Hackers, pirates and swindlers, rather than visionary chief executives, should be the inspiration for business leaders. That is the view set out in The Misfit Economy by Alexa Clay and Kyra Maya Phillips.

The book’s principal contention is that “the free market economy does not possess a monopoly on innovation”. They suggest five key principles to help discover your “inner misfit”: hustling (“spotting an idea and going for it”); copying (which they describe as “collective innovation”); hacking (taking on the establishment and getting “to know a system intimately in order to more effectively take it apart”); provoking (sparking dialogue); and pivoting (enacting “dramatic change in the course of one’s life to pursue greater fulfilment and inspiration”).

The authors state that “while many great innovation practices have been and will be distilled from the Googles, eBays and Toyotas of the world, our research has revealed that not only has underground innovation been overlooked as a significant driver of the economy but it also offers its own unique and valuable insights”.