Book Description
Thompson, Strickland and Gambles’, CRAFTING AND EXECUTING STRATEGY: The Quest for Competitive Advantage, 14e clearly conveys the central thrust of basic courses in business and competitive Strategy. This text presents the most recent research in strategy in a way that students can understand and apply to business cases and problems. This edition includes a streamlined presentation of the chapters and an all new chapter on Strategy, Ethics and Social Responsibility. Known for its cases and teaching notes, CRAFTING AND EXECUTING STRATEGY, 14e includes 37 new or updated cases that will spark student interest and generate lively classroom discussions.
Customer Reviews:
Informative business guide to strategy.......2006-08-23
I bought this book for a college class and kept it. While it is not the most exciting book, the case studies are an excellent guide to a wide range of business plans and strategies. The cases are divided into four categories: single business companies, diversified companies, implementing and executing strategy and ethics & social responsibility. The cases are very complete and interesting. The downside is the shelf life of the book - I would expect a new edition before long.
Student Review.......2005-12-10
I am a student majoring in Business Administration who recently used this text in an upper-level management course. The book's writing is utterly superfluous. Boredom was frequently my sentiment as I weeded through unnecessarily labyrinthine sentences. The ideas in the book were occasionally interesting, but were usually ideas I had already developed on my own via simple intuition. Perhaps the most valuable part of the text is the section of case studies. This closing segment of the book contains many great ideas for student projects. Overall, this text disappoints me as a student
Product Still to be Used.......2005-08-23
I will begin using this product next week, and will be in a better position to review it after my six week module.
Book Description
Thompson, Strickland and Gambles', CRAFTING AND EXECUTING STRATEGY, 15e presents the latest research findings from the literature and cutting-edge strategic practices of companies have been incorporated to keep step with both theory and practice. Scores of new examples have been added to complement the new and updated Illustration Capsules. More chapter-end exercises have been included. The result is a text treatment with more punch, greater clarity, and improved classroom effectiveness. But none of the changes have altered the fundamental character that has driven the text’s success over the years. The chapter content continues to be solidly mainstream and balanced, mirroring both the best academic thinking and the pragmatism of real-world strategic management. Known for its cases and teaching notes, CRAFTING AND EXECUTING STRATEGY includes a case line--up that will spark student interest and generate lively classroom discussions. A truly appealing lineup of 33 diverse, timely, and thoughtfully-crafted cases complements the text presentation. Many cases involve high-profile companies, and all are framed around issues and circumstances tightly linked to the content of the 13 chapters, thus pushing students to apply the concepts and analytical tools they have read about. And there's a comprehensive package of support materials that are a breeze to use, highly effective, and flexible enough to fit most any course design.
Customer Reviews:
Great Service.......2007-10-02
I received my book in a timely fashion and everything was just as stated. Seller is 100% reliable.
CRAFTING AND EXECUTING STRATEGY.......2007-09-22
IT TOOK A WHILE FOR THE TEXTBOOK TO REACH ME. I WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH HOW SLOW THE DELIVERY PROCESS WAS AND ALMOST DIDN'T HAVE THE TEXT IN TIME FOR CLASS. SERVICE AND DELIVERY COULD BE MUCH MORE PROMPT.
Perfect!.......2007-09-20
This book is just what I need for my class - Strategic Management - the one class I absolutely have to take in order to graduate since I'm a Business major.
Excellent Product+Service from Amazon.com.......2007-03-13
This was the best product i've ever purchased from Amazon.com. Until most recently, I've only bought textbooks from Amazon, and that too at a very short notice (the kind of lazy person that I am!).. and Amazon has really kept me happy!
This is a great book for those taking a course on Strategic Management, and for those who are not, but are so much more interested in learning so much about how all those CEOs do their work. This book has got it all, complete with real-world case studies of your most admired corporations, how they've been faring good or bad, and develops a real deep insight into the precedant variables that have caused it's current performance. This book is superb for those who wish to analyze the nuances of what it takes to run a business (any business). Highly Recommended!
About Amazon, I can't thank them enough. I needed the book within three days --I had a class assignment due in that time, and lazy that I am, I had to wait until the last minute to order it. But, thanks to Amazon's 2-day "guaranteed" shipping that I received it on the 2nd day. Guaranteed!
Also highly recommended to all those who want it "fast"...!
Book Description
Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization, 6th edition provides the most accurate, relevant, and complete presentation of strategic management today. Authors Michael A. Hitt, R. Duane Ireland, and Robert E. Hoskisson thoroughly revised each chapter, weaving cutting-edge ideas, research, and modern practice to create a presentation that captures the dynamic nature of the field. The authors integrate the traditional industrial organizational model of strategic management with the more modern resource-based view of the firm to explain how firms use the strategic management process to build a sustained competitive advantage.
Customer Reviews:
Bought for class.........2005-12-21
if your class is using this txt, i would highly recommend buying a used copy... new editions come out on almost a yearly to bi-yearly basis... after i completed my course, my book store would not buy the book back because the professor ordered a different edition for next semester...
Strategic managment -- a clear choice.......2005-09-09
This is an excellent text that is the bible of many strategy professors around the US. It is clear, concise and very thorough. the case studies at the back of the book offer a great deal of practical examples. I highly recommend making this book part of your professional reference library.
Strategic Management in the Context of Globalizatiion.......2000-11-14
This book is a detailed investigation of strategic management in the context of globalization and competitiveness. An integrated approach is used, but firm-based theory of strategic management is stressed throughout the book. Cases included in the book are chosen properly in relation with the topics, that is theory is clearly connected to the real experiences. Especially, topics titled as "Cooperative Strategy" , "Corporate Governance" , "Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation" will be very useful to better understand the planning dynamics.
The book is divided into two sections. One is assigned for theory and the other is assigned for cases. Cases are updated and includes the most popular and fabulous companies such as "Amazon.com". Overall, I recommend this comprehensive book (1008 p.) to readers who wish to have a grand source !
Highly Overpriced by Publisher for Quick Profit Seller.......1999-09-01
Don't bother buying this book unless you 'absolutely' have to have it for a class you might be taking or for special research. I found this book to be better than most, however it is ridiculously overpriced and would best be left on the shelf to collect dust than to fork over a whole days' wages on this book.
Book Description
A compelling vision. Bold leadership. Decisive action. Unfortunately, these prerequisites of success are almost always the ingredients of failure, too. In fact, most managers seeking to maximize their chances for glory are often unwittingly setting themselves up for ruin. The sad truth is that most companies have left their futures almost entirely to chance, and don’t even realize it. The reason? Managers feel they must make choices with far-reaching consequences today, but must base those choices on assumptions about a future they cannot predict. It is this collision between commitment and uncertainty that creates THE STRATEGY PARADOX.
This paradox sets up a ubiquitous but little-understood tradeoff. Because managers feel they must base their strategies on assumptions about an unknown future, the more ambitious of them hope their guesses will be right – or that they can somehow adapt to the turbulence that will arise. In fact, only a small number of lucky daredevils prosper, while many more unfortunate, but no less capable managers find themselves at the helms of sinking ships. Realizing this, even if only intuitively, most managers shy away from the bold commitments that success seems to demand, choosing instead timid, unremarkable strategies, sacrificing any chance at greatness for a better chance at mere survival.
Michael E. Raynor, coauthor of the bestselling The Innovator's Solution, explains how leaders can break this tradeoff and achieve results historically reserved for the fortunate few even as they reduce the risks they must accept in the pursuit of success. In the cutthroat world of competitive strategy, this is as close as you can come to getting something for nothing.
Drawing on leading-edge scholarship and extensive original research, Raynor’s revolutionary principle of Requisite Uncertainty yields a clutch of critical, counter-intuitive findings. Among them:
-- The Board should not evaluate the CEO based on the company’s performance, but instead on the firm’s strategic risk profile
-- The CEO should not drive results, but manage uncertainty
-- Business unit leaders should not focus on execution, but on making strategic choices
-- Line managers should not worry about strategic risk, but devote themselves to delivering on commitments
With detailed case studies of success and failure at Sony, Microsoft, Vivendi Universal, Johnson & Johnson, AT&T and other major companies in industries from financial services to energy, Raynor presents a concrete framework for strategic action that allows companies to seize today’s opportunities while simultaneously preparing for tomorrow’s promise.
Customer Reviews:
Requisite uncertainty and human capabilities.......2007-08-22
Zachary Stein ((Harvard Graduate School of Education) & Theo L. Dawson (Developmental Testing Service)
We agree with many of the other reviewers of this book. It combines high quality scholarship and accessibility, making it stand out from most of the popular leadership literature. But we think most of the other reviews have missed a key dimension of Raynor's model, a facet of his vision that sets it apart from the more traditional literature on strategies and organizations. With a nod to the research of Elliot Jaques, Raynor makes it clear that the proposed model of "requisite uncertainty" would have us build organizations that are sensitive both to the demands of the marketplace and the realities of human capabilities. We all know that organizations need to be responsive to socio-economic trends and uncertainties, but only a select few are privy to the notion that organizational hierarchies need to be designed in light of facts about human cognition and cognitive development. In our minds, this latter point is what sets the "Strategy Paradox" apart.
Individuals occupying different roles are faced with different demands. This we all know. But Raynor helps to clarify just who should be doing what, and moreover, what those at the top need to do to handle the unprecedented uncertainties of post-modern socio-economic conditions. As Raynor explains, these high-level demands cash out in terms of dialogically rich inquiry-based procedures for "crystallizing and preserving a diversity of opinions" regarding strategic options. Needless to say, that's a tall order that not just anybody can fill. What's preferable is not always possible. Our only criticism is that Raynor has too little to say about the cognitive capabilities that would make his vision possible. There is a rich literature about adult cognitive development and its measurement that Raynor does an inadequate job of referencing. Jaques and Kegan are the tip of a very complex iceberg. And frankly it's an iceberg that might sink this ship.
From where we sit, the model is incomplete without further consideration of the cognitive demands of "Strategic Flexibility." Any life-span cognitive developmental psychologist will tell you that less than 3% of the adult population in the developed world has the cognitive skills to meet these demands. We don't mean to rain on the parade, but for this model to work we need to ensure that those who engage in the highest levels of strategic planning are equipped with the requisite cognitive and discourse skills. Without them, real-world implementations will be less than stellar.
To sum up, our reading of the "Strategy Paradox" reveals a devil in the details. We think that Raynor's radical suggestions regarding human capabilities and organizational strata are the trend-setting elements of his model. Zeroing in on these suggestions exposes a formidable challenge.
Raynor has put time back into strategy.......2007-08-14
I won't repeat the powerful insights stated by many of the other positive reviewers. Read them yourself. They are special in their own right!
Raynor's latest book is beautifully written. It should all be savoured (slowly if necessary)...
The chapters which I believe Raynor will be truly remembered for are nestled in the middle (chapters 6-8). In these wonderful pages he rightfully restores "time" into strategy-making ("who stole time?", should indeed give rise to several more business books).
Leveraging Elliott Jaques' seminal work on time-spans of discretion, Raynor introduces "strategic flexibility" with compelling clarity and irrefutable logic. As an added bonus, he also illuminates the real role of corporate boards with such lucidity, that reading SOX prescriptions in future will seem sadly impoverished.
I have seen and heard Raynor speak in public. He is a virtuosic whirlwind on stage. Read this book. It is even better than the live performance.
Key Concepts Make it Worth Buying.......2007-08-08
I enjoyed The Strategy Paradox, and have added it to the Pearls of Wisdom page on my site. Powerful concepts in the hands of enlightened leaders, particularly those leading large organizations:
1. Extreme strategies do not come without risk
2. You don't have to predict the future to be successful
3. Divide responsibility for strategy formulation by time horizons
4. Give your organization a chance to adapt and succeed in the most likely future scenarios through options not commitment
In my mind if you get come away from a business book with one or more useful insights, then it was more than worth the time invested. This book is definitely worth the time if you are already (or aspire to be) a corporate leader or strategist.
Five star content!
Read this book before your competitors do.......2007-07-31
I have very high hopes for Raynor's book - it might force business practitioners to think more deeply about formulating real strategy and structuring the organization for competitive advantage. Most treatments of strategy address competitive dynamics (in the line of Porter), likewise positioning, or competency leverage (Collins). Raynor brings forward insights from his research and publishing in innovation (The Innovator's Solution), Harvard doctoral research, and the practical understanding that comes from actually consulting. While his book could anchor a top-notch MBA course, it might lead a good company's board to make much better strategic decisions.
I would not compare The Strategy Paradox with popular business books, such as The Long Tail or even Good to Great, but instead deeply-researched work like Alfred Chandler's. Raynor reveals the perils and promises of strategy formulation, the management of strategy and commitment, and the design and execution of strategic options. Keep in mind that most of what's published in journals and books is very loose, or even just junk research. Strategic management remains largely influenced, in the actual practice of corporate decision making, by Porter's 1980's work, resource allocation, and what I call Powerpoint SWOT. So who should care? Just about every executive and business unit-level manager. And, of course, educators and consultants focusing on business strategy and organizational dynamics.
It is one of the few works on competitive strategy that guides organizational structure as well as business positioning - not directly through guidance on design, but in terms of organizational function necessitated by requisite uncertainty. Raynor never mentions "strategic alignment," a troublesome notion from consulting with no good research support. Rather, he demonstrates how organizational focus on strategic action (as implied by "alignment") results from appropriate structural management, where uncertainty and commitment are appropriately weighted in the hierarchy. In time for Alfred Chandler's handoff to history with his passing in May, Raynor retrieves the original effectiveness of hierarchical management, and maps it functionally to uncertainty. This cleanly obviates the necessity for fuzzy nostrums such as "strategic alignment." (Or perhaps it saves it, for fans of alignment approaches).
Raynor explains complex business scenarios with a brisk storyline. The footnotes are a fascinating secondary read - the points are backed up by his research, Harvard studies, and dozens of well-cited papers. While optional to the main points, the research is actually useful and interesting. Some key concepts are novel in strategy research, such as the application of Elliott Jacques' work on requisite organization to support the principle of Requisite Uncertainty.
I highly recommend this book, and if you are an executive or board advisor, I urge you to read it before your competitors do.
The system encourages mediocrity........2007-07-23
Raynor's book is not the easiest read, but then again, that says more about the reader than it does about the book. The concept is rather revolutionary--and thus, difficult to digest immediately--in that it suggests almost everything we know about strategy and success is wrong. All the books, studies and anecdotes are comparing successful companies and mediocre companies instead of what they claim to do: compare success and failure. If they actually did compare the two, Raynor claims, you'd find a lot of similarities. That all too often, the keys to success are the recipes for failure. And that the people who we hold up as fearless leaders are really just one change in fate away from being the people we mock as losers. He's saying that this is inevitable, after all, how can a study include the business that started and failed and no one ever heard of? Thus, we only see wild success or middle of the road, bet hedgers.
Von Clauswitz talked of this too, saying that as we examine history, before we judge military defeats we must consider what our opinion would be had they succeeded. In other words, if the insurgent resistance in Iraq hadn't been so strong or if the WMD had materialized, would Bush's unilateral, undertrooped strategy be as derided as it is right now? Or if weather hadn't beaten back the Persians at Thermopylae, would we still think them arrogant and brash?
Accordingly, Rayor's book is a very unique look at some of the most illustrious examples of business failure. We see that some of Sony's biggest gaffs, had the market gone the way they'd hoped, would have been their biggest successes. This is true because of the theories two assumptions:
1) A successful strategy requires full commitment
2) Full commitment, in light of unpredictable futures, can mean catastrophic failure
And thus, the more you strategize, the more likely you are to be both massively successful and massively unsuccessful. The only middle ground--and often the most commonly taken--is mediocrity, where the company is neither successful or driven out of business.
Raynor poses a conclusion we often find ourselves also coming to:
"The only way [Company X] could have managed the situation any better is to have predicted the future...and that of course, is impossible. The future never gets here."
He sees strategies as equity or stock. You're purchasing the stock, and if you guessed right, you make money and if you guess wrong, you lose. The real way to succeed then, is to buy options on stocks. Essentially, to set up multiple, concurrent strategy options, from which you can then "agree to buy" the winners. These options then make your chosen strategy mobile in the face on an unpredictable future. This gives you strategic flexibility.
Overall, this was a very interesting book. The review deriding it above are to be expected--if we could all understand this, it wouldn't exactly be a paradox or problem would it? Pick it up and even if you don't understand every word, merely being cognizant of the dilemma would help you.
Book Description
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: CONCEPTS AND CASES, 7th edition provides the most accurate, relevant, and complete presentation of strategic management today. Each edition is thoroughly updated to include cutting edge research and trends that are shaping business strategy. The authors guide students through the strategic management process using a unique model that blends the classic industrial organizational model with the resource-based view of the firm to explain how firms use the strategic management process to build a sustained competitive advantage. Throughout the text carefully selected examples and highlights help put the ideas presented into context. The text's stunning four color design, illustrative models and figures also helps to focus students attention on the key points. In addition to the concepts portion, the text includes 35 compelling case studies or you can easily build your own case selections from premier providers such as Harvard, Ivey, and Darden.
Customer Reviews:
Strategic Management: Concept and Cases.......2007-10-10
This book was purchased as a text for a four unit senior Global Strategic Management class. I have found the companion web site to be very helpful. The chapter powerpoints are located there along with case and financial analysis tutorials.
Graphs, tables and charts are use to help explain and summorize important topics.
great book.......2007-02-23
this is one of the better books for strategic management, the condition was great and price was low..
Book Description
Thompson, Strickland and Gamble's, CRAFTING AND EXECUTING STRATEGY, 15e presents the latest research findings from the literature and cutting-edge strategic practices of companies have been incorporated to keep step with both theory and practice. Scores of new examples have been added to complement the new and updated Illustration Capsules. More chapter-end exercises have been included. The result is a text treatment with more punch, greater clarity, and improved classroom effectiveness. But none of the changes have altered the fundamental character that has driven the text's success over the years. The chapter content continues to be solidly mainstream and balanced, mirroring both the best academic thinking and the pragmatism of real-world strategic management. This paperback version of the text does not contain any cases, but it does include 21 readings from noted business writers that support the concepts in the main text portion. Instructors who would like to create their own case packets to go with this book should go to www.mhhe.com/primis to make their selections.
Customer Reviews:
False Discription.......2007-10-22
I ordered this book for my upper level business course at the university i attend and it is complete worthless to me. I needed the cases that WERE supposed to come with the book. Yet i received only the subject matter information, needless to say i wasted my money and i had to run copies off of someone elses text book. Maybe next time i will just pay the extra $60.00! At least ill know its the right book. Thanks!
Does not have BSG online code.......2007-05-06
Same contents as the hard cover edition but this version does not come with BSG online access code. If you will need to play the Business Strategy Game online, you will need to pay $35 extra for online access code.
Language is a bit simplistic, not the type you would expect in a business textbook.
Easy read.......2007-04-01
This book is fairly easy to read. Lots of good/useful case studies.
Exellent condition.......2007-03-23
Book was in great condition. Received exactly as described. Top class seller.
The authors should find a different editor........2007-02-05
This book contains a lot of valuable information on market strategy. The content of the book is very useful, but also very wordy and repetitive. That makes gleaning the book's "meat" a very frustrating task.
Fortunately, core concepts are listed in page margins to summarize main ideas. There are also diagrams illustrating these core concepts. These will help you to skip past the fluffy content.
I think this book shows real promise but is in serious need of copy editing.
Book Description
Easy to understand-even for learners with limited math backgrounds, this book uses a modeling approach to provide thorough coverage of the basic techniques in quantitative methods and focuses on the managerial applications of these techniques. An interesting and reader friendly writing style makes for a clear presentation, complete with all the necessary assumptions and mathematical details.
Chapter topics include probability concepts and applications, decision models and decision trees, regression models, forecasting, inventory control models, linear programming modeling applications and computer analyses, network models, project management, simulation modeling, and more.
For an introduction toquantitative analysis, quantitative management, operations research, or management science-especially for those individuals preparing for work in agricultural economics and health care fields.
Customer Reviews:
Introduction.......2006-12-17
We used this book in my "Operations analysis"-class, and it's a great introduction to the subjects discussed. Some very basic probability for estimating values and descision theory. Some regression in addition to other forecasting methods. Good sections on linear and integer programming, and also basic queuing models. Markov analysis is about as far as this book goes, and it basically just touches upon all the subjects in order to make the reader grasp the basic ideas.
One minus is the Windows-only software, no Mac-support there, but that only meant that I had to use Excel, which imo helped me gain a better understanding of the subjects, as I had to formulate all the spreadsheets myself instead of just feeding numbers into the QM-package, which imo seems like a total waste of a chance to learn. Anyway, most areas are covered with respect to both QM and Excel, which makes the non-existant Mac-support bareable.
So Much Better Than The University Bookstore.......2006-11-10
Wow! This brand new book cost $50 less than the same new book at my university bookstore! It was even cheaper than buying a used version of the book from the bookstore. The shipping was so fast, it arrived at my house the day after I ordered it! I'll be looking on Amazon.com for all my future text book purchases!! :)
Excellent introduction to the subject.......2006-02-28
I read this book as the assigned text for a course in Quantitative Analysis and found it to be an excellent text for such a class. Each Model and equation presented is explained through realistic examples, illustrations, and explanations of the math. This made the subject very easy to comprehend and apply to the real world.
Exercises at the end of each chapter are also based on real-world situations and case studies are included in the book and the CD that go into more detail about a real world use for each model.
The book was also easy to read and not overly technical when explaining mathematic concepts. An excellent text for an introduction to the field of management science.
Book Description
This fifth edition of the classic text, Strategic Management of Health Care Organizations, introduces strategic thinking, strategic planning, and strategic momentum to advanced undergraduate and graduate students as well as practitioners in the field of health care. It demonstrates how strategic managers can become strategic thinkers with the crucial skills to evaluate the changing environment, analyze data, question assumptions, and develop new ideas.Swayne, Duncan, and Ginter present methods to develop and document a plan of action through strategic planning and illustrate how, as managers attempt to carry out the strategic plan, they evaluate its success, learn more about what works, and incorporate new strategic thinking into future planning, strategy formulation, and situational analysis. They demonstrate how strategic management "maps " can provide the direction needed for successful implementation.In this new edition, all chapters have been revised and contain new or updated Introductory Incidents and Perspectives. Appendix A has been revised to match the new model of strategic thinking, planning, and managing the strategic momentum. Twenty real-life case studies, including nine new cases and three updated classics, present diverse strategic situations in an accessible manner that enhances the applicability of the concepts for students and professionals.The text is supported by PowerPoint slides and an Instructors ' Manual. Visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/swayne for details.
Customer Reviews:
Both conceptual and practical tools.......2007-04-11
This is an outstanding book. While naturally oriented to strategic management of health care it is also a comprehensive framework to strategic management in general. The book's layout is that of a university textbook but it is also written in an enjoyable style. I read this book as a practitioner and not a formal student and found it extremely readable and helpful. The authors present both conceptual and practical tools for strategic management.
Excellent book.......2006-12-14
I would highly recommend this book. It is easy to read, methodical in approach and provides a balance of relevant theory and application. A useful resource for any healthcare organization expanding its services within existin country or beyond.
Thanks extended to the authors...I look forward to other additions!!!
Excellent Book.......2004-03-03
I was fortunate enough to be a student of Linda Swaynes @ UNC Charlotte. We were the first class to use this book. Not only was Ms. Swayne excellent at what she taught but the book was a tool that explained the theories in nice detail. I continue to use the book as a resource. I am currently a hospital CEO.
Great balance of theory and practice.......2001-11-29
I used this text for a class in health care management. I was impressed by the readability of the text, the incredible amount of information it contained, and the great balance of theory with practical approaches. Many books about management are a bit short in the area of practical tools. This one gives you tools to work with. I used the outline of this book to do a strategic analysis of an organization with which I work. The only significant weakness of the book is the uneven quality of the case studies. These were contributed by outside authors. Some of these are terrific, others are not well written and not so helpful. Hope this gets corrected in the new edition.
A Must for the Novice Planner.......2000-07-27
This comprehensive and yet easily understood text provides the fundamentals of strategic management as it applies to most any health care organization. The authors' experience comes to life in a variety of real examples and cases throughout the text. My background and interest in strategic planning led me to thoroughly examine the step-by-step processes, and I was amazed at both the simplicity and applicability of each. Definetly a text that I will recommend to anyone entering the healthcare industry or strategic planning arenas. Not only was I benefited by the purchase of this text, but had the opportunity to meet these outstanding authors in person during graduate study/research.
Book Description
Are you looking for the perfect tool to guide you in today's fast paced business world? In STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: COMPETITIVENESS AND GLOBALIZATION you will discover a unique model that blends both new and old ideas resulting in a cutting edge, accurate and relevant text. Specific examples, models, and figures emphasize important points and make the text easy to understand.
Customer Reviews:
Good content; small font, fair illustrations.......2007-09-20
If you are looking for a graduate level introduction and explanation of strategic management concepts, this is a solid choice. If you expect nice illustrations for texts at this price point - and a readable font for those of us who can't handle small print - look elsewhere. Graduate textbook are expensive because we are a captive audience, and this book is lacking some of the nicer mechanical tools that other graduate texts have at its price range.
The material is laid out well, there aren't superfluous stories, and the progression is logical. I am likely to keep this book after the class is finished.
Review.......2007-03-10
the condition is so good but it takes quite long to be in my hand
A necessary evil - horrible writing.......2006-10-07
This book was a necessary evil for a capstone MBA class.
It contains information that could be useful to someone that hasn't looked at MBA texts before, but in my case I feel like "well duh! I already know this!"
To make things worse, there are factual errors in the book that make it frustrating to read.
Furthermore (having read all of the book) the writing and grammar is awful! Didn't anyone proof read this book?
Overall, I would say that this is an OK book so far as theory is concerned - but it was rushed to go into production which brings its redeeming qualities down.
Book Description
One of the key determinants of success for today’s high-technology companies is product strategy—and this guide continues to be the only book on product strategy written specifically for the 21st century high-tech industry. More than 250 examples from technological leaders including IBM, Compaq, and Apple—plus a new focus on growth strategies and on Internet businesses—define how high-tech companies can use product strategy and product platform strategy for competitiveness, profitability, and growth in the Internet age.
Customer Reviews:
very good - lots of examples.......2007-01-19
the Core Strategic Vision approach for determining strategy is interesting, and is a good framework to develop a realistic vision.
The boundaries test to determine whether your vision will deliver what you expect (it forces you to expect something!) is something companies can't forget.
And the vision of a set of product's as not only one offering, but as one containing a platform and its pre-planned offerings, with pricing strategy, is essential to get profits for a long time.
It is full with examples, specially from the software arena. Recommended.
Comprehensive coverage.......2006-03-12
This book offers a study of the strategic options for high tech firms. The coverage is wide and detailed. This is a great book.
A first approach to Product Strategy.......2006-01-31
A big number of business examples, and good explanation of concepts. A deeper vision could be found in another books about this subject, so in my oppinion this book could be a good starting point, not recomended for advanced IT product managers.
targeted for core products at large companies.......2004-05-22
I love this book: the concept of a "vector" for product
development is a terrific way to think about competition.
IMHO, this book is a must-read for all product managers,
product marketers and people involved in strategic decisions,
i.e. all senior executives.
That said, speaking as a five-time startup engineer, the advice
and examples in this book seem geared towards the core product
lines in larger companies, where you can credibly talk about
"two years from now" as opposed to wondering if you'll even be
in business, which is also the problem for new product lines at
large companies. The experience for the book comes from the
PRTM consulting firm, which was made famous for their work with
parallel product development at Intel. We hired them in the
early days at Inktomi, and found mixed success with their
process because we were terrified of immediate failure, and
they wanted to talk about version 3. Obviously, there's a
successful middle ground because Inktomi was a huge success in
the short term, but ultimately lost its strategic direction.
watch out cost to implement in ur office before do it.......2003-12-05
For example, author addressed the benefits to have a product platform strategy are focusing managemnet on key decision at the right time;enabling products to be deployed rapidly and consistently; encouraging a longer-term view of product strategy; leveraging significant operational efficiencies; helping management anticipate replacing a major product platform.
However, he may forget to remind readers that these require cost before enjoying the benefits, such as you need to hire a new tier of middle management if you company is too small to afford before; to establish the new channel capabilities to justify the investment on the platform bcz to access new markets; the IT system to calculate operation efficiencies such as engineering head count, material cost, and supply chain cost is also not cheap if you only have the option to use turn-key solution.....
It may be reasonable to equip product platform strategy only when benefits are greater than costs.
Books:
- de Kooning: An American Master
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- eBay Income: How Anyone of Any Age, Location, and/or Background Can Build a Highly Profitable Online Business with eBay
- eBay Income: How Anyone of Any Age, Location, and/or Background Can Build a Highly Profitable Online Business with eBay
- eBay Powerseller Secrets:Insider Tips from eBay's Most Successful Sellers
- eBay: The Missing Manual
- Economics of Regulation and Antitrust - 3rd Edition
- Essentials of Corporate Finance (Mcgraw-Hill/Irwin Series in Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate)
- Every Landlord's Tax Deduction Guide
- FLIP: How to Find, Fix, and Sell Houses for Profit
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- Creating Your Own Japanese Garden
- No Fear of Globalization: Welfare and Work For All
- The Cat's Meow: Purr-fect Quilts for Cat Lovers, 10th Anniversary Special Edition
- The Power of One
- Black Light
- A Field Guide to Reptiles & Amphibians of Eastern & Central North America
- Photoshop CS Savvy
- Shareholder or Stakeholder Value
- Tropical Animal: A Novel
Strategy & Competition
| Management & Leadership
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Crafting and Executing Strategy: Text and Readings with OLC with Premium Content Card (Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases)
Business and Society: Ethics and Stakeholder Management (with InfoTrac®)
Crafting and Executing Strategy with OLC access card
Crafting and Executing Strategy: Text and Readings with Online Learning Center with Premium Content Card
Financial Management: Theory and Practice with Thomson ONE
