Abstract
In the second paragraph of the introduction, Professor Rowley states clearly that this book is ‘the first to seek to discuss and apply the rhetoric and theories of innovation and entrepreneurship in information organizations’. The book aims to review past achievements and good practice in innovation and entrepreneurship in the information industry, as well as providing ‘frameworks and concepts that promote reflection’ on future development in an area long recognized as somewhat challenging for information professionals. Two key questions are addressed in the book:
‘What innovations should my information organization be engaging in now and planning for the future?’ and
‘What is the optimal process for managing these innovations?’ There are no easy answers to these ‘obvious (and necessary) questions’ (p. xiii).
So, rather than answering these very testing questions, Rowley instead aims to provide what is essentially a vade mecum to stimulate a framework for discussion on innovation amongst professional colleagues which can be utilized well into the future. Each of the five chapters is laid out in a similar fashion, and each features seven sections recognizably in the style of a handbook or teaching aid: learning objectives; summary and conclusions; reflections; review questions; challenges; group discussion topics; and, references and additional reading. In the process, the book is also a high-grade literature review of current management science thinking pertaining to the dynamic interaction between innovation, entrepreneurship, change management, creativity and organizational culture.
Though the book rightly presents a balanced review of innovation and entrepreneurial techniques in both the public and private sectors, I was particularly drawn to examples from the public sector (where I happen to work). In this regard, the tables found on comparative objectives and foci in the public and private sectors (p. 75), on entrepreneurial roles (p. 77), and on barriers to public sector innovation where successive funding constraints may loom large (p. 79) are particularly illuminating. One of Rowley’s review questions for group discussion at the end of Chapter 4 addresses this question head-on: ‘How do private and public sector organizations differ in their working practices, as they relate to innovation?’ (p. 135). Rowley emphasizes a point made by many observers that the public sector may harbour a ‘risk averse’ organizational culture where the failure to innovate is often excused by the need for public accountability (p. 22) and defence mechanisms against change (pp. 133–134).
Notwithstanding this, there is no doubt that, as the author notes, recent history suggests that public sector information organizations have become much more willing and able to embrace a constant change mentality. Prospects are indeed looking brighter here. I found myself inevitably pausing to assess my own organization’s readiness for entrepreneurial innovation and whether we possess the proper components of environmental control, a free-thinking internal structure, committed leadership, and mission control (pp. 106–107). For instance, do we classify ourselves as innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, or (heaven forbid) laggards (pp. 55–56)? The argument here is somewhat more nuanced than the author indicates. I would have liked to see a ‘review question’ or ‘challenge’ that more directly confronts the underlying assumption that all innovation is good. In fairness, this question is indeed addressed somewhat more obliquely by the author at the end of some chapters (e.g. p. 24).
It can of course be argued that if a service organization is wedded to the two concepts of the prudent conservation, accessibility and dissemination of information and institutional dynamism, there is a systemic, constant review process to assess the usefulness of any given innovation. Consequently being a ‘laggard’ for an innovation that eventually spectacularly fails is not necessarily a bad thing for the information service organization or its users. Being cautious in introducing a particular widely trumpeted innovation could well be seen as a highly creative act in securing or maintaining ‘social and/or public value’ (p. 156).
As indicated, the text is peppered with many figures drawn from the literature. This lay-out can be somewhat wearing and confusing to the eye, so it is sometimes a dense read. Nevertheless, throughout, the train of argument is set out logically and informatively. Definitions and terms from the wider management literature are immediately followed by concrete library-related examples to illuminate those definitions. The book is inadvertently a treasure-trove for Powerpoint presenters, packed as it is with to-do lists and staged, modelling schedules from management academics who have made a name for themselves with, for example neologisms (‘prosumerism’ – the customer as customer and producer, p. 161), or mnemonic aids to encouraging energetic group thinking (‘Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning, pp. 122–123).
Students of information science should find the book extremely useful in preparing for examinations and writing papers. Experienced practising professionals who have left their student days long behind them should not be put off by the handbook format. This is clearly a very useful reference tool for any manager wishing to challenge his/her organization to be more innovative and entrepreneurial. It is in short a perfect vehicle for information organizations in the public or private sector to adopt as a set text in a one to three-day retreat to challenge staff to be more innovative, entrepreneurial and creative.