The Lean Startup

This article is about the book. For the concept, see Lean startup.

The Lean Startup

"The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries – A 2011 book on entrepreneurship.
Author	Eric Ries
Language	English
Genre	Business, non-fiction, Entrepreneurship
Publisher	Crown Business (USA)
Publication date	2011 (USA)
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (hardcover)
Pages	336 p. (US hardcover edition)
ISBN	0307887898
OCLC	770494142

The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses is a 2011 book by American entrepreneur Eric Ries. It outlines the lean startup methodology, a framework for startup development that prioritizes rapid prototyping, validated learning, and iterative product releases. ^[1] The goal of this methodology is to shorten product development cycles.

The methodology advocates for building a minimum viable product and gathering user feedback to refine the offering of a product over time. ^[2] Ries reports developing this approach based on his experiences as a startup advisor and founder, following challenges faced with his first startup. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

The lean startup method draws on ideas from lean manufacturing and agile development. ^{[6] [7]} It focuses on adapting strategies based on experimentation and user feedback rather than relying on long-term business planning.

Some organizations have implemented the lean startup approach, including Alphabet Energy, Dropbox, Wealthfront, ^[8] and General Electric. ^[9]

Reception

According to the publisher, the book's sales exceed one million copies, and it has been translated into over thirty languages. ^[10] It also appeared on The New York Times Best Sellers list in the 'Hardcover Advice & Misc.' category in 2011. ^[11]

Academic responses to the methodology have been mixed. Ethan Mollick, a professor at the Wharton School of Business, supported the focus on experimentation and learning but raised concerns about the emphasis on early customer input in cases involving novel technologies. ^[12] He also noted limitations in tools such as the business model canvas. Bocken and Snihur conclude that more research is required to understand the process of experimentation, and highlight the limited academic knowledge of the process. ^[13]

References

1. Roush, Wade. Eric Ries, the Face of the Lean Startup Movement, on How a Once-Insane Idea Went Mainstream. Xconomy. July 6, 2011.
2. Patel, Mitul (April 16, 2020). "Book Review: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries". The Bookish Elf. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
3. Lohr, Steve. The Rise of the Fleet-Footed Start-Up. The New York Times. April 24, 2010.
4. Solon, Olivia. Interview: Eric Ries, Author Of The Lean Startup. Wired. January 17, 2012.
5. Loizos, Connie. "Lean Startup" evangelist Eric Ries is just getting started. Reuters. May 26, 2011.
6. "Book Review: The Lean Startup | Masood Entrepreneurship Centre | The University of Manchester". Masood Entrepreneurship Centre. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
7. "Understanding Lean Startup Methodology". Tech Empat. February 20, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
8. "The Lean Startup | Case Studies". theleanstartup.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
9. "General Electric Wants to Act Like a Startup". Bloomberg.com. August 8, 2014. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
10. Ries, Eric (October 17, 2017). The Startup Way: How Modern Companies Use Entrepreneurial Management to Transform Culture and Drive Long-Term Growth (Unabridged ed.). Random House Audio. ISBN   978-0-14-752330-3.
11. "Hardcover Advice & Misc. Books – Best Sellers – October 2, 2011 – The New York Times". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 27, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
12. "What the Lean Startup Method Gets Right and Wrong". Harvard Business Review. October 21, 2019. ISSN   0017-8012 . Retrieved December 14, 2024.
13. Bocken, Nancy; Snihur, Yuliya (August 1, 2020). "Lean Startup and the business model: Experimenting for novelty and impact". Long Range Planning. 53 (4) 101953. doi:10.1016/j.lrp.2019.101953. ISSN   0024-6301.