Steinbeis School of Future Tech & Digital Innovation
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What We Read

Books that shaped us – chosen and read by our founders and faculty. Filter by person to see what they recommend.

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New section. This collection has only just launched and keeps growing – our founders and lecturers add new recommendations on an ongoing basis. Be sure to check back regularly.
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Good to Great – Jim Collins Good to Great

Good to Great

Jim Collins
FKRecommended by Frank Kosyk

Jim Collins examines, on a hard data foundation, why some companies make the leap from good to great – and comparable ones don’t. His principles – Level 5 leadership, „first who, then what“, the Hedgehog Concept – are timeless and more relevant than ever in the age of AI: greatness comes not from technology alone, but from disciplined people, disciplined thought and disciplined action. Essential reading for anyone who wants to deliver transformation, not just talk about it.

LeadershipStrategy
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Scaling Up – Verne Harnish Scaling Up

Scaling Up

Verne Harnish
FKRecommended by Frank Kosyk

In „Scaling Up“, Verne Harnish distils the four decisions every growing company must master: People, Strategy, Execution and Cash. Instead of theory he delivers concrete tools – from the Rockefeller Habits to the One-Page Strategic Plan – that make growth deliberate rather than accidental. A hands-on manual for those who don’t just want to found a company, but build one.

GrowthEntrepreneurship
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The Hard Thing About Hard Things – Ben Horowitz The Hard Thing About Hard Things

The Hard Thing About Hard Things

Ben Horowitz
JKRecommended by Jan Kegelberg

Ben Horowitz writes about the things no playbook prepares you for: the genuinely hard decisions of building and running a company – crises, layoffs, near-death moments. Instead of success formulas, the founder and investor offers honest, often uncomfortable first-hand insight: how to act as a CEO under pressure, deliver bad news and hold course in chaos. Essential reading for anyone who wants the honest reckoning with „the struggle“ rather than the polished founder story.

LeadershipEntrepreneurship
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The Family Board Meeting – Jim Sheils The Family Board Meeting

The Family Board Meeting

Jim Sheils
FKRecommended by Frank Kosyk

Jim Sheils asks the uncomfortable question many entrepreneurs know: we optimise the business – and lose the connection to the people who matter most. His remedy is strikingly simple: a fixed, distraction-free one-on-one day with your child, shaped by the child, with a short reflection. No self-help pathos, just a concrete, immediately actionable routine that creates real presence where otherwise there are only calendars. You have 18 summers with your children – a reminder that leadership starts at home.

LeadershipBalance
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Nexus – Yuval Noah Harari Nexus

Nexus

Yuval Noah Harari
OSRecommended by Oliver Spuhler

Yuval Noah Harari retells the history of humankind — as a history of information networks, from the Stone Age to artificial intelligence. His thesis: it is not truth that prevails, but the networks that spread stories most effectively — and with AI, for the first time, an actor emerges that decides for itself and creates narratives. A smart, often uncomfortable book about power, truth and how we keep control. Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what AI does to society and institutions.

AI & SocietyPower & Truth
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