The Cores of Strategic Management

Most strategic management textbooks seem to stem from the old belief that ‘more is always better’. But in this age of data deluge, many are calling for a return to the basics. If students can master the core concepts and learn how to apply these basics, they are bound to be better equipped to approach and resolve even the most complex problems.
This book, unlike most textbooks, focuses on the core concepts of strategic management, aiming to help students understand the basic ideas of the field more clearly, rather than overloading them with new, peripherally-related information. With cases designed to help students apply their deeper understanding of the core concepts, this book will equip any student with the solid grounding in strategic management fundamentals needed to succeed in the academic and professional arena.

Katsuhiko (Katsu) Shimizu is a Professor of Organization Theory and Strategic Management at Graduate School of Business Administration, Keio University in Japan. Previously, he served University of Texas at San Antonio for ten years. He received his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University and MBA from Tuck school at Dartmouth College. His research has been published in various top journals including Academy of Management Journal, Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science, Journal of Management, and Journal of Management Studies. He is serving the editorial review boards for Academy of Management Journal of Management Studies, and Journal of International Management.

Main topics
1. Prologue
2. What is strategy?



3Cs


Strategy is about strengths


Trade-off


Mini-case
McDonald’s
3. External Environment Analysis



Industry


Five-force Analysis


Switching Costs


4. Internal Environment Analysis



Tangible vs. Intangible Resources


Economies of Scale


Vertical Integration vs. Outsourcing


Mini-case
Southwest Airlines
5. Business-Level Strategy



Cost Strategy


Vale Strategy


First Mover Advantages vs. Disadvantages


Recap


Mini-Case
Starbucks Coffee
6. Corporate-Level Strategy



Why Diversification?


Diversification and Synergy


Risks of Synergy


Mini-Case
Gateway
7. M&A, Alliances, and International Strategy



M&A and Alliances


International Strategy


Mini-Case
Daimler-Chrysler
8. Leadership and Decision Making



Courage


Decision Making and Biases


Decision Change


9. Strategy Implementation



Strategy Implementation