Summer is here and so is our annual faculty summer reads list! We asked CEIBS professors what they are reading over the next couple of months and picked up some recommendations for stocking our bookshelves. From business decisions and the circular economy to the world of art and leadership in the wild, our faculty share their top choices for the hottest time of the year. So, find some shade (or a comfy spot on your couch), pour yourself a cold drink and get reading!

Waste to Wealth: The Circular Economy Advantage

By

Peter Lacy and Jakob Rutqvist

“Waste to Wealth is practical and well written and challenges the reader to re-think business from a circular growth perspective. The book provides convincing arguments as to why we need to switch from a linear to a circular economic business model. It's about re-examining our business models to create value via innovation. I believe this is a must-read book for every business leader.”

CEIBS Africa CEO and Professor of Management Practice in Accounting Mathew Tsamenyi 

You're About to Make a Terrible Mistake: How Biases Distort Decision-Making and What You Can Do to Fight Them

By

Olivier Sibony

“It's now widely-known that many decisions that we make are impacted by individual and collective biases. I like this rather new book by Professor Olivier Sibony because it provides a clear description of these biases and presents remedies that are directly useful for business leaders. Clearly, not every idea in the book is new. But given its structured and hands-on approach, it can help business leaders to make better high-stakes decisions.”

 

CEIBS Professor of Organisational Behaviour Sebastian Schuh

Changing Fortunes

By

Paul A. Volcker

“I graduated from college facing the East Asia financial crisis (in 1998), from graduate studies facing the burst of the internet bubble (2001), and from my PhD facing the 2008 financial crisis. Had I read this book earlier, I would have had a much better understanding of the hidden forces behind the fluctuations of financial markets around the world. Today, the world has learned to anticipate another ‘perfect storm.’ This co-memoir by former US Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker leads us through the historical moments that have shaped the global financial market and the motivations and forces behind them.”

 

CEIBS Professor of Strategy Zhang Yu

Culture Renovation

By

Kevin Oaks

“In this book, Kevin Oaks provides a clear, concise framework for leaders for renovating their organizational culture. Most companies get culture all wrong, and Kevin’s book provides 18 steps to building – or rebuilding – their culture. His stories stick. If you or your firm are struggling with organisational culture, this is a great handbook for how you can improve it.”

 

CEIBS Switzerland CEO Rob Straw

True North

By

Bill George

“True North is a great reminder about how we can be better leaders. Bill George walks us through a deep and authentic examination of what leadership means. It starts from examining and understanding who you really are. By reflecting and learning from important events (both good and bad) that have shaped your life, you can start on the lifelong journey of finding and pursuing your ‘true north.’ When you align who you really are with your leadership, you can become more effective as a true leader.”

 

CEIBS Associate Professor of Management Byron Lee

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need

By

Bill Gates

“How to Avoid a Climate Disaster is a thought-provoking must-read for anyone interested in climate change and carbon neutrality. To me, the most striking discussion in this book is about the hurdles we face in innovation and technologies to combat climate change, including development and diffusion. It is not easy to save the planet, and we have to be courageous enough to shake off our innate inertia, while stepping up efforts to make new and clean technologies truly happen.”

 

CEIBS Assistant Professor of Management Yang Wei

The Story of Art

By

Ernst Gombrich

“The Story of Art is a great classic on art history and one of the most popular Western art books ever written. As Ernst Gombrich writes, ‘There is really no such thing as Art. There are only artists.’ I’m sure you will enjoy reading this book because it appeals to all readers. Anyone can be an artist.”

 

CEIBS Professor of Accounting Cheng Lin

The Redemption of Wolf 302

By

Rick McIntyre

“Wolf 302 was not a perfect candidate for a leadership role, but he dramatically transformed himself into a leader at an old age and lived up to the legacy of the great alpha males before him. The Redemption of Wolf 302 is the third book in The Alpha Wolves of Yellowstone series, and I recommended all three if you want to learn about leadership from animal behaviour. You will experience redemption, adventure, responsibilities, and love through the eyes of the wolf pack.”

 

CEIBS Professor of Management Zhao Hao