Skip to main content
A Singapore Government Agency Website How to identify
Official website links end with .gov.sg
Government agencies communicate via .gov.sg websites (e.g. go.gov.sg/open). Trusted websites
Secure websites use HTTPS
Look for a lock () or https:// as an added precaution. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Information

This website is in the midst of an information transfer, and some links may not work as intended. If assistance is required, please email us at ref@nlb.gov.sg

National Library Reference Guides

Productivity and Innovation

Explore a curated list of books, eBooks, and websites on productivity and innovation, available through the NLB catalogue.

Last updated 13 July 2026

Introduction

Peter Drucker, who is widely acknowledged as the Father of modern business management, once said that increasing the productivity of workers in the knowledge society is “the most important contribution management needs to make in the 21st century”. In order to stay competitive and relevant in the today’s global economy, many economies and organisations are moving up the value chain by increasing productivity and driving innovation.

This is a selection of resources on open innovation available from the NLB catalogue or the Internet. It is not meant to be an exhaustive list.

Search terms and call numbers

Search Terms

Call Number

Productivity

338

Competition

338.04

Personal productivity and innovation

650.1

Organisational efficiency

658.1

Organisational Innovation

658.4

Productivity

Productivity involves the use of existing resources to achieve maximum results. In countries such as Singapore, where resources are limited, enhancing productivity has become the key to achieving economic growth. Thus, companies are increasingly encouraged to implement productivity-enhancing measures, including using automation and technology, improving supply chains and processes, and adopting standards.

Books

Call no.: RBUS 658.3 AGI

With many developed countries facing the situation of an aging workforce, more emphasis has been placed on the employment of older workers and their impact on productivity. This book looks at the aging workforce from the employer and organisational perspectives, focusing on how employers and companies can ensure that their aging workers remain motivated, productive and healthy.

Call no.: RBUS 670.427 FAC

Factories of the Future is a multi-annual roadmap documenting how the European Union can increase productivity in its manufacturing sector and transition towards the factories of the future. It lists some of the key megatrends such as sustainability, research and innovation, and automation, and the potential impacts which this transition may bring the society.

Call no.: RBUS 331.12 WOR

Compiled by the International Labour Office, an agency under the United Nations, World Employment and Social Outlook is a report which looks at the global change in employment patterns in the recent years. It examines the rise in flexible forms of employment such as part-time, casual and temporary employment, and how it can impact productivity, global supply chains, job creation and income inequality.

Call no.: RBUS 658.4012 COR

This book is a guide on how companies can attain a surge in productivity by detailing how they can evaluate their processes, enhance their capabilities and increase the sensitivity and precision in their productions while reducing costs. It also includes case studies of companies which have succeeded in increasing their productivity.

Call no.: RBUS 658 KEL

Beyond Performance explores the topics of organisational effectiveness and change management, taking a closer look at how organisations can build a competitive advantage and become prosperous by constantly evolving and adapting in the face of global changes such as the push to raise productivity and the advancement of technology.

Call no.: RBUS 650.11 LEI

In Eliminate the Chaos at Work, author Laura Leist categorises the common challenges in personal productivity and workplace organisation into four areas and introduces 25 time and information management techniques that can be used by readers to become more productive at work and more efficient in life.

Call no.: RBUS 338.642 MAI

New technology, such as 3D printing, can help improve productivity as they can make the manufacturing process more efficient and convenient. This book looks at some of the disruptive technology existing in today’s society, including 3D printing, electronics prototyping, and the Internet of Things, and explains how these technologies can be used to create items for a sustainable maker business.

Call no.: R 670.427 MEH

The use of automation and robots are increasingly being seen as a way for companies to improve their productivity. In this book, the authors provide comprehensive information on how industrial process automation systems can be designed and implemented by companies, including concepts, applications, guidelines and case studies.

Call no.: RBUS 331.118098 AGE

This book examines the issue of low productivity in the Latin American region and provides plausible explanations to why the countries in these region have yet to catch up to the developed world. Besides this, it also suggests ways to increase productivity with a bottom-up approach by tackling the disparity in companies’ productivity and ensuring a more efficient allocation of resources in the region.

Call no.: RSING 333.796202185957 SIN

Energy efficiency can enhance productivity in an organisation by reducing energy costs. This Singapore standard provides the requirements for the installation and replacement of energy efficient systems and equipment in buildings, as well as the replacement of their components.

eBooks

  • Allcott, G. (2014). Introducing productivity: A practical guide. London: Icon Books Ltd. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

How can one become more organised and productive in this stressful world today? In Introducing Productivity, author Graham Allcott shares advice and tips on how individuals can manage their time effectively and accomplish their tasks efficiently, be it at work or in their personal lives.

  • Berman, P. K. (2014). Successful business process management: What you need to know to get results. New York: AMACOM. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

Standard operating procedures and processes are essential in the maintenance of quality and productivity in an organisation. This ebook looks at how such procedures and processes can be revised and improved systematically in an organisation in order to achieve buy-in from its employees and attain better productivity and efficiency.

  • Cooke, J. L. (2014). Agile productivity unleashed: Proven approaches for achieving real productivity gains in any organization. Cambridgeshire: IT Governance Publishing. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

Agile Productivity Unleashed examines how the management principles of Agile can be used to help organisations gain greater efficiency and increase their productivity. The ebook not only provides explanations to each of the 12 Agile principles mentioned in the pages, but also details how they can be applied to solve the common challenges faced by all organisations.

  • Eden, J. & Long, T. (2014). Low-hanging fruit: 77 eye-opening ways to improve productivity and profits. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

This ebook looks at how companies can better manage their internal processes and resources to become more productive and profitable. It provides 77 simple and effective strategies which management leaders can use to review and remove unnecessary complexities in their processes, and efficiently utilise their resources.

In the fast-changing world today, businesses face many challenges, including disruption, climate change, and the need to increase productivity. Resilient by Design is a useful guide on how businesses can cope with changes, weather adverse situations and move forward by building resilience in their processes and recognising new business opportunities.

The Disruption Dilemma focuses on the phenomenon of disruption in business, looking at how some companies like Fujifilm have successfully navigated disruption to become more productive and profitable, while others like Kodak have failed to adapt and survive in the market. Besides this, it also provides strategies which companies can use to deal with various types of disruption.

Big Data in Practice explains how major companies analyse big data effectively to understand their customers’ needs and gain insights on how they can improve manufacturing, safety and productivity. For each case study, the ebook details how a specific company had used certain data to solve their problems and put in place practical processes.

  • Myles, T. (2014). The secret to peak productivity: A simple guide to reaching your personal best. New York: AMACOM. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

In The Secret to Peak Productivity, author Tamara Myles introduces a framework, known as the Productivity Pyramid, that readers can use to achieve their peak productivity. The framework is arranged sequentially in five levels to allow individuals to start by assessing their strengths and weaknesses, relooking at personal organisation, planning of goals, to eventually reaching their potential.

Websites

This article, published by Today newspaper, looks at how automation can help manufacturing firms enhance productivity through the case study of Feinmetall Singapore, a local manufacturing company which introduced automation in its processes to circumvent the challenge of hiring skilled workers and successfully achieved the effective utilisation of manpower and increased productivity.

This report, compiled by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), examines the decrease in global productivity growth over the past years and the major global factors which led to this decrease, including the global financial crisis, information and communications technology (ICT), and population aging. It also provides a list of short-term and long-term remedies to reinvigorate productivity growth.

What is the difference between organisational efficiency and productivity? This article dispels the misconception that efficiency and productivity are synonymous, explaining the differences between the two and their impacts on organisational performance. It also proposes that large companies should shift their focus from efficiency to productivity in order to achieve superior performance.

The phenomenon of “productivity puzzle” is explored in this article, which attempts to analyse and explain why productivity growth in advanced economies such as the United States, Europe and Japan has been sluggish despite the occurrences of breakthrough innovations including manufacturing, energy and information technologies.

This article provides a summary of the speech by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the Singapore Forum 2016. It focuses on the global trend of the slowdown in productivity growth and the widening productivity gap between outward-oriented sectors and domestically-oriented sectors seen in Singapore.

In this article, the author lists 15 habits which individuals can pick up to change their behaviours and make their daily life more productive. These strategies cover various aspects including time management, spatial organisation, setting priorities, keeping fit and healthy, and having fruitful discussions.

Innovation

Innovation is the process of introducing new ideas, methods or products; it can also comprise changes to existing ways of how things are made or done. With an aging workforce and dwindling resources in today’s economy, innovation is often seen as one of the key drivers of productivity growth for economies and businesses.

Books

Call no.: RBUS 338.064 ECO

Innovation is seen as the key to attain economic growth and productivity in today’s world. This book explores various themes related to the economics of creativity, including the generation and fostering of creative ideas in organisations, and the transformation of such ideas into new or improved products and services.

Call no.: RBUS 658.575 CAG

This book gives an overview of how companies can develop products and services that can redefine current markets or even create new ones. It looks at two approaches to innovation- revolutionary and evolutionary- and provides strategies and tools which can help companies identify opportunity gaps, discover what customers want, and manage the product development process. Besides this, it also includes case studies of companies which have succeeded in innovating and reinventing themselves.

Call no.: RBUS 658.4063 INN

Innovation and Creativity explores the importance of innovation and creativity in building competitiveness in the future global economy. Through the perspectives of various contributors, it studies the management of innovation and creativity in European countries as well as multinational companies to find out how organisations can innovate efficiently and effectively.

Call no.: RBUS 658.406 OXF

In The Oxford Handbook of Innovation, 49 leading academics provide their perspectives on the importance of innovation for economic and business competitiveness and for the quality and standard of living around the world. They also offer their insights on how innovation can be managed in terms of managing research and development, innovation in business models, and open and social innovation.

Call no.: RBUS 658.4063 GAI

This book takes a look at what innovation is, why it is essential, and how it can be implemented and managed to bring benefits to the organisations. It features a roadmap which can be used to identify and develop the capabilities which are needed for the effective management of innovation and case studies of how international companies have successfully developed innovative environments.

Call no.: RBUS 658.404 MAC

Innovation Project Management Handbook is a detailed guide on how organisations can improve their innovation opportunity outcomes to successfully manage an innovation project. It provides a methodology, known as N2OVATE, which can help organisations to make better decisions when faced with innovation opportunities, and also other useful tools and strategies to manage each type of innovation.

Call no.: RBUS 338.926 TAY

Why are some countries more successful in innovating compared to others? The Politics of Innovation explores whether the rate of innovation in a country is dependent on factors such as national policies and domestic institutions, arguing that the real driver of innovation behind the leaders of science and technology is actually politics.

Call no.: RBUS 658.4012 INN

Innovation and Growth takes a look at the topic of innovation from the academic and management perspectives, covering key concepts and best practices such as the management of innovation and new product development; creation of an innovative environment for business; and the organisational and financial aspects of innovation.

Call no.: RBUS 658.514 TID

Managing Innovation details the management of innovation at the operational and strategic levels, focusing on the integration and management of technological, market and organisational changes to enhance the competitiveness and effectiveness of organisations in today’s knowledge economy.

Call no.: RBUS 658.4063 WAS

The advent of advanced robotics has enabled robots to be used in heavy, repetitive and dangerous work. This book examines the increasing use of robots in various industries such as healthcare and agriculture, focusing on the organisational change and management aspects. It also concludes with a chapter which discusses the implications which robots may bring to innovative workers.

eBooks

First and Fast is a comprehensive guide on how leaders can grow their businesses by getting ahead of competitors and leading the market. It provides a set of tools and case studies that can be used by companies to adapt to situations and turbulence in the fast-changing world and innovate to find new markets.

In this book, the author discusses how governments can become more modernised and efficient by adopting innovative practices and digital technology. He explains how governments can transform themselves from an industrial-era analogue system to become fully-digital, and cites examples of how innovation and technology can be utilised by governments to achieve a digital transformation.

The Innovation Race explores the current state of innovation and outlines some challenges which can impact innovation. It also provides practical strategies and tools to support purpose-driven sustainable innovation through deep cultural transformation in organisations to achieve long term success.

  • Keathley, J., Merrill, P. & Owens, T. (2013). Executive guide to innovation: Turning good ideas into great results. Wisconsin: ASQ Quality Press. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

In Executive Guide to Innovation, the authors explain how organisations can develop and manage innovation, looking at various aspects of the innovation life cycle, including how to identify and capitalise on an organisation’s innovation potential, how to foster an innovative culture in the organisation, and how innovation can be incorporated into the strategic plans.

  • Morris, L. (2014). Agile innovation: The revolutionary approach to accelerate success, inspire engagement, and ignite creativity. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

A detailed guide on organisational innovation, Agile Innovation covers key concepts such as applying Agile principles in the innovation process, developing a plan for innovation that is unique to the organisation, implementing strategies to accelerate innovative efforts in an organisation and reducing risks and tackling challenges during innovation.

Becoming a Creative Genius {again} presents the perspective that people are all born with creativity and entrepreneurial skills, and explains how everyone can re-ignite our innate creativity and bring out our most entrepreneurial selves. It also provides lessons and exercises to help people rediscover and rekindle their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.

  • Skarzynski, P. & Crosswhite, D. (2014). The innovator’s field guide: Market tested methods and frameworks to help you meet your innovation challenges. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

This ebook details some of the likely challenges which organisations and their leaders may face during the implementation of innovation, as well as practical and proven processes, frameworks and solutions to how these challenges can be addressed and overcome.

  • Talukder, M. (2014). Managing innovation adoption: From innovation to implementation. Surrey: Routledge. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central.

Why do some organisations succeed in innovation, while others struggle with its implementation? This ebook explores the topic of management of innovation from the bottom-up, looking at how the lack of understanding and acceptance by employees can influence the adoption of innovation in an organisation. It also provides a framework which can be used to gain a better understanding of how employees adopt and use innovation in organisations.

Websites

This article sums up some of the recommendations made by Singapore’s Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) to chart Singapore’s long-term path of growth for the future. For companies, the committee recommends the adoption of innovation and digital technologies to improve productivity and stay relevant.

Unicorns are defined as start-ups, backed by venture capitalists, which are worth more than $1 billion. The authors of this article present the view that despite unicorns’ high revenue and rapid growth, the economy is still dominated by conglomerates. Thus, to maintain a competitive economy, the key is to encourage large organisations to become more entrepreneurial and innovative.

Innovation is commonly cited as one of the key drivers of economic growth in the new economy, yet many do not understand its significance. This article provides insights on what innovation is and is not, and why it is important to organisations. In addition, it also explains how innovative ideas can be utilised.

Written by the Chairman of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore and published in the Global Innovation Index 2016 report, this article traces Singapore’s journey in research and development since independence, outlining the approaches and strategies which Singapore had adopted to enhance innovation capability and eventually become ranked 6th worldwide in the 2016 Global Innovation Index.

How can businesses innovate in the digital economy? This article examines how companies can innovate by harnessing or adapting digital technology to develop new or better products and services. It also provides examples of innovative use of technology in companies and the benefits which the companies have reaped.

In this article, author Greg Satell explores the concept that innovation can occur in various ways because it solves different problems. He suggests that organisations fail to innovate, or sustain innovation, because they are often fixated on one type of strategy which may not suit the problems they are trying to solve. He also shared an Innovation Matrix to help organisations identify the appropriate type of strategy to solve a problem.

Accessing National Library Board Singapore Resources

Accessing the Print Materials

You can search the library catalogue (for physical materials) in the library and from home (http://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg). The easy search function allows you to search/browse by author, title, keyword, subject and ISBN/ISSN whereas the advanced search allows you to narrow your searches to specific media types or language holdings. In both instances, you will also be able to limit your search to specific libraries by clicking on the “limit by branch” option.

To search Lee Kong Chian Reference Library’s Holdings

If you wish to search for only materials available in the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library, please always click on the “Limit by Branch” button at the bottom of the page, after you have keyed in your search term. This brings you to a new page whereby you will be able to select the library of your choice. Choose “Lee Kong Chian Reference Library” and select “yes” under the “Display only items available in the selected branch below” and then click on search.

Things to note:

Once you have identified the title that you need, please double-check the following information and write down the necessary info:

i. The “Status” of the item: the item is not available in the library, if the status displayed is “in transit”, “in process” or “not ready for loan”.

ii. Double-check that the item is in Lee Kong Chian Reference Library under “Branch”.

iii. Write down the Location Code and the Call Number of the item. This helps you to locate the item within Lee Kong Chian Reference Library. Please refer to the table below for more information (Note: Please feel free to approach the counter staff for help in locating the books.)

All featured books and periodicals are located at the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library.

Accessing the Databases

The National Library Board (NLB)’s eResources are free for all NLB members. Click here to find out how to register as a member.

If you’re having problems registering or logging in, please contact us. If you wish to find information in the databases but am not sure where to begin, or need recommendations on which databases to use, please use the “Ask A Librarian” function or send an email to ref@nlb.gov.sg for help. The librarian will get back to you within three working days.

Author

Goh Lee Kim

The information in this resource guide is valid as at July 2017 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history on the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

All Rights Reserved. National Library Board Singapore 2017.