Cliff Bowman - Böcker

The book describes what it means to say the world is complex and explores what that means for managers, policy makers and individuals.The first part of the book is about the theory and ideas of complexity. This is explained in a way that is thorough but not mathematical. It compares differing approaches, and also provides a historical perspective, showing how such thinking has been around since the beginning of civilisation. It emphasises the difference between a complexity worldview and the dominant mechanical worldview that underpins much of current management practice. It defines the complexity worldview as recognising the world is interconnected, shaped by history and the particularities of context. The comparison of the differing approaches to modelling complexity is unique in its depth and accessibility. The second part of the book uses this lens of complexity to explore issues in the fields of management, strategy, economics, and international development. It also explores how to facilitate others to recognise the implications of adopting a complex rather than a mechanical worldview and suggests methods of research to explore systemic, path-dependent emergent aspects of situations. The authors of this book span both science and management, academia and practice, thus the explanations of science are authoritative and yet the examples of changing how you live and work in the world are real and accessible. The aim of the book is to bring alive what complexity is all about and to illustrate the importance of loosening the grip of a modernist worldview with its hope for prediction, certainty and control.

The book describes what it means to say the world is complex and explores what that means for managers, policy makers and individuals.The first part of the book is about the theory and ideas of complexity. This is explained in a way that is thorough but not mathematical. It compares differing approaches, and also provides a historical perspective, showing how such thinking has been around since the beginning of civilisation. It emphasises the difference between a complexity worldview and the dominant mechanical worldview that underpins much of current management practice. It defines the complexity worldview as recognising the world is interconnected, shaped by history and the particularities of context. The comparison of the differing approaches to modelling complexity is unique in its depth and accessibility. The second part of the book uses this lens of complexity to explore issues in the fields of management, strategy, economics, and international development. It also explores how to facilitate others to recognise the implications of adopting a complex rather than a mechanical worldview and suggests methods of research to explore systemic, path-dependent emergent aspects of situations. The authors of this book span both science and management, academia and practice, thus the explanations of science are authoritative and yet the examples of changing how you live and work in the world are real and accessible. The aim of the book is to bring alive what complexity is all about and to illustrate the importance of loosening the grip of a modernist worldview with its hope for prediction, certainty and control.

This text by Cliff Bowman and David Asch is designed for courses in strategic management, business strategy and business policy. It will be particularly suitable for MBAs, post experience students and undergraduates taking a one semester course. It will also appeal to practising managers in a wide range of organisations who are interested in developing a sound understanding of strategic issues. The book avoids an overly theoretical approach, concentrating instead on new ideas concerning the content and process of strategy and blending this with empirical findings in the area. The result is a book which focuses on implementing strategy, taking a more action oriented approach. Case study material arising from many years of teaching in leading management schools world-wide has also been included to make this an ideal text for a variety of courses.

Designing World Class Corporate Strategies considers the key role of corporate centres within very large, primarily multi-business organisations. At present, these corporate centres are under attack as not creating and value and merely adding cost to their groups.The authors have developed a corporate configurations model which demonstrates four ways in which corporate centres can add significant value. However this requires the centre to act in specific ways depending on the external environment in which the group is operating.Designing World Class Corporate Strategies is highly readable, with a large number of illustrative examples included in the text. Academic references and theoretical underpinnings are placed in the final chapter of the book, so that the book is focused on the professional market for strategy and creating value.

Designing World Class Corporate Strategies considers the key role of corporate centres within very large, primarily multi-business organisations. At present, these corporate centres are under attack as not creating and value and merely adding cost to their groups.The authors have developed a corporate configurations model which demonstrates four ways in which corporate centres can add significant value. However this requires the centre to act in specific ways depending on the external environment in which the group is operating.Designing World Class Corporate Strategies is highly readable, with a large number of illustrative examples included in the text. Academic references and theoretical underpinnings are placed in the final chapter of the book, so that the book is focused on the professional market for strategy and creating value.

This business book is great for leaders, middle managers and entrepreneurs interested in the following categories;

STRATEGY LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

“What’s Your Competitive Advantage” offers a way to work with the realities of a complex world and the changing needs of your business.

We live in a complex world, no-one can predict the future and we can’t anticipate the ultimate impact of any actions we take. These realities make the task of successfully leading a business incredibly challenging. What’s Your Competitive Advantage? offers a way to work with the realities of a complex world and the changing needs of your business.

Choose from the seven value plays to set the broad direction the firm should head in, and gain your competitive advantage. Each play has an associated set of capabilities which deliver customer value efficiently:

SPECIALIZATION - choose to focus on a single product or product group and compete through superior product performance.

ADAPTIVE - increase the system’s ability to respond to changing circumstances, particularly to

changing customer needs.

LOW COST - Deliver equivalent product quality compared to competitors but with a continual and

relentless focus on cost reduction

INNOVATION - Competing through product innovations.

EXCELLENCE - Continuous incremental improvement of product or service quality

NO-FRILLS - Serve price sensitive customers with a stripped down alternative product or service.

TARGETING - Focus on a specific market segment and serve the needs of these customers more effectively than less targeted rivals.

Built on insights from research into economics, strategy, organization theory and complexity science, you’ll discover a practical approach to creating value for your business in turbulent times, with advice on how to enable these plays with the structures, systems and culture of your business.

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