Category — Books

American airports will become “pop-up cities with no claim to local heritage or culture and bleached of any genuine sense of place,” writes Wayne Curtis in a Wall Street Journal review of Aerotropolis by John D. Kasarda and Greg Lindsay (3/2/11).

The argument goes that “economic vitality has moved from ocean harbors to river ports to railroad hubs to highway interchanges, and now, to airports.” The concept is that an airport can be “a city unto itself … basically an airport-integrated region, extending as far as sixty miles from the inner cluster of hotel, offices, distribution and logistics facilities”… read>>

High on the Hog, OK and Lastingness. In High on the Hog, Jessica B. Harris establishes “a historical context for each development in the evolution of black cuisine,” reports William Grimes in the New York Times (1/9/11).

The book, says William, is “a lively if wayward account of how African slaves, thrust into a strange land, carried with them the taste memories, cooking techniques and agricultural practices of their homelands and transformed the way Americans ate.” … read >>

Our questions reveal truths that drive innovations. By Paul Lavoie. I have always been a little wary of anything that points decisively and conclusively to one answer. Because our role as marketers is to connect with human beings in ways that inspire or educate, it seems wrong that any part of that process resemble shepherding lambs along a singular path into a corral.

At first blush, a philosophy based on doubt can raise some eyebrows. It sounds so … well … doubtful. In fact, this approach has proven time and again to be 100 percent right by being 100 percent undefined … read >>

The Secret of Chanel No. 5, What Technology Wants and The Man Who Invented the Computer. The most famous fragrance of all time is not nearly as “French” as we might think, reports Pia Catton in a Wall Street Journal review of The Secret of Chanel No. 5, by Tila J. Mazzeo (11/20/10).

For starters, the formulation of Chanel No. 5 has its roots in Russia, as “a scent that was intended to celebrate Catherine the Great.” That idea never took off, so its creator, Ernest Beaux, offered up the aroma as a starting point to Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, who wanted to launch a fragrance line following her success in sportswear … read >>

Values now define consumer loyalty. By John Gerzema. As America emerges from the worst economic calamity since the Great Depression, all the artificial demand based on the value of inflated assets and a mirage of wealth has disappeared. But in the space opened by the crisis, our society is rediscovering its strength by reappraising its consumerism.

We are moving from mindless to mindful consumption, where values now define consumer loyalty. In this new climate, “consumers” become “customers” and, more important, “people” whose needs mandate that companies deliver value and values. And like-minded businesses are mashing up old-fashioned American virtues with progressive technologies to form a solid foundation that is remaking capitalism, and America for the better … read >>

Where Good Ideas Come From, The Other Side of Innovation and Proofiness. Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble think that 3M and Google have it all wrong when it comes to innovation, reports the Economist (8/28/10). Vijay and Chris are Tuck School professors and co-authors of The Other Side of Innovation.

They think 3M and Google, among others, make a mistake by expecting their workers to spend a certain percentage of their time on innovation. They argue that this “let-them-loose approach spreads resources thinly and indiscriminately”… read >>

Soccer and Philosophy, The Invisible Gorilla and The Great Oom. (pdf) or (text)

Appetite for America, The Authenticity Hoax and Sugar. (pdf) or (text)

You Are Not a Gadget, 180º South and Priceless. (pdf) or (text)

Makers, Think Twice and Start-Up Nation.
(pdf) or (text)