Innovation Delusion, The: How Our Obsession with the New Has Disrupted the Work That Matters Most
Vinsel, Lee; Russell, Andrew L.
Language: English
Published by Currency, 2020
- Hardcover
- New

Seller: Lifeways Books and Gifts, prescott, AZ, U.S.A.Lifeways Books and Gifts
AbeBooks seller since June 7, 2006
Condition: New
£ 21.60
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
"Innovation" is the hottest buzzword in business. But what if our obsession with finding the next big thing has distracted us from the work that matters most? "The most important book I've read in a long time . . . It explains so much about what is wrong with our technology, our economy, and the world, and gives a simple recipe for how to fix it: Focus on understanding what it takes for your products and services to last."--Tim O'Reilly, founder of O'Reilly Media It's hard to avoid innovation these days. Nearly every product gets marketed as being disruptive, whether it's genuinely a new invention or just a new toothbrush. But in this manifesto on thestate of American work, historians of technology Lee Vinsel and Andrew L. Russell argue that our way of thinking about and pursuing innovation has made us poorer, less safe, and--ironically--less innovative. Drawing on years of original research and reporting, The Innovation Delusion shows how the ideology of change for its own sake has proved a disaster. Corporations have spent millions hiring chief innovation officers while their core businesses tank. Computer science programs have drilled their students on programming and design, even though theoverwhelming majority of jobs are in IT and maintenance. In countless cities, suburban sprawl has left local governments with loads of deferred repairs that they can't afford to fix. And sometimes innovation even kills--like in 2018 when a Miami bridge hailed for its innovative design collapsed onto a highway and killed six people. In this provocative, deeply researched book, Vinsel and Russell tell the story of how we devalued the work that underpins modern life--and, in doing so, wrecked our economy and public infrastructure while lining the pockets of consultants who combine the ego of Silicon Valley with the worst of Wall Street's greed. The authors offer a compelling plan for how we can shift our focus away from the pursuit of growth at all costs, and back toward neglected activities like maintenance, care, and upkeep. For anyone concerned by the crumbling state of our roads and bridges or the direction our economy is headed, The Innovation Delusion is a deeply necessary reevaluation of a trend we can still disrupt.…
Seller Inventory # 9780525575689
- Title
- Innovation Delusion, The: How Our Obsession with the New Has Disrupted the Work That Matters Most
- Author
- Vinsel, Lee; Russell, Andrew L.
- Publisher
- Currency
- Publication year
- 2020
- Condition
- New
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 0525575685
- ISBN 13
- 9780525575689
It's hard to avoid innovation these days. Nearly every product gets marketed as being disruptive, whether it's genuinely a new invention or just a new toothbrush. But in this manifesto on thestate of American work, historians of technology Lee Vinsel and Andrew L. Russell argue that our way of thinking about and pursuing innovation has made us poorer, less safe, and--ironically--less innovative.
Drawing on years of original research and reporting, The Innovation Delusion shows how the ideology of change for its own sake has proved a disaster. Corporations have spent millions hiring chief innovation officers while their core businesses tank. Computer science programs have drilled their students on programming and design, even though theoverwhelming majority of jobs are in IT and maintenance. In countless cities, suburban sprawl has left local governments with loads of deferred repairs that they can't afford to fix. And sometimes innovation even kills--like in 2018 when a Miami bridge hailed for its innovative design collapsed onto a highway and killed six people.
In this provocative, deeply researched book, Vinsel and Russell tell the story of how we devalued the work that underpins modern life--and, in doing so, wrecked our economy and public infrastructure while lining the pockets of consultants who combine the ego of Silicon Valley with the worst of Wall Street's greed. The authors offer a compelling plan for how we can shift our focus away from the pursuit of growth at all costs, and back toward neglected activities like maintenance, care, and upkeep.
For anyone concerned by the crumbling state of our roads and bridges or the direction our economy is headed, The Innovation Delusion is a deeply necessary reevaluation of a trend we can still disrupt.
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
Andrew L. Russell is a professor of history and the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Together, they are the founders of the Maintainers research network and conferences, and their writing on the topics of this book have appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Wired.
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Lifeways Books and Gifts
prescott, AZ, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since June 7, 2006
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 5 to 14 business days | 4 to 7 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 5.20 | £ 11.95 |
Payment methods
Store description
Your metaphysical and spiritual book store!
Specialty
Metaphysics, Spirituality, New Age, Mind, Body, SpiritSeller's business information
Lifeways Books and Gifts
AZ, U.S.A.
Terms of sale
Store Policies:
RETURN AUTHORIZATION PROCEDURE
Lifeways Books and Gifts will accept returns on all products in original purchase condition within 15
days of the delivery date.
All exchanged and returned merchandise must be in original condition, including all packaging
materials, inserts and manuals. Please do not tape or write anything on the item or the package. We
reserve the right to refuse any such returns.
Please pack the products into their original box with the original receipt and plenty of packing material.
Place the original box in a shipping box and tape securely, mark with the return address provided to
you from our customer service representative. Make sure to ship your product back insured and with
tracking. We are not responsible if your package is lost in transit.
Please allow approximately 5 business days for your return to be processed once it has been received.
No goods will be accepted for exchange or return without authorization.
DAMAGED & SHORT SHIPMENTS
In the unlikely event that your shipment arrives with physical damage or shortage:
Advise the carrier¿s representative that there is physical damage (or a shortage) and note the damage
(or shortage) on the airbill (all damage/shortage must be stated on the airbill, no damage/shortage
claims are accepted AFTER the delivery has been made).
Do NOT sign the airbill stating that the merchandise was received in ¿Good Condition¿
Please retain all shipping materials
Please notify our Customer Service Department as soon as possible at 928-445-5053,
(orders@lifewaysbooks.com).
Lifeways Books & Gifts
Sharon Pullins
111 S. Cortez St.
Prescott, AZ 86303
orders@lifewaysbooks.com
PH: 1+(928)-445-5053
FX: 1+(928)-443-5386
Right of withdrawal
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Lifeways Books and Gifts, prescott, Arizona, U.S.A., without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
- The delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
- The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.
Shipping terms
Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.