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Books About Differentiated Business Strategy

The full title of this book by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur is

Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers“.

In my review on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book a rating of Four Stars. This means that it is Good and Well Worth Reading.

Here is my book review.

More style than substance

This is a remarkable triumph of visual design. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a book like it before.

I have some criticisms about how easy it is to read and the fact that the content is more style over substance. For one thing, to create space for all the funky images, the words are in a small font. I was OK but I know that some people will struggle.

I really like the idea of the one page Business Model Canvas which is described as “a shared language for describing, visualising, assessing and changing business models.” It looks very useful to summarise your existing business model and for moving towards better ways to create, deliver and capture value. [continue reading…]

in Best Business Books

Value Above Cost by Donald Sexton

The full title of this book by Donald Sexton is

Value Above Cost: Driving Superior Financial Performance with CVA, the Most Important Metric You’ve Never Used

In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave it 3 Stars.

Here is my review.

An interesting link between marketing and finance

The book is about CVA. This is a registered trademark and it stands for Customer Value Added. This is Perceived Customer Value minus Variable Costs where perceived customer value is the maximum that the customer will pay for your product or service. This is not usually the actual price paid and nor is it the actual value delivered. [continue reading…]

in Other Business Books

The full title of this book by Thomas Nagle and Reed Holden is

The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing: A Guide to Profitable Decision Making“.

This book has been revised a number of times and my review refers specifically to the Third Edition. I have recently bought the Sixth Edition.

In my review posted to Amazon.co.uk, I rated this book at the Five Stars level. It is Excellent (perhaps Brilliant is a better word) and is Very Highly Recommended to anyone who has to make pricing decisions in a reasonable sized business.

Here is my book review.

A superb review of pricing theory

Pricing is where your strategy is either tested and proven or fails. It is very much where the rubber meets the road.

The authors, Thomas Nagle and Reed Holden expertly walk a fine line that makes “The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing” work both as an academic textbook for MBA level students on a pricing module and as a guide for the serious practitioner of pricing who makes real decisions in a business. [continue reading…]

in 3 – Your Strategic Positioning, 4 – Lead Generation, 5 – Lead Conversion, Best Business Books

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…]

in 3 – Your Strategic Positioning, Best Business Books

The full title of this book by David C. Swaddling and Charles Miller is

Customer Power: How to Grow Sales and Profits in a Customer-Driven Marketplace“.

In my review posted to Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book Four Stars. This means I think it is Good and Well Worth Reading.

Here is my book review.

Impressive book on customer perceived value

The book starts off by posing the question, why write another book about customers when there are already more than 900 thousand in print.

I’ve always thought it ironic how few books there are about customers when it is customers who decide whether a business will be successful. Their vote (with their money) is the only one that matters. [continue reading…]

in Best Business Books

Business Results Revolution by Sandy Richardson

The full title of this book by Sandy Richardson is

Business Results Revolution: Three Critical Questions and the Conversations That Transform Business Performance Every Day“.

In my review posted to Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book Four Stars. This means it is Good and Well Worth Reading.

Here is my book review.

Differentiate your business the right way

The author and I share similar views on what makes a business successful in terms of the need to differentiate your business by offering a unique value proposition and then making sure that deliver of that promise is embedded in the people and processes of the business.

The author’s approach is based on provided detailed answers to three questions:

1) Why do customers do business with you?
2) Why do your employees think your customers do business with you?
3) Are you sure? [continue reading…]

in Best Business Books

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…]

in 3 – Your Strategic Positioning, Best Business Books

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…]

in 3 – Your Strategic Positioning, Best Business Books

Understanding Michael Porter by Joan Magretta

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…]

in Best Business Books

The full title of this book by Cindy Barnes, Helen Blake & David Pinder is

Creating and Delivering Your Value Proposition: Managing Customer Experience for Profit“.

In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I rated this book as Four Stars. This means it is Good and Well Worth Reading.

Here is my book review.

A detailed look at value propositions for big companies

I’d better begin by clarifying what the authors mean by a value proposition because it may not be quite what you think if you use value proposition and unique selling point interchangeably.

The book says “A value proposition statement is a clear, compelling and credible expression of the experience that a customer will receive from a supplier’s measurably value-creating offering.” (page 22) [continue reading…]

in Best Business Books