or on the macroeconomics of innovation, but none on how to structure innovation in your "normal" company, what kind of culture do you need to build...Simply great

This book will appeal to several audiences in the public, private and non profit sectors - directors (including non execs), managers leading innovation projects, experts in IT, HR, Finance, organisation design and academics. I think it would be a good read for politicians too.Each chapter has 1-2 pages of recommendations and observations. At the end there are 13 pages of assessment tools and 11 pages about the research process.The research evidence is very impressive and presented in a clear, logical format. It provides detailed insight into the issues and approach about how to design and establish teams to 'solve the execution challenge'. It uses the same approach to explain the need for focussed experiments to discover how to (and by implication whether to continue to) implement the potential innovation.The book stresses how important it is to learn effectively and frequently and then act on what has been learned. I found this aspect most useful - we hear so much, well intentioned, general advice about learning lessons. This is specific-it shows the benefits of acting on the lessons we have identified.It is not a book for readers who want insights on how to have creative, innovative ideas in the first place!I have also read and use Nick Milton's book. The Lessons Learned Handbook: Practical Knowledge-Based Approach to Learning from Experience .This book does what it says in the title. The 2 books complement each other. The Lessons Learned Handbook: Practical Knowledge-Based Approach to Learning from Experience

I was a huge fan of this book and the ideas it describes, but in the years since I first encountered it I have tried without success to persuade CEOs in the real world to do what it prescribes. The proclivity of companies and those who lead them to avoid innovation are, in my experience too powerful to be countered by a mere book, no matter how many copies are distributed to the executive team.

Ich finde es immer wieder interessant, wie amerikanische Universitäten bzw. ihre Profs die Themen aufarbeiten.Ein interessanter Reader. Enthält interessante Gedanken und Empfehlungen für das Innovationsmanagement.