by Paul Simister
on May 20, 2015
The full title of this book by AG Lafley and Roger Martin is
“Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works“.
In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book a rating of Four Stars. This means it is Good and Well Worth Reading.
Here is my book review.
Nice overview of strategy dominated by examples from Procter & Gamble
This takes a simple look at developing strategy based around answering five (not so easy) questions:
1) What do you want to achieve?
2) Where are you going to play?
3) How can you win?
4) How to improve/develop the core capabilities needed to win?
5) What management system is needed to make sure you win and to keep everything aligned?
[continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on May 19, 2015
The full title of this book by Joan Magretta is
“Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy“.
In my review on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book a rating of Four Stars. This means it is Good and Well Worth Reading.
Here is my book review.
An easy to understand introduction to the main strategy guru
Michael Porter shook up the world of strategy and big business with two books – Competitive Strategy in 1980 and Competitive Advantage in 1985.
Since then, he has become the established view and to often, other experts have tried to make their names by misrepresenting his work and arguing against these misrepresentations.
What’s covered in the book will be taught in every business school and it certainly was in my MBA studies although, by then, I’d read the original books. He fought back against his critics with a famous article in the Harvard Business Review called “What is Strategy” and also updated his five forces commentary in another article. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on May 8, 2014
The full title of this book by Richard Koch is
“The Star Principle: How it can make you rich“.
In my review on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book Four Stars. This means it is Good and Well Worth Reading.
Here is my book review.
Putting strategy into owning, investing or working in a business
In 1970, the Boston Consulting Group publicised a two-by-two matrix that became very famous in the business world and is known as the Growth-Share matrix.
Based on ratings on high and low across two dimensions, market growth rate and market share of a particular firm, it creates four categorisations:
1) High-high = Star
2) High share – low growth = Cash Cow
3) Low share – high growth = Question mark or problem child
4) Low – low = Dog
[continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on May 7, 2013
Competitive and Corporate Strategy by Cliff Bowman and David Faulkner
Book Review Rating – Five Stars
This is a terrific book.
I believe it may be the best book ever written about business strategy.
It is even better than Michael Porter’s exceptional books “Competitive Strategy” and “Competitive Advantage” which are very comprehensive but I don’t think anyone would describe them as “easy-reads”.
Is Competitive and Corporate Strategy Really That Good?
In my opinion, Yes.
I can’t imagine being without it and the ideas on the customer matrix and producer matrix have gone into my coaching with some variations. [continue reading…]
