Arizona State University has released a new book, Building a Foundation for Principled Innovation, designed to help readers understand and engage with Practicing Principled Innovation, the university’s framework for placing character and values at the center of decisions and actions.
Since becoming a university design aspiration in 2023, ASU faculty and staff from dozens of colleges and units have used Principled Innovation (PI) to better understand the values driving their work and to intentionally develop character through practice. The book is a timely resource as PI is increasingly used to enhance courses, professional development programs, community partnerships, and collaborations with other institutions. It serves as both an introduction for those encountering PI for the first time and as a resource for practitioners seeking to deepen their understanding of PI’s underlying principles, practices, and approach to character development. The book is co-edited by Ted Cross and Jacqueline Smith and includes a foreword by ASU President Michael Crow.
Building a Foundation for Principled Innovation introduces the ideas that shape the PI framework, including its four character domains, eight practices, and the role of practical wisdom in navigating complex situations. Practical wisdom develops over time as people repeatedly apply the principles and practices of PI to real decisions, relationships, and challenges. Rather than presenting character as a fixed trait or abstract ideal, the book explores how it can be intentionally developed through reflection, experience, and action. Examples from ASU students, faculty, and staff illustrate how Principled Innovation takes shape in practice, showing how individuals and groups’ character deepens as they wrestle with competing priorities and learn from difficult situations.
PI practitioners are seeking solutions that are both creative and responsible. Throughout the book, readers are encouraged to consider how innovation is shaped not only by what we create and the impacts we make, but also by the character we develop and the practical wisdom we cultivate over time.
Submit the form to receive an e-copy of the book
An accompanying workbook is currently in development and is expected later this year. Designed as a companion volume, it will guide readers through activities connected to the eight PI practices using reflection prompts, worksheets, discussion tools, and other practice-based resources. Together, the two books are intended to support both a conceptual understanding and the ongoing practice of Principled Innovation.
Use the form above to access a digital copy of Building a Foundation for Principled Innovation. To request a print copy of the book, email Kaley Bontrager. If you would like to be informed when the companion workbook is released, please contact us.
