This Little World: A How-to Guide for Social Innovators

We’re excited to share some inspiring news from the world of social innovation: This Little World: A How-to Guide for Social Innovators, co-authored by PLU’s founding director of Innovation Studies, Mike Halvorson, and Shelly Kurtz, has been shortlisted for a Book of the Year Award by the Business Book Awards, an independent UK organization recognizing outstanding work in innovation, sustainability, and business.

The announcement came during a publisher gathering in London earlier this week. The book is a finalist in the Change and Sustainability category, joining a competitive field of submissions from across the globe—including entries from leading publishers like Penguin, Wiley, Forbes, Pearson, and Routledge.

This Little World isn’t just a publication—it’s part of the Innovation Studies curriculum. The book is used in Innovation Studies courses, including this spring’s INOV/BUSA 350: Innovation Management, taught by co-author Shelly Kurtz. Her course brings the book’s real-world strategies and social impact case studies into the classroom, helping students explore how innovation can create meaningful change!