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Bookshelf Innovation is very much in vogue in business these days, and Kaihan Krippendorff puts an intriguing spin on the concept, viewing it through the lens of Eastern philosophies. In The Way of Innovation, he brings Chinese and Indian sensibilities to the notion of change, particularly examining how the "immaterial" world of feelings and perceptions influences the "material" world of things that can be touched and seen. He guides readers through the ines- capable cycle of change as institutions pass sequentially through states of existence. In the rigid phase of metal, discontent causes a shift to water, which is full of fluidity and imagina- tion. Water solidifies to wood, or the formation of ideas; fire results, bring- ing change with disorder and speed. Eventually the innovation matures into earth—until it becomes so rigid it turns back to metal and is ripe for another makeover. There's some- thing very peaceful about reading a business text founded on ancient principles, despite the fact that Krip- pendorff is just as urgent about the necessity for innovation as any other business consultant. Yet, presented in this fashion, his advice seems logical, insightful, inevitable, and eminently achievable. (Platinum Press, $14.95) Most top executives understand that a business cannot succeed without a well-thought-out strategy, as well as an efficient approach to operations. What many CEOs fail to realize is that the two must be executed together. In The Execution Premium, Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Nor- ton spell out the interdependence of the two management imperatives. 70 BizEd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 Like many other experts, Preston Bottger believes leadership can be learned—and with Leading in the Top Team, he's put together a painstakingly detailed primer that looks at everything a "CXO" should know. He lays out the many and varied responsibilities of a C-level executive, such as carrying out a business strategy, defining the culture, handling top talent, and generating financial and social wealth. Then he fur- ther breaks down each of these tasks into what are practically step-by-step directions for succeeding at each facet of the job. Along the way, he dismisses the modern notion that everyone can be a leader. He writes, "One unproduc- tive idea in contemporary academic discussions is that 'leaders only have to empower people and then all good things happen.' This is rather naïve and idealistic." Bottger, a professor at IMD, has solicited essays from other IMD researchers, who write chapters on very specific CXO roles, including chief marketing officer, chief technology officer, and a host of others. The result is exhaustive and deeply illuminating. (Cambridge University Press, $70). "A visionary strategy that is not linked to excellent operational and governance processes can- not be imple- mented," note the authors, who also wrote The Balanced Score- card. Conversely, they point out, "A company is not likely to enjoy sustainable success from its opera- tional improvements alone." It's their notion that high-performing companies need to create "the office of strategy management (OSM)," a position that aligns strategy and operations throughout the entire enterprise. The book is a pretty dense read, with detailed and subdi- vided descriptions of the six steps a business must follow to successfully integrate strategy and operations. But the reward is potentially huge for business leaders who implement their recommendations. (Harvard Business Press, $39.95) Wall Street places high value on compa- nies with strong brand recognition, but consumers aren't so impressed, and that mismatch in attitudes could lead to a painful reordering of the market. That's the central premise behind The Brand Bubble by John Gerzema and Ed Lebar, both of marketing giant Young & Rubicam. Drawing on years' worth of research, the two authors have determined that customers show much less faith in and fondness for brands than they did in the past— and this despite the fact that com- panies pour millions into building brand identity. Some branding strat- egies do work—such as those used by Google, Apple, and Nike—and Gerzema and Lebar offer a new take on why. In their words, these brands have "Energized Differentiation." They are constantly reinventing themselves, creatively experiment- ing with new products, and giving the impression that they are already working on the future innovations that cus- tomers will prize. "The lesson for today's brand world is that in order for a brand to sustain consumer interest, it can't just be different; it has to keep being different," the authors