2022 getAbstract International Book Award Winners Announced
LUCERNE, Switzerland, October 20, 2022 – The winners of the 2022 getAbstract International Book Award were announced today at a formal ceremony held at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Michael Carolan’s A Decent Meal won first place in the Business Impact category, while Brandon Carson’s L&D’s Playbook for the Digital Age came out on top in the newly added Learning Impact category. The Readers’ Choice Award went to Audrey Selian & David Cooperrider’s The Business of Building a Better World.
Arnhild Walz-Rasilier, Vice President at getAbstract and initiator of the Award, says: “Our winning titles explore empathy and American social division through the unifying lens of food; offer proactive L&D strategies for surviving in a rapidly evolving business environment; and examine ways for building a more equitable and sustainable future in business.”
2022 getAbstract International Book Award: Business Impact
A Decent Meal by sociologist Michael Carolan (Redwood Press / Stanford UP, 2021) won the getAbstract International Book Award in the main Business Impact category, which comes with a 10,000 USD prize. The award jury selected the title for its timely relevance that extends beyond the corporate world. A Decent Meal discusses how to overcome the deep chasms and loss of empathy in American society. Rather than proposing policy and legislative measures, Michael Carolan focuses on building empathy on the individual level. A Decent Meal offers a profoundly human response to the loss of civility and perceived lack of commonality in contemporary America. According to jury member and senior managing editor at getAbstract, Erica Rauzin, “Using food as a framework for understanding empathy and healing divisions in society that hurt commerce and undermind civil life gives this title moral weight.”
2022 getAbstract International Book Award: Learning Impact
Learning Impact, the newest award category, recognizes original contributions in the L&D and HR space with a focus on future-proofing organizations and developing thriving organizational learning cultures. A jury exclusively composed for the new award category (read more here) chose L&D’s Playbook for the Digital Age (ATD, 2021) by US learning expert Brandon Carson as this year’s winner. Carson makes the case for a new L&D strategy that enables businesses to adapt to technological change. To thrive, he argues, organizations must radically redefine how they view work and how they engage with talent.
2022 getAbstract International Book Award: Readers’ Choice
The Readers’ Choice Award winner, receiving 21.4% of the vote, is The Business of Building A Better World by Audrey Selian and David Cooperrider (Berrett-Koehler, 2021). The book is a passionately rendered collection of essays charting a path toward more humane, collaborative and sustainable business models that support people and planet – while turning a healthy profit.
Special Mentions
Cultish by Amanda Montell (Harper Wave, 2021)
Erica Rauzin, jury member and getAbstract editorial veteran, wrote that the book deserves special recognition because it warns entire societies. She said, “Amanda Montell writes about fanaticism in many different forms, from dangerous cults to Ponzi schemes – but her real subject is human nature.”
A Minute To Think by Juliet Funt (HarperBusiness, 2021)
Shortlisted for the first Learning Impact Award, presented in the international category only, was A Minute to Think by Juliet Funt, a book particularly important to juror Danielle Goodrum: “Organizations must create cultures where pausing is accepted, encouraged and expected. Juliet’s practical advice and guidance will help ensure that we are ready to determine what is truly valuable and increase our success at work, home and everywhere.”
About the getAbstract International Book Award
The getAbstract International Book Award is among the world’s oldest, continuously presented non-fiction book awards. Since 2001, it has been awarded to authors whose work has significantly impacted contemporary social, political and economic understanding. In alignment with our mission to provide actionable, business-relevant knowledge, the getAbstract International Book Award focuses on works that help people make better decisions in their personal and professional life – as encapsulated in our slogan, “Know Better. Do Better.”
About getAbstract
The right insight at the right time can make all the difference. By providing easy access to summarized expert knowledge and learning tools, getAbstract helps professionals worldwide to apply knowledge efficiently. Our time-saving 15-minute summaries and tools foster self-directed learning, enrich formal development initiatives and support organizational objectives. Know better. Do better.
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