by Paul Simister
on July 18, 2020
The full title of this book by Clayton M. Christensen and Michael E. Raynor is
The Innovator’s Solution: Creating and Sustaining Successful Growth
In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book a 5 Stars rating. This means it is Excellent.
Here is my book review.
An excellent book that makes powerful points about growth through innovation
This book is mainly written about giant companies who need to grow faster than the stock market expects in order to increase the share price.
As such, is this dilemma relevant to the small business market? The authors acknowledge they have written the book for big, established companies but state that the ideas will apply for start-up entrepreneurs. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on June 3, 2018
The full title of this book by Constantinos Markides is
All The Right Moves: A Guide to Crafting Breakthrough Strategy
In my review posted at Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book Five Stars. This means it is Excellent and Very Highly Recommended.
Here is my book review.
Should be seen as a classic strategy text
I bought this book when it came out and thought it was excellent.
I’ve recently gone back to it and hadn’t realised just how influencing it had been in my thinking about business strategy and development. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on November 1, 2017
The full title of this book by W Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne is
“Blue Ocean Shift: Beyond Competing – Proven Steps to Inspire Confidence and Seize New Growth“.
In my review at Amazon.co.uk, I rated the book at the FIVE Stars level, which means that I consider it to be excellent.
Here is what I posted.
A detailed how to guide for developing blue ocean strategies
I’ve been very impressed with the authors’ blue ocean thinking, ever since I read the early articles in the Harvard Business Review. I gave the Blue Ocean Strategy book a five star review.
When the revised Blue Ocean Strategy book was published several years ago, I appreciated the extended text and give it five stars again but I was a little disappointed as well. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on December 11, 2015
The full title of this classic strategy book by Michael E. Porter is
“Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors“.
In my review posted at Amazon.co.uk, I gave this book a rating of Five Stars. This means I think it is Excellent.
Here is my book review.
A classic strategy book that goes well beyond the five forces model
This is a classic business strategy text and is essential reading for anybody who has a serious interest in business strategy.
The book is written in three sections:
1 – General Analytical Techniques
2 – Generic Industry Environments
3 – Strategic Decisions
[continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on December 4, 2015
The full title of this important book by Michael Porter is
“Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance“.
In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave this book a rating of Five Stars. This means I think it is Excellent and is Very Highly Recommended to anyone with a deep interest in business strategy and how competitive advantage is created.
Here is my book review.
Very challenging but very rewarding if you’re interested in competitive advantage
I first read this book in 1990 when I realised strategy was the subject that combined (and reconciled) my interest in finance and marketing. I’d been very impressed with his book, “Competitive Strategy” and wanted to understand more about how you create competitive advantage through cost leadership, differentiation and focus. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on June 29, 2015
The full title of this mind-blowing book by Martin Reeves, Knut Haanaes and Janmejaya Sinha is
“Your Strategy Needs a Strategy: How to Choose and Execute the Right Approach“.
In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave this book Five Stars. This means I think it is Excellent and it is Very Highly Recommended.
Here is my book review.
A very helpful guide to making sense of the different ideas for how to “do strategy”
Kim Warren’s excellent book “The Trouble With Strategy” is a harsh criticism of how badly strategy has performed as an academic topic and as a professional service.
Too often new ideas have been introduced on the basis that older, more established ideas are wrong. Proper academic and real world subjects (like physics and engineering) build on what is accepted and only knock down and replace existing theory when there is strong evidence that old thoughts were wrong (e.g. the world is round). [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on June 8, 2015
The full title of this ground-breaking book on strategy by Richard D’Aveni with Robert Gunther is
“Hypercompetition: Managing the Dynamics of Strategic Maneuvering“.
In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave this book a rating of Five Stars. This means it is Excellent and Very Highly Recommended to the appropriate people.
Here is my book review.
A very important book that challenges the orthodoxy of strategic planning
This is a book I’ve wanted to read for many years and finally, in 2011 I did. Although it dates back to 1994 I’m very impressed about its ideas on strategy dynamics.
The view of business strategy presented in book is both scary and exciting.
The essence of strategy is building competitive advantage but in a world of hypercompetition, no competitive advantage is sustainable. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on June 3, 2015
The full title of this often overlooked strategy book by Shiv Mathur and Alfred Kenyon is
“Creating Value: Shaping Tomorrow’s Business“.
In my review at Amazon.co.uk, I rated this book as worthy of Five Stars. This means it is Excellent and Very Highly Recommended to appropriate readers.
Here is my book review.
A highly original look at how to differentiate products
This book could be the best strategy book you’ve never heard of.
It’s a fiercely original intellectual work which will challenge many of the traditional ways of thinking about business strategy. Unfortunately both authors have died so it can’t be updated beyond the second edition but Creating Value has lots of insight for any business strategist and especially anyone who is interested in differentiation.
It’s not the easiest of reads because it is so challenging to the mind. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on May 25, 2015
I gave the original version of Blue Ocean Strategy a five star review.
Blue Ocean Strategy Expanded Edition by W Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne
I’m happy to again give Five Stars to this updated version in my review posted on Amazon.co.uk. This means I think it is Excellent and Very Highly Recommended.
Yet I was left feeling disappointed. Read my review to find out why.
Even better and more comprehensive. A great guide to differentiation and finding new markets
I’ve been following the Blue Ocean approach since the authors started publishing articles in the Harvard Business Review in the late 1990s. Even though I had been introduced to some of the techniques before (and seen other versions of the strategy canvas elsewhere in the customer value literature), I loved the original book.
For me, the big question is whether this new version is worth buying if you already have the original? [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on May 23, 2015
I’ve been fascinated by the topic of differentiating a business or product/service for more than 20 years and I even have a separate blog called Differentiate Your Business.
Who Should Read This Book ?
- Business owners and entrepreneurs.
- Senior executives in big businesses.
- Product managers and marketing managers in big businesses.
- Business consultants, coaches and advisors.
Review Of Blue Ocean Strategy by W Chan Kim and Renee A Mauborgne
[continue reading…]
