What is Strategy - and does it matter? ^{2nd Ed.}

This is a strategy text with a difference. It is full of arguments, it has no easy prescriptions. It bombards you with different views and discrepant information. It warns you that not everybody thinks about strategy the way as you. It reflects the challenging world we live in, with its many cultural, political and social environments. It exposes you to the latest thinking about strategy and confronts you with key controversies. It considers the new industries of the twenty-first century and draws on the new economies. It will make you think differently. It gives no glib answers…

Now you know the risks, do you want to read on?

If so, you will discover four fundamentally different ways of thinking about strategy and will apply them to a wide range of key issues — from the challenges of leadership and change, to innovation and internationalization. You will learn from international examples — not just from America, but from across the world. You will examine strategy in 'new' businesses like e-commerce and genetic engineering, and in the 'new' markets of developing economies and the transitional societies of Russia and China. You will be updated on current theory — from complexity to real options — and will consider debates such as the industry structure approach vs the knowledge-based view.

1. What is strategy and does it matter?
   • Introduction
   • Profit and process in business strategy
   • The plan of the book
2. Theories of strategy
   • Introduction
   • The Classical approach to strategy
   • Evolutionary perspectives in strategy
   • Processual approaches to strategy
   • Systemic perspectives on strategy
   • Conclusions
3. Strategic leadership
   • Introduction
   • Visionary leadership
   • Business elites
   • Conclusions
4. Strategic choice
   • Introduction
   • Strategic investment decisions
   • Corporate planning
   • Conclusions
5. Growth strategies
   • Introduction
   • Innovation
   • Diversification, integration and takeovers
   • Internationalization
   • Conclusions
6. Managing strategy
   • Introduction
   • Strategy and structure
   • Strategic change
   • Conclusions
7. Does it matter?
   • Introduction
   • Managerial consequences
   • National policy consequences

This is a book that everyone that says they studied or are practitioning strategy should be forced to read. It is short, to the point and totally excellent!!

It describes strategy as it is, and discusses various schools of thought. It has grown from a short presentation to be totally mind-blowing.

Absolutely recommended reading.