This curated list emerged from a collaborative conversation on LinkedIn started by Alex Osterwalder, with valuable contributions from innovation practitioners including Akshay Shakkarwar, Carol Hill, Kurt Bostelaar, David Pires, and Tendayi Viki. What follows are innovation management books that do more than just sit on your shelf.
Find your next read by category
- Books on strategy, systems and managing innovation at scale
- Books on testing, validation and lean execution
- Books on business design and value creation
- Books on culture, creativity and team dynamics
- Books on foresight and the innovation mindset
- More innovation books for your reading list
Books on strategy, systems and managing innovation at scale
The Invincible Company
Scenario: Innovation is happening, but in silos. You want a way to scale it without losing control.
Why read this: A guide to managing innovation and core businesses simultaneously using portfolio thinking and structured tools.
Ideal for: Leaders responsible for building innovation systems across business units.
Author(s): Alexander Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur, Alan Smith, and Frederic Etiemble
Goodreads rating: 4.30
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"It perfectly combines business model design, value prop design, experiment design and culture design." — Robert Jan
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Scenario: You're seeking foundational knowledge on integrating innovation into business practices.
Why read this: Drucker presents innovation and entrepreneurship as systematic disciplines essential for business success.
Ideal for: Managers and entrepreneurs aiming to understand the principles of innovation in a business context.
Author(s): Peter F. Drucker
Goodreads rating: 4.08
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"Timeless principles that remain relevant decades after publication. Drucker's systematic approach to innovation is unmatched."
Pirates in the Navy
Scenario: You're an innovator within a large corporation, striving to drive change but facing bureaucratic hurdles.
Why read this: Offers practical strategies for intrapreneurs to navigate corporate structures and lead innovation from within.
Ideal for: Corporate innovators and change agents seeking to make impactful transformations.
Author(s): Tendayi Viki
Goodreads rating: 4.09
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"A must-read for anyone working in corporate innovation who wants to understand the political and organizational dynamics of driving change from within."
How to Create Innovation
Scenario: Your organization aims to foster innovation but lacks a clear roadmap.
Why read this: Provides a comprehensive guide to building innovation strategies and business models, emphasizing digital transformation.
Ideal for: Business leaders and strategists looking to embed innovation into their organizational DNA.
Author(s): Stefan F. Dieffenbacher, Caroline Hüttinger, Susanne M. Zaninelli, Douglas Lines, Andreas Rein
Goodreads rating: 4.31
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"Offers practical frameworks for systematically approaching innovation rather than leaving it to chance."
Crossing the Chasm
Scenario: Your product appeals to early adopters, but you're struggling to reach the mainstream market.
Why read this: Offers insights into transitioning from early adopters to the early majority, crucial for scaling innovations.
Ideal for: Product managers and marketers aiming to expand their customer base.
Author(s): Geoffrey A. Moore
Goodreads rating: 4.01
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"Essential reading for anyone launching technology products. The framework for understanding market adoption is invaluable."
Books on testing, validation and lean execution
The Lean Startup
Scenario: You're stuck in planning mode and need to move faster with less risk.
Why read this: A foundational text on iterative learning and minimum viable products.
Ideal for: Anyone advocating for more learning and less guessing.
Author(s): Eric Ries
Goodreads rating: 4.11
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"The goal of a startup is to figure out the right thing to build—the thing customers want and will pay for—as quickly as possible. This book shows you how." — Based on Eric Ries' core message
The Four Steps to the Epiphany
Scenario: You're launching a startup and need a structured approach to customer development.
Why read this: Introduces a customer-centric methodology for building successful startups, laying the groundwork for the Lean Startup movement.
Ideal for: Entrepreneurs and startup teams seeking a disciplined approach to product development.
Author(s): Steve Blank
Goodreads rating: 3.95
Goodreads reviews
The Startup Owner's Manual
Scenario: You're navigating the complexities of starting and scaling a new venture.
Why read this: Provides a step-by-step guide for building a startup, emphasizing customer discovery and validation.
Ideal for: Founders and startup teams looking for a comprehensive operational blueprint.
Author(s): Steve Blank, Bob Dorf
Goodreads rating: 4.10
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"A comprehensive playbook that covers everything you need to know about building a startup from scratch."
Testing Business Ideas
Scenario: Everyone's debating assumptions, but no one's testing them.
Why read this: 40+ practical experiments to validate ideas quickly and cheaply.
Ideal for: Product teams and innovation squads working on early-stage concepts.
Author(s): David Bland & Alexander Osterwalder
Goodreads rating: 4.25
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"This became a book that I keep on my desk and open often. I love the visual aspect of this book - helps explain a larger team the approach to testing the business ideas." — Marina Ha
The Mom Test
Scenario: You're conducting customer interviews but struggling to get honest feedback.
Why read this: Teaches how to ask the right questions to validate business ideas without bias.
Ideal for: Entrepreneurs and product developers seeking truthful customer insights.
Author(s): Rob Fitzpatrick
Goodreads rating: 4.37
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"Brilliant insights on how to conduct customer interviews that actually reveal the truth rather than what people think you want to hear."
Where to Play
Scenario: You're deciding which market opportunities to pursue for your innovation.
Why read this: Introduces the Market Opportunity Navigator, a tool for evaluating and selecting the most promising markets.
Ideal for: Innovators and strategists aiming to make informed market entry decisions.
Author(s): Marc Gruber, Sharon Tal
Goodreads rating: 4.16
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"Provides a systematic approach to market selection that takes the guesswork out of where to focus your innovation efforts."
Books on business design and value creation
Business Model Generation
Scenario: You're stuck in execution mode and need to rethink your business model.
Why read this: A visual, intuitive guide to reinventing how your business creates and captures value.
Ideal for: Founders, innovation teams, intrapreneurs.
Author(s): Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur
Goodreads rating: 4.21
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"The book can easily be called a 'bible', a real reference book for innovators and entrepreneurs. Author Alexander Osterwalder together with co-authors created a masterpiece." — Viktor Naumovski
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Competing Against Luck
Scenario: You're guessing what customers want, with a low success rate.
Why read this: Introduces Jobs to Be Done theory to uncover hidden customer motivations.
Ideal for: Marketers, researchers, product managers.
Author(s): Clayton Christensen, Taddy Hall, Karen Dillon, and David S. Duncan
Goodreads rating: 4.15
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"Transforms how you think about customer needs by focusing on the jobs customers are trying to get done."
The Lean Product Lifecycle
Scenario: You're managing a product from conception to retirement and need a structured approach.
Why read this: Offers a six-phase framework for developing and scaling products effectively.
Ideal for: Product managers and innovation teams seeking a lifecycle approach to product development.
Author(s): Tendayi Viki, Craig Strong, Sonja Kresojevic
Goodreads rating: 4.55
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"Provides a comprehensive framework for managing products throughout their entire lifecycle within large organizations."
Value Proposition Design
Scenario: Your team is shipping features nobody uses.
Why read this: Align what you offer with what customers actually want using the Value Proposition Canvas.
Ideal for: Designers, marketers, product builders.
Author(s): Alexander Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur, Gregory Bernarda, and Alan Smith
Goodreads rating: 4.20
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"This book is a must read companion to Business Model Generation by Osterwalder. You REALLY need to read this book, because it goes deeper on the most important part of your solution: the Value Proposition." — Jose Papo
Books on culture, creativity and team dynamics
The Fearless Organisation
Scenario: Your team is hesitant to speak up, hindering innovation and learning.
Why read this: Explores the importance of psychological safety in fostering a culture of open communication and innovation.
Ideal for: Leaders aiming to create environments where employees feel safe to share ideas and concerns.
Author(s): Amy C. Edmondson
Goodreads rating: 3.99
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"Essential reading for leaders who want to create environments where innovation can truly flourish through psychological safety."
Be Less Zombie
Scenario: Your organization is stuck in outdated practices, resisting change and innovation.
Why read this: Provides strategies to revitalize corporate culture and drive innovation from within.
Ideal for: Business leaders and teams seeking to overcome organizational inertia.
Author(s): Elvin Turner
Goodreads rating: 4.29
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"A wake-up call for organizations that have become complacent and need to rediscover their innovative spirit."
Creative Confidence
Scenario: You believe you're not creative and struggle to generate innovative ideas.
Why read this: Encourages unlocking your creative potential and applying it to problem-solving and innovation.
Ideal for: Individuals and teams looking to boost creativity and innovation capabilities.
Author(s): Tom Kelley, David Kelley
Goodreads rating: 4.13
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"Helps people realize that creativity isn't a rare gift but a skill that can be developed and applied to business challenges."
Books on foresight and the innovation mindset
The Innovator's Dilemma
Scenario: You see the future, but no one else wants to act yet.
Why read this: Explains how great companies fail by ignoring disruptive innovation.
Ideal for: Strategy teams and innovation challengers.
Author(s): Clayton Christensen
Goodreads rating: 4.00
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"The reason is that good management itself was the root cause. Managers played the game the way it was supposed to be played... These are the reasons why great firms stumbled or failed when confronted with disruptive technological change."
Seeing Around Corners
Scenario: You sense a shift coming, but leadership doesn't see it yet.
Why read this: Helps you identify inflection points and adapt early.
Ideal for: Transformation leaders and innovation scouts.
Author(s): Rita McGrath
Goodreads rating: 4.00
Goodreads reviews
Reader's insight:
"Provides practical tools for spotting trends and inflection points before they become obvious to everyone else."
More innovation books for your reading list
Creative Construction
Scenario: You've tried startup tactics inside your company—and they don't stick.
Why read this: Shows how large firms can build a repeatable innovation engine without mimicking startups.
Ideal for: Senior leaders in mature organisations.
Author(s): Gary Pisano
Goodreads rating: 4.05
Reader's insight:
"Challenges the conventional wisdom that large companies should just copy startup methods."
The Corporate Startup
Scenario: You've been tasked with making innovation more structured—but nothing exists yet.
Why read this: Offers a practical roadmap for embedding innovation into corporate DNA.
Ideal for: Innovation leads building teams, systems, and metrics.
Author(s): Tendayi Viki, Dan Toma & Esther Gons
Goodreads rating: 4.39
Reader's insight:
"A practical guide for corporate innovators who need to build innovation capabilities from the ground up."
Managing Innovation
Scenario: You need to understand innovation at a systemic, organisational level.
Why read this: A deep, comprehensive look at innovation theory, systems, and case studies.
Ideal for: Innovation professionals seeking academic depth or a training reference.
Author(s): Joe Tidd & John Bessant
Goodreads rating: 3.69
Reader's insight:
"Comprehensive academic treatment of innovation management with solid theoretical foundations."
The Lean Product Playbook
Scenario: You're launching a product and need to find product-market fit quickly.
Why read this: Combines lean startup thinking with step-by-step product strategy.
Ideal for: Product managers, entrepreneurs, and innovation leads.
Author(s): Dan Olsen
Goodreads rating: 4.27
Reader's insight:
"Practical, actionable advice for achieving product-market fit using lean principles."
Innovation Management and New Product Development
Scenario: You're tasked with managing innovation and new product delivery end to end.
Why read this: Combines strategy and execution for managing innovation pipelines.
Ideal for: Product teams and mid-level innovation managers.
Author(s): Paul Trott
Goodreads rating: 3.75
Reader's insight:
"Solid foundation for understanding how to manage innovation processes in established organizations."
Design a Better Business
Scenario: You're running workshops or designing new offerings and need practical tools.
Why read this: Hands-on templates and exercises for ideation, prototyping, and iteration.
Ideal for: Facilitators, consultants, and in-house designers.
Author(s): Patrick Van Der Pijl, Justin Lokitz, Lisa Kay Solomon
Goodreads rating: 4.13
Reader's insight:
"Excellent resource for practical tools and methods you can immediately apply in innovation workshops."
Creativity, Inc.
Scenario: You want to build a creative culture without losing focus or structure.
Why read this: Pixar's leadership philosophy provides lessons on trust, candour, and managing for creativity.
Ideal for: Leaders, people managers, heads of innovation.
Author(s): Ed Catmull, Amy Wallace
Goodreads rating: 4.20
Reader's insight:
"Fascinating insights into how Pixar maintains creative excellence while managing complex projects and teams."
The Art of Innovation
Scenario: You're looking for ways to inject creative energy into your team.
Why read this: IDEO's design thinking playbook, full of stories and methods.
Ideal for: Teams looking to apply user-centred innovation.
Author(s): Tom Kelley, Jonathan Littman
Goodreads rating: 4.00
Reader's insight:
"Classic introduction to design thinking methodology with practical examples from IDEO's work."
Loonshots
Scenario: You have a wild idea, but no idea how to protect it from the system.
Why read this: How to support radical innovation while managing the core business.
Ideal for: Change agents and long-term thinkers.
Author(s): Safi Bahcall
Goodreads rating: 4.01
Reader's insight:
"Excellent framework for understanding how to nurture breakthrough innovations in large organizations."
The Medici Effect
Scenario: You're seeking to spark innovation through diverse perspectives and collaboration.
Why read this: Shows how breakthroughs happen at the intersection of industries, cultures, and disciplines.
Ideal for: Leaders aiming to foster diversity-driven creativity.
Author(s): Frans Johansson
Goodreads rating: 3.92
Reader's insight:
"Compelling case for how innovation emerges from the intersection of different fields and perspectives."
Ten Types of Innovation
Scenario: You want to broaden your definition of innovation beyond product features.
Why read this: A typology of innovation across business models, customer experience, and ecosystems.
Ideal for: Strategic innovators and portfolio managers.
Author(s): Larry Keeley, Helen Walters, Ryan Pikkel, Brian Quinn
Goodreads rating: 4.13
Reader's insight:
"Expands your thinking about what innovation can be beyond just products and technology."
Where to begin?
Don't turn this list into just a bookshelf.
Start where you feel the most pressure, and build a learning path that brings a sense of confidence and clarity to managing innovation.
Each of the listed books adds a different lens to innovation. Some are about systems. Some about culture. Others are tools for rapid experimentation or deep customer insight.
Strategyzer's essentials
Reading takes time which, let's face it, no one has enough of. To help you optimize reading time for impact, we recommend looking into these first:
For scaling innovation: Start with The Invincible Company and Pirates in the Navy. Together, they help you build the systems, governance, and leadership mindset to make innovation work across business units.
For validating ideas fast: Check out Testing Business Ideas and The Lean Startup. These are your go-to playbooks for moving from guesswork to evidence.
For a stronger customer focus: Pick up Value Proposition Design and Competing Against Luck. One gives you tools to align with customer needs. The other explains why customers buy in the first place.
For strategic clarity: Read Business Model Generation and Where to Play. These give you language and structure to design, compare, and prioritize opportunities.
For team culture and creative confidence: Choose The Fearless Organization and Creative Confidence. Because even the best ideas need safety, collaboration, and belief to thrive.
Wherever you begin, remember: innovation isn't a heroic solo act. It's a system. And these books help you build it.
What's next?
Reading alone won't transform your company. But it can transform how you manage and lead work that will later turn into transformative innovation.
Additional resources to help you push boundaries:
