[This Week's Books] 'Everything About Innovation' and 5 More Titles

◆Everything About Innovation=This book unravels stories about innovation, which has played a significant role at every turning point in human history. The author explores the nature of innovation across various fields such as evolutionary biology, archaeology, technology, economics, and society. Furthermore, the process of how innovation has shaped the modern world and become part of our daily lives is analyzed. The innovation described by the author is not merely a list of ideas or inventions. It implies that some inventions are developed into practical and reliable forms that the public can use. Tracing the paths leading to innovations like Edison’s light bulb, Bell’s telephone, Mary’s smallpox vaccination, and Marvin Minsky’s artificial intelligence, the book highlights the intense deliberation, competition, and cooperation involved. It also uncovers the roles of unsung helpers behind famous inventions and innovations. (Written by Matt Ridley · Published by Cheonglim Publishing)

◆Trust Impact, Rediscovering Trust=When asked, “How do you retain the millennial generation?” the author cites ‘trust’ as the key. He states that trust is essential for employee engagement and change; employees who are not engaged stay in the organization because they have something to gain, whereas engaged employees stay because they have something to give. Throughout the book, the author analyzes evolving leadership. He declares the end of the traditional command-and-control leadership era and explains why and how trust can be given to retain talent. Objective indicators are presented throughout the text; according to research by the global Trust Practice team led by the author, regardless of age or nationality, when people feel trusted by their leaders, their work engagement increases by 56% and satisfaction rises by 125%. (Written by Stephen M. R. Covey and 3 others · Published by Gimyoungsa)

◆Life Made by Metaphors=This book delves deeply into ‘metaphor,’ the hidden origin of art, and explores how creators can utilize metaphors from their perspective. It traces and analyzes metaphorical apples and expressions found in poetry, children’s songs, advertisements, and lyrics by artists such as Akdong Musician and BTS. Beyond linguistic arts, it examines well-known works in painting and architecture, along with the zeitgeist or literary movements that influenced them, to reveal the metaphorical thinking hidden within. The book includes over 100 artistic examples, featuring poets like Seo Jung-su and Kim Chun-su, artists such as Raphael and Michelangelo, and architectural works like Longchamp Cathedral and the Church of Light. Additionally, it introduces knowledge to recognize the hidden meaning of a sculpture placed in the first-floor lobby of Yonsei Cancer Hospital in Sinchon. (Written by Kim Yong-gyu and 1 other · Published by Millennium Imagination)

◆Richard Rumelt’s Crux=This is a strategic story delivered by Richard Rumelt, a globally influential management strategy researcher. The author emphasizes that strategy is not merely a tool to achieve sales targets or profit ambitions but a ‘method to solve problems.’ He stresses that to establish a proper strategy, it is crucial to accurately identify the tangled problem called the ‘Crux.’ Originally a rock climbing term, Crux refers to the most difficult section of a climb. The author aids understanding by presenting strategic cases from world-leading companies such as Google, Netflix, Samsung, and SpaceX. He explains that even seemingly unsolvable knots can be unraveled by carefully examining where to cut first and how to proceed. (Written by Richard Rumelt · Published by Hanbit Biz)

◆Time to Read Economic Indicators=This book aims to cultivate the ability to read economic indicators. The economist author explains that to understand the flow of wealth ahead of others and predict upcoming changes, one must grasp the implications embedded in various economic information. The book introduces global economic indicators useful in the era of inflation. It examines major economic indicators of the U.S., China, Europe, and Korea from the perspectives of consumption, corporate investment, government spending, imports, and exports, predicting each country’s economic position and future trends. It also introduces a unique method of interpreting economic indicators called soft data and hard data. The author states that economic indicators are collections of data representing economic activities such as production, consumption, and employment, and by reading the countless messages hidden within, one can discover opportunities and prepare for crises. (Written by Vincent · Published by Wisdom House)

◆Eating the Sun=This book presents photosynthesis from an engaging and vivid perspective. It covers the physics, chemistry, and cell biology that enable photosynthesis, the ingenious and competitive stories of scientists who first discovered the mechanisms that create the ‘beauty of photosynthesis,’ and the energy and climate crises we face today. From the viewpoint of popular science, it broadly illuminates Earth and humanity through the ‘lens of the photosynthesis process.’ It richly conveys the history of photosynthesis research and stories of researchers such as Roger Revelle, who studied carbon-14 created by nuclear tests; Dave Keeling, who measured atmospheric carbon dioxide levels; organic chemist Andrew Benson, who synthesized carbon and iodine compounds; and chemist Melvin Calvin, who began identifying carbohydrates with seven carbon atoms. (Written by Oliver Morton · Published by Dongasia)

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