From the Back Cover
The last decade has seen an almost explosive growth of innovation. World class companies that have built a strong innovation infrastructure are experiencing high growth and sustainable financial performance; similarly, countries that have invested in policies that support innovation are experiencing strong GDP growth and improved living standards. Nevertheless, many organizations are lagging behind in the global innovation race. In Managing Sustainable Innovation, Ian Maxwell applies state-of-the art concepts and management tools to demonstrate how private enterprises, government agencies, educational institutions, and venture capitalists are combining scientific, technological, strategic, and financial resources to establish and maintain successful innovation infrastructures. Using a wide range of illustrative examples, from such diverse business sectors as IT, renewable energy, healthcare and nanotechnology, Maxwell goes beyond familiar approaches to innovation to argue that it will play a crucial role in tackling the most challenging issues that will face the world in the coming decades. These challenges include, but are not limited to, climate change, environmental pollution, fossil fuel shortages, third world poverty, rising healthcare costs and ageing populations.
"Overall, Ian Maxwell has taken a multi-national up-to-date perspective on innovation, which makes the book a useful resource in many contexts. The early chapters set the principles for thinking about innovation and its role in regional and global economic growth, in an accessible and practical way, while later chapters describe many cases of innovative technology. For example, the chapter dealing with renewable energy innovation has an immediacy which relates to the current volatility of global energy economics. Managing Sustainable Innovation is a valuable commentary on the essence of innovation, emerging technologies and innovative companies."
Ralph Cooney
Pro-Vice Chancellor Tamaki
The University of Auckland
"Ian Maxwell offers a practical approach to innovation management and highlights the importance of environmentally sustainable innovation and policy in developing countries. Applying years of research, application and enthusiasm, Dr. Maxwell includes numerous examples from high-tech, telecommunications and energy, among others."
Dr. Jan van der Eijk
Chief Technology Officer
Royal Dutch Shell
The Netherlands
As a complement to this book, a "software as a service" tool is available on a free trial basis and can be accessed from the website: http: //www.rdtools.co.nz. This on-line software tool enables the portfolio management techniques described in the book to be readily and cost effectively applied in practice.
Dr Ian Maxwell founded and served as CEO/CTO of two high-tech European start-up companies. He has more than 25 years of experience in technology and new business development, with Shell International in both Europe and the US among other companies.
Currently Dr. Maxwell serves as CEO of a newly formed company, Maxco Consulting Group, which focuses on providing innovation consulting services in the Asia Pacific region. He holds a PhD in Chemistry, and is the co-author of 80+ scientific, technology review articles and book chapters.
