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Excerpts

Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments

Part I The Trajectory: Sharpening the Strategic Focus

1. The Realm of Strategy

Place of Strategy in Shaping and Guiding a Company
Social Responsibility and Strategy
From Concept to Practice

2. Strategic Direction of a Business-Unit

Focus on Business-Units
Four Vital Parts in a Business-Unit Strategy
Coping with Uncertainty

3. Portfolio Strategy for a Diversified Corporation

Business-Unit Versus Corporate Strategy
Portfolio Design
Major Moves to Attain Desired Portfolio
From Concept to Practice

4. Corporate Input Strategy

Corporate Resource Arsenal
Corporate Management of Synergies
Beyond the Portfolio

5. Shaping External Alignments

Hostile Versus Passive Environments
Analysis of Key Actors
Choice of Alignments
Maintaining Optimum Alignments

6. Birth and Nourishment of a New Strategy

Design of a Strategic Planning System
Impetus to Challenge the Status Quo
Acceptance and Commitment
Incrementalism

Part II Propulsion: Translating Strategy into Action

7. Programming -- Too Much or Too Little

Man-on-the-Moon Approach
Incrementalism -- Feeling Your Way
Selective Programming
Strategy Programs Versus Continuing Operations

8. Building Revised Patterns of Behavior

Diagnose Need for Changes in Behavior Patterns
Carefully Reshape Selected Behaviors
Creating a Focused Climate: Senior Executive Role

9. Organizing to Execute Strategy

Creating Operating Divisions That Match Strategy
When to Combine or Split Off Business-Units
Organizing Corporate Headquarters to Support Strategy
Organization in Transition

10. The Right Person and the Right Carrot

Matching Desired Executive Abilities with Strategy
Using Present Executives to Carry Out a New Strategy
Bringing in Outsiders
Distinctive Issues in Acquisitions
Incentives That Support Strategic Action

11. Resource Allocation -- Power of the Purse Strings

Impact of Resource Allocation on Strategy Execution
Two Tracks to Capital Allocation
Sources of Conflict for Allocations
Ways to Channel Capital Support for Strategy
Treatment of Strategic Expenses
Allocation of Non financial Resources

12. Controlling the Dynamic Process

Controlling the Future
Watch Progress on Strategic Thrusts
Monitor Key External Variables
Full-Scale Reassessments at Milestones and Alerts
Maintain Integrity of the Strategic Management Process

Part III Integration: Strategy as a Moving Game Plan

13. Fitting Pieces into a Synergistic Whole

Building Fit into an Integrated Management System within Each Business-Unit
Adding Balance to the Integration of Each Business-Unit
Integration at the Corporate Level

14. Hitting a Moving Target in a Rough Sea

Ever-Changing Pressures for Action
Key to Adaptability: Progress Reassessments
Sequential Moves in Face of Uncertainty
Contingency Plans
Frequency of Progress Reassessments
Corporate Inputs to Progress Reassessments
Selected References
Index