Business Archives

Steven Johnson: 7 Innovation Goldmines Where Ideas Are Found

What drives innovation? Where do new, groundbreaking ideas come from? According to best-selling author and theorist Steven Johnson, innovation happens when we seek out new ideas and cultivate environments in which fresh ideas can emerge and grow. In Where Good Ideas Come From, he explains the various avenues you should explore to come up with the best ideas. Read more to learn about the seven goldmines of innovation that Johnson discusses.

The 4 Components of an Effective Team: A Surprising Combination

Who understands what the customer wants? Who can help you mitigate business risks? Who holds the CEO accountable? Entrepreneur Tony Fadell shares his tips for creating a successful product-based business and building a great team. He contends that there are four components of an effective team, and they might not be what you think. Continue reading to learn Fadell’s surprising yet sensible advice.

Poor Decision-Making: Why Mental Illness Isn’t to Blame

Is poor decision-making a result of mental illness? Why is good mental health bad during a crisis? You may think we got it backward, but we didn’t—mental illness can be good to have during a bad situation, and good mental health is not. That is, at least for influential leaders who are under a lot of pressure. Find out why poor decision-making, mental illness, and crises aren’t all directly connected.

How to Build a Product-Based Business: Advice From Tony Fadell

How do you build a world-changing product-based business? How do you set the right foundation and then weather the storms that come? Entrepreneur Tony Fadell answers these questions and more in Build. The book is part career encyclopedia and part memoir, detailing Fadell’s journey building the iPhone and starting Nest, a smart home device company that he sold to Google for billions. Keep reading to learn how to build a product-based business from a successful business veteran.

How Whistleblower Xavier Justo Exposed Jho Low

How did whistleblower Xavier Justo help to expose Jho Low? What did he do to create suspicion around Low and his fraudulent dealings? Billion Dollar Whale by Tom Wright and Bradley Hope explores the story of Jho Low’s fraudulent business dealings, including whistleblower Xavier Justo’s role in exposing Low’s schemes. The authors explain how Justo’s actions created suspicion around Low and led to investigations. Read on to learn about the role Xavier Justo played in exposing Jho Low, according to Wright and Hope.

The PetroSaudi 1MDB Controversy Explained

What is the PetroSaudi 1MDB controversy about? How did it all begin? How was Jho Low involved? In Billion Dollar Whale, Tom Wright and Bradley Hope explain how a young Malaysian businessman convinced his country’s prime minister to invest billions of dollars in a deal with PetroSaudi. The deal ultimately led to what we now know as the PetroSaudi 1MDB controversy. Read on to learn about the PetroSaudi 1MDB business deal, according to Wright and Hope.

Experimentation and Innovation: How Testing Unlocks the Future

What’s the relationship between experimentation and innovation? Why is it useful to take things apart? How can you figure out what will work in the future? In The Innovator’s DNA, Hal Gregersen, Jeff Dyer, and Clayton Christensen describe five behaviors and skills—what they call Discovery Skills—that are most likely to generate creative ideas. One of these is experimentation. Read more to understand how experimentation in business is critical for innovation and to learn four ways to experiment with new ideas.

Why Shorter Workweeks Should Replace the 9-5

Why do most people work 40 hours per week? Are there benefits of a shorter workweek? The traditional 40-hour workweek is designed to keep employees productive and dedicated to the job, but it actually does the opposite. Instead, working an excessive amount of hours makes employees exhausted and less motivated. The solution is to form a shorter week that prioritizes employees’ happiness and health. Below we’ll look at reasons why a shorter workweek is beneficial and what can be done to implement it.

Why the Huge Number of Dollar General Stores?

What’s behind the huge number of Dollar General stores? Are dollar stores capitalizing on poverty or adding value to society? Dollar stores are the fastest-growing food retailers in the US and are working to become the top dog of one-stop-shopping for America’s poorest citizens. In particular, the number of Dollar General stores is exploding as the retailer opens three new stores a day. Read on to learn what’s behind this massive number of Dollar General stores and why it has some experts concerned.

Why Is Innovation Important in Business? New, Not Just Improved

Why is innovation important in business? What kind of innovation makes the most difference? Innovative businesses change the world. In The Innovator’s DNA, Hal Gregersen, Jeff Dyer, and Clayton Christensen explain how to drive meaningful change by embedding into your organizations and teams the key skills that are shared by the world’s most innovative business leaders. Read on to learn about the importance of innovation in business.