First clear definition of modern competition.

D'Aveni manages to convey and explain the current competitive environment. Why nobody has defined it so easily before, I don't understand (everything is simple after you've had it explained to you).

The great thing about D'Aveni, is that he in principle challenges the Porter's and Ansoff's of this world, and explains that competition today is intense, not very well-ordered and competitive advantages is fleeting and has to be constantly renewed. In short, this is the first book in Strategy that I've read and immediately felt at home with. You can't loose, buy it, read it and contemplate it. If you don't agree with its main theme, you're probably of a dying breed of managers, otherwise you need this book to make sense of the competitive landscape of today.