Customer Reviews

Grow from Within: Mastering Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Wolcott and Lippitz created research-based tools for entrepreneurs within corporations to genuinely bring innovative ideas to market. My favorite is the Innovation Radar, which has different elements for corporate professionals to consider while developing their ideas. Everytime I show this radar to an entrepreneur or corporate entrepreneur, they realize they had not considered at least one of these elements.

The other areas of the book: The Four Models of Corporate Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Learning, all provide insights not normally provided by other authors, books, or conversations with experts. There are far too few skilled business professionals familiar with corporate entrepreneurship. Wolcott and Lippitz know many of this special group and have the skills to capture what the best of them accomplish, thus making plain this important art for the rest of us regular people. I highly recommend the book.

In my work we have been wrestling with the innovation question from a number of perspectives. I am previously familiar with the authors through their work leading the Kellogg Innovation Network, and this book reflects high level insights gleaned from a number of leading organizations around the world. However, I personally find more value in how this isn't just a book of stories. There is a very good balance of explanation and simplicity. With the manner the thinking has been segmented and formatted, the book is easily usable by leaders to learn and then apply as a manual within existing organizations.

In short, this is a real and practical addition to a very challenging business topic. I highly recommend this book, and believe it will be discussed and referred to by managers for years to come.

Having worked in corporate entrepreneurship in one form or another for more than a decade, this book really resonated with me. It makes a compelling case that the key to innovation and growth is not merely technology or product innovation but the design of new business models that exploit new market and product opportunities. The iPod/iTunes business model, among many others cited, is a great example of this.

There are also great insights into different models of corporate entrepreneurship as well as frameworks and tools for new business design. Importantly, the book addresses the obstacles that are likely to arise and offers advice on how to overcome them. It's a great read for those who are tasked with building new businesses within the corporate environment, as well as corporate leaders looking to foster growth beyond the traditional core business.

Grow From Within takes a very thoughtful and real-world approach towards corporate innovation. Well-written, with several very good case studies, it's a book that's not about creativity, but building the business framework to turn that creativity into a profitable enterprise. This is really a must-have for anyone in a leadership position, particularly in industries where constant innovation is essential to the survival of the company.

Grow From Within deals with innovation and entrepreneurship. These are also two issues, which have been high on the agenda in the Nordic countries and within the Nordic region for the last couple of years. The tool `Innovation Radar' has recently been tested out among 60 managers from companies of different size and from different industries in 7 different Nordic countries. The feedback from all companies and government officials involved in the project was that the Innovation Radar was a very valuable tool for their work with innovation. Grow From Within is relevant to anyone working with innovation - whether it is from the perspective of the private or public sector. It is rare to have a publication where you combine theoretical insight with ready-to-use tools. Yet, Grow From Within stands out as being a publication where the reader gets both the insight and the practical tools. This is why I think Grow From Within makes for highly recommended reading.

Wolcott and Lippitz are right on the mark! Grow from Within provides a practical and substantive roadmap for Corporate Entrepreneurship success. As a thought-leader and author, it is refreshing to read a book that challenges you to think about how to grow your business at a time where the need for innovation must be born and growth from within the organization. This is a must read book - from the C-level suite to the small business owner.

Rob & Mike did a great job of pulling together a lot of material that I learned from them during my time in graduate school at Northwestern University. They have had a great impact on my life and many other students, as well as the corporate citizens they advise. This is a must read in our changing times. If you are in business and need to drive growth then this book is a must have.

If you want to read more I wrote a blog post about the book at [...].

Also, they launched a dedicated book site at [...].

Great job guys! "The Right Book at the Right Time!"

Coley

Innovation and entrepreneuership are relatively simple things at the conceptual level. Like many things in the modern business world they are just extremely hard to do well. They are deceptively difficult areas to codify, organize and even discuss inside a big global corporation.

I think the hard work in research has paid off in this excellent book. This book gives one an extremely cogent framework, salient on target advice and a compass / yardstick by which to measure debate, analysis and success in this often foggy, buzz word laden area.

In today's fast paced, global , cut throat competition world I think this is a must read. It is an easy read. The hard part is getting past the typical type A executive's reflex of 'oh I knew that' and really absorbing the learning.

Getting five friends from Chicago and asking them to write 5 star reviews about your new book may be considered as marketing but it stinks. This is the main reason I will certainly not buy this book. Also, I wonder what kind of breakthrough ideas can come from writers who go for the most rudimentary form of marketing.