The Eye for Innovation: Recognizing Possibilities and Managing the Creative Enterprise.

• Author: Marshall, Jeffrey
• Position: Brief Article

The Eye for Innovation: Recognizing Possibilities and Managing the Creative Enterprise. By Robert M. Price. Yale University Press, 329 pages. $30.

There's something about the concept of using retired CEOs to write business books. It can be a bonanza for publishers if handled correctly--just look at the success of the Jack Welch books, Jack: Straight from the Gut, Winning, etc.

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Surely, the aspirations for this book, written by former Control Data Corp. CEO Robert M. Price, are more modest. He's not a household name, and he left Control Data in 1990. Moreover, the company no longer exists--its chief division is now Ceridian, a human resources outsourcing specialist.

No doubt Price was a smart and effective executive, but that doesn't guarantee a great book--and The Eye for Innovation isn't. Price has a platform to write about...