BOOK

Future-Fit Innovation

Empowering individuals, teams, and organizations for sustainable growth.

🏆 International Book Awards 2026 Finalist | GetAbstract Editor Rating: 8/10

About the book

In Future-Fit Innovation, Barbara Salopek presents a groundbreaking approach to driving sustainable and lasting innovation in organizations.

By focusing on the often-overlooked dimensions of innovation management—individuals, groups, and organizations—this book offers a holistic framework that empowers leaders to build a culture where creativity, collaboration, and experimentation thrive.

Packed with real-world examples, practical tools, and actionable strategies, Future-Fit Innovation equips forward-thinking leaders to overcome key obstacles such as resistance to change, lack of psychological safety, and misalignment between cultural values and strategic goals.

Whether you’re leading a team, transforming your organization, or seeking to align innovation with sustainability and technological advancements, this book provides the insights you need to unlock innovation at every level and create meaningful, lasting change.

The book is available worldwide, on Amazon in 14 local markets, as well as through other leading online bookstores.

Book Future-Fit Innovation laying and has award bages.

Recognition

🏆 International Book Awards 2026 Finalist

Future-Fit Innovation was named a Finalist in the Business: Reference category of the 2026 International Book Awards, recognizing outstanding business books that provide practical frameworks, tools, and guidance for professionals and leaders.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

GetAbstract Editor Rating: 8/10

Future-Fit Innovation received an 8/10 Editor Rating from GetAbstract, one of the world’s leading platforms for business book summaries and insights.

Together, these recognitions highlight the book’s practical approach to helping leaders align individuals, teams, and organizations to drive innovation and sustainable growth.

“A brilliant guide for forward-thinking leaders, Barbara presents her own personal blend of knowledge and experience to redefine innovation across three transformative levels—individual, team, and organizational.

With clarity and insight, Barbara uses a combination of academic research and practical experience to empower leaders to unlock creative potential, foster collaborative creativity, and drive sustainable innovation from the inside out and the bottom up. A must-read for anyone ready to lead creative organizations with vision and build a culture where bold ideas thrive.”

Eric Arne Lofquist

Professor Emeritus, BI Norwegian Business School

“I highly recommend Future Fit Innovation by Barbara Salopek. This insightful book offers a comprehensive look at the complexities and nuances of innovation within organizations. Drawing on years of practical experience, the author emphasizes that innovation doesn’t happen in isolation—it must be nurtured across individual, team, and organizational levels.
The book challenges the common oversimplification of innovation initiatives, showing that true innovation demands cultural openness, leadership engagement, and long-term commitment. Barbara offers deep, experience-based insights into what it really takes to embed innovation into a company’s strategy and culture. A must-read for anyone serious about innovation.”

Ratko Mutavdzic,

WW Public Sector Government Industry Advisory Lead @Microsoft EMEA

Order the book

Future-Fit Innovation is available worldwide, on Amazon in 14 local markets, including the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Poland, Mexico, Singapore, and the UAE, as well as through other leading online bookstores. Order from your preferred retailer:

Amazon.com

Adlibris SE

Bookshop.org

Waterstone.com

Target.com

Interested in bulk orders?

We offer special pricing for bulk purchases. Whether you’re buying for your team, organization, or event, we’re happy to help.

Please contact us at vinco@vinco.no to discuss options.

Barbara Salopek, founder of Vinco Innovation

About the author

Barbara Salopek is the CEO of Vinco Innovation AS and an adjunct lecturer at BI Norwegian Business School. An internationally recognized innovation expert, she has led many international innovation projects and helped organizations secure over 100M NOK in funding across multiple industries.

With a career spanning business, academia, and consulting, Barbara is passionate about helping leaders turn complexity into clarity and ideas into impact. Her work focuses on making innovation actionable, sustainable, and human-centered — principles that inspired her to write Future-Fit Innovation.

To explore more of Barbara’s work, speaking, and resources, visit barbarasalopek.com

“I am thoroughly impressed with the depth and insight Barbara brings to the subject of innovation. Her exploration of innovation at the individual, group, and organizational levels is both comprehensive and thought-provoking. The challenges she addresses and the practical solutions she offers are highly relevant and applicable to anyone looking to drive meaningful change.

Barbara’s ability to combine practical knowledge with academic expertise shines through, making the book both informative and engaging. I particularly appreciate how she conveys the importance of overcoming obstacles to create lasting change. Her approach is not only insightful but also inspiring, encouraging readers to take action and make a difference in their respective fields.”

Sivers Smedsvig,

Partner at Forvis Mazars

“I had the pleasure of working with Barbara on the CCS 4 Krakow project, where her leadership and expertise in innovation made a significant impact.

This book will be an invaluable resource for anyone looking to build a sustainable innovation culture and implement effective strategies to overcome challenges. Whether you are leading a team, managing a project, or transforming an organization, Barbara’s insights will inspire and equip you to make a real difference.

Barbara’s approach is both grounded in practical experience and enriched with academic insights, making it highly relevant for today’s fast-changing business environment.“

Janusz Moskwa,

Director of the Office for European Funds and International Cooperation, Krakow Communal Holding

“Barbara, an experienced innovation expert, combines her deep practical and academic knowledge to reveal the true nature of innovation with humor and insight. In this book, she explains what innovation really is, why it’s essential, and how anyone—whether as an individual, part of a team, or within an organization—can drive meaningful change. If you want to overcome the challenges of innovation and make an impact in your team, department, company, or even your country, this book is for you.“

Renate Kratochvil,

Assistant Professor of Strategy, Stockholm School of Economics

“Barbara Salopek’s book is a testament to her extensive experience and unwavering passion for innovation. Her insights are both profound and practical, making this book an invaluable resource for anyone looking to understand and embrace the power of innovation. Having had the pleasure of working with Barbara, I can personally attest to her professionalism and deep knowledge of the subject. Barbara’s dedication to the field shines through every page, offering readers a unique perspective that is both inspiring and enlightening. Highly recommended!”

Montserrat F Telseth,

Regional director , Norconsult Norway

“Barbara Salopek masterfully dissects the multifaceted nature of innovation, offering readers a comprehensive guide that spans individual creativity, team dynamics, and organizational strategy. Through engaging narratives and actionable insights, she illuminates how to navigate and thrive in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape. A must-read for leaders and innovators aiming to drive meaningful change.”

Scott Parsons,

CEO of Lysara, ex-COO at Unibail-Rodmco-Westfield

“Barbara covers the key aspects of innovation in a relatable way, leveraging real-world examples and applying them to “burning” topics like AI and sustainability. She draws upon her own extensive experience driving innovation for her clients, providing a unique perspective and insights.“

Jason Yeoh,

Senior Director Corporate Development at Cognite, ex-BCG Principal

“Barbara gives meaning back to a buzzword. Her take on a trendy topic actually nails it down into a real-talk, comprehensive structure that’s immediately employable to everyone from a junior, new hire to a C-suite exec. It’s equal parts definitive and inspirational. After 14 years hearing about nebulous “innovation” across the tech world, this book left me feeling empowered in a fresh way. “

Kathryn Galambos,

Account Executive at Google

“I have had the pleasure of following Barbara’s work for many years, eagerly anticipating her insights on innovation and strategy development. Now that her book is here, I can confidently say it delivers valuable and thought-provoking content. I highly recommend it to leaders who are eager to expand their understanding of innovation and drive meaningful change.”

Aslak Sverdrup,

ex-CEO of Bergen Aquarium and ex-CEO of Bergen Airport

Book overview

Introduction

Chapter 1 – What Innovation Really Means?
PART I – Individuals: Where Innovation Begins
2 – Creativity
3 – Functional Fixedness
PART II – Groups: The Next Level of Innovation
4 – Diversity
5 – Psychological safety
PART III – Organizations: Managing the Added Complexity
6 – Technology
7 – Sustainability
Chapter 8 – Will innovation thrive or stagnate?

Acknowledgments
References

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