'This is a landmark study that tackles an important black box in innovation studies - i.e. communities of innovation. While conventional work focuses on formal organizations, a select group of academic leaders highlights the various communities that cut across firms and form the vital 'underground' for processes of creativity and ideation. While targeted toward business and management, this volume is a must-read for all social scientists interested in the dynamics underlying the current knowledge economy.'Journal of Economic GeographyThis book describes the important role played by communities in innovation processes and how organizations can benefit from it. A community brings together individuals who share a common passion for a given area of knowledge and can contribute to innovation at different levels: capitalization of good practices, problem solving, sharing of expertise, or development of new and creative ideas. The literature has progressively identified many variants of communities such as communities of practice, epistemic communities, communities of interest, virtual communities, etc. These forms of communities differ regarding the type of the specialized activities of knowledge on which they focus. As practitioners and academics increasingly emphasized the needs of collaborative approaches in innovation, they progressively challenged the traditional idea that innovation is mainly generated by hierarchical corporate departments and highlighted the active role that communities play in innovation processes. The aim of this book is to shed light, using multiple examples, on the proactive and fundamental role of communities in the new innovation practices of organizations.

Our world has changed, probably for good. Until now, the shift from brick-and-mortar to the smartphone has been about service, cost, and convenience. Now, it's also a matter of public health. How do we win this uncertain new game? How do we prosper in a digital world? In a cool, readable style Harnessing Digital Disruption: How Companies Win with Design Thinking, Agile, and Lean Startup tells the story of a major multi-national organization facing digital disruption and looming irrelevance. In a compelling novel format, the book demonstrates how to harness the power of digital technology, methods and thinking on the path to revival and prosperity. It illustrates the situations, characters, and blockers you'll likely face as you progress through your journey. The setting is Singapore and the heady world of international banking, but the prescription, methods and lessons apply equally to manufacturers, utilities, hospitals, insurers, and government agencies. You will learn how to: * Develop your Digital Transformation strategy and Innovation Portfolio * Reform customer journeys, launch new digital offerings, and validate new beta businesses * Develop senior leader digital literacy, and understanding of growth leadership * De-risk your journey using a proven overall approach based on proven principles * Cultivate a network of pragmatic entrepreneurs practicing a structured scalable innovation process

Our world has changed, probably for good. Until now, the shift from brick-and-mortar to the smartphone has been about service, cost, and convenience. Now, it's also a matter of public health. How do we win this uncertain new game? How do we prosper in a digital world? In a cool, readable style Harnessing Digital Disruption: How Companies Win with Design Thinking, Agile, and Lean Startup tells the story of a major multi-national organization facing digital disruption and looming irrelevance. In a compelling novel format, the book demonstrates how to harness the power of digital technology, methods and thinking on the path to revival and prosperity. It illustrates the situations, characters, and blockers you’ll likely face as you progress through your journey. The setting is Singapore and the heady world of international banking, but the prescription, methods and lessons apply equally to manufacturers, utilities, hospitals, insurers, and government agencies. You will learn how to: · Develop your Digital Transformation strategy and Innovation Portfolio · Reform customer journeys, launch new digital offerings, and validate new beta businesses · Develop senior leader digital literacy, and understanding of growth leadership · De-risk your journey using a proven overall approach based on proven principles · Cultivate a network of pragmatic entrepreneurs practicing a structured scalable innovation process

David is a teenager like any other. His world is filled with loud music, imaginary encounters with centre-folds and heroic fights on make-believe battlefields. With his mother away, David is forced to stay on his uncle's farm, where life lacks the excitement he craves. After a day of eating and drinking, David goes to meet a friend in the woods. Here, the effects of his drink-fuelled initiation and of the frustration he feels generally find a brutal and horrifying outlet that will change his life forever.