Innovation by the Book -- a Guide to Overcoming Today's Biggest Business Hurdle; Breakthrough Performance Press Releases 'Insourcing Innovation,' Bringing Methodology to the Madness of Finding the Next Big Idea.

LONGMONT, Colo. -- Breakthrough Performance Press, a division of Breakthrough Management Group (BMG), an internationally recognized leader in performance improvement systems, has released its first title on one of today's hottest business topics. "Insourcing Innovation," by BMG CEO David Silverstein, business author Neil DeCarlo, with innovation expert Dr. Michael Slocum, offers its readers a new look at an established innovation methodology known as TRIZ.

Silverstein said Breakthrough Performance Press chose this topic as its first title because it is the single hottest topic in corporate boardrooms. "Innovation is as important for companies as oxygen is for people. But if innovation is so important, why do companies hire consulting firms to 'think out of the box?' 'Insourcing Innovation' is about applying a proven methodology to the generation of new ideas. It's a process that is long overdue in today's environment."

"Insourcing Innovation" deconstructs the single most reliable system for solving innovation problems -- TRIZ -- and profiles the companies that have achieved vast success using it. For those companies that employ these systematic innovation principles, the results are extraordinary.

DeCarlo, a performance improvement industry veteran and business author, said, "This systematic approach to innovation (TRIZ) has been applied by many successful companies over the years, often without being given a name. Today the need for innovation is so widespread, the time is right to re-address this classic approach. Innovation is teachable, learnable, and doable with existing staff and resources. 'Insourcing Innovation' tells you how to implement an in-house innovation program by the book with time-tested techniques."

In "Insourcing Innovation" readers will learn:

--Why it is best to cultivate innovative capabilities from within.

--The fundamental flaws with the way most companies go about innovation, and how to fix them.

--The methodology and roadmap needed to make innovation a core capability.

--How organizations can define, scope, track and tollgate individual innovation projects.

--Where a classic theory like TRIZ fits into the big picture of performance excellence today.

--How a company can develop more innovations, bring them to market faster, and dramatically improve innovation ROI.

--How innovation skills/tools can be learned and applied by many people inside an organization, not just by a handful of innately inventive people.

Silverstein said his desire to write this book came from observing many otherwise well-run companies that seemed to be stymied by innovation. "Innovation is not a core competency in most businesses, but should be. There is no reason business can't drive innovation the same way it has driven operational improvement through Six Sigma, Lean and other methods. Since our business is dedicated to operational improvement, we felt compelled to write this book."

"Insourcing Innovation" is currently sold directly through Breakthrough Performance Press at www.insourcinginnovation.com, and will be available on Amazon.com in October. It is the first in a series of books planned by Breakthrough Performance Press that will address critical business improvement topics. All titles will reinforce Breakthrough Management Group's holistic approach to performance improvement.

About the Authors

Silverstein is co-founder and CEO of Breakthrough Management Group (BMG), an international training, consulting and technology firm based in Longmont, Colo. Also a master black belt and executive coach, Silverstein has led numerous companies and executives through the performance-improvement process.

DeCarlo has written or edited seven books and more than 100 articles on business excellence and related methodologies. As an author, DeCarlo's past work has covered a range of subject matter, including Six Sigma, information technology, knowledge management, business integration, TQM and other disciplines. He is also co-author of "Six Sigma for Dummies."

Slocum is an internationally recognized innovation expert, specializing in the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ). He has solved more than 4,000 technical and non-technical problems using TRIZ, and has developed or participated in more than 100 patented innovations. Slocum was the chief scientist behind the self-heating beverage container made by OnTech, one of Fortune magazine's 25 breakout companies of 2005.

About Breakthrough Management Group

BMG is a global consulting, training and technology services firm that specializes in performance improvement and innovation strategies. With deep industry, Six Sigma and Innovation expertise, BMG has the ability to mobilize the right people, skills and capabilities to help clients improve performance and profitability. BMG augments its training with such Web-based support tools as eLearning, an online portal and project tracking software to enhance student retention and increase deployment results. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Longmont, Colo., BMG has developed a loyal clientele that exceeds 200 active businesses in industries as diverse as biotechnology, health care, finance, telecommunications, manufacturing and energy. BMG has offices in 12 countries and has more than 100 employees worldwide. For more information, visit www.bmgi.com.