This book covers core topics that should be included in a strategic management textbook. I particularly like that the book has a chapter devoted to corporate governance, ethics, and social responsibility. I hope to see that vertical and horizontal. read more
Reviewed by Jiwon Suh, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington on 3/7/24
Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less
This book covers core topics that should be included in a strategic management textbook. I particularly like that the book has a chapter devoted to corporate governance, ethics, and social responsibility. I hope to see that vertical and horizontal alignment within an organization is highlighted at the beginning of the book. I see it in Chapter 10.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
This book contains core and major models, concepts, frameworks, and theories that should be included in a strategic management textbook. Especially, this book also explains a balanced scorecard and its linkage with organizational mission and vision.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 5
The main content is highly relevant. The concepts and frames that are included in the book are not fast-changing. This book uses a variety of examples to explain concepts to help students understand. These examples are a good mixture of timing (old and relatively new) and I believe such examples should be aged well to evaluate.
Clarity rating: 5
This book was well-written. This book uses clear language so that students including undergraduates can easily follow.
Consistency rating: 5
This book is consistent with all the structures and contents that are expected in the strategic management textbooks.
Modularity rating: 5
The topics in this book are well divided into 11 chapters so that faculty members can easily develop a semester-long course. On page 2, the authors also provide 6 modules on how these chapters can be used in a shorter course.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5
The way of chapter sequencing is easy to follow: understanding strategic management -> external analysis -> internal analysis -> strategy development -> implementation.
Every chapter provides ‘Learning Objectives,’ ‘Key Takeaway,’ and ‘Exercises’ from which students can effectively learn about the topics in the chapters. Also, figures, pictures, videos, and other sources are very helpful.
Interface rating: 4
External sources were hyperlinked with the original sources. This book also provides enough space between paragraphs and the next sections. This helps readers. It would be very helpful if the book included an Index at the end of the book.
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
I didn’t find any grammatical errors.
Cultural Relevance rating: 5
This book uses examples from different cultural backgrounds, such as an example of ancient China and wars on Russian soil on pages 18-20 and an example of Starbucks in Korea on page 33.
I'd like to use this book for my Strategic HR management course in the public and nonprofit sectors. Although this book doesn't 100% fit my course, I can use this book to explain and provide core/major concepts of strategic management.
Reviewed by Sergiy Dmytriyev, Assistant Professor of Management, James Madison University on 9/10/23
The textbook covers all key topics in the strategic management such as overall strategy, business- and corporate-level strategies, the analysis of external and internal environments, international strategy, organizational design, innovation, etc. read more
Reviewed by Sergiy Dmytriyev, Assistant Professor of Management, James Madison University on 9/10/23
Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less
The textbook covers all key topics in the strategic management such as overall strategy, business- and corporate-level strategies, the analysis of external and internal environments, international strategy, organizational design, innovation, etc. Each sections ends with the reference list of the cited sources, and the Glossary of key terms is provided at the end of the book.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
The book is well-written which makes it an easy read.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 5
The content is up-to-date, with plenty of contemporary business situations and examples. At the same time, these examples are of general nature and can be used in a classroom for many years ahead, without become obsolete. Having said that, the textbook also has a number of historical examples which is a must to have in order to learn from strategic successes and failures.
Clarity rating: 5
The text is written in a more informal way than in some other strategic management textbook. This makes this textbook better perceived by undergraduate students, who are rather more excited by its interesting and accessible prose.
Consistency rating: 4
The textbook utilized common terminology and frameworks used in the strategic management field, and is consistent throughout the whole text.
The only thing, sometimes I could have a feeling that there were many interesting narratives and examples, but some of them might not be well connected among themselves, which could make the reading slightly less coherent, though it wasn't a big deal.
Modularity rating: 5
Indeed, the text is readily divisible into smaller reading section since many of them start and end in a similar fashion making them standalone pieces. I didn't find many self-references which serves the modality purpose well.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5
The book is well organized in terms of the sequence of introduced topics and the transitions between them.
Interface rating: 5
The textbook offers an easy-to-follow navigation structure such as a numeration for each section/subsection as well as consistent headings' styles and the use of colors and graphical designs.
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
I didn't find any grammatical errors or typos in the text which speaks to its high quality.
Cultural Relevance rating: 3
The textbook is full of various examples from different countries which helps keep the reader's mind open to insights from different cultural environments. Yet, I wish there would be more examples with female and minority managers - I realize that today those groups are still underrepresented in leadership roles, but the author could have considered purposefully selecting those stories/backgrounds which may appeal to and inspire different audiences.
Most sections in the textbook end with discussion questions (often provoking ones) which can help with kicking off interactive discussion in class. The key information is summarized in the form of tables or graphs that make it easy to review the summarized learnings. There are also many videos throughout the book which can help break the monotony of reading with interesting visual experiences.
To sum it up, the textbook offers a typical content for a strategic management textbook (in terms of key strategic topics, terminology, theories and frameworks, etc.), yet it does it in a more appealing way compared to some more "formal" available textbooks in the market. In addition to offering discussion questions and exercises at the end of each section, the textbook also utilizes a more accessible prose for undergraduate students, as well as provides many illustrative or summary tables and graphs, as well as short business stories and videos done in an interesting way.
I really like the textbook and this year I started using it in my Strategic Management course.
Reviewed by Jeffrey Gale, Professor Emeritus of Strategic Management, Loyola Marymount University on 4/10/23
[Note: I used the book in my Strategic Management class in Spring 2023 semester. I have, in the past, used the open textbook, Mastering Strategic Management on which this one is based as well as a commercial version of the text which was picked up. read more
Reviewed by Jeffrey Gale, Professor Emeritus of Strategic Management, Loyola Marymount University on 4/10/23
Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less
[Note: I used the book in my Strategic Management class in Spring 2023 semester. I have, in the past, used the open textbook, Mastering Strategic Management on which this one is based as well as a commercial version of the text which was picked up by a pubisher.]
The coverage in the book is pretty standard for Strategic Management texts. It's a little light on implementation/execution particularly on reward systems, strategic leadership and a bit on culture. Like most of the texts, it really doesn't cover the online world. Because it was done in 2020 and used some of the materials some of the materials need newer examples--and to reflect lessons of the pandemic and de-globalization (in Chap. 9)
There is a glossary but no index.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
The coverage of the book is accurate in the concepts handled.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 4
All strategic management textbooks suffer from obsolescence--it is the nature of the subject matter and the need for ongoing revision of relevant examples. The concepts change more slowly. Use of the book requires instructors to fill that in to make the material relevant. The prior book (from 2020) was not updated for years which made it hard to use. Hopefully this one will be.
Clarity rating: 5
The book was extremely well-written and edited. This is remarkable since there was a team who worked on it at VPI. Kudos for doing a good job.
Consistency rating: 5
It is consistent. The framework used is very standard in strategic management texts.
Modularity rating: 5
The book is well done with coherent chapters and headings and subheading breaking up the text. I was able to use some of the materials out of order.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5
Strategic management textbooks lend themselves to a logical organization based on the analytic process common to the topic. This book is consistent with that. I did find that references and credits, which are listed in the chapter sections, are a bit distracting and would be better, in my opinion, at the end of the chapters. Likewise, I would prefer that the Exercises be at the chapter end as well. Learning Objectives at the beginning of each chapter are useful as well as the Takeaways in the sections.
Interface rating: 5
My students and I used the PDF version of the book which is pretty standard with only limited jumps for Table of Contents. .
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
I didn't find any grammatical errors.
Cultural Relevance rating: 4
I did not see anything culturally insensitive or offensive in the book. There is, as is typical in the texts in the field, not a lot of cultural variety. There are no Black or Hispanic business in the examples.
The book did what I wanted it to in the course. I thought that Chapter 7 on Innovation is a bit of a hodge-podge of topics and doesn't flow all that well. The Powerpoint slides that the author made available are very uneven and I wasn't able to really use them--though I didn't really need to since I have taught the course for so long. They are not the equivalent of what commercial publishers provide with their texts. I did not use the text bank that is also available.
Overall, a good quality textbook that is usable with the caveats I raised earlier.
Reviewed by Stephen Horner, Associate Professor, Allen Community College on 6/9/21
Chapter one is a good an example of the type of comprehensiveness that I like. The text addresses most of the major models and concepts within the strategy domain. It also includes examples of strategy and strategic management from antiquity and. read more
Reviewed by Stephen Horner, Associate Professor, Allen Community College on 6/9/21
Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less
Chapter one is a good an example of the type of comprehensiveness that I like. The text addresses most of the major models and concepts within the strategy domain. It also includes examples of strategy and strategic management from antiquity and classic military history encompassing ancient, modern, and postmodern eras. In addition, the critique of strategic management is refreshing to see in an introductory textbook chapter.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
I find no glaring inaccuracies.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 5
The cross disciplinary relevance of the text is demonstrated by allusion in chapter one to strategy throughout history.
The text also has relevance in terms of relating the topic to contemporary issues.
Clarity rating: 5
This text is written at a basic level easily accessible to the common reader and especially suited to today's college senior.
Consistency rating: 5
The text uses the A-F-I framework consistently throughout.
Modularity rating: 5
The chapter topics are organized following the traditional analysis-formulation-implementation (A-F-I) framework allowing the course to be easily divided into modules. In addition, the authors have developed their own modular framework overlaying the A-F-I model.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5
The text uses the traditional analysis-formulation-implementation framework while taking a critical asssessment of the use of that framework.
Interface rating: 5
The layout and flow of the text are satisfactory. In addition, I appreciate the smaller chunks in each chapter supplemented by references cited only in those specific chunks.
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
The writing demonstrates no systematic grammatical difficulties. The use of the Engish language is proper and acceptable.
Cultural Relevance rating: 5
The authors recognize changing sociocultural values and demonstrate sensitivity of the theory and practice of strategic management to such changes.
I found the text to be quite readable. It spawned in me new ideas for ways of reaching my students.
Reviewed by Yuan Li, Assistant Professor, James Madison University on 5/29/20
The text covers all major topics discussed in a standard strategic management textbook. Some topics that could be included or discussed more in detail are strategic leadership, innovation management, and corporate entrepreneurship. The pdf version. read more
Reviewed by Yuan Li, Assistant Professor, James Madison University on 5/29/20
Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less
The text covers all major topics discussed in a standard strategic management textbook. Some topics that could be included or discussed more in detail are strategic leadership, innovation management, and corporate entrepreneurship. The pdf version of the text does not include an index or glossary, which can be an enhancement to the book.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
The content is accurate, error-free, and unbiased. However, there are a few typos in the book. Some of the labels are incorrect. For example, Level 3 of Table 10.4 is labeled incorrectly.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 5
The content is up-to-date. For the most part, the examples are classic and do not need to be updated frequently. However, some of the examples, especially those related to movies are dated. Nevertheless, necessary updates can be easily implemented.
Clarity rating: 5
One of my favorite things about this text is its clarity. The text is written in a language that is accessible to all undergraduate students, including freshmen. Jargon and technical terms are explained in layman’s terms using real-world examples.
Consistency rating: 5
The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework.
Modularity rating: 5
The chapters of the text are self-contained and can be individually assigned to students or used as additional readings to supplement a different text.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5
The structure of the text is clear and follows the structure of a standard strategic management textbook. The only difference is that international strategies are discussed before corporate-level strategies. Many of the tables and the text repeat each other. I think some of the tables can be eliminated.
Interface rating: 5
There are no significant interface issues in the text. There are no hyperlinks in the pdf version of the book. All navigation is done through the search and find function of the pdf reader. The text in the examples and vignettes is too small and hard to read, at least for the pdf version I have. Overall, I would describe it as a no-frills text.
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
The text contains no grammatical errors.
Cultural Relevance rating: 5
The text is not culturally offensive in any way. The examples include both American and non-American firms mostly competing in the US market.
This is a great book for an introductory level strategic management class. Students do not have to be a management major to understand the book. Instructors can easily supplement the book with examples that are relevant to the background and major of their students. I find the book an interesting and enjoyable read. The authors did a great job in making strategic management interesting to students.
Reviewed by David Flanagan, Professor of Management, Western Michigan University on 12/12/19
This book covers all the major topics needed in a strategic management course plus a few other useful topics. read more
Reviewed by David Flanagan, Professor of Management, Western Michigan University on 12/12/19
Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less
This book covers all the major topics needed in a strategic management course plus a few other useful topics.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
First rate book. Easy to read with no errors (conceptually or grammatically).
Relevance/Longevity rating: 5
All the conceptual information is up to date. I do have students do assignments where they research more recent examples.
Clarity rating: 5
Students comment that it is straight forward and easy to read. Key concepts are defined.
Consistency rating: 5
The text flows well from start to finish.
Modularity rating: 5
The chapters break up the material well as do sections within chapters.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5
Interface rating: 5
easy to interface with
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
Well edited and credibly written
Cultural Relevance rating: 5
I detected nothing that could be insensitive
The authors are outstanding in their field. Can't find more credible sources.
Reviewed by Jason Kiley, Assistant Professor, Oklahoma State University on 5/21/18
Overall, the book has very good coverage of the topics typically included in a strategy textbook. To be more specific, I reviewed the book against a commercial book that I have used in the past. I looked at 43 topics that is a union of the content. read more
Reviewed by Jason Kiley, Assistant Professor, Oklahoma State University on 5/21/18
Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less
Overall, the book has very good coverage of the topics typically included in a strategy textbook. To be more specific, I reviewed the book against a commercial book that I have used in the past. I looked at 43 topics that is a union of the content I would use across the two books. The commercial book covered 41 topics, and Mastering Strategic Management ("MSM") covered 39. Of the discrepancies, three topics in the commercial book and one topic in MSM were topics that were probably timely when written but are less relevant now. Excluding those, each book had one topic that I would have liked to have seen in the other.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
Across a number of topics, the exposition that fit my expectations about the material covered, explanations of the material, and examples that fit the material. Strategy covers a number of models that have been around for some time, and the authors seemed to do a good job of thinking about which models are reasonable to describe as they were conceived and which ones should be adjusted a bit to better reflect the underlying mechanisms or modern circumstances.
One small exception (shared in most strategy books) is the description of the BCG matrix using market share (as originally conceived). That notion is very sensitive to specification of markets, and I've seen more helpful formulations that describe it a little more generally as having dimensions that reflect using and generating cash.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 4
The main content is fine and highly relevant. However, there are some examples which have not aged well. This is not so much the fault of the authors, as the business-relevant content is fine, but an example using Jared from Subway reads very differently in light of subsequent revelations. That is perhaps the most glaring, but there are a few others that have not aged well (e.g., the AppleTV has become reasonably successful in subsequent iterations). That said, this book is well within the norms of example relevance over time.
Clarity rating: 5
The book is written directly and clearly. In terms of style, it is more approachable than some alternatives, in part because I never got the sense that the authors were lowering the information density to produce more text.
Consistency rating: 5
Terminology and approach are generally consistent. Strategy is at the intersection of other disciplines, so there is often a change of perspective, but that comes with the content. That said, the authors have combined those well into a logical, consistent narrative.
Modularity rating: 5
For the most part, this book would be easy to use out of order or as selections. The chapters have numbered subdivisions that are logically coherent, and, in my view, it would be clear to students to assign selections. My initial read suggests that the brief motivating examples to begin chapters and the conclusions of chapters would be helpful to include even if the middle sections are selected from or reordered.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5
Overall, the organization and flow are consistent and logical, and it generally mirrors that of most strategy books. In a couple of places, the ordering is a bit different (e.g., international strategy before corporate-level strategy), but the broader logic may actually be more linear that way.
Interface rating: 5
I used the epub 3 version of the book. The table elements tended to be built with markup instead of images, so they rendered nicely on a high-resolution display. Cross references were often done with links, and many text boxes were also done with markup, so the book takes advantage of the technology it uses for distribution. Given the prevalence of mobile devices among students, this is a strong positive for this book compared to others.
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
The writing is clear, error-free, and straightforward, including the consistent use of active voice.
Cultural Relevance rating: 5
Though the book (like many strategy and business textbooks) has a somewhat US-centric presentation, there are plenty of examples that include diversity along a number of dimensions where that kind of diversity is not the topic of the example. That broad level of inclusiveness is a positive for the book.
Overall, I found the book to be consistently high in quality, coverage, and consistency with other books in this area. Using it as an alternative or replacement for other books should be straightforward. The anonymous authors have done the field and our students a real service in writing this book.
Reviewed by Jiyun Wu, Associate Professor , Rhode Island College on 5/21/18
The book covers key areas of strategic management, much like other strategic management textbooks. read more
Reviewed by Jiyun Wu, Associate Professor , Rhode Island College on 5/21/18
Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less
The book covers key areas of strategic management, much like other strategic management textbooks.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
The content is accurate, though there are a few typos.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 3
The examples are a few years old and need to be updated.
Clarity rating: 5
The book is very lucidly written. I think it is one of the best written textbooks.
Consistency rating: 5
The book is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework.
Modularity rating: 5
The text is easy to follow.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5
The topics are organized well and easy to follow.
Interface rating: 5
I didn't encounter any problem with navigation.
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
I did not detect any grammar errors, although I did find a few typos.
Cultural Relevance rating: 4
The book is culturally relevant.
Please update the examples and correct the few typos in the text.
Reviewed by Edward Ward, Professor, Saint Cloud State University on 2/1/18
Relative to the other textbooks I have used in my strategic management course, this textbook is comprehensive. Topics include analyzing the environment, leading strategically, selection of business level strategies, ethics, organization design. read more
Reviewed by Edward Ward, Professor, Saint Cloud State University on 2/1/18
Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less
Relative to the other textbooks I have used in my strategic management course, this textbook is comprehensive. Topics include analyzing the environment, leading strategically, selection of business level strategies, ethics, organization design, and more. However, it does not have a separate chapter about small business strategy.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
This book is accurate as evidenced by the frequent references from both research journals and practitioners' publications. There is little in the way of the author's opinions, rather facts are emphasized.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 4
The relevance of the book is excellent in that historical examples are often used, which by definition will not need to be updated. The examples of recent strategy uses (e.g. a goal by Coca-Cola on page 40 is for 2012) are in need of only slight modifications.
Clarity rating: 5
This is the paramount strength of the book. When the vocabulary (i.e. jargon) of strategic management is used, facile explanations and examples are used to clarify the term. An example is Figure 2.5, which explains financial performance measures for students who did not major in finance or accounting.
Consistency rating: 5
What is admirable as to the book's consistency is it's sequence of chapters, such as starting with "Mastering Strategy" as chapter one, through "Selecting Business Level Strategies" in the middle of the text, and concluding with corporate governance and ethics. There is also consistency in terms of the key takeaways and exercises throughout the book.
Modularity rating: 5
This is another strength of the book. For example, in clarifying "Entrepreneurial Orientation" sections such as "Autonomy", "Competitive Aggressiveness", and "Innovativeness" are presented in small sections that in total describe the term. This is done consistently in the book, such as in chapter eight the terms vertical integration, backward vertical integration, and forward vertical integration.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5
The topics are presented in a deductive order, starting with a superordinate term such as "Strategies for Getting Smaller", followed by retrenchment and restructuring. By describing a construct by its dimensions, the construct is more readily understood by students.
Interface rating: 5
I don't think there are any such problems.
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
There are not any grammatical errors. I do think the reading level is for undergraduates rather than MBA students.
Cultural Relevance rating: 5
The photographs and examples are varied in terms of surface characteristics.
It is superior to my present textbook in terms of being written in a conversational style, which is complemented by useful tables such as 8.7 on page 293. These tables and other graphics will assist students with a visual learning style. The only negative that comes to mind is if this textbook is to be used for a MBA course, outside readings will need to be assigned.
Reviewed by Jorge Zazueta, Adjunct Professor, American University on 2/1/18
The book covers all the standard topics in Strategic Management in a well-structured and cohesive manner. The table of contents provides detail on contents and the interactive PDF version is an excellent way to navigate the text. Electronic. read more
Reviewed by Jorge Zazueta, Adjunct Professor, American University on 2/1/18
Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less
The book covers all the standard topics in Strategic Management in a well-structured and cohesive manner. The table of contents provides detail on contents and the interactive PDF version is an excellent way to navigate the text. Electronic versions are searchable, obviating the need for an index.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
I didn't find any inaccuracies or biases in the text (although I ran into a few minor typos). Each concept follows a critical discussion inviting the reader to reflect on the topic, rather than being dogmatic.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 5
The topics covered are well established Strategic Management ideas with direct application in actual business practice, making the content both relevant and time enduring.
Clarity rating: 4
The book is clearly written and enjoyable. It provides straight commentary on the ideas discussed and is very easy to read. A minor drawback is that it lacks memorable design around many of the classic frameworks. For example, when discussing the diamond model in chapter 7, its elements are defined in the form of a table--rather than in a diamond shape.
Consistency rating: 5
The narrative is consistent throughout both in depth and style.
Modularity rating: 5
While the content follows a logical path, chapters are concise and mostly stand-alone, making it easy to use individual chapters or to tailor content for a class.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5
The topics follow a standard order of ideas in a consistent and logical flow, while maintaining modularity.
Interface rating: 4
The interactive PDF version is clean and easy to use. A comprehensive table of contents is always available without being intrusive and the book is fully searchable. Making it convenient for student research or review. A keyword search results in a list of references to different chapters in the book, with a short summary of the content discussed.
Grammatical Errors rating: 4
Other than a few minor spelling typos. I found no errors.
Cultural Relevance rating: 4
The nature of the book is mostly transparent to cultural issues. Examples are business focused and do reflect a wide world view.
It is a great introductory text to Strategic Management. It covers all the standard material in a concise, easily accessible way. I would have enjoyed a bit more quantitative material, such as basic formulas from economics or discussions about how to quantify market competitiveness for example. Perhaps, that´s the material for a second book….
Reviewed by Bill Rossman, Instructor, Penn State University on 2/1/18
The book covers the major topics expected to be covered in a strategic management textbook. read more
Reviewed by Bill Rossman, Instructor, Penn State University on 2/1/18
Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less
The book covers the major topics expected to be covered in a strategic management textbook.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
The material covered in the textbook is accurate and error-free.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 4
Th material is up-to-date, however, some of the examples in the book could quickly become outdated. For example, there is an example referencing a 2001 movie which students may not understand. The book could easily be updated to keep examples up-to-date.
Clarity rating: 5
The book is clearly written without unnecessary jargon. Definitions for key terms could be emphasized to help students identify key terms and concepts. Additionally a glossary would be beneficial for students to quickly reverence the definition of key terms.
Consistency rating: 5
The book is consistent with other texts on the topic of strategic management.
Modularity rating: 5
The book is modular and chapters could be reorganized without issue. Instructors could assign chapters or subsections as they see fit without loss of educational value.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5
The book flowed well, the only change I would make is to move the corporate-level strategies to follow the business-level strategies. The instructor could easily make this change when assigning chapters in the textbook.
Interface rating: 5
I did not encounter any issues with the interface of the textbook. The location of charts and images were appropriate and supported the material.
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
The book was free of grammatical errors.
Cultural Relevance rating: 5
The text was not insensitive or offensive.
Supporting material such as glossary, online assignments or self check exercises could be included. Overall, the book is well thought out and easily adaptable for instructors to use.
Reviewed by Sam Cappel, Professor, Southeastern Louisiana University on 6/20/17
I found the book to be comprehensive, covering in detail important parts of strategic management. read more
Reviewed by Sam Cappel, Professor, Southeastern Louisiana University on 6/20/17
Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less
I found the book to be comprehensive, covering in detail important parts of strategic management.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
I found the book to be accurate and well referenced. Examples were used which were most instrumental in helping students to understand important concepts.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 5
The text is written and/or arranged in such a way that necessary updates will be relatively easy and straightforward to implement. Many of the examples used are classic or very timely. It would require little work to update concepts and examples.
Clarity rating: 5
The book is written without unnecessary jargon. Terms commonly used in the study of Strategy are fully explained.
Consistency rating: 5
The framework of the book allows for easy transitions from one topic to another. Throughout the book there is consistency in the straight forward approach to topics. There is a consistent attempt within this book to explain complex concepts in such a way as to allow undergraduate students to master them easily.
Modularity rating: 4
The text is well divided into a logical sequence of intuitively developed reading sections. Sections within the book serve to reduce confusion which can occur when learning a subject area with the diversity and complexity of Business Strategy
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4
I like the flow of the text but prefer a flow which started by simply following the strategic management process step by step.
Interface rating: 5
I had no issues with the interface of the textbook. Navigation was simple and charts were well placed and clear.
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
I found no grammatical errors i the text.
Cultural Relevance rating: 4
Culturally the book was sensitive in dealing with issues such as ethics and the role of diversity in the workplace.
With the current push for on-line offerings I feel that it is now imperative that offerings include test banks, power-points, on-line readings, films and perhaps simulation tools that can be used on-line. I love the book for in-class use but feels that it does not offer enough support to be viable for extensive on-line offerings,
Reviewed by Cynthia Steutermann, Multi-Term Lecturer, University of Kansas on 8/21/16
This book does a somewhat good job of covering many aspects of strategic analysis. For instance, the discussions relative to cost leadership, differentiation, and focused strategies were good. However, I found this book to be lacking in critical. read more
Reviewed by Cynthia Steutermann, Multi-Term Lecturer, University of Kansas on 8/21/16
Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less
This book does a somewhat good job of covering many aspects of strategic analysis. For instance, the discussions relative to cost leadership, differentiation, and focused strategies were good. However, I found this book to be lacking in critical discussion areas, such as the importance of evaluating a firm's internal financial assets. While it mentioned current ratio, debt to equity ratio, and net income .. it does not show how to calculate those ratios. And, there are many, many more financial ratios that should be covered in great detail to effectively analyze an organization's internal financial capabilities. This was an area I would consider to be seriously lacking in content.
Other critical areas missing from this textbook were the discussion of entrepreneurial strategy and competitive dynamics, as well as managing innovation and corporate entrepreneurship. Likewise, this textbook did not include any strategic management cases which greatly supports a student's ability to apply concepts to a multi-page case of an organization they may be familiar with.
Also, while there was included on the website a table of contents, no such table of contents exists in the .pdf version that students would actually use. In general, this book is not written at the level of sophistication and comprehensiveness I would expect to use for college students, particularly since a strategic analysis course is often taught as a capstone course (undergraduate senior level of student). In my opinion, this textbook is written more at the senior in high school or college freshman level.
Content Accuracy rating: 4
The book's accuracy is adequate, although there are many areas of strategic analysis which I would consider to be missing in this textbook.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 4
The one area of relevance and longevity I found to be questionable was the various references to "At the Movies". Some of the movies are quite dated and students may not have even heard of them. Or, if they have heard of the movie, they may not have seen it. While the intent seems to be a creative way to illustrate basic concepts, the use of movies is not (in my opinion) the most relevant way to accomplish this, at least to the extent that this is repeated throughout the textbook.
Clarity rating: 4
The book is written clearly, although not at the college reading level I would expect it to be written at.
Consistency rating: 3
The text is inconsistent since it references certain figures that actually do not exist. For instance, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix is referenced to be in figure 8.7. There is no BCG matrix figure, nor any figure 8.7. In fact, there are very few figures in the book. There are some pictures (unidentified mostly) but no figures that illustrate important concepts.
Modularity rating: 5
The book's modularity is done well. Within each chapter there are several smaller reading sections.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4
The book's organization/structure flow is generally good. I believe the organization and flow would be better if corporate-level strategies followed business-level strategy, and then the chapter about international markets would follow after that. This textbook, instead, has business-level strategy, international markets, then corporate-level strategy.
Interface rating: 4
The images are generally not distorted, although on page 172 the Arby's graphic and text are out of proportion. Page 177 includes some type of graphic that is only shades of grey. I don't know what that is intended to represent.
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
The text contains no grammatical errors that I observed.
Cultural Relevance rating: 5
The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way that I observed.
Reviewed by Daniel Forbes, Associate Professor, U. of Minnesota on 6/10/15
The book covers most of the chapters commonly found in a strategy textbook, and the content within each chapter is also similar in terms of the key topics & models addressed. One exception is strategic entrepreneurship, which is not covered as. read more
Reviewed by Daniel Forbes, Associate Professor, U. of Minnesota on 6/10/15
Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less
The book covers most of the chapters commonly found in a strategy textbook, and the content within each chapter is also similar in terms of the key topics & models addressed. One exception is strategic entrepreneurship, which is not covered as a separate chapter as is often the case but is instead partially covered under "Entrepreneurial orientation" within Chapter 2, "Leading strategically". Another exception is that there is only one chapter on corporate strategy, whereas many books have a second chapter on strategy alternatives (M&A, etc.). However, some of this content has been folded into the corporate strategy chapter. The PDF I reviewed did not contain a glossary or index.
Content Accuracy rating: 5
The book provides an accurate introduction to contemporary strategic management. The authors' perspective is consistent with mainstream scholarly views in the field.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 5
Most strategy textbooks tend to gravitate towards concepts and models that have a relatively long "shelf life," and this one is no exception. The book contains current examples and timely content. The book also does a good job presenting strategy in ways that undergraduate students, in particular, will find relevant. It does this through an emphasis on familiar, everyday brands (Facebook, Redbox) and through cultural references, such as its "Strategy at the movies" segments, which link concepts in the book to recent popular films.
Clarity rating: 4
The book is written in clear and accessible prose, and it carries a sense of humor. At times I would have liked to see clearer definitions that were easier to find in the text (e.g., highlighted or placed in sidebars). For example, the concept of "cost leadership" is introduced with good examples, but a concise definition seems lacking. Having clear definitions on key concepts is helpful to students studying for exams and for faculty who want to check concepts for consistency across materials without re-reading entire sections.
Consistency rating: 5
The book is internally consistent. It provides a framework for understanding strategy that is coherent and, at the same time, generally consistent with other major texts.
Modularity rating: 5
The text seems modular, and reorganizing the material is unlikely to pose a problem. It would be easy to rearrange the materials within a strategy course - provided, of course, that foundational concepts (e.g., "capabilities") have been established early on, as would be required in working with any major strategy text.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5
The book's flow is logical and it adheres to a structure that is common in strategy texts. One slightly unusual sequencing is the presentation of international strategy before corporate strategy (the reverse is more common), but these two chapters remain adjacent and there is a reasonable case for doing this. Given the overall modularity of the book, moreover, instructors can rearrange chapters as they see fit without much difficulty.
Interface rating: 5
The interface reflects the thoughtful and creative selection of accompanying visual materials, especially photos and illustrations. There are fewer charts and tables than in the average strategy text. Some instructors and MBA students might find the text easier to navigate with fewer visual interruptions overall and perhaps more data or charts included in addition to the pictures. Overall, I think this interface that would be well received by undergraduate students, in particular.
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
The book's grammar is fine.
Cultural Relevance rating: 5
The book does not appear to be culturally insensitive. Examples are drawn primarily from the U.S., as is common in many major strategy texts, but there are also many examples drawn from outside the U.S.
Overall, I think this book is a very solid and worthwhile contribution to the set of available strategy textbooks. A particular strength of the book is its accessible writing style and its selection of "user-friendly" illustrations and examples. I think the book would be especially well-suited to first-time students of strategy who seek a general introduction. I also like that the book avoids delivering long, arbitrary lists of items in presenting material (e.g., "the nine reasons firms do acquisitions"), which is a common weakness of strategy textbooks. Instead, this book is generally succinct and reasonably comprehensive. At the same time, instructors & students seeking a more advanced treatment of strategy may find coverage of some topics to be relatively light. For example, limitations of the 5 Forces model are only briefly addressed and issues of industry evolution do not seem to be addressed.
Reviewed by David Try Ph.D., Instructor , Northwest Community College on 10/9/13
I found this text to be well-written and high quality, with up-to-date material, examples and case studies. In my experience, both as an instructor and retired practitioner, this textbook covers all basic concepts and topics at an appropriate. read more
Reviewed by David Try Ph.D., Instructor , Northwest Community College on 10/9/13
Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less
I found this text to be well-written and high quality, with up-to-date material, examples and case studies. In my experience, both as an instructor and retired practitioner, this textbook covers all basic concepts and topics at an appropriate depth for an Introduction to Business Strategy/Policy course. The backend - index, glossary, on-screen reader and search engine - were accurate and faultless.
Content Accuracy rating: 4
Diagrams, tables and case studies were up-to-date, professional quality and accurate. I found the text well supported by the supplemental teaching resources (quizzes, PowerPoint's, teaching notes, etc.) As with any USA based textbook, and to be fair hardly unique to this one, the content is USA-centric. Examples and in-text case studies do tend to examine issues through the lens of USA companies, and occasionally USA laws/regulations. Within this caveat, all material was well-edited, error-free, unbiased and including appropriate supplemental instructor material.
Relevance/Longevity rating: 5
As with most introductory courses, the basic components of Business Strategy tend not to change rapidly. New tools, techniques, occasionally fads, as well as the inevitable rebranding (i.e. Management by Objectives [MBO] becomes Outcome Based Key Performance Indicators) are adopted by Business relatively slowly. The textbook covers certain recent advances in strategic and policy, as appropriate for a textbook at an introductory level. Looking forward, advances to this textbook would tend to focus on maintaining current and timeliness of in-text examples, update trends and data, and incorporate emergent strategies which could emerge in response to changing economic, business or global events, such as a global recession.
Clarity rating: 4
The textbook to be quite readable and engaging, and makes good use of current business examples. Terms and business jargon are properly defined, both within the text and by using small ‘call-out' (?) boxes on the side of pages and through the use of examples.
Consistency rating: 5
The concepts and ideas in the textbook are presented in a clear and logical order. Terminology is used consistently. As well, I found the ‘readability' of the textbook to be internally consistent – with no sense that different authors/editors had writte
Modularity rating: 5
The material is covered in 12 chapters, with 2 to 4 sections each, making it easy to assign weekly readings and cover the content within one semester. Chapters are fairly consistent in length and complexity. Instructors have the option to re-organize the course / subject order prior to students downloading the textbook should they wish. The text is not overly self-referential.
Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4
The flow or order of idea/concept presentation is consistent to most Strategy texts, and appropriate for an introductory textbook. Within Chapter layout is consistent; each chapter begins with "Learning Outcomes" and concludes with "Key Takeaways" and exercises, which can be assigned as homework.
Interface rating: 5
Neither I, nor any of my students, experienced any interface issues at all. The underlying technology appeared faultless. The navigation process is logical and all images and text were clear and high quality, even on smaller e-reading devices. As well, color use is consistent, assisting in overall navigation. Interestingly, as the first e-textbook for NWCC Business, my students appreciated the ability to perform in-text searches and hyper-link to external electronic references (in text URLs), as well as textbook's cost of course!
Grammatical Errors rating: 5
I found zero (0) grammatical errors, or ‘broken' URL links. Well edited
Cultural Relevance rating: 5
This text is not culturally or sexually insensitive, or offensive. Overall, examples are based on business culture with limited applicability on cultural relevance. One chapter focuses on Ethics and Social Responsibility and examines these issues from a strategic perspective, with examples. However, the focus is principally from a business perspective, as compared to social, legal or moral perspectives. As the text is fairly USA-centric, Canadian students may feel that Canadian and possibly Asian business strategies should receive greater emphasis.
Overall, I was very impressed with the quality and professionalism of the text. A ‘newbie' to e-textbooks, I was surprised by the usefulness of additional features available with electronic textbooks (searching, imbedded URLs, etc.). As noted above, the textbook content is somewhat USA-centric. Examples and in-text case studies tend to focus on USA companies, and occasionally USA laws/regulations. However, given the highly integrated nature of Canadian and USA business environments, there is some value in this. And, it was certainly not difficult to incorporate Canadian examples into the Lectures.
This review originated in the BC Open Textbook Collection and is licensed under CC BY-ND.
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT offers an introduction to the key topics and themes of strategic management. The authors draw on examples of familiar companies and personalities to illustrate the different strategies used by today’s firms—and how they go about implementing those strategies. Students will learn how to conduct a case analysis, measure organizational performance, and conduct external and internal analyses. In short, they will understand how organizations operate at the strategic level to be successful.
An older version of Mastering Strategic Management (2015) by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing can be found here: https://open.lib.umn.edu/strategicmanagement/
Reed B. Kennedy, Associate Professor of Practice, Pamplin College of Business, Virginia Tech
Reed B. Kennedy is an Associate Professor of Management Practice in the Management Department, where he teaches management courses. He began his career as a naval officer before entering his primary career in healthcare administration, where he served in senior executive roles in various hospitals for over 20 years. He then worked as a business consultant for the Small Business Development Center for the New River Valley at Radford University. His education includes a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, a Masters of Healthcare Administration from Medical College of Virginia / Virginia Commonwealth University, a Masters in Public Health and a Graduate Certificate in Global Planning and International Development from Virginia Tech. Reed served as the chief textbook reviser on this project. He worked with the contributor and editorial teams from project start to completion.
