Michael Halvorson and Shelly Kurtz are excited to share that This Little World: A How-to Guide for Social Innovators, has been shortlisted by Business Book Awards in London for their 2025 Book of the Year Award. The authors learned about the nomination at a festive awards gathering at Pearson Publishing near Trafalgar Square on April 8, 2025. Halvorson was present at the event, surrounded by authors and staff members from Pearson, Wiley, Penguin, Forbes, and other UK-based publishing houses. Michael is currently spending the spring semester in the UK doing research on a sabbatical leave from Pacific Lutheran University.
This Little World announced as Finalist for Book of the Year (Change & Sustainability)
Halvorson and Kurtz were one of three Routledge author teams selected as Finalists. They were nominated in the Change and Sustainability category, defined as “books that explore how technology, innovation, or best practice can improve business or the environment.” The authors are excited about being named to the shortlist from a selection of almost 300 nominated business titles. “Simply being selected as a finalist is a great honor for us,” wrote Halvorson.
The authors want to thank Rebecca Marsh, Publisher at Routledge (Business, Management, and Economics), for her support of the This Little World project from the beginning. They are also deeply grateful to the many students, faculty and staff colleagues, and social impact entrepreneurs they have worked with over the past three years. A center for this work has been Pacific Lutheran University and the Innovation Studies program.
The final winners in each business category, plus an overall selection of Best Business Book of 2025, will be announced at a festive gala in London on September 10, 2025. The publishing awards are determined by a panel of industry experts, chaired by Jacq Burns, founder of the London Writers’ Club, and former publishing executive at Random House and Harper Collins.
Jacq Burns, BBA Head Judge, introduces the shortlist nominees for Best Business Book of 2025
The eight finalists for Business Book of the Year in the Change & Sustainability category (listed alphabetically)
Julian Partridge, Director of Portfolio Management, Pearson Publishing
