At the Intersection of Art & Science: A TMRE 2014 Book List

Stories are a catalyst for action.

Market research, data sciences, consumer insights and marketing overall, has never seen such dramatic and rapid transformation' and the stakes have never been higher. The output and value of our entire industry is in flux.

We've curated this list of 8 powerful books in advance of our upcoming MR event to help you open your mind to new ideas and truly become a catalyst for disruption, growth and impact beyond measure.

The TMRE 2014 Book List:


1. It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens by Danah Boyd


Boyd's conclusions are essential reading not only for parents, teachers, and others who work with teens but also for anyone interested in the impact of emerging technologies on society, culture, and commerce in years to come. In this eye-opening book, youth culture and technology expert danah boyd uncovers some of the major myths regarding teens' use of social media. She explores tropes about identity, privacy, safety, danger, and bullying. Ultimately, boyd argues that society fails young people when paternalism and protectionism hinder teenagers' ability to become informed, thoughtful, and engaged citizens through their online interactions. Yet despite an environment of rampant fear-mongering, boyd finds that teens often find ways to engage and to develop a sense of identity.

2. Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd by Youngme Moon


Different shows how to succeed in a world where conformity reigns'but exceptions rule. Youngme Moon provides a highly original perspective on what it means to offer something that is meaningfully different in a manner that is both fundamental and comprehensive.

3. The Power of Habit By Charles Duhigg

In The Power of Habit, award-winning New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. With penetrating intelligence and an ability to distill vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives, Duhigg brings to life a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential for transformation.

4. The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human by Jonathan Gottschall


Stories help us navigate life's complex social problems just as flight simulators prepare pilots for difficult situations. Storytelling has evolved, like other behaviors, to ensure our survival. Stories can also change the world for the better. Most successful stories are moral, they teach us how to live, whether explicitly or implicitly, and bind us together around common values. We know we are master shapers of story. The Storytelling Animal finally reveals how stories shape us.

5. Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't by Simon Sinek


Our biology hasn't changed in fifty thousand years, but our environment certainly has. Today's workplaces tend to be full of cynicism, paranoia and self-interest. But the best organizations foster trust and cooperation because their leaders build what Sinek calls a Circle of Safety that separates the security inside the team from the challenges outside. The Circle of Safety leads to stable, adaptive, confident teams, where everyone feels they belong and all energies are devoted to facing the common enemy and seizing big opportunities.

6. Absolute Value: What Really Influences Customers in the Age of (Nearly) Perfect Information By Itamar Simonson, Emanuel Rosen


What influences customers in this new age? The authors identify the old-school marketing concepts that need to change and explain how a company should design its communication strategy, market research program, and segmentation strategy in the new environment.

7. Exploiting Chaos: 150 Ways to Spark Innovation During Times of Change By Jeremy Gutsche


Jeremy Gutsche's book about 150 ways to spark innovation during times of change, includes these key lessons :


1) STRATEGY - Turn chaos into opportunity
2) CULTURE - Create a culture of innovation
3) TRENDS - Filter through all the noise
4) INNOVATION - Increase your odds

5) MARKETING - Infectiously market your ideas