Competitive Strategy - Michael E Porter

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satisfactionuk
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Competitive Strategy - Techniques for analysing industries and competitors by Michael E Porter.

Hi,
This is the first book that forms part of what I call my trilogy of core business books that I read over and over again (at least once a year). Yes it can be considered an oldie or a classic but its lessons and principles are as relevant today as they were when the book was first published.

To be honest, for anyone who is into strategic business whether they be managers who have gained their knowledge and experience on the job or students studying strategic business or business management this book and its later companion Competitive Advantage (separate review) is a must.

I am not going to do a chapter by chapter review of this book nor am I going to express my own personal opinion on its merits because to be honest, I just don't think I could do it justice. What I will do for you is to copy some of the praises expounded by knowledgeable and profession reviewers.

"Three overarching game plans that work in one industry after another explain how thousands of real-world competitors come out on top" - Fortune.

"American executives are grasping for logic to global competition Mr Porter has given them one" - The New York Times

"Represents a quantum leap ... may well be one of the most important contributions to the discipline of strategic management" - Strategic Management Journal.

"Any manager who studies and uses the material in this book should be able to devise more successful strategies" - Journal of Business Studies.

"Porter's books on competitive strategy are the seminal works in the field" - Philip Kotler, S.c. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing, North-western University.

How does this apply to project management?
The aim of all projects is to attain some strategic benefit for the company and it makes sense that if project managers have a firm grasp of strategic management they have a far better chance of understanding where and how their particular project fits into the companies overall game plan.
Kind regards

Stephan Toth
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