Innovation is no longer about working faster. It’s about working together.
For too long, businesses have designed products in isolation, treating customers as buyers instead of co-creators. But the future belongs to those who build with their customers, not just for them.
Innovation for the future is relational and moves at the speed of relationships.
This book is a guide for businesses ready to move beyond personalisation to collaborative customisation, co-creation, and co-ownership.
If you are a business leader or entrepreneur, this book will show you why the companies that thrive in the next decade will be those that create with their customers, not just for them.
If you are a consultant or strategist, it will challenge you to rethink the way organisations transform—moving from prescriptive solutions to co-created change.
If you are an innovator, creator, or team member, it will give you a roadmap for shifting from passive execution to active participation in shaping the future of work, technology, and business.
This book is for anyone who understands that the next wave of innovation will not be owned by a few—it will be co-created by the many.
Relational innovation is the idea that the future of business is built through deep relationships, not just technological breakthroughs or operational efficiency. Unlike traditional innovation, which is often controlled by a few decision-makers, relational innovation involves customers, employees, and communities in the creation process, leading to more meaningful and sustainable business models.
Collaborative customisation goes beyond personalisation. Instead of giving customers pre-set choices, businesses invite them to co-create products, services, and even business models. This could mean allowing customers to design their own products, participate in AI-assisted innovation, or share ownership in what they help create.
This book introduces collaborative customisation, co-creation, and co-ownership as the future of competitive advantage. You’ll learn how to engage customers as co-creators, use AI to scale participation, and apply the Relate2Create Way to build products and services that continuously evolve with market needs. Whether you’re a leader, entrepreneur, or consultant, this book provides a practical roadmap for thriving in the age of relational business models.
Relational innovation applies to any industry where customers and employees play a role in shaping the future—from tech and healthcare to retail, entertainment, and education. This book explores real-world examples of companies already using collaborative customisation to redefine their markets.
Absolutely. While AI is an enabler, relational innovation is about people, not just technology. This book applies to any industry where customers and employees can play a role in shaping the future—retail, education, healthcare, hospitality, and beyond. If you want to future-proof your business by turning customers into co-creators and employees into innovators, this book will give you the tools to do it.
ight now, Relational Innovation is only available in digital format. This isn’t just about accessibility - it’s about creating a living, evolving book. Instead of publishing a static version and moving on, the goal is to co-create a second edition with input from readers, business leaders, and innovators who are actively applying these ideas. This book is just the beginning of a larger conversation about collaborative customisation, co-creation, and co-ownership—and you’re invited to be part of shaping what comes next.
Yes! This book is about co-creation in the age of AI, so it was written with the assistance of AI. AI helped structure ideas, refine concepts, and accelerate the writing process, just like how businesses can use AI to enhance collaboration. This isn’t just a book about innovation; it’s an example of it. And just like AI shaped this edition, the second edition will be co-created with readers, proving that the future of innovation is relational.
Dr. B. Long – a name that plays on the word “belong” – is more than just a moniker; it reflects Bryan Long's life’s work of helping businesses, teams, and communities create, innovate, and thrive together. As an entrepreneur, consultant, and thought leader in relational innovation, he specialises in transforming businesses from isolated entities into collaborative ecosystems where people don’t just transact, but co-create and co-own.
With a doctorate in transformational leadership from Bakke Graduate University, Dr. B. Long has helped over 1,000 startups and teams navigate the shift from competition to collaboration, pioneering new ways for businesses to build value through relationships. He is the co-creator of the Relate2Create Way, developed alongside Dr. Sahara Sadik from the Institute for Adult Learning, a framework that empowers organisations to innovate not through top-down strategies, but through deep, participatory engagement.
His research at Bakke Graduate University explored how business owners can form lasting alliances through trust, shared ownership, and relational innovation. He also holds a degree in Engineering from Purdue University, an MBA from the University of Manchester, and a Law degree from the National University of Singapore. This diverse academic background from different countries enables him to bridge business, technology, and organisational transformation, helping companies thrive in an era where innovation is increasingly relational.
He is a certified expert in ecosystem design, platform thinking, and progressive organisational models, holding certifications from Boundaryless, Corporate Rebels, and the Semco Style Institute, where he also serves as an affiliate.
Through his writing, speaking, and consulting, Dr. B. Long is on a mission to redefine the way businesses grow—by belonging together and building together. His book, Relational Innovation: The Transformative Power of Collaborative Customisation in the Age of AI, is the first in a series exploring how businesses can shape the future through meaningful collaboration and shared innovation.
Dr. B. Long lives in Singapore with his wife and three children, continually exploring how businesses, communities, and people can work together to build a future driven by deep relationships and co-creation.
© 2024 Dr. B. Long. All rights reserved.
