Skip to main content

English

Published by FT Publishing International (November 7, 2013) © 2014

Vaughan Evans
    VitalSource eTextbook ( Lifetime access )
    €14,99
    ISBN-13: 9781292002804

    Financial Times Essential Guide to Developing a Business Strategy, The ,1st edition

    Access details

    • Instant access once purchased
    • Fulfilled by VitalSource

    Features

    • Add notes and highlights
    • Search by keyword or page

    Language: English

    Product Information

    Want to take your company to the next level?  You need a roadmap, a strategy.  Preferably one that is simple, workable and saleable.  This book provides you with just that.  It sets out a straightforward strategy development process, the ‘Strategy Pyramid’, and guides you through it.  It uses a lively central case study throughout, as well as drawing on examples of how real businesses have developed winning strategies.  Whether you are intent on growing your business, or setting out on your start-up, this book offers an uncomplicated, practical and readable guide on how to get the strategy you need for your business to succeed.

     

    It offers sound advice on the following areas:

    • Setting goals and objectives
    • Forecasting market demands
    • Gauging industry competition
    • Tracking competitive advantage
    • Targeting the strategic gap
    • Bridging the gap with business strategy
    • Bridging the gap with corporate strategy
    • Addressing risk and opportunity

    The FT Essential Guide to Developing a Business Strategy will help businesses of all sizes to chart and realise their growth ambitions.

    Introduction

    Why strategy?

    What is strategy?

    What is the output?

    What is the outcome?

    What is a strategic plan?

    What is strategic planning?

    The Strategy Pyramid

    Business vs corporate strategy

     

     

    Part One: Strategy Development

     

    1. Knowing Your Business  

    Identifying key segments

       Essential example: Apple’s saviour segments

    Segmentation in a start-up

       Essential case study: Extramural Ltd - the business

     

    2. Setting Goals and Objectives

    Setting long-term goals

    Essential example: Life at Mars

    Setting SMART objectives

       Essential case study: Extramural Ltd – goals and objectives

     

    3. Forecasting Market Demand  

    Sizing the market

    Forecasting market demand

       Essential tool: Moving averages

       Essential example: No wrap for the cinema

    Forecasting demand for a start-up

    Market demand risks and opportunities

       Essential case study: Extramural Ltd – market demand

     

    4. Gauging Industry Competition  

    Assessing competitive intensity

    Assigning customer purchasing criteria

    Deriving key success factors

    Essential tool: Economies of scale

    Essential example: Jessops is shuttered

    Gauging competition in a start-up

    Industry competition risks and opportunities

       Essential case study: Extramural Ltd – industry competition

     

    5. Tracking Competitive Advantage

    Rating competitive position

       Essential tool: Product/market risk

    Reviewing resources and capabilities

       Essential tool: The value chain

    Essential example: The everlasting Monsoon

    Creating competitive advantage in a start-up

       Essential example: Of diet, dance and detectives

    Essential case study: Extramural Ltd – competitive advantage

     

    6. Targeting the Strategic Gap

    Targeting the portfolio gap

    Targeting the capability gap

    Profiling the ideal player

    Specifying the target gap

    Essential example: Could Liverpool FC be champions again?

    Targeting the gap in a start-up

       Essential case study: Extramural Ltd – strategic gap

     

    7. Bridging the Gap: Business Strategy  

    Opting for a generic strategy

    Essential tool: The experience curve

    Strategic repositioning and shaping profit growth options

    Essential tool: Uncontested market space

    Making the strategic investment decision

       Essential example: Sainsbury’s fights back

    Bridging the gap for a start-up

    Business strategic risks and opportunities

       Essential case study: Extramural Ltd – business strategy

     

    8. Bridging the Gap: Corporate Strategy

    Optimising the corporate portfolio

    Essential tool: The growth/share matrix

    Creating value from mergers, acquisitions and alliances

    Essential tool: Parenting value

    Building strategically valuable resources

    Essential tool: Core competences

    Essential example: UU U-turn

    Corporate strategic risks and opportunities

       Essential case study: Extramural Ltd – corporate strategy

     

    9. Addressing Risk and Opportunity

    Reviewing plan in a market context

    Appraising opportunity versus risk

    Essential tool: Expected value and sensitivity analysis

    Essential example: Britney does it again

       Essential case study: Extramural Ltd – risk and opportunity

     

    Part Two: Strategic Planning