The End of Competitive Advantage
The End of Competitive Advantage

Author: Rita Gunther McGrath

Publisher: Harvard Business Press

Published: 2013-05-14

Total Pages: 230

ISBN-13: 1422191419

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Are you at risk of being trapped in an uncompetitive business? Chances are the strategies that worked well for you even a few years ago no longer deliver the results you need. Dramatic changes in business have unearthed a major gap between traditional approaches to strategy and the way the real world works now. In short, strategy is stuck. Most leaders are using frameworks that were designed for a different era of business and based on a single dominant idea—that the purpose of strategy is to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Once the premise on which all strategies were built, this idea is increasingly irrelevant. Now, Columbia Business School professor and globally recognized strategy expert Rita Gunther McGrath argues that it’s time to go beyond the very concept of sustainable competitive advantage. Instead, organizations need to forge a new path to winning: capturing opportunities fast, exploiting them decisively, and moving on even before they are exhausted. She shows how to do this with a new set of practices based on the notion of transient competitive advantage. This book serves as a new playbook for strategy, one based on updated assumptions about how the world works, and shows how some of the world’s most successful companies use this method to compete and win today. Filled with compelling examples from “growth outlier” firms such as Fujifilm, Cognizant Technology Solutions, Infosys, Yahoo! Japan, and Atmos Energy, The End of Competitive Advantage is your guide to renewed success and profitable growth in an economy increasingly defined by transient advantage.

Beyond Great
Beyond Great

Author: Arindam Bhattacharya

Publisher: PublicAffairs

Published: 2020-10-06

Total Pages: 275

ISBN-13: 1541757157

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Great is no longer good enough. Beyond Great delivers a powerful new playbook of 9 core strategies to thrive in a post-COVID world where all the rules of the game are being re-written. Beyond Great answers to two fundamental questions which face business leaders today in a world shaped by daunting and disruptive technological, economic, and social change. First, what is outstanding performance in this new volatile era? Second, how do we build competitive advantage in a world with new and often uncertain rules? Supported by years of research and hands-on consulting practice, this book presents a comprehensive framework for building a high performing, resilient, adaptive, and socially responsible global company. The book begins by taking an incisive look at these disruptive forces transforming globalization, including economic nationalism; the boom in data flows and digital commerce; the rise of China; heightened public concerns about capitalism and the environment; and the emergence of borderless communities of digitally connected consumers. Distilled from the study of hundreds of companies and interviews with dozens of business leaders, the authors have distilled nine core strategies – the new winning playbook of the 21st century. Beyond Great argues that business leaders today must lead with a new kind of openness, flexibility and light-footedness, constantly layering in new strategies and operational norms atop existing ones to allow for "always-on" transformation. Leaders must master a whole new set of rules about what it takes to be "global," becoming shapeshifters adept at handling contradiction, multiplicity, and nuance. This book will show them how.

Competitive Advantage
Competitive Advantage

Author: Michael E. Porter

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2008-06-30

Total Pages: 474

ISBN-13: 1416595848

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Now beyond its eleventh printing and translated into twelve languages, Michael Porter’s The Competitive Advantage of Nations has changed completely our conception of how prosperity is created and sustained in the modern global economy. Porter’s groundbreaking study of international competitiveness has shaped national policy in countries around the world. It has also transformed thinking and action in states, cities, companies, and even entire regions such as Central America. Based on research in ten leading trading nations, The Competitive Advantage of Nations offers the first theory of competitiveness based on the causes of the productivity with which companies compete. Porter shows how traditional comparative advantages such as natural resources and pools of labor have been superseded as sources of prosperity, and how broad macroeconomic accounts of competitiveness are insufficient. The book introduces Porter’s “diamond,” a whole new way to understand the competitive position of a nation (or other locations) in global competition that is now an integral part of international business thinking. Porter's concept of “clusters,” or groups of interconnected firms, suppliers, related industries, and institutions that arise in particular locations, has become a new way for companies and governments to think about economies, assess the competitive advantage of locations, and set public policy. Even before publication of the book, Porter’s theory had guided national reassessments in New Zealand and elsewhere. His ideas and personal involvement have shaped strategy in countries as diverse as the Netherlands, Portugal, Taiwan, Costa Rica, and India, and regions such as Massachusetts, California, and the Basque country. Hundreds of cluster initiatives have flourished throughout the world. In an era of intensifying global competition, this pathbreaking book on the new wealth of nations has become the standard by which all future work must be measured.

Branding and Sustainable Competitive Advantage
Branding and Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Author: Avinash Kapoor

Publisher:

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781613501719

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"This book explores the processes involved in managing brands for long-term sustainable competitive advantage, helping readers better understand the importance of consumers' perceptions in brand management"--Provided by publisher.

Building Sustainable Competitive Advantage
Building Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Author: Dhirendra Kumar

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-03-03

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 131717089X

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In Building Sustainable Competitive Advantage Dhirendra Kumar shows how the Enterprise Excellence (EE) philosophy is a holistic approach for leading an enterprise to total excellence. It does this by focussing on achieving sustainable significant growth in revenue and profitability, reducing the business cycle time, strategically managing the enterprise risk and focusing on the needs of the customer. There may be various organizations within an enterprise but they must all focus on meeting or exceeding customer needs. Therefore, EE is an integrated approach affecting every employee, every functional area and strategy within the organization. Enterprise risk must be identified, assessed and prioritized; developing a growth strategy proposal which leadership has to execute in order to achieve goals. As business leaders spearhead the efforts, they must minimize, monitor and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events and maximize the realization of opportunities. The achievements in Enterprise Excellence can range from greater cost efficiencies, improved market perceptions, fundamental changes to markets, to new product and service offerings. There may also be significant upgrades in skills, technology, and business strategies. The scope of Enterprise Excellence can also range from operations activities, to business functions, to overall organization and to the enterprise as a whole. Building Sustainable Competitive Advantage is a comprehensive reference book for practising professionals, teaching faculty, and students alike.

Practical Sustainability Strategies
Practical Sustainability Strategies

Author: Nikos Avlonas

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2013-12-16

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781118250440

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Strategies that enable organizations to succeed as businesses and as responsible corporate citizens Based on the authors' many years of research and hands-on experience, this book provides tested and proven practical strategies that make it possible for organizations to develop, maintain, or extend their competitive advantage without causing harm to the environment and society. Moreover, it explains how to set goals and objectives and then monitor, measure, and report on progress towards achieving corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability. Most importantly, readers will discover that this can all be accomplished while, at the same time, improving bottom-line profitability. Practical Sustainability Strategies: How to Gain a Competitive Advantage is divided into four parts: Part 1, Introduction to Sustainability, underscores the urgency for organizations to adopt and develop sustainable practices Part 2, Sustainable Strategies, details numerous strategies that have been proven to work, including environmental innovation through biomimicry, green buildings, and green chemistry Part 3, Tools and Metrics, offers practical information on implementing strategies and measuring sustainability and reporting, including global standards and guidelines for managing sustainability, life-cycle analysis, carbon and water footprints such as GRI, GHG Protocol, UN Global Compact Part 4, Conclusion, provides an expert forecast of the future of sustainability Case studies based on the authors' research and fieldwork illustrate how leading companies have implemented each of the sustainability strategies discussed in the book. There's also an appendix with additional case studies exploring various aspects of business practices and sustainability. Practical Sustainability Strategies is ideal as a graduate textbook as well as a reference for business managers. All readers will not only gain a greater appreciation for sustainable development, but also the skills needed to integrate sustainability into all aspects of their organization's business practices.

Beyond Performance
Beyond Performance

Author: Scott Keller

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2011-06-01

Total Pages: 302

ISBN-13: 1118097467

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The secret of achieving and sustaining organizational excellence revealed In an ever-changing world where only a third of excellent organizations stay that way over the long term, and where even fewer are able to implement successful change programs, leaders are in need of big ideas and new tools to thrive. In Beyond Performance, McKinsey & Company's Scott Keller and Colin Price give you everything you need to build an organization that can execute in the short run and has the vitality to prosper over the long term. Drawing on the most exhaustive research effort of its kind on organizational effectiveness and change management, Keller and Price put hard science behind their big idea: that the health of an organization is equally as important as its performance. In the book's foreword, management guru Gary Hamel refers to this notion as "a new manifesto for thinking about organizations." The authors illustrate why copying management best practices from other companies is more dangerous than helpful Clearly explains how to determine the mutually reinforcing combination of management practices that best fits your organization's context Provides practical tools to achieve superior levels of performance and health through a staged change process: aspire, assess, architect, act, and advance. Among these are new techniques for dealing with those aspects of human behavior that are seemingly irrational (and therefore confound even the smartest leaders), yet entirely predictable Ultimately, building a healthy organization is an intangible asset that competitors copy at their peril and that enables you to skillfully adapt to and shape your environment faster than others—giving you the ultimate competitive advantage.

Operations Management for Business Excellence
Operations Management for Business Excellence

Author: David Gardiner

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-10-28

Total Pages: 452

ISBN-13: 0429643888

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All businesses strive for excellence in today’s technology-based environment in which customers want solutions at the touch of a button. This highly regarded textbook provides in-depth coverage of the principles of operations and supply chain management and explains how to design, implement, and maintain processes for sustainable competitive advantage. This text offers a unique combination of theory and practice with a strategic, results-driven approach. Now in its fourth edition, Operations Management for Business Excellence has been updated to reflect major advances and future trends in supply chain management. A new chapter on advanced supply chain concepts covers novel logistics technology, information systems, customer proximity, sustainability, and the use of multiple sales channels. As a platform for discussion, the exploration of future trends includes self-driving vehicles, automation and robotics, and omnichannel retailing. Features include: A host of international case studies and examples to demonstrate how theory translates to practice, including Airbus, Hewlett Packard, Puma, and Toyota. A consistent structure to aid learning and retention: Each chapter begins with a detailed set of learning objectives and finishes with a chapter summary, a set of discussion questions and a list of key terms. Fully comprehensive with an emphasis on the practical, this textbook should be core reading for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students of operations management and supply chain management. It would also appeal to executives who desire an understanding of how to achieve and maintain ‘excellence’ in business. Online resources include lecture slides, a glossary, test questions, downloadable figures, and a bonus chapter on project management.

Connected Strategy
Connected Strategy

Author: Nicolaj Siggelkow

Publisher: Harvard Business Press

Published: 2019-04-30

Total Pages: 158

ISBN-13: 1633697010

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Business Models for Transforming Customer Relationships What if there were a way to turn occasional, sporadic transactions with customers into long-term, continuous relationships--while simultaneously driving dramatic improvements in operational efficiency? What if you could break your existing trade-offs between superior customer experience and low cost? This is the promise of a connected strategy. New forms of connectivity--involving frequent, low-friction, customized interactions--mean that companies can now anticipate customer needs as they arise, or even before. Simultaneously, enabled by these technologies, companies can create new business models that deliver more value to customers. Connected strategies are win-win: Customers get a dramatically improved experience, while companies boost operational efficiency. In this book, strategy and operations experts Nicolaj Siggelkow and Christian Terwiesch reveal the emergence of connected strategies as a new source of competitive advantage. With in-depth examples from companies operating in industries such as healthcare, financial services, mobility, retail, entertainment, nonprofit, and education, Connected Strategy identifies the four pathways--respond-to-desire, curated offering, coach behavior, and automatic execution--for turning episodic interactions into continuous relationships. The authors show how each pathway creates a competitive advantage, then guide you through the critical decisions for creating and implementing your own connected strategies. Whether you're trying to revitalize strategy in an established company or disrupt an industry as a startup, this book will help you: Reshape your connections with your customers Find new ways to connect with existing suppliers while also activating new sources of capacity Create the right revenue model Make the best technology choices to support your strategy Integrating rich examples, how-to advice, and practical tools in the form of "workshop chapters" throughout, this book is the ultimate resource for creating competitive advantage through connected relationships with your customers and redefined connections in your industry.

A Thousand Shades of Green
A Thousand Shades of Green

Author: Pieter Winsemius

Publisher: Earthscan

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 267

ISBN-13: 1849770336

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'What does it mean for the environment?' is a strategic corollary of almost any significant business decision today, and companies must take seriously their responsibilities to regulators, customers, employees and the wider society. A Thousand Shades of Green is aimed at business leaders in need of a clear understanding of the key corporate environmental challenges and the insight and vision to meet them - imperatives such as engaging stakeholders and developing partnerships, understanding the policy-making process, forming corporate responses and drafting environmental management strategies - with the promise of genuine competitive advantage for their companies. Drawing on their extensive consultancy experience with some of the most progressive companies around the world, the authors examine why and how businesses must confront the rapidly developing agenda set by environmental constraints and social and regulatory pressure. They identify the corporate environmental challenge with that of change management and advocate a recognition that there is no single strategy or endgame applicable to all companies - there are a thousand shades of green. Only by pursuing thorough, reflective, consistent, competitive and proactive strategies will businesses be able to avoid being embroiled in costly and complex reactive approaches.