Kellogg on Strategy

Creating and sustaining a profitable business requires close adherence to the fundamentals of business Strategy. Fortunately, the basics of business strategy can be boiled down to three simple principles: Firms must create value for their customers; they must fend off competition; and they must ensure that their strategic position endures. Kellogg on Strategy Continuing the tradition established with Kellogg on Marketing, this fourth book in the Kellogg series brings you the latest and best insight on modern business strategy. Written by David Dranove, Professor of Management and Strategy at the Kellogg School, and Sonia Marciano of the Harvard Business School and formerly of the Kellogg faculty, Kellogg on Strategy continues the tradition of sharing the knowledge and experience of Kellogg's esteemed faculty with practitioners everywhere. Instead of rehashing the basics of strategy, Kellogg on Strategy offers practical solutions and perspectives on choosing a strategy and putting it into action for those who already understand the underlying concepts. Executives, managers, and MBAs will find real guidance on strategy choice and application without wading through the low-level material found in a typical business school strategy primer. Setting aside business trends and buzzwords, the authors look at strategy without the hype. Every business is one-of-a-kind, so the tactics and templates here stress finding what's unique about your business and developing a strategy that will enhance that uniqueness—and help you profit from it. The book presents a four-step process for strategic analysis that helps you decide whether you should grow, downsize, enter new markets, dominate a niche, become an industry leader, drive rivals from the market, innovate rapidly, or imitate the competition. With examples from many of the world's top corporations, you'll learn what has worked for them and what will have the best chance of working for you. Using the specialized tools the authors provide, you'll discover how your company is really doing and craft a strategy to get you to your goals quicker—whatever those goals may be. With a proven framework for determining what your company needs and how to get there, Kellogg on Strategy moves well beyond the theoretical to present the practical, workable strategy solutions every company needs. Written for business executives and MBA students, Kellogg on Strategy is a practical guide to choosing the right strategy for your business and applying it correctly. Rather than covering the basics of strategy, this expert guide shows you how to use strategy effectively so your business can succeed. You'll learn to analyze your current competitive position, develop the perfect strategy to match your goals, and apply that strategy thoughtfully and effectively. Inside, you'll find expert guidance on: * Measuring your firm's competitive advantage * Analyzing opportunities and threats in your industry * Responding to a competitor's strategy and pricing * Coping with entry into new markets * Positioning your firm against the competition * Developing a sustainable, long-term competitive advantage * And much more