Includes 10 handy do's and don'ts of strategy development

· Need powerful decision-making tools at your fingertips?

· Want to get the most out of strategic thinking models like Porter's Five Forces?

· Only want what you need to know, rather than reams of theory?

With the critical strategy tools required to drive your business forward, this book tells you what you need to know, fast.

Vaughan Evans is an independent strategy consultant with a background in industry economics. He worked at management and technology consultants Arthur D. Little and at investment bank Bankers Trust. Vaughan graduated from Cambridge and has a Sloan Fellowship with distinction from London Business School. He is the author of four previous books, including the best-selling Financial Times Essential Guide to Writing a Business Plan.

• About the author
• Publisher's acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Top 10 Dos and Don'ts of Strategy Development
• 1. Identifying key segments: Using it: IBM
• 2. Setting long-term goals: Using it: Virgin Galactic
• 3. Setting SMART objectives: Using it: the BBC
• 4. Core Ideology (Collins and Porras): Using it: Sony
• 5. The HOOF approach to demand forecasting (Evans): Using it: Apps
• 6. The five forces (Porter): Using it: Blockbuster
• 7. Rating competitive position: Using it: Samuel Adams
• 8. The resource and capability strengths/importance matrix (Grant): Using it: Virgin Group
• 9. The value chain (Porter): Using it: Zara
• 10. The product/market matrix (Ansoff): Using it: Virgin Cola
• 11. The attractiveness/advantage matrix (GE/McKinsey): Using it: Extramural Ltd
• 12. The growth/share matrix (BCG): Using it: Extramural Ltd
• 13. Three generic strategies (Porter): Using it: Southwest Airlines
• 14. The experience curve (BCG): Using it: Energy technologies
• 15. Blue ocean strategy (Kim and Mauborgne): Using it: Cirque du Soleil
• 16. Optimising the corporate portfolio: Using it: Extramural Ltd
• 17. Creating value through mergers, acquisitions and alliances: Using it: Lloyds Banking Group
• 18. Creating parenting value (Goold, Campbell and Alexander): Using it: Oil company mineral resources
• 19. Core competences (Hamel and Prahalad): Using it: Red Bull
• 20. Deliberate and Emergent Strategy (Mintzberg): Using it: Facebook
• 21. Profit from the core (Zook): Using it: Marvel Entertainment
• 22. Disruptive technologies (Christensen): Using it: Toyota
• 23. Good strategy, bad strategy (Rumelt): Using it: Wal-Mart
• 24. Innovation hot spots (Gratton): Using it: Linux
• 25. The Suns & Clouds Chart (Evans): Using it: Madonna
• Conclusion
• 10 Useful Strategy Books to Read Next
• Glossary of terms
• References and Further Reading
• Index