Summer school 2005 - Strategy
Resources
In depth
Fanciful dreams that confuse the vital issues
Everyone agrees that a company needs to have the right strategy to be successful. Yet there is still some confusion about what kinds of decisions should be considered strategic and what kind of guidance they should provide
In danger of being in a hurry because ‘time is money’
This popular saying dates back at least to the seventeenth century, writes Morgen Witzel. But there are many cases of companies paying a price for being hasty.
The search for the path to peak performance
Getting high performance from an organisation begins with getting it from individuals. And nowhere is that more important than in the leadership ranks.
Why red tape should not be completely dismissed
It is now an article of faith that the free market in and of itself is a good thing and must be zealously protected. It follows that anything that restricts the free market is inherently bad, and this leads to the belief that all regulation, of whatever sort, is bad for business.
To split up or stay together?
Managers involved in acquisitions or new business development frequently face a dilemma between integrating or keeping it separate.
Why being first is not enough to secure pole position
It is argued that by being the first to enter a particular market, a company can build up enough support among customers to give it an unassailable lead over its rivals. In practice, this doesn’t always work.
The benefits of a long-distance relationship
The trend towards offshoring - where companies move some of their business operations to other countries - continues to gather pace.
Is it such a leap of faith to place trust in your workforce?
It is commonly said that "empowered employees are productive employees". In this view, giving people greater control over how they perform their tasks and do their work makes them more productive.
Perils and prospects in the vital first 100 days
There is a lot to be said for listening and taking stock before trying to make a big impact, writes Alison Maitland.
Big spenders are a boon
While the bulk of your business may come from a small number of customers who place large orders, it would be folly to ignore the lower-spending majority, writes Morgen Witzel.
