Change Ahead

In a complex and networked world, business, more than ever, is about adaptability to change and the capacity to create new propositions through a dynamic interaction with the environment. Much like sailing, business strategy will increasingly come to be about the ability to steer towards growth through dynamic leadership, empathetic understanding, and skilful use of tools and abilities. This book reveals the philosophy, working processes, and approaches to business creation and development through research and design. It provides a model for integrating user insights into business strategy beyond the literal understanding of the user and into the creative application of insights for the development of meaningful propositions. It is a must-read in these changing times because it discusses what needs actualization as we emerge out of the industrial model into an age of creative empowerment. Furthermore, it goes beyond the discussion to provide practical tools for businesses in the 21st century to evolve into adaptive systems through an integrative model of learning and doing, understanding and making, research and design. Change Ahead is about the transformative power of research and design within business practice for relevant value creation in a changing world.

“"This is a very timely and helpful book. It arrives at a point when researchers are looking to demonstrate that they are now more flexible, holistic and creative in the way they understand people's needs, and at a point when designers are looking to the customer insight industry for true revelations that can drive great design ideas. The book holds up a mirror to the research and design process and provides the reader with a mental model for going forward to combine the skills of the researcher and designer in driving fantastic design and innovation ideas." - Dr David Smith Director, DVL Smith And ESOMAR Vice President "Change Ahead argues that the integration of three disciplines--research, design, and business strategy--will allow us to build successful organizations that provide meaning to their people. This is a provocative thesis, passionately argued and beautifully illustrated with practical examples. This is a wonderful book that belongs on the shelf of every strategist!' - Costas Markides Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship Holder of the Robert Bauman Chair of Strategic Leadership London Business School "With the changing landscape of problem solving, where a multidisciplinary and multifaceted approach becomes ever more relevant, Change Ahead sets you on the right course towards growing a meaningful business that is actually able to tackle current challenges. At MediaLAB Amsterdam we teach multidisciplinary teams how research, design, and business strategy are interrelated and most of all, in need of each other to create true impact. Change Ahead could easily be our new manual and will be on our bookshelves, with a massive spotlight on it. Highly recommended!' - Marco van Hout Program and Design Research Lead MediaLAB Amsterdam And Board member Design and Emotion Society”

This is a very timely and helpful book. It arrives at a point when researchers are looking to demonstrate that they are now more flexible, holistic and creative in the way they understand people's needs, and at a point when designers are looking to the customer insight industry for true revelations that can drive great design ideas. The book holds up a mirror to the research and design process and provides the reader with a mental model for going forward to combine the skills of the researcher and designer in driving fantastic design and innovation ideas.
- Dr David Smith
Director, DVL Smith
And ESOMAR Vice President

Change Ahead argues that the integration of three disciplines--research, design, and business strategy--will allow us to build successful organizations that provide meaning to their people. This is a provocative thesis, passionately argued and beautifully illustrated with practical examples. This is a wonderful book that belongs on the shelf of every strategist!'
- Costas Markides
Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship
Holder of the Robert Bauman Chair of
Strategic Leadership
London Business School

With the changing landscape of problem solving, where a multidisciplinary and multifaceted approach becomes ever more relevant, Change Ahead sets you on the right course towards growing a meaningful business that is actually able to tackle current challenges. At MediaLAB Amsterdam we teach multidisciplinary teams how research, design, and business strategy are interrelated and most of all, in need of each other to create true impact. Change Ahead could easily be our new manual and will be on our bookshelves, with a massive spotlight on it. Highly recommended!'
- Marco van Hout
Program and Design Research Lead
MediaLAB Amsterdam
And Board member
Design and Emotion Society

Carola Verschoor is the founder of GROH! (www.groh-innovation.com)She is an innovator, growth agent, brand builder, creative doer, marketing strategist and foodie. Her natural habitat is where innovation, marketing and design intersect.Carola loves challenges and believes that growth is achieved through a healthy mix of creativity, daring to believe in new possibilities, business-sense and a passion for making things work. In her practice at GROH! she supports clients in getting through the "Grrrr" of change and into the "Ooohhh!" of suprising, creative results to business problems.Carola has worked for over 20 years for and with some of the world's largest branded goods companies, including: Kraft Foods, The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, Ahold, Spadel, Sara Lee, FrieslandCampina, DSM, Philips and KPN among others. She resides in The Netherlands with her husband and children.

Change Ahead focuses on the emerging practices at the intersection of business strategy, research, and design. It introduces the need for an adventurous, explorative mindset in order to grow businesses that last by creating meaning and relevance. It reveals the philosophy, working processes, and approaches to twenty-first century business development.

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