An article exploring how cost leadership, differentiation, focus and hybrid strategies can help organisations to compete successfully in their industry
This article explores the broad issues of corporate strategic choice, looking at the mix of businesses and geographical markets organisations can compete in, and how the strategies of individual business units can be co-ordinated and integrated into the corporate strategy.
Here we focus on the various directions of business growth, exploring internal growth and means of external development such as mergers, acquisitions and strategic alliances. We also take a look at downsizing strategies, such as demergers and disposals.
Porter’s ‘Competitive Advantage’ model argues that competitive advantage comes from selecting the generic strategy that best fits the organisation’s competitive environment, then managing value-adding practices to support the chosen strategy. We summarise the model and its limitations here.
Michael Porter’s Diamond Model can be used to understand the competitive position of an organisation in global competition. We profile the model’s key elements and its criticisms here.
A simple yet important strategy tool designed to measure an organisation’s future scope and direction.
Kenichi Ohmae is arguably Japan’s leading strategic thinker. His key area of expertise is the formulation of creative strategies and the development of organisational concepts to implement them. We profile his work here
Michael Goold and Andrew Campbell have produced a body of work on corporate level strategy and the linkages between business units. One of their key concepts is the ‘parenting advantage’ theory, which we examine here.
In 'Blue Ocean Strategy', W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne argue that the leading organisations of the future will succeed not by battling their rivals but instead by creating ‘blue oceans’ of uncontested market space. We profile the key points of their book here.
When we think of innovation we tend to think of products or new technologies. In 'The Future of Management', Gary Hamel suggests that organisations can gain competitive advantage by approaching their strategic planning and management processes from a similar angle as that used by the creators of modern icons such as the iPhone. This article looks at the principles behind management innovation.
Mergers and acquisitions are a popular and widely used method of strategic growth and development, yet they attract a high rate of failure. In this article we look at how a merger or acquisition can benefit an organisation, and some of the problems that can be encountered along the way.
The decision to incorporate mergers and acquisitions (M&As) into an organisation’s growth strategy is by no means the end of the process. Here we look how valuation, cost and finance are involved.
The language of mergers and acquisitions can be obscure and complicated. Here we look at the meaning behind some of the more commonly used phrases.
Merger and acquisition are both familiar words, often used together, and sometimes interchangeably. However, they are different umbrella terms for a range of growth strategies. Here we look at the different forms a merger or acquisition can take, as well as the all important organisational integration.
Mergers and acquisitions have long been thought to gather momentum during particular periods of time. The phenomenon, first noted in the US in the 1880s, has come to be known as ‘Merger Waves’. Here we look at the history of mergers and acquisitions and explore the reasons behind these waves.
This article explores L’Oreal’s corporate strategy, looking at the development strategies it employed to grow from its humble origins as a French hair care business to become the biggest beauty company in the world.
When Barclaycard was faced with a maturing market and economic recession, it had to respond fast. Here we explore the strategic options chosen by Barclaycard, which led to its rise as the UK’s largest credit card business.
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