Leveraged Innovation - (MacMillan Business) by F Bidault & Charles Despres & C Butler (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Leveraged Innovation reveals that a dramatically different approach to the supplier-client relationship is being developed by leading companies around the world. It documents the benefits of Early Supplier Involvement (ESI), a radically new approach to inter-company relations which is providing a powerful impetus for increased creativity. Based on the findings of a European Research team, the text clearly shows how, why and to what effect suppliers the world over are becoming increasingly involved in the innovation process itself. Leveraged Innovation demonstrates and documents the process through which increased co-operation can lead to real competitive advantage. Leveraged Innovation is both an introduction to Early Supplier Involvement and a dynamic overview of best practise around the world. It provides important practical insights for enterprising companies, enabling the development and maintenance of ESI programmes of their own.

Review Quotes

'leveraged Innovation, with lots of concrete examples and clear conceptual frameworks, provides us with rich insights on how to link ESI to stable competitive advantages...(it) serves... as timely guide book for practitioners.' - Professor Fujimoto, Tokyo University, Faculty of Economics

'This book captures well the current state of ESI, including its strategic and operational issues, key success factors and likely developments in the future....I believe this book - with its grounding in current best practice and a systematic approach to operations - will provide readers with strategic insights for starting or improving ESI activity.' - Kazunobu Yamamoto, Managing Director, Fuji Xerox Co., ltd

'The authors succeed in presenting the interrelation between theory and practice, case studies and trends in a very convincing way. The Management Concept 'ESI' is explained transparently and with a clear reference to practice.' - Pierre-Alain De Smedt, Chief Executive Officer, Seat Cars, Spain

'A worthy and accessible introduction to early supplier involvement within product development processes...will appeal to readers from a broad management spectrum.' - Supply Management

About the Author

FRANCIS BIDAULT is Professor of Strategy and Innovation Management and Deputy Director of the Theseus Institute, Sophia Antipolis, France. He has published extensively, his most recent book publication is Trust: Firm and Society (Macmillan, 1998). He has been a consultant to numerous organisations including Caterpillar, Bosch, Baxter Renal, Electricite de France, Du Pont de Nemours, and Philips DAP and has for many years been closely involved in executive education teaching at IMD and EM Lyon (Lyon Graduate School of Business).

CHARLES DESPRES is a Professor at the Graduate School of Business Marseille-Provence, an Affiliated Professor at theTheseus Institute and an Associate Professor at l'Institue d'Adminstration des Enterprises, Aix-en-Provence. He is a researcher and author who addresses issues of organization, information, technology and culture. Formally a Research Fellow at IMD and an executive in North America, his current research programme concentrates on knowledge management.

CHRISTINA BUTLER is currently at London Business School, researching cross-boundary groups. An author of articles in the International Journal of Technology Management and Research Policy, she is also an experienced conference speaker. Previously a Research Associate at IMD, she now combines her research with Executive Education programs at the Theseus Institute and at London Business School.