Textbook Overview

Thoroughly revised and updated, the Sixth Edition of Contemporary Strategy Analysis:

  • Introduces students to the core concepts and principles of strategy, and offers them the tools they need to formulate and implement these
  • Features a new two-colour design throughout with high-spec artwork
  • Includes thorough coverage of internet-based strategies and fresh examples of resource-based competitive advantage
  • Contains additional case illustrations in every chapter and new self-study questions

Review:

“One of those rare strategy textbooks that combine rigor with relevance, provide insights into the determinants of business success, highlight the key points with colorful case examples and does all that in a clear manner that communicates the excitement of the subject matter! It is a superb book and deserves to be the standard textbook at every top business school—just like it is at London Business School.”
- Costas Markidas, London Business School

Contents

Please click on chapter titles to reveal detailed contents

    PART I   Introduction

  •  1. The Concept of Strategy
    • Introduction and objectives
    • The role of strategy in success
    • The basic framework for strategy analysis
    • A brief history of business strategy
    • Strategic management today
    • The role of analysis in strategy formulation
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes

    PART II   The Tools of Strategy Analysis

  •  2. Goals, Values, and Performance
    • Introduction and objectives
    • Strategy as a quest for value
    • Strategy and real options
    • Putting performance analysis into practice
    • Beyond profit: values and social responsibility
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes
  •  3. Industry Analysis: The Fundamentals
    • Introduction and objectives
    • From environmental analysis to industry analysis
    • The determinants of industry profit: demand and competition
    • Analyzing industry attractiveness
    • Applying industry analysis
    • Defining industries: where to draw the boundaries
    • From industry attractiveness to competitive advantage: identifying key success factors
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes
  •  4. Further Topics in Industry and Competitive Analysis
    • Introduction and objectives
    • Extending the five forces framework
    • The contribution of game theory
    • Competitor analysis
    • Segmentation analysis
    • Strategic groups
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes
  •  5. Analyzing Resources and Capabilities
    • Introduction and objectives
    • The role of resources and capabilities in strategy formulation
    • The resources of the firm
    • Organizational capabilities
    • Appraising resources and capabilities
    • Putting resource and capability analysis to work: a practical guide
    • Developing resources and capabilities
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Appendix: Knowledge management and the knowledge based view of the firm
    • Notes
  •  6. Organization Structure and Management Systems
    • Introduction and objectives
    • The evolution of the corporation
    • The organizational problem: reconciling specialization with coordination and cooperation
    • Hierarchy in organizational design
    • Applying the principles of organizational design
    • Alternative structural forms
    • Management systems for coordination and control
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes

    PART III   The Analysis of Competitive Advantage

  •  7. The Nature and Sources of Competitive Advantage
    • Introduction and objectives
    • The emergence of competitive advantage
    • Sustaining competitive advantage
    • Competitive advantage in different market settings
    • Types of competitive advantage: cost and differentiation
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes
  •  8. Cost Advantage
    • Introduction and objectives
    • Strategy and cost advantage
    • The sources of cost advantage
    • Using the value chain to analyze costs
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes
  •  9. Differentiation Advantage
    • Introduction and objectives
    • The nature of differentiation and differentiation advantage
    • Analyzing differentiation: the demand side
    • Analyzing differentiation: the supply side
    • Bringing it all together: the value chain in differentiation analysis
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes

    PART IV   Business Strategies in Different Industry Contexts

  •  10. Industry Evolution and Strategic Change
    • Introduction and objectives
    • The industry life cycle
    • Structure, competition, and success factors over the life cycle
    • Organizational adaptation and change
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes
  •  11. Technology-based Industries and the Management of Innovation
    • Introduction and objectives
    • Competitive advantage in technology-intensive industries
    • Strategies to exploit innovation: how and when to enter
    • Competing for standards
    • Implementing technology strategies: creating the conditions for innovation
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes
  •  12. Competitive Advantage in Mature Industries
    • Introduction and objectives
    • Competitive advantage in mature industries
    • Strategy implementation in mature industries: structure, systems, and style
    • Strategies for declining industries
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes

    PART V   Corporate Strategy

  •  13. Vertical Integration and the Scope of the Firm
    • Introduction and objectives
    • Transaction costs and the scope of the firm
    • The costs and benefits of vertical integration
    • Designing vertical relationships
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes
  •  14. Global Strategies and the Multinational Corporation
    • Introduction and objectives
    • Implications of international competition for industry analysis
    • Analyzing competitive advantage in an international context
    • Applying the framework: international location of production
    • Applying the framework: foreign entry strategies
    • Multinational strategies: globalization versus national differentiation
    • Strategy and organization within the multinational corporation
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes
  •  15. Diversification Strategy
    • Introduction and objectives
    • Trends in diversification over time
    • Motives for diversification
    • Competitive advantage from diversification
    • Diversification and performance
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Appendix:Does diversification confer market power?
    • Notes
  •  16. Managing the Multibusiness Corporation
    • Introduction and objectives
    • The structure of the multibusiness company
    • The role of corporate management
    • Managing the corporate portfolio
    • Managing individual businesses
    • Managing internal linkages
    • Leading change in the multibusiness corporation
    • Summary
    • Self-study questions
    • Notes
  •  17. Current Trends in Strategic Management
    • Introduction
    • Trends in the external environment of business
    • New directions in strategic thinking
    • Redesigning the organization
    • New modes of leadership
    • Summary
    • Notes

Sample Chapters

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We’ve selected four sample chapters from Contemporary Strategy Analysis to wet your appetite and provide a glimpse of what you can expect from the new Sixth Edition.

The following sample chapters are available from Contemporary Strategy Analysis 6th edition:

Ch. 1 - The Concept of Strategy
Ch. 5 - Analyzing Resources and Capabilities
Ch. 13 - Vertical Integration and the Scope of the Firm
Ch. 17 - Current Trends in Strategic Management

Podcast

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For this 6th Edition Robert Grant has recorded an exclusive Podcast to accompany the final chapter of the book: Current Trends in Strategic Management. This recording is available as a download for your mp3 player or to play on your pc in three different formats:


Audio-only file: this will open in your default media player
(mp3 file, 9MB, 19mins 41 secs)
If you are using the audio-only version you may also want to download the accompanying powerpoint slides

Enhanced audio file: including powerpoint slides, you will need iTunes installed to run this file.
(m4a file,10.5MB, 19mins 41 secs)

Video file: Save the file to your computer by right clicking and selecting "save target as". Run the file in iTunes or QuickTime.
(mp4 file, 17.2 MB,19mins 41 secs including powerpoint slides).