For those people whose idea of vacation includes packing a few hardbacks or loading up their e-readers, here are some suggestions for books that offer insight, advice, perspective and/or a return to your past (think LEGOs).
Knowledge at Wharton speaks with Chip Heath about Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work, co-authored by Dan Heath, which discusses how people can improve their approach to decision making and why preparing to be wrong can make all the difference.
Two recent books offer readers a deep dive into politics. Wharton operations and information management professor Katherine L. Milkman speaks with Cass R. Sunstein about his book, Simpler: The Future of Government, and his time at the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Wharton professor Philip Tetlock interviews Jonathan Haidt, author of The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion, on why it is so hard for liberals and conservatives to understand one another.
Knowledge at Wharton’s second of a two-part interview with Ian C. MacMillan, a Wharton management professor, and James Thompson, director of the Wharton Social Enterprise Program, explores their book, The Social Entrepreneur’s Playbook, and explains why they are offering the ebook for free.
Wharton practice professor David Robertson talks with Knowledge at Wharton about Brick by Brick: How LEGO Rewrote the Rules of Innovation and Conquered the Global Toy Industry. Robertson describes how thinking too far “outside the box” almost bankrupted LEGO — and how the company found a winning formula by turning to innovation “inside the brick.”
To help business leaders better manage a world of constant change, Jeff Klein, director of the Wharton Graduate Leadership Program, speaks with Gregory P. Shea and Cassie A. Solomon about their book, Leading Successful Change: 8 Keys to Making Change Work.
As part of Wharton Digital Press’s Wharton Executive Essentials Series, two books provide a window into long-term growth opportunities. David Heckman, practice leader, senior management at the Wharton School’s Aresty Institute of Executive Education, speaks with Wharton marketing professor George S. Day about his book, Innovation Prowess: Leadership Strategies for Accelerating Growth. Wharton MBA candidate Alexandra Idol interviews Wharton marketing professor Barbara Kahn about Global Brand Power: Leveraging Branding for Long-Term Growth.
Finally, if you are reading this while on vacation, you might be interested in a new book titled, Overbooked: The Exploding Business of Travel and Tourism. In this interview with Knowledge at Wharton, journalist Elizabeth Becker discusses the $6.5 trillion industry and the challenges it poses for travelers and the tourism business worldwide.
Happy reading!
