The Science of Serendipity

The Science of Serendipity by Matt Kingdon shows large, complex organizations how to open the door to the kind of creative thinking that leads to commercial success. With a focus on the twin concepts of serendipity and innovation, Kingdon explains how established businesses can shake off the rust, dodge bureaucratic pitfalls, and find new directions while boosting their bottom lines. Kingdon, cofounder of ?WhatIf! Innovation Partners, cites abundant examples drawn from his company’s experiences working with different corporate clients. After considering what qualities a corporate innovator must have, Kingdon discusses specific techniques and strategies for every stage of the process, from an initial idea to a successful launch. His emphasis is always on the concrete and practical: how to test an idea, sell it to the hierarchy, and bring it to market.

Rice Wine with the Minister

In Rice Wine with the Minister, Andrew and Nada Kakabadse organize their wealth of personal experience in the global marketplace into a logical structure of steps that the global executive can take to succeed in today’s business world. The predominant themes of the text are the ubiquitousness of globalization and the critical importance of cultural sensitivity for effective leadership. Replete with examples of multinational organizations’ successes and failures around the globe, this text elucidates abstract concepts and distills them into practical applications. No area of the globe is overlooked, and the authors work hard to compare and contrast global cultures, highlighting the challenges of conducting business in a world that is both homogeneous and heterogeneous.