Foundations in strategic management

Discover the most important theories and views in strategic management today with this concise, yet thorough, text. Harrison/St. John's FOUNDATIONS IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT, Fifth Edition, addresses the most recent changes in today's business environment, including many topics that other strategic management texts often miss. Engaging examples from today's leading firms build on the book's traditional foundation in strategic theory. This edition emphasizes strategizing in the global arena as well as contemporary ethics with valuable content that makes it an indispensable resource for your immediate and long-term success in strategic management.

• Chapter 1 The Strategic Management Process p. 2
• Strategy in Focus: IBM p. 3
• What is Strategic Management? p. 4
• External and Internal Environmental Analysis p. 4
• Strategic Leadership and Strategic Direction p. 6
• Business and Corporate Strategy Formulation p. 7
• Strategy Implementation and Control p. 8
• Strategy Restructuring p. 9
• Alternative Perspectives on Strategy Development p. 9
• Determinism versus Enactment p. 9
• Deliberate versus Emergent Strategy Formulation p. 10
• The Resource-Based View of the Firm p. 11
• Stakeholder Analysis and Management p. 12
• Global Strategic Management p. 14
• A Combined Approach p. 15
• Strategic Thinking and Entrepreneurship p. 16
• Key Points Summary p. 18
• References p. 18
• Chapter 2 The External Environment p. 22
• Strategy in Focus: China p. 23
• The Broad Environment p. 25
• Sociocultural Forces p. 25
• Economic Forces p. 27
• Technological Forces p. 28
• Political/Legal Forces p. 29
• The Task Environment p. 30
• Competitive Forces p. 30
• Customers p. 30
• Suppliers p. 32
• Existing Competitors p. 32
• Potential Competitors/Entry Barriers p. 33
• Indirect Competitors/Substitutes p. 35
• Other Factors p. 35
• Using the Five Forces Analysis p. 36
• Partnerships and Social Networks p. 36
• Global Business Environments p. 40
• Evaluating a Foreign Investment Environment p. 40
• Competitive Advantages of Nations p. 41
• Key Points Summary p. 42
• References p. 43
• Chapter 3 Organizational Resources and Competitive Advantage p. 46
• Strategy in Focus: Amazon.com p. 47
• The Strategic Value of Internal Resources and Capabilities p. 48
• Sustainable Competitive Advantage p. 48
• Resource Interconnectedness p. 50
• Human Resources p. 51
• Physical Resources p. 53
• Financial Resources p. 54
• Knowledge and Learning Resources p. 56
• General Organizational Resources p. 57
• Resource Analysis and the Development of Strategy p. 59
• Value Chain Analysis p. 59
• Key Points Summary p. 61
• References p. 62
• Chapter 4 Strategic Leadership and Strategic Direction p. 64
• Strategy in Focus: Colgate-Palmolive p. 65
• Strategic Leadership p. 66
• Primary leadership Responsibilities p. 66
• Effective Strategic Leaders p. 67
• Top Management Teams p. 68
• Corporate Governance and Agency p. 69
• Strategic Direction p. 71
• Influences on Strategic Direction p. 72
• Organizational Mission and Vision Statements p. 74
• Business Definition p. 75
• Organizational Values and Purpose p. 76
• Key Points Summary p. 82
• References p. 83
• Chapter 5 Business-Level Strategies p. 86
• Strategy in Focus: Wal-Mart p. 87
• Generic Business-Level Strategies p. 89
• Differentiation p. 89
• Low-Cost Leadership p. 90
• High Capacity Utilization p. 91
• Economies of Scale p. 91
• Technological Advances p. 91
• Experience Effects p. 92
• Best Cost p. 93
• Focus p. 94
• Competitive Tactics p. 95
• Growth Strategies p. 95
• Offensive Tactics p. 96
• Aggressive Competition p. 96
• First-Mover Advantages p. 97
• Defensive Tactics p. 97
• Threat of Retaliation p. 97
• Barriers to Imitation p. 97
• Collaborative Tactics p. 98
• Political Tactics p. 98
• Avoidance (Blue Ocean) Tactics p. 99
• Strategic Flexibility p. 99
• Interdependence of Generic and Competitive Strategies p. 100
• Strategies in an International Context p. 100
• International Growth Tactics p. 100
• Busines-Level Strategies in Multiple International Markets p. 101
• Changes in Strategy Over Time p. 103
• Key Points Summary p. 106
• References p. 107
• Chapter 6 Corporate Strategies p. 110
• Strategy in Focus: Tata Group p. 111
• Development of Corporate Strategy p. 112
• Single Business/Concentration p. 113
• Vertical Integration p. 114
• Diversification Strategies p. 116
• Unrelated Diversification p. 116
• Related Diversification p. 117
• Diversification Methods p. 119
• Internal Ventures p. 119
• Mergers and Acquisitions p. 120
• Strategic Alliances and Joint Ventures p. 122
• Portfolio Management p. 124
• Boston Consulting Group Matrix p. 124
• The General Electric Business Screen p. 126
• Key Points Summary p. 128
• References p. 128
• Chapter 7 Strategy Implementation p. 132
• Strategy in Focus: Hewlett-Packard p. 133
• Functional Strategies p. 134
• Marketing Strategy p. 135
• Operations Strategy p. 138
• Research and Development Strategy p. 139
• Human Resources Strategy p. 139
• Financial Strategy p. 140
• Information Systems Strategy p. 141
• Organizational Structure p. 142
• Standard Structural Forms p. 143
• More Complex Structures p. 146
• Foreign Subsidiaries p. 147
• Organizational Culture and Energy p. 148
• Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship p. 149
• Key Points Summary p. 151
• References p. 152
• Chapter 8 Strategic Control and Restructuring p. 154
• Strategy in Focus: U.S. Bank Regulation p. 155
• Strategic Control Systems p. 156
• Feedback Controls p. 158
• Establishment of Broad Goals p. 160
• Identification of Key Result Areas p. 160
• Establishment of Specific Targets and Time Frames p. 161
• Assignment of Responsibility p. 161
• Development of an Action Plan p. 161
• Accountability and Review p. 162
• Concurrent Controls p. 162
• Feedforward Controls p. 163
• Comprehensive Strategic Control Systems p. 164
• Strategic Restructuring p. 166
• Refocusing Corporate Assets p. 167
• Retrenchment p. 168
• Chapter XI Reorganization p. 168
• Leveraged Buyouts p. 169
• Structural Reorganization p. 170
• Dealing with Economic Cycles p. 170
• Key Points Summary p. 172
• References p. 173
• Appendix Preparing a Strategic Analysis p. 176
• Structuring an Environmental Analysis p. 177
• Industry Analysis p. 177
• External Stakeholders and the Broad Environment p. 178
• Factors that Influence Demand and Cost Structures p. 178
• Strategic Issues Facing the Industry p. 180
• Structuring an Organizational Analysis p. 181
• Evaluation of the Internal Environment p. 181
• Identification of Resources and Capabilities p. 182
• Evaluation of Strategies p. 182
• Identification of Sources of Competitive Advantage p. 182
• Developing a Strategic Plan p. 183
• Strategic Direction and Major Strategies p. 183
• Evaluation of Opportunities and Recommendations p. 184
• Implementation and Control p. 186
• A Note to Students p. 186
• Index p. 188