Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/42073
THE IDEA HUNTER AUTHORS: Andy Boynton and Bill Fischer with William Bole PUBLISHER: Jossey-Bass, US$25.95 IN TODAY'S business world, the real currency is ideas, not genius. "Brilliance is optional," write Boynton of Boston College and Fisher of IMD. They've constructed a formula anyone can follow for discovering ideas and turning them into new products or industries. They call it the I-D-E-A principle: Be interested in everything, no mat- Don't Miss Many of us end our days, our weeks—sometimes our lives—wondering where the time went. In 18 MINUTES, consultant Peter Bergman takes a look at the things that distract us, the things that help us focus, and the things we might build our lives around if we knew how. In dozens of quick-read chapters, he considers the hard-charging way many of us live and shows us how to slow down. The book's suggestions are smart, use- ful, and eminently doable for anyone looking for "a guide to your most effective self." (Business Plus, US$24.99) For decades, academics have argued about the value of theoretical versus practical research, and the topic gets a thorough examination in USE- FUL RESEARCH. Edited by Susan Albers Mohrman and Edward E. Lawler III, both of the University of Southern California, the volume is largely the print version of a workshop held in 2009 to discuss the best way to conduct dual-purpose research. More than 20 contributors form an impressive lineup of essayists; each one shares a unique perspective on how to bridge the chasm between theory and practice through aca- demic scholarship. (Berrett-Koehler, US$49.95) While consumers love brand-name products more than ever, they're even quicker to walk away when some incident erodes their trust. And in today's hyperconnected digital age, brands are constantly under attack from sabo- teurs, be they malicious "webmavens" or clueless employees joking around on videos that go viral. In BRAND RESILIENCE, Jonathan R. Copulsky of Deloitte Consulting describes how companies and individuals can defend their brands—among other ways, by drawing on modern counterinsurgency warfare tactics of speed and adaptability. Copulsky provides a fast, enter- taining, and illuminating read. (Palgrave MacMillan, US$26) ter how far out of your realm of expertise; search through a diverse set of unrelated sources; exercise your idea muscles all the time, not just during brain- storming sessions; and be agile in handling ideas, knowing you'll have to veer in different directions to make them finally work. Once they have that framework in mind, idea hunters also have to determine if they've found the right areas to con- centrate their energy. The authors suggest answering these questions: "Do you get a kick out of it? Are you any good at it? Does anyone want you to do it?" Fun and fast- paced, the book delivers an intrigu- ing message in an engaging fashion. THE CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE DIFFERENCE AUTHOR: David Livermore PUBLISHER: Amacom, US$22 IN THIS multicultural and rapidly globalizing world, individuals and organizations that fare the best will have high levels of cultural intel- ligence, says Livermore, president of the Cultural Intelligence Center and affiliated with Nanyang Techni- cal University. Like IQ and EQ, CQ measures four capabilities—moti- vation, cognition, metacognition, and behavior—which translate into interest in different cultures, the ability to think about and ana- lyze those differences, and a willingness to act on that knowledge. The book is accompa- nied by an online quiz that helps readers determine their levels of CQ, then gives them exercises designed to improve their capabilities. It also offers interesting chunks of research. For instance, one study found that 92 percent of the companies that participated in an 18-month CQ program saw increased revenues over the same period. It's a compel- ling read for those who believe, as Livermore does, "Everywhere is part of everywhere. … There's no going back." BizEd September/October 2011 75