Praise for Why Not?

Why Not? could have been entitled 'The Joy of Innovating.' Nalebuff and Ayres help us to see problems and solutions in new ways. Their enthusiasm is infectious; their guidance, empowering.

—Peter Bell, President, CARE

Why Not? takes RFK's challenge to dream of things that never were and applies it to the world of business. Nalebuff and Ayres propose a handful of new and intriguing financial products, including a reinvention of the home mortgage. Financial markets are so competitive that constant innovation is required to stay on top. If their creativity tools can make it here, they can make it anywhere. Why not, indeed!

—Warren J. Spector, President and Co-Chief Operating Officer, Bear Stearns

This inspiring book is an essential read for anyone who wants to reinvent business or government.

—Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel laureate (economics) and author of Globalization and Its Discontents

In a time when innovation and creativity are in high demand and short supply, Why Not? provides a unique and refreshing approach to stimulating our creative juices through its ingenious ways of looking at everyday problems and devising original solutions. It is a 'must read' for anyone who would like to create a business-or just make things work better.

—Bill George, former Chairman and CEO, Medtronic, Inc.

Why Not? teaches innovation by doing it. Playful and creative, it hooks you in by letting you feel what it is like to discover new ideas on your own.

—Lani Guinier, Harvard Law School

Why Not? is full of intelligent optimism and surprising new ideas for making the world better- everything from how to reduce job discrimination to improved plumbing and phones to creating new beverages. I've been using its wisdom to reframe the problems and frustrations of life in the twenty-first century as opportunities for great new ideas. I guarantee that you will be a better problem solver after reading this spectacular book.

—Roger Brown, Executive Chairman and Cofounder, Bright Horizons, and Ernst & Young/USA Today Entrepreneur of the Year,

This book is filled with great ideas. The best one of all is that innovative solutions are waiting to be discovered and that it is both easy and fun to find them. The information overload, cynicism, and entrenched interests of modern life have created an almost impenetrable thicket of obstacles to creative change; this wonderfully energizing book sweeps all that away, shows us a way to make things better, and dares us to try.

—Nell Minow, editor and founder, The Corporate Library and author of Movie Mom’s Guide to Family Movies

This is a call to inventiveness and entrepreneurship for and by individuals ... an empowering mesage delivered with humor and passion

—Juan Enriquez, Director, Life Sciences Project, Harvard Business School, and author of As the Future Catches You

In twenty years and countless adventures in growing our business, our only progress and for that matter our only interesting breakthroughs have resulted from someone asking Why not? Nalebuff and Ayres have crafted an inspiring, imaginative, informative and best of all, fun treatise that will arouse the entrepreneur in all of us. You will fly through this book, and you will never look at a problem the same way again.

—Gary Hirshberg, resident and CEO,Stonyfield Farm Yogurt, Inc.

This is an extraordinary, thought-provoking, and enlightening book—it is must-reading for any entrepreneur or business person. In the turbulent and unforgiving economic climate we’re living in, Why Not? is one of the few books that I’d buy in hardback and pay retail.

—Herb Cohen, author of Negotiate This!

You finished the market research. You understand the competition. Your company’s situation is clear. But its not clear what to do. Conventional actions will produce conventional results, but you have high aspirations. The creativity inspired by Why Not? can help uncover a strategy that the other guys won’t expect.

—Bill Barnett, Director, McKinsey & Co.

Why Not? is full of clever, stimulating ideas. Even better, it provides principles to help you generate your own brainstorms. Read it yourself, and buy it for your employees.

—Hal Varian, University of California at Berkeley, and coauthor, Information Rules

A perfect blend of sound theory and real world examples. Nalebuff and Ayres lead the reader down a path of what’s possible and away from looking through the same old lenses. By flipping ideas on their heads and gaining fresh perspectives to enhance the development process, they provide an invaluable tool for business today.

—Paul Warme, manager, Global Marketing, U.S. Borax

Why Not? is a terrific read. It is chockablock not with mere heuristics, but authentically interesting innovations. Many are wise; all are worth thinking about. And their ideas grow out of a disciplined effort to force creative thinking.

—Reed Hundt, former chairman, Federal Communications Commission

A lot of fun, and full of imaginative ideas and surprising approaches. Highly recommended.

—Cass Sunstein, University of Chicago Law School and author of Republic.com

Why Not? is a frontal assault on todays corporate battle cry of You can’t, because... It is infused with a spirit of unconventional creativity and playfulness that lights a fire under your backside and in your cranium. You’ll solve problems more effectively by embracing asymmetric thinking and looking beyond the obvious.

—Lenny Stern, CEO, SS+K