Description
Book SynopsisDavide Sola is professor of Strategy and Management at ESCP Europe and visiting faculty at Business School in Finland, India and Italy. He is also a Principal at 3H Partners, who work with multinational organisations and governments in Europe, US and Africa.
Jerome Couturier is an associate professor of strategy and management at ESCP Europe. He is the author of several articles, policy papers, book chapters, case studies and papers presented at international management conferences. He is also co-founder and president of 3H Partners
Trade Review ‘Quite a tour de force! Davide Sola and Jerome Couturier have managed to produce a thoughtful and practical strategy handbook, full of step-by-step advice and concrete examples. A must read - and a must use - for any leader eager to position their business for success.’
Hubert Joly, President and Chief Executive Officer, Best Buy Co., Inc.
‘Finally... a clear and comprehensive guide that sets out, step by step, how to create a compelling and actionable strategy. This book is a must read for anyone who needs to create a strategic plan and then execute it! The book gives straightforward and practical advice on how to think and act strategically. Best of all, it is written in plain English and not full of impenetrable business speak.’
Andy Ransom, Chief Executive Officer, Rentokil
‘With strategy, timing is everything. This book is a reminder that strategic thinking is the first step to change management and success. It makes it clear that strategic thinking should not be daunting compared to the other day to day challenges we all face; it might even make those challenges easier! I love it, it helps me to clarify and structure my entrepreneurial ideas.”
Eric Babolat, President and Chief Executive Officer, Babolat
" The authors are masters at integrating deep strategic thinking with wisdom and actionability. Clear, concise, effective, brillant!"
Gianemilio Osculati, CEO of Wealth Management at SanPaolo Assicura
‘This is a truly inspirational book which clearly sets out the steps to strategic success. It is a very useful tool for managing in the current very uncertain strategic context.’
Nicolas Petrovic, Chief Executive Officer, Eurostar
‘In a sea of very useful frameworks and great cases about strategy, what really strikes me is the lean testing methodology which is truly compelling. This is a great way to hedge uncertainty across cycles, geographies, business models and also personal biases. I really see a way to transform the strategic process into a learning process for my organisation.’
Aldo Bisio, Chief Executive Officer, Ariston Thermo
‘I have been impressed by both the quality and practicality of the book. On one hand it is built as a guidebook that managers can use on an ad-hoc basis, particularly for large transformational initiatives. On the other hand, it reads fantastically well in one go, providing a holistic and fascinating view of what strategic thinking is about. The ideas and tools proposed in the book are definite success factors for all organisations.’
Nicolas Japy, Group Chief Operating Officer, Sodexo
‘This book is an absolute must read for anyone who aims to successfully manage a business. Jerome and Davide have definitely succeeded in redefining strategic thinking, in a vibrant, thought-provoking and convincing manner. This book is really about the future of management.’
Albert Bourla, President & General Manager, Established Products Business Unit at Pfizer
‘How to Think Strategically provides a simple and useful approach to the most misused word in business: strategy. Together with the app, it helps to focus on what is relevant.’
Daniel John Winteler, Chief Executive Officer, Miroglio Group
‘How can you move from the simple desire to be strategic to actually having in place robust a
Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION
PART I: STRATEGIC KNOW-HOW
Chapter 1 – What is Strategy?
What strategy is - and what it isn’t.
The Key Elements of Strategy
Identifying the Core challenges
Coordinated, creative and sustainable actions
Creating value
Chapter 2 – What is Strategic Thinking?
What is thinking?
What is strategic thinking?
What does it take to think strategically?
The Strategic Mind.
The strategic thinking process.
Chapter 3 - Turning Strategic Thinking into Strategy
The Link Between Learning And Strategic Thinking
How to Maximise Strategic Learning
Chapter 4 – What is Business Strategy?
The importance of Competitive advantage
How do you create Competitive Advantage?
The right ingredients: the sources of competitive advantage
A recipe: the value creating options
PART II: THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
Chapter 5 – Managing the Invisible Hand
What is the invisible hand?
Where does it come from?
How does it become visible?
How can you manage it?
Chapter 6 – Assessing the current situation
Are you in the right place?
Macro Environment Factors
Industry-related Factors
Do you have a competitive Advantage?
Where does superior value creation come from?
Value proposition
Key activities
Resources and competences
Value Network
Organisational culture
Chapter 7 – Identifying the core challenges.
How to identify challenges
How to validate challenges
How to select core challenges - the importance of trade-offs
Defining what success will look like – Strategic Objectives and strategic Guidelines
Chapter 8 – Solving the core challenges
Reducing the complexity of the core challenge
Identifying the key constituents of the core challenge
Understanding the importance of its constituents
Developing potential solutions
Lateral thinking
Solution shop approach
Co-creation workshops
Practical tools for generating solutions
The Blue Ocean Strategy
The 7 degrees of freedom
Selecting the best potential solutions
Timing the initiatives
Chapter 9 -Reducing uncertainty
Experimenting to reduce uncertainty
Phase 1: Stating the underlying assumptions
Phase 2: Testing assumptions about Value
Phase 3: Testing assumptions about growth
Phase 4: Testing assumptions about sustainability
Ongoing testing and learning
Chapter 10 – Managing Execution
A will to act.
A coordinated approach.
Setting the scene.
Launching and spreading change.
Creating a compelling story.
Using Role Models.
Accelerating the speed of change.
Consolidating change.
Glossary: Key concepts and definitions
