Fundamental to management thinking and economic theory, Competitive Strategy offers a framework for understanding the underlying forces of competition in industry and business. This book explains the ideas, theories and principles of Competitive Strategy in simple, straightforward terms.

Introduction. Part I: Laying the Foundations of Competitive Strategy. Chapter 1: Gearing Up to Get Competitive. Chapter 2: Laying the Foundations of Strategy. Part II: Being Competitive. Chapter 3: Feeling the Effects of the Forces of Competition. Chapter 4: Scanning and Analysing Your Competitive Environment. Chapter 5: Looking to Leadership. Part III: Putting Strategic Management into Action. Chapter 6: Assessing Your Competition. Chapter 7: Appraising Investments. Chapter 8: Finessing Your Finances. Chapter 9: Matching Products and Services with Your Customers and Clients. Chapter 10: Putting Your Competition in Context. Part IV: Enhancing Your Competitive Strategy. Chapter 11: Pulling Together a Comprehensive Strategic Plan. Chapter 12: Defi ning and Establishing Organisation Structure and Culture. Chapter 13: Doing The Right Things: Ethics. Chapter 14: Wrangling with Risk. Part V: Looking Towards Your Future. Chapter 15: Venturing Into Mergers, Acquisitions and Takeovers. Chapter 16: Getting the Big Picture: Globalisation. Chapter 17: Pointing Your Company Towards the Future. Part VI: The Part of Tens. Chapter 18: Ten (Or So) Great Books on Competitive Strategy in Action. Chapter 19: Ten (Or So) Questions to Ask About Any Corporate Investment. Chapter 20: Ten Tips on Mergers and Acquisitions. Chapter 21: Ten (Or So) Top Ways to Manage Risk. Index.

Understand the fundamental forces of competition and gain a competitive edge Whether you're studying the subject, an experienced manager in need of a knowledge top-up or want to make your business more competitive, this book offers an accessible guide to the ideas, theories and principles of competitive strategy. Inside you'll find expert advice and practical real-life examples to help you assess the competitive environment, establish a competitive position and develop your strategy, enabling you to move quickly to spot and make the most of business opportunities and stay one step ahead. Understand the foundations and framework of competitive strategy – get to grips with the basics, understand the competitive environment and give yourself the best possible chance of becoming and remaining competitive Get competitive – understand how the forces of competition work in practice, how markets, customers and clients behave, assess finances and investments and learn how to spot the best opportunities and set yourself up to compete effectively Develop a competitive strategy – develop an appropriate organisational structure, assess and manage risk effectively, allocate resources and monitor, review and evaluate your strategy to remain competitive Plan for the future of your business – be aware of all the things you need to be a successful strategic business leader in today's competitive world and take advantage of outsourcing, project work, new markets and globalisation opportunities to build and maintain success Open the book and find: Clear definitions of competition and strategy Coverage of the work and research of Michael Porter Real-life examples to show how competition works in practice Practical explanations of the forces of competition Tips for becoming an effective leader or manager in today's business environment Expert guidance on establishing a clear competitive position in challenging times Advice on planning strategic management