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How to Choose and Execute the Right Approach Your Strategy Needs a Strategy (Hardback) - Common
You think you have a winning strategy. But do you? Executives are bombarded with bestselling ideas and best practices for achieving competitive advantage, but many of these ideas and practices contradict each other. Should you aim to be big or fast? Should you create a blue ocean, be adaptive, play to win—or forget about a sustainable competitive advantage altogether? In a business environment that is changing faster and becoming more uncertain and complex almost by the day, it’s never been more important—or more difficult—to choose the right approach to strategy. In this book, The Boston Consulting Group’s Martin Reeves, Knut Haanæs, and Janmejaya Sinha offer a proven method to determine the strategy approach that is best for your company. They start by helping you assess your business environment—how unpredictable it is, how much power you have to change it, and how harsh it is—a critical component of getting strategy right. They show how existing strategy approaches sort into five categories— Be Big, Be Fast, Be First, Be the Orchestrator , or simply Be Viable —depending on the extent of predictability, malleability, and harshness. In-depth explanations of each of these approaches will provide critical insight to help you match your approach to strategy to your environment, determine when and how to execute each one, and avoid a potentially fatal mismatch. Addressing your most pressing strategic challenges, you’ll be able to answer questions such Until now, no book brings it all together and offers a practical tool for understanding which strategic approach to apply. Get started today.
Hardcover
First published September 17, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
September 20, 2022
This book provides structure to the strategy debate by presenting a framework to help determine which business strategies are most appropriate for different business environments. The five strategy environments, and related strategies, are as follow:
~ Classical: Be big
~ Adaptive: Be fast
~ Visionary: Be first
~ Shaping: Be the orchestrator
~ Renewal: Be viable
Many people, myself included, grew up in a stable business environment of past decades that prompted a Classical approach to business strategy. Globalization and the internet have changed the business landscape significantly, prompting alternate business strategy models. You might recognize these models through previous published works on strategy including the following:
~ Classical: Be big (Playing to Win)
~ Adaptive: Be fast (The End of Competitive Advantage)
~ Visionary: Be first (Blue Ocean Strategy)
The case studies presented throughout help clarify the different environments and approaches to strategy. Get your strategy right and you increase your chance of winning. The authors' research reveals that approximately half of all companies mismatch their approach to strategy to their environment in some way. However, you still must execute. There is no shortcut to the execution step.
Your Strategy Needs a Strategy: How to Choose and Execute the Right Approach is suggested reading for all managers, and should be required reading for managers of the 50 percent of businesses that have mismatched their strategy to their environment.
Access Gene Babon's reviews of books on Business Leadership and Business Strategy at Pinterest.
~ Classical: Be big
~ Adaptive: Be fast
~ Visionary: Be first
~ Shaping: Be the orchestrator
~ Renewal: Be viable
Many people, myself included, grew up in a stable business environment of past decades that prompted a Classical approach to business strategy. Globalization and the internet have changed the business landscape significantly, prompting alternate business strategy models. You might recognize these models through previous published works on strategy including the following:
~ Classical: Be big (Playing to Win)
~ Adaptive: Be fast (The End of Competitive Advantage)
~ Visionary: Be first (Blue Ocean Strategy)
The case studies presented throughout help clarify the different environments and approaches to strategy. Get your strategy right and you increase your chance of winning. The authors' research reveals that approximately half of all companies mismatch their approach to strategy to their environment in some way. However, you still must execute. There is no shortcut to the execution step.
Your Strategy Needs a Strategy: How to Choose and Execute the Right Approach is suggested reading for all managers, and should be required reading for managers of the 50 percent of businesses that have mismatched their strategy to their environment.
Access Gene Babon's reviews of books on Business Leadership and Business Strategy at Pinterest.
November 29, 2018
A more meta and situational view of strategy. Useful and good food for thought. There’s even an iPad app for practicing with the 5 kinds of strategy strategies.
July 14, 2019
Rich in knowledge but definitely not an easy read.
I'm new to business strategy and this book has drawn out much of my mental energy (in a positive way).
The Big Idea(s) are logical and easy to understand. Once you've gone through these 282 pages (less Appendices then only ~70% of the pages are the main content), you can settle in the right mind when it comes to strategizing.
Given a strategy toolbox in which each of the tools is a framework, while there are hundreds of them from the classic Porter's 5 Forces and the 4Ps to the ones we've never heard of, YSNS could serve as an "unofficial manual".
There are also some super-dry parts, mostly the "Implementation"s, where it's hard to see how things can be applied in real businesses. Many case studies with analyses are provided to accompany the authors' ideas, and they do help, but it's still sometimes tiring to go through several blocks of theoretical text.
Overall, a good book with great learning points. I highly recommend it to be one of your starting reads into strategies.
I'm new to business strategy and this book has drawn out much of my mental energy (in a positive way).
The Big Idea(s) are logical and easy to understand. Once you've gone through these 282 pages (less Appendices then only ~70% of the pages are the main content), you can settle in the right mind when it comes to strategizing.
Given a strategy toolbox in which each of the tools is a framework, while there are hundreds of them from the classic Porter's 5 Forces and the 4Ps to the ones we've never heard of, YSNS could serve as an "unofficial manual".
There are also some super-dry parts, mostly the "Implementation"s, where it's hard to see how things can be applied in real businesses. Many case studies with analyses are provided to accompany the authors' ideas, and they do help, but it's still sometimes tiring to go through several blocks of theoretical text.
Overall, a good book with great learning points. I highly recommend it to be one of your starting reads into strategies.
June 25, 2015
This book is an outstanding source that will help those who are formulating strategies in their respective organizations to find out the right fit. Most organizations are using what the book calls classical strategy where people sit to analyse, plan and execute whatever strategies a certain group of people come up with. However, there exist a debate in many business publications especially among strategy gurus about the right approach; some are advocating the adapting approach, some are classical, etc.
Fortunately, this book does an outstanding presentation which shows that those approaches have merits depending on the type of industry a company is involved in.
If you want to know what's the right kind of strategy for your company, read this book. You may do your company a favor by saving time and money in going to the right directions.
Fortunately, this book does an outstanding presentation which shows that those approaches have merits depending on the type of industry a company is involved in.
If you want to know what's the right kind of strategy for your company, read this book. You may do your company a favor by saving time and money in going to the right directions.
August 5, 2015
This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to understand Corporate Strategy and to be clear that we have many distinct ways to pursue a strategy in the market. The authors studied lots of companies and they developed a framework and defined five different strategies and ways to plan and execute one: classical, adaptive, visionary, shaping and renewal. The meat of the book are the chapters on the five strategies (one chapter per strategy). The book ends with many lessons for leaders and how to master this strategy palette. A great read!!!
October 21, 2020
This, in my opinion is a new classical strategy book and a must read
July 14, 2025
The premise, choosing your strategic approach based on how predictable and malleable your environment is, feels promising, and the first chapter sets up a compelling meta-framework. The authors are clearly sharp thinkers with a deep command of the literature.
But as the book progresses, its limitations become clearer. The five archetypes feel under-motivated, more like tidy consulting categories than deeply grounded strategic modes. Much of the book re-explains what you could already infer after the opening. What’s missing is depth: second-order effects, organizational trade-offs, or even a clear sense of when the frameworks break down.
In an era where generative AI is rewriting key assumptions about speed, scale, differentiation, I strongly doubt the winning strategies for this wave will be found here. The framework is tidy, but it’s not enough.
Still, for readers looking for structure and a survey of strategic schools of thought, it’s a useful secondary read. Just don’t expect it to future-proof your thinking.
But as the book progresses, its limitations become clearer. The five archetypes feel under-motivated, more like tidy consulting categories than deeply grounded strategic modes. Much of the book re-explains what you could already infer after the opening. What’s missing is depth: second-order effects, organizational trade-offs, or even a clear sense of when the frameworks break down.
In an era where generative AI is rewriting key assumptions about speed, scale, differentiation, I strongly doubt the winning strategies for this wave will be found here. The framework is tidy, but it’s not enough.
Still, for readers looking for structure and a survey of strategic schools of thought, it’s a useful secondary read. Just don’t expect it to future-proof your thinking.
September 27, 2017
Excellent model and a pleasure to read.
March 31, 2021
یه کتاب خوب که ساختار مناسبی برای استراتژی میده و اون رو دسته بندی میکنه به ذهن یک استراتژیست به خوبی جهت میده تا بتونه تفاوت مدل های مختلف رو درک کنه. اپلیکیشن جالبی هم برای آموزش داره و خود گزوه بوستون هم مقالات دیگه ای توی سایتش نوشته که جالبه
August 5, 2021
Your strategy needs a strategy melihat dunia melalui rear-view mirror, melihat ke belakang ketimbang ke depan. Melihat dunia sebagaimana adanya. Enggan melihat dunia dengan lebih kritis.
Akibatnya, membaca buku ini seperti membaca sebuah executive summary sepanjang 200 halaman. Sebuah executive summary yang, at its best, terlalu menyederhanakan dunia, dan at its worst, mendistorsi realita.
Di satu sisi buku ini memberikan kontribusi baru mengenai jenis-jenis tantangan yang dihadapi oleh sebuah bisnis dan cara-cara yang tepat untuk menyikapinya, tapi di sisi lain, kesimpulan dan implementasinya disajikan dengan riset dan contoh yang agak ngambang, dengan analisa yang rasanya kurang "masuk".
Ditulis oleh Martin Reeves, Knut Haanæs dan Janmejaya Sinha dari Boston Consulting Group, Your Strategy Needs a Strategy membahas mengenai berbagai jenis strategi yang tepat digunakan untuk menghadapi tantangan market dan bisnis yang berbeda-beda.
Karakter pasar dan tren bisnis, menurut mereka, bisa dibagi menjadi tiga buah tantangan:
a. Tantangan menurut tingkat Malleability (Seberapa gampang market/industrynya bisa dibentuk)
b. Tantangan menurut tingkat Unpredictability (Seberapa predictable market dan industrynya)
c. Tantangan menurut tingkat Harshness (Seberapa keras dan profitable market/industrynya.)
Dengan tiga dimensi tantangan tersebut, perusahaan mempunyai lima jenis strategi yang bisa diterapkan:
1. Classical Strategy ketika arah industri dan market bisa ditebak tapi sulit dibentuk,
2. Visionary Strategy ketika arah industri dan market bisa ditebak dan bisa dibentuk,
3. Adaptive Strategy ketika arah industri dan market susah ditebak dan sulit dibentuk,
4. Shaping Strategy, ketika arah industri dan market susah ditebak tapi bisa dibentuk,
5. Renewal Strategy, ketika market sedang keras yang ditandai oleh growth yg rendah, sehingga perusahaan membutuhkan pembaharuan bisnis, berupa pembaharuan internal maupun pemilihan market yang lebih sustainable.
So far so good. Framework ini sanggup memberikan kacamata baru dalam melihat tantangan market yang dihadapi sebuah bisnis. Sayangnya, buku ini mulai bermasalah ketika kita memasuki detil implementasi dan justifikasi frameworknya.
Your Strategy Needs a Strategy sekedar melihat business & management practice apa yang dilakukan mayoritas perusahaan dan membaginya menjadi kuadran-kuadran strategi tanpa melihat prakteknya dengan lebih kritis. Tidak ada upaya untuk memetakan ataupun membandingkan praktek manajemen yang pernah dipakai dengan state of the art yang ada sekarang. Condong untuk mengkotak-kotakan strategi dengan desain organisasi dan praktek manajemen perusahaan yang sudah-sudah.
Melihat strategi sebagai sebuah rangkaian Best Practices yang umum dilakukan perusahaan. Melihat state of the art teori organisasi pada masa lalu sebagai sebuah bukti konkret strategi yang mesti dilakukan. Padahal teori dan desain organisasi berkembang seiring waktu. Terobosan dan paradigma baru dalam ruang lingkup manajemen telah muncul dalam beberapa dekade terakhir.
Akibatnya, beberapa bagian buku ini lebih terasa seperti sebuah artifak kuno peninggalan praktek manajemen masa lampau. Utamanya, pandangan ketinggalan jaman yang mengatakan, secara implisit, bahwa organisasi seakan-akan seperti sebuah mesin yang tinggal disetir. Sebuah Pandangan yang masih terasa di setiap argumen buku ini.
Change Management dan manajemen sehari-hari pun dilihat sebagai masalah arahan saja. Menghidupkan kembali mitos top management yang mendikte dan tahu segalanya, di mana bawahan tinggal mengikuti arahan dari atas. Kekurangan performa perusahaan lebih disebabkan karena kesalahan bawahan dalam mengikuti instruksi.
Sebuah pandangan yang secara perlahan mulai ditantang dalam satu-dua dekade terakhir. Ditantang, di antaranya, oleh karya-karya dari Edwards Deming, Peter Senge, Ikujiro Nonaka, dan H. Thomas Johnson. Karya-karya yang mengadvokasi pentingnya pembaharuan paradigma dan praktek manajemen saat ini.
Contoh lain lagi, Classical Strategy dalam buku ini diidentikan dengan Command and Control style strategic planning, sebuah style manajemen yang lumrah dipraktekan banyak perusahaan sejak awal abad 20 lalu.
Classical strategy, mereka sebut, ditandai dengan dengan superior scale, superior capabilities, dan differentiation. Mempunyai karakter terpisahnya planning dan execution, learning dan doing.
Dia berdalih melalui computer simulation bahwa Strategy Classical ini cocok dipakai untuk market yang predictable, dan menghasilkan keuntungan lebih besar dibandingkan strategy lain (misal adaptive).
Masalahnya, Classical strategy untuk mencapai scale, differentiation, dan superior capabilities tidak harus dicapai dengan paradigma manajemen lama seperti command and control, tapi bisa juga dilakukan dengan cara mengaplikasikan teori manajemen baru.
Misal, learning dan doing di Toyota dilakukan secara bersamaan, dan hanya bila dilakukan secara bersamaan lah pembelajaran yg sebenarnya bisa dilakukan. Dalam paradigma terbaru, learning dan doing tidak bisa dan tidak boleh dipisah. Padahal strategi Toyota masih sama seperti Classical Strategy. Bedanya, Toyota melakukan terobosan di praktek manajerial dan desain organisasi.
Contoh lain lagi adalah Royal Dutch/Shell. Berbeda dengan klaim mereka, Shell, walaupun bisa dikategorikan ke dalam Classical Strategy, juga telah melakukan berbagai terobosan manajemen dan desain struktur organisasi.
Semenjak tahun 1980an mereka mulai perlahan-lahan mengakui bahwa organisasi sejatinya adalah sebuah living being, sebuah living work community. Sebuah pandangan yang dikontraskan dengan mechanistic worldview yang lumrah dipraktekan berbagai organisasi. Dan sebagai akibatnya, praktek manajemen dan desain organisasi mereka harus ikut berubah.
Command and Control strategic planning gaya lama pun ditinggalkan. wewenang pun semakin didelegasikan ke bawah. Planning dan Learning dan Doing, mereka sadar, sebetulnya adalah satu hal yang sama.
Contoh lain lagi, proses agile product development tidak hanya berguna untuk Adaptive Strategy, tapi bisa juga dipraktekan pada berbagai jenis perusahaan karena sebetulnya ia adalah sebuah framework yg dibuat dengan tujuan agar perusahaan memiliki dua buah kapabilitas yang krusial: mengerti customer dengan lebih cepat dan lebih baik, agar perusahaan mempunyai product market fit yang lebih tepat dengan cost yang lebih rendah. Pada intinya, ia bertujuan untuk mempercepat feedback cycle bagi perusahaan.
(Anehnya juga, mereka enggan menulis nama tools-tools dan practices terbaru seperti agile, lean, kanban, dsb, dan malah menggantinya dengan istilah-istilah umum seperti "perusahaan harus mempunyai portofolio eksperimen." I wonder why?)
Keberhasilan sebuah perusahaan pun seakan-akan dijadikan sebagai ultimate proof keberhasilan masing-masing jenis strategi tersebut. Padahal kita tahu bahwa keberhasilan sebuah perusahaan adalah sebuah hubungan sebab akibat yang kompleks, non-linear, dan multi-variable. Dengan banyak faktor yang berada di luar kontrol kita.
Detail dan teknik implementasi dari tiap-tiap strategi pun dijelaskan secara sambil lalu saja. Hanya membahas hal-hal super obvious dan umum. Quote "inspiring" dari business leader terkemuka pun ditambahi sebagai pemanis di akhir paragraf setiap poin-poin utama yang dimaksud.
Sebetulnya beberapa kritik saya ini juga dibenarkan oleh authornya sendiri, seperti pada halaman 21 dan 190. Pada kenyataannya, ujar mereka, perusahaan tidak bener-bener sekaku itu, tapi terdiri dari berbagai nuansa strategi berbeda dan implementasi yang saling bercampur. Dan framework ini berikut contohnya hanya melihat extreme endsnya saja.
Framework ini, sanggah mereka, baru akan mulai berguna ketika digunakan sebagai rule of thumb ketika menentukan arah perusahaan ke depannya. Sebuah tools diskusi ketika kita hendak memetakan perusahaan kita dengan lebih baik sehingga kita tidak sembrono dan terkungkung strategi yang itu-itu aja. Sebuah frame of mind yang berguna bagi kita agar kita bisa memulai "asking the right questions."
Dan untuk itu saya setuju.
Akibatnya, membaca buku ini seperti membaca sebuah executive summary sepanjang 200 halaman. Sebuah executive summary yang, at its best, terlalu menyederhanakan dunia, dan at its worst, mendistorsi realita.
Di satu sisi buku ini memberikan kontribusi baru mengenai jenis-jenis tantangan yang dihadapi oleh sebuah bisnis dan cara-cara yang tepat untuk menyikapinya, tapi di sisi lain, kesimpulan dan implementasinya disajikan dengan riset dan contoh yang agak ngambang, dengan analisa yang rasanya kurang "masuk".
Ditulis oleh Martin Reeves, Knut Haanæs dan Janmejaya Sinha dari Boston Consulting Group, Your Strategy Needs a Strategy membahas mengenai berbagai jenis strategi yang tepat digunakan untuk menghadapi tantangan market dan bisnis yang berbeda-beda.
Karakter pasar dan tren bisnis, menurut mereka, bisa dibagi menjadi tiga buah tantangan:
a. Tantangan menurut tingkat Malleability (Seberapa gampang market/industrynya bisa dibentuk)
b. Tantangan menurut tingkat Unpredictability (Seberapa predictable market dan industrynya)
c. Tantangan menurut tingkat Harshness (Seberapa keras dan profitable market/industrynya.)
Dengan tiga dimensi tantangan tersebut, perusahaan mempunyai lima jenis strategi yang bisa diterapkan:
1. Classical Strategy ketika arah industri dan market bisa ditebak tapi sulit dibentuk,
2. Visionary Strategy ketika arah industri dan market bisa ditebak dan bisa dibentuk,
3. Adaptive Strategy ketika arah industri dan market susah ditebak dan sulit dibentuk,
4. Shaping Strategy, ketika arah industri dan market susah ditebak tapi bisa dibentuk,
5. Renewal Strategy, ketika market sedang keras yang ditandai oleh growth yg rendah, sehingga perusahaan membutuhkan pembaharuan bisnis, berupa pembaharuan internal maupun pemilihan market yang lebih sustainable.
So far so good. Framework ini sanggup memberikan kacamata baru dalam melihat tantangan market yang dihadapi sebuah bisnis. Sayangnya, buku ini mulai bermasalah ketika kita memasuki detil implementasi dan justifikasi frameworknya.
Your Strategy Needs a Strategy sekedar melihat business & management practice apa yang dilakukan mayoritas perusahaan dan membaginya menjadi kuadran-kuadran strategi tanpa melihat prakteknya dengan lebih kritis. Tidak ada upaya untuk memetakan ataupun membandingkan praktek manajemen yang pernah dipakai dengan state of the art yang ada sekarang. Condong untuk mengkotak-kotakan strategi dengan desain organisasi dan praktek manajemen perusahaan yang sudah-sudah.
Melihat strategi sebagai sebuah rangkaian Best Practices yang umum dilakukan perusahaan. Melihat state of the art teori organisasi pada masa lalu sebagai sebuah bukti konkret strategi yang mesti dilakukan. Padahal teori dan desain organisasi berkembang seiring waktu. Terobosan dan paradigma baru dalam ruang lingkup manajemen telah muncul dalam beberapa dekade terakhir.
Akibatnya, beberapa bagian buku ini lebih terasa seperti sebuah artifak kuno peninggalan praktek manajemen masa lampau. Utamanya, pandangan ketinggalan jaman yang mengatakan, secara implisit, bahwa organisasi seakan-akan seperti sebuah mesin yang tinggal disetir. Sebuah Pandangan yang masih terasa di setiap argumen buku ini.
Change Management dan manajemen sehari-hari pun dilihat sebagai masalah arahan saja. Menghidupkan kembali mitos top management yang mendikte dan tahu segalanya, di mana bawahan tinggal mengikuti arahan dari atas. Kekurangan performa perusahaan lebih disebabkan karena kesalahan bawahan dalam mengikuti instruksi.
Sebuah pandangan yang secara perlahan mulai ditantang dalam satu-dua dekade terakhir. Ditantang, di antaranya, oleh karya-karya dari Edwards Deming, Peter Senge, Ikujiro Nonaka, dan H. Thomas Johnson. Karya-karya yang mengadvokasi pentingnya pembaharuan paradigma dan praktek manajemen saat ini.
Contoh lain lagi, Classical Strategy dalam buku ini diidentikan dengan Command and Control style strategic planning, sebuah style manajemen yang lumrah dipraktekan banyak perusahaan sejak awal abad 20 lalu.
Classical strategy, mereka sebut, ditandai dengan dengan superior scale, superior capabilities, dan differentiation. Mempunyai karakter terpisahnya planning dan execution, learning dan doing.
Dia berdalih melalui computer simulation bahwa Strategy Classical ini cocok dipakai untuk market yang predictable, dan menghasilkan keuntungan lebih besar dibandingkan strategy lain (misal adaptive).
Masalahnya, Classical strategy untuk mencapai scale, differentiation, dan superior capabilities tidak harus dicapai dengan paradigma manajemen lama seperti command and control, tapi bisa juga dilakukan dengan cara mengaplikasikan teori manajemen baru.
Misal, learning dan doing di Toyota dilakukan secara bersamaan, dan hanya bila dilakukan secara bersamaan lah pembelajaran yg sebenarnya bisa dilakukan. Dalam paradigma terbaru, learning dan doing tidak bisa dan tidak boleh dipisah. Padahal strategi Toyota masih sama seperti Classical Strategy. Bedanya, Toyota melakukan terobosan di praktek manajerial dan desain organisasi.
Contoh lain lagi adalah Royal Dutch/Shell. Berbeda dengan klaim mereka, Shell, walaupun bisa dikategorikan ke dalam Classical Strategy, juga telah melakukan berbagai terobosan manajemen dan desain struktur organisasi.
Semenjak tahun 1980an mereka mulai perlahan-lahan mengakui bahwa organisasi sejatinya adalah sebuah living being, sebuah living work community. Sebuah pandangan yang dikontraskan dengan mechanistic worldview yang lumrah dipraktekan berbagai organisasi. Dan sebagai akibatnya, praktek manajemen dan desain organisasi mereka harus ikut berubah.
Command and Control strategic planning gaya lama pun ditinggalkan. wewenang pun semakin didelegasikan ke bawah. Planning dan Learning dan Doing, mereka sadar, sebetulnya adalah satu hal yang sama.
Contoh lain lagi, proses agile product development tidak hanya berguna untuk Adaptive Strategy, tapi bisa juga dipraktekan pada berbagai jenis perusahaan karena sebetulnya ia adalah sebuah framework yg dibuat dengan tujuan agar perusahaan memiliki dua buah kapabilitas yang krusial: mengerti customer dengan lebih cepat dan lebih baik, agar perusahaan mempunyai product market fit yang lebih tepat dengan cost yang lebih rendah. Pada intinya, ia bertujuan untuk mempercepat feedback cycle bagi perusahaan.
(Anehnya juga, mereka enggan menulis nama tools-tools dan practices terbaru seperti agile, lean, kanban, dsb, dan malah menggantinya dengan istilah-istilah umum seperti "perusahaan harus mempunyai portofolio eksperimen." I wonder why?)
Keberhasilan sebuah perusahaan pun seakan-akan dijadikan sebagai ultimate proof keberhasilan masing-masing jenis strategi tersebut. Padahal kita tahu bahwa keberhasilan sebuah perusahaan adalah sebuah hubungan sebab akibat yang kompleks, non-linear, dan multi-variable. Dengan banyak faktor yang berada di luar kontrol kita.
Detail dan teknik implementasi dari tiap-tiap strategi pun dijelaskan secara sambil lalu saja. Hanya membahas hal-hal super obvious dan umum. Quote "inspiring" dari business leader terkemuka pun ditambahi sebagai pemanis di akhir paragraf setiap poin-poin utama yang dimaksud.
Sebetulnya beberapa kritik saya ini juga dibenarkan oleh authornya sendiri, seperti pada halaman 21 dan 190. Pada kenyataannya, ujar mereka, perusahaan tidak bener-bener sekaku itu, tapi terdiri dari berbagai nuansa strategi berbeda dan implementasi yang saling bercampur. Dan framework ini berikut contohnya hanya melihat extreme endsnya saja.
Framework ini, sanggah mereka, baru akan mulai berguna ketika digunakan sebagai rule of thumb ketika menentukan arah perusahaan ke depannya. Sebuah tools diskusi ketika kita hendak memetakan perusahaan kita dengan lebih baik sehingga kita tidak sembrono dan terkungkung strategi yang itu-itu aja. Sebuah frame of mind yang berguna bagi kita agar kita bisa memulai "asking the right questions."
Dan untuk itu saya setuju.
April 13, 2020
Ce livres est une formidable méta-analyse des stratégies mises en œuvre dans les entreprises. Pour classifier les stratégies, les auteurs ont construit une matrice de l'environnement ou du contexte dans lequel les entreprises évoluent en utilisant trois axes (predictability, malleability, harshness). Ce faisant, les auteurs ont identifié 5 types de contextes qui déterminent la ou les stratégies à développer. Ce livre est une référence incontournable.
April 3, 2016
I like this book, it outlines clearly the different types of strategy and when you should apply them. Whether you are new to strategy or not this is a worthwhile read.
May 13, 2023
Book of the Day – Your Strategy Needs a Strategy
Today’s Book of the Day is YOUR STRATEGY NEEDS A STRATEGY, written by Martin Reeves, Knut Haanæs, and Janmejaya Sinha in 2015 and published by Harvard Business Review Press.
Martin Reeves, Knut Haanæs, and Janmejaya Sinha are three renowned experts in Strategy working for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
Martin Reeves is the Director of the BCG Bruce Henderson Institute, BCG’s think tank dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, economics, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas.
Knut Haanæs is Dean of the Global Leadership Institute at the World Economic Forum and professor of strategy and international management at IMD. He has been the global leader of BCG’s Strategy practice and a senior partner in the Geneva office.
Janmejaya Sinha is the Chairman for India and a member of Boston Consulting Group’s Henderson Institute Innovation Sounding Board.
I have chosen this book as Strategy is one of my favorite areas of intervention when I help a company.
Your Strategy Needs a Strategy is one of those books that you can easily classify as milestones in their field. This book represents an essential, insightful, and practical guide to developing effective strategies for your business in today’s complex landscape.
The book offers an easy-to-apply, comprehensive, and highly effective framework for identifying which strategy is the best one for a given situation and then executing it successfully. The right strategy, as the title of the book suggests, is the one that comes from a strategic choice.
The authors characterize business environments along three axes: Unpredictability, Malleability, and Harshness. Then, they introduce Five Strategy Types that organizations can use depending on the specific environment they operate in:
classical – Be Big
adaptive – Be Fast
visionary – Be First
shaping – Be the Orchestrator
renewal – Be Viable
Each strategic type is clearly characterized by having its own different approaches, goals, and organizational requirements.
Of course, the authors provide clear guidance on how to identify the type of strategy that best fits your organization, depending on the results of a preliminary in-depth analysis of how your work, which is your market, and what are your goals and purpose.
One of the key ideas of the book is strategic agility. The authors argue that organizations must be able to quickly and effectively adapt their strategies as soon as key circumstances change. So, they provide the readers with practical tools and techniques to bring this strategic agility into an organization.
The strength of the book is obviously its keen focus on the execution of the chosen strategy. The authors clearly state that developing a strategy is only the first step and that the real challenge is successfully implementing it. To do this, they explain how to align an organization’s structure, culture, and processes with your chosen strategy, and also, obviously, how to measure and track your progress.
The authors also provide not just empirical evidence but also essential mathematical model results to support their conclusions, suggestions, and frameworks.
Here are some of the key methods described in the book:
The Five Strategy Types Framework: there are five distinct types of strategy that organizations can use depending on their competitive environment. These are classical, adaptive, visionary, shaping, and renewal.
Scenario Planning: this is a method for exploring different possible options and then developing clear and effective strategies that will succeed in each of them. The authors provide a step-by-step guide for this method.
Option Thinking: this is a way of approaching strategic decisions as a series of key options that can be chosen or left depending on the evolution of the scenario, involving risk management.
Dynamic Resource Allocation: this method continuously reallocates essential business resources to the most promising ideas, opportunities, and activities that are aligned with your chosen strategy.
The Execution Checklist: this is a list of key execution factors to be considered in the implementation of a new strategy, such as aligning the organization’s structure, culture, and processes with the chosen strategy, ensuring that the right people are put in the right roles with the essential resources, and finally measuring and tracking progress.
Throughout the book, the authors give many real-world examples, from companies coming from completely different business sectors such as Amazon, Apple, Haier, and Tata. The examples clearly illustrate the concepts and principles of the book and make it clear to the readers that the ideas presented have been successfully implemented in practice.
So, Your Strategy Needs a Strategy is an excellent book for everyone who wants to understand the strategy of a business and successfully change it.
To me, this is the best book on strategy written in the last 20 years. Thus, the book is absolutely recommended.
Today’s Book of the Day is YOUR STRATEGY NEEDS A STRATEGY, written by Martin Reeves, Knut Haanæs, and Janmejaya Sinha in 2015 and published by Harvard Business Review Press.
Martin Reeves, Knut Haanæs, and Janmejaya Sinha are three renowned experts in Strategy working for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
Martin Reeves is the Director of the BCG Bruce Henderson Institute, BCG’s think tank dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, economics, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas.
Knut Haanæs is Dean of the Global Leadership Institute at the World Economic Forum and professor of strategy and international management at IMD. He has been the global leader of BCG’s Strategy practice and a senior partner in the Geneva office.
Janmejaya Sinha is the Chairman for India and a member of Boston Consulting Group’s Henderson Institute Innovation Sounding Board.
I have chosen this book as Strategy is one of my favorite areas of intervention when I help a company.
Your Strategy Needs a Strategy is one of those books that you can easily classify as milestones in their field. This book represents an essential, insightful, and practical guide to developing effective strategies for your business in today’s complex landscape.
The book offers an easy-to-apply, comprehensive, and highly effective framework for identifying which strategy is the best one for a given situation and then executing it successfully. The right strategy, as the title of the book suggests, is the one that comes from a strategic choice.
The authors characterize business environments along three axes: Unpredictability, Malleability, and Harshness. Then, they introduce Five Strategy Types that organizations can use depending on the specific environment they operate in:
classical – Be Big
adaptive – Be Fast
visionary – Be First
shaping – Be the Orchestrator
renewal – Be Viable
Each strategic type is clearly characterized by having its own different approaches, goals, and organizational requirements.
Of course, the authors provide clear guidance on how to identify the type of strategy that best fits your organization, depending on the results of a preliminary in-depth analysis of how your work, which is your market, and what are your goals and purpose.
One of the key ideas of the book is strategic agility. The authors argue that organizations must be able to quickly and effectively adapt their strategies as soon as key circumstances change. So, they provide the readers with practical tools and techniques to bring this strategic agility into an organization.
The strength of the book is obviously its keen focus on the execution of the chosen strategy. The authors clearly state that developing a strategy is only the first step and that the real challenge is successfully implementing it. To do this, they explain how to align an organization’s structure, culture, and processes with your chosen strategy, and also, obviously, how to measure and track your progress.
The authors also provide not just empirical evidence but also essential mathematical model results to support their conclusions, suggestions, and frameworks.
Here are some of the key methods described in the book:
The Five Strategy Types Framework: there are five distinct types of strategy that organizations can use depending on their competitive environment. These are classical, adaptive, visionary, shaping, and renewal.
Scenario Planning: this is a method for exploring different possible options and then developing clear and effective strategies that will succeed in each of them. The authors provide a step-by-step guide for this method.
Option Thinking: this is a way of approaching strategic decisions as a series of key options that can be chosen or left depending on the evolution of the scenario, involving risk management.
Dynamic Resource Allocation: this method continuously reallocates essential business resources to the most promising ideas, opportunities, and activities that are aligned with your chosen strategy.
The Execution Checklist: this is a list of key execution factors to be considered in the implementation of a new strategy, such as aligning the organization’s structure, culture, and processes with the chosen strategy, ensuring that the right people are put in the right roles with the essential resources, and finally measuring and tracking progress.
Throughout the book, the authors give many real-world examples, from companies coming from completely different business sectors such as Amazon, Apple, Haier, and Tata. The examples clearly illustrate the concepts and principles of the book and make it clear to the readers that the ideas presented have been successfully implemented in practice.
So, Your Strategy Needs a Strategy is an excellent book for everyone who wants to understand the strategy of a business and successfully change it.
To me, this is the best book on strategy written in the last 20 years. Thus, the book is absolutely recommended.
August 21, 2018
Fortune magazine are seeking suggestions on books that have changed someone’s mind on an important topic for their December issue. This book is my humble suggestion. Your Strategy Needs a Strategy perhaps hasn’t reversed my view on what corporate strategy is but it certainly supplied a framework that gave order and structure to what I previously knew, by this changing how I think about strategy. The three authors are management consultants at Boston Consulting Group and they aim to answer the question “What is this broader set of ways in which we can approach strategy, and which strategy is the most effective in which situation?” and claim that finding the right answer delivers significant value.
The star of the book is a matrix called the Strategy Palette with high vs. low unpredictability of a company’s business environment on the y-axis and high vs. low malleability on the x-axis. By the malleability of the business environment the authors mean to what extent a company – by themselves or in collaboration with others – can change the environment. The two axes form a four square matrix with the environments Classical (environment can be predicted but the company cannot change it), Adaptive (unpredictable and low ability to change), Visionary (environment is both predictable and the company can change it) and Shaping (where the company cannot predict the environment but it can change it). For each environment there are a number of existing strategy models that fit.
In the Strategy Palette there is actually a fifth environment with its own set of strategy models and it is the harsh unprofitable environment that requires some type of turnaround for the company to survive. The harshness of the environment is presented as a third axis in a three-dimensional model but in reality the harshness doesn’t really mix with the other axes. If the environment is so harsh that the survival of the company is threatened it should use the strategy models from this Renewal environment. If it’s not then it can start thinking about predictability and malleability.
I had a good think about if I agree on the choice of parameters: unpredictability, malleability and harshness. If I am to set up a plan to reach a goal are these then the most important aspects to take into account when choosing a type of strategy? I think they are. This book definitely fills a gap in that it brings order in the flora and fauna of strategy models. You first have to choose the right thing to do and then you can concentrate on doing it right. Managers too often just try one popular model after another without having the tool to know which one to choose. Now they have. At the same time one shouldn’t forget how dominating the classical environment is and try to force feed a company into the other parts of the strategy palette.
The book isn’t totally without objections. Now and then the authors present a number of art analogies that feel forced. The pictures are in black and white. Given this the name the Strategy Palette and the authors’ discussions about different colors becomes a bit quaint. Also, the authors don’t venture very deeply into each type of strategy. If they had, this could have become the definite reference book on strategy – now it’s a starting point. But to be fair they supply recommendations on literature to read to gain further understanding. Also, after the introductory chapter presenting the Strategy Palette I would have wished for a chapter that dived into the topic of how to in a good way measure unpredictability, malleability and harshness and by this categorize industries and companies. After this the authors could have proceeded to describe the five environments.
This should be one of the first books on strategy that anyone reads. The ability of a strategy to bring a company where it wants to be is contingent on the strategy being able to handle the environment in which the company travels.
The star of the book is a matrix called the Strategy Palette with high vs. low unpredictability of a company’s business environment on the y-axis and high vs. low malleability on the x-axis. By the malleability of the business environment the authors mean to what extent a company – by themselves or in collaboration with others – can change the environment. The two axes form a four square matrix with the environments Classical (environment can be predicted but the company cannot change it), Adaptive (unpredictable and low ability to change), Visionary (environment is both predictable and the company can change it) and Shaping (where the company cannot predict the environment but it can change it). For each environment there are a number of existing strategy models that fit.
In the Strategy Palette there is actually a fifth environment with its own set of strategy models and it is the harsh unprofitable environment that requires some type of turnaround for the company to survive. The harshness of the environment is presented as a third axis in a three-dimensional model but in reality the harshness doesn’t really mix with the other axes. If the environment is so harsh that the survival of the company is threatened it should use the strategy models from this Renewal environment. If it’s not then it can start thinking about predictability and malleability.
I had a good think about if I agree on the choice of parameters: unpredictability, malleability and harshness. If I am to set up a plan to reach a goal are these then the most important aspects to take into account when choosing a type of strategy? I think they are. This book definitely fills a gap in that it brings order in the flora and fauna of strategy models. You first have to choose the right thing to do and then you can concentrate on doing it right. Managers too often just try one popular model after another without having the tool to know which one to choose. Now they have. At the same time one shouldn’t forget how dominating the classical environment is and try to force feed a company into the other parts of the strategy palette.
The book isn’t totally without objections. Now and then the authors present a number of art analogies that feel forced. The pictures are in black and white. Given this the name the Strategy Palette and the authors’ discussions about different colors becomes a bit quaint. Also, the authors don’t venture very deeply into each type of strategy. If they had, this could have become the definite reference book on strategy – now it’s a starting point. But to be fair they supply recommendations on literature to read to gain further understanding. Also, after the introductory chapter presenting the Strategy Palette I would have wished for a chapter that dived into the topic of how to in a good way measure unpredictability, malleability and harshness and by this categorize industries and companies. After this the authors could have proceeded to describe the five environments.
This should be one of the first books on strategy that anyone reads. The ability of a strategy to bring a company where it wants to be is contingent on the strategy being able to handle the environment in which the company travels.
January 13, 2024
This is one of the defining books of strategy, this book along with Rumelt's Good Strategy Bad Strategy are must-reads.
The authors have created a framework to allows you to understand the kind of strategy that needs to be used for which environment.
It often happens that the kind of strategy used by a startup with very limited resources is not disruptive but visionary, spending exorbitant amounts in research. Similarly, the strategies adopted by various companies don't match the kind of environments and it often results in wasted efforts and loss of billions.
The crux of the book is that the strategy adopted should be based on the environmental conditions and the authors have created a strategy palette to make it easy for the painter, i.e. the strategies to choose from and then create a painting - yes this it the exact metaphor used throughout the book.
The authors have chosen the three-dimensional axis - of malleability, harshness, and Predictability to create the strategy palette.
With these axes, they were able to divide all strategies into five types.
Adaptive
Shaping
Visionary
Classical and
Renewal
This is cleary mentioned in the first chapter, the rest of the book i.e the rest of the chapters actually explain each of the strategy types and the kind of environments where the strategy must be used along with case studies of companies who have used them effectively.
Towards the last few chapters of the book the authors then actually show how real MNCs and true global companies use strategy - they would always have to use a mix of strategies instead of a monolithic strategy to be used across the org.
This is dealt in the last few chapters of the book.
Another interesting framework that the authors talk about is similar to the TEN FACES OF INNOVATION or the 10 kinds of innovators. The authors talk about the various roles that a strategy leader must play in his organization.
Diagnostician
Segmenter
Disrupter
Team coach
Salesperson
Inquisitor
Antenna
Accelerator
The authors have mentioned a few other interesting books in their book.
Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad’s book Competing for the Future,
Evans, Philip, and Tom Wurster. Blown to Bits: How the New Economics of Information
Transforms Strategy.
Lafley, A. G., and Roger L. Martin. Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works.
Peters, Thomas J., and Robert H. Waterman Jr. In Search of Excellence.
McGrath, Rita G. The End of Competitive Advantage: How to Keep Your Strategy Moving as
Fast as Your Business
Moore, Geoffrey A. Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to
Mainstream Customers
Moore, James F. The Death of Competition: Leadership and Strategy in the Age of Business
Ecosystems.
Hammer, Michael, and James A. Champy. Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for 25
Business Revolution
The authors have created a framework to allows you to understand the kind of strategy that needs to be used for which environment.
It often happens that the kind of strategy used by a startup with very limited resources is not disruptive but visionary, spending exorbitant amounts in research. Similarly, the strategies adopted by various companies don't match the kind of environments and it often results in wasted efforts and loss of billions.
The crux of the book is that the strategy adopted should be based on the environmental conditions and the authors have created a strategy palette to make it easy for the painter, i.e. the strategies to choose from and then create a painting - yes this it the exact metaphor used throughout the book.
The authors have chosen the three-dimensional axis - of malleability, harshness, and Predictability to create the strategy palette.
With these axes, they were able to divide all strategies into five types.
Adaptive
Shaping
Visionary
Classical and
Renewal
This is cleary mentioned in the first chapter, the rest of the book i.e the rest of the chapters actually explain each of the strategy types and the kind of environments where the strategy must be used along with case studies of companies who have used them effectively.
Towards the last few chapters of the book the authors then actually show how real MNCs and true global companies use strategy - they would always have to use a mix of strategies instead of a monolithic strategy to be used across the org.
This is dealt in the last few chapters of the book.
Another interesting framework that the authors talk about is similar to the TEN FACES OF INNOVATION or the 10 kinds of innovators. The authors talk about the various roles that a strategy leader must play in his organization.
Diagnostician
Segmenter
Disrupter
Team coach
Salesperson
Inquisitor
Antenna
Accelerator
The authors have mentioned a few other interesting books in their book.
Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad’s book Competing for the Future,
Evans, Philip, and Tom Wurster. Blown to Bits: How the New Economics of Information
Transforms Strategy.
Lafley, A. G., and Roger L. Martin. Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works.
Peters, Thomas J., and Robert H. Waterman Jr. In Search of Excellence.
McGrath, Rita G. The End of Competitive Advantage: How to Keep Your Strategy Moving as
Fast as Your Business
Moore, Geoffrey A. Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to
Mainstream Customers
Moore, James F. The Death of Competition: Leadership and Strategy in the Age of Business
Ecosystems.
Hammer, Michael, and James A. Champy. Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for 25
Business Revolution
November 19, 2024
I recently finished the audiobook "Your Strategy Needs a Strategy," and it significantly expanded my understanding of strategic thinking. The book provides a clear framework for identifying the right strategy for various business environments, enriched with historical context and practical insights. As a product manager, I found its approach particularly valuable for broadening my perspective beyond my usual agile focus.
One of the standout parts of the book was the discussion on classical strategy. While it's not an environment I'm personally familiar with, it provided a solid foundation for understanding how strategy evolved historically. The authors positioned classical strategy as a natural starting point—grounded in predictability and control—and highlighted its relevance for stable, predictable markets. What I found particularly valuable was how the authors pushed back against the current trend of seeing agile as a one-size-fits-all solution. This section reframed my perspective, emphasizing that not all environments benefit from agile approaches and that classical strategy still holds significant value in many traditional industries.
The book's strength lies in its simplicity and memorability, thanks to its matrix diagram. This framework serves as a handy tool for navigating strategic decisions as my company and career evolve. It's a resource I foresee revisiting in future roles, offering guidance on how to adapt to different strategic landscapes.
While I haven't yet experienced the full breadth of its applications, I can already see its potential impact. Recommended by my manager, it's a strategic approach we're planning to implement, making it a must-read for product managers, especially those stepping into strategic roles. Overall, I'm inclined to rate it between 4 to 4.5 stars, given its insightful content and practical value.
One of the standout parts of the book was the discussion on classical strategy. While it's not an environment I'm personally familiar with, it provided a solid foundation for understanding how strategy evolved historically. The authors positioned classical strategy as a natural starting point—grounded in predictability and control—and highlighted its relevance for stable, predictable markets. What I found particularly valuable was how the authors pushed back against the current trend of seeing agile as a one-size-fits-all solution. This section reframed my perspective, emphasizing that not all environments benefit from agile approaches and that classical strategy still holds significant value in many traditional industries.
The book's strength lies in its simplicity and memorability, thanks to its matrix diagram. This framework serves as a handy tool for navigating strategic decisions as my company and career evolve. It's a resource I foresee revisiting in future roles, offering guidance on how to adapt to different strategic landscapes.
While I haven't yet experienced the full breadth of its applications, I can already see its potential impact. Recommended by my manager, it's a strategic approach we're planning to implement, making it a must-read for product managers, especially those stepping into strategic roles. Overall, I'm inclined to rate it between 4 to 4.5 stars, given its insightful content and practical value.
August 27, 2021
The book opens with the premise that in an increasingly complex world, there's no one framework that can define a strategy for all companies in all contexts and all geographies. So far so good. Then the book goes on to create a framework that defines a strategy for all companies in all contexts and all geographies, based on three extremely arbitrary and loosely defined axes, justified by some mystical graphs that, unsurprisingly, were simulations developed by BCG (which I would assume were created specifically to prove their point).
While the discussions about different approaches are interesting, they suffer from survivor bias - BCG interviews some CEO's that had success at some point of their careers (success here defined as total shareholder value or stock price valuation) and attribute their success entirely to their application of the "strategy palette", ignoring many other that were as successful as those but without using the palette, and the ones who use the palette and were not successful.
I don't mind discussing a few cases of companies that can inspire businesspeople with their approaches, but to go as far as claiming to have developed the "one framework to rule them all" which is justified by confetti simulations is intellectually dishonest. I see this less like a book and more as a marketing tool for the company, because, after all, you need their expert help to understand where your company sits on the "predictability, malleability, and harshness" spectrum.
Do yourself a favor and skip it (even if you're one of the company employees that got the book for free (if you're not one of them, why did you buy it?))
While the discussions about different approaches are interesting, they suffer from survivor bias - BCG interviews some CEO's that had success at some point of their careers (success here defined as total shareholder value or stock price valuation) and attribute their success entirely to their application of the "strategy palette", ignoring many other that were as successful as those but without using the palette, and the ones who use the palette and were not successful.
I don't mind discussing a few cases of companies that can inspire businesspeople with their approaches, but to go as far as claiming to have developed the "one framework to rule them all" which is justified by confetti simulations is intellectually dishonest. I see this less like a book and more as a marketing tool for the company, because, after all, you need their expert help to understand where your company sits on the "predictability, malleability, and harshness" spectrum.
Do yourself a favor and skip it (even if you're one of the company employees that got the book for free (if you're not one of them, why did you buy it?))
February 5, 2025
This book presents an insightful framework for selecting and executing business strategies, categorizing them into five approaches based on the level of predictability, malleability, and harshness of the business environment. The authors—Martin Reeves, Knut Haanaes, and Janmejaya Sinha—bring deep expertise from their work at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), making the book highly relevant for those in strategy consulting or MBA programs.
However, for readers outside the consulting world or those without an MBA background, this book can be quite dense and challenging. The concepts, while valuable, are deeply rooted in BCG’s strategic thinking and may not be easily digestible for those unfamiliar with corporate strategy frameworks. If you are not particularly interested in BCG's methodology or high-level strategic planning, the book might feel overwhelming.
That being said, Your Strategy Needs a Strategy is still a well-structured and insightful read for anyone willing to engage with its content. The case studies and real-world applications add significant value, making it a worthwhile read for professionals aiming to understand different strategic approaches in a structured manner
However, for readers outside the consulting world or those without an MBA background, this book can be quite dense and challenging. The concepts, while valuable, are deeply rooted in BCG’s strategic thinking and may not be easily digestible for those unfamiliar with corporate strategy frameworks. If you are not particularly interested in BCG's methodology or high-level strategic planning, the book might feel overwhelming.
That being said, Your Strategy Needs a Strategy is still a well-structured and insightful read for anyone willing to engage with its content. The case studies and real-world applications add significant value, making it a worthwhile read for professionals aiming to understand different strategic approaches in a structured manner
December 9, 2021
The book is built on the premise that the right strategy depends on the environment an organization is in. This is correct, and way too often overlooked. That there are a lot of other factors that influence the right strategy, that the book understandably overlooked, in what I assume is the preference for parsimony. Putting this small criticism aside, I really liked the book and how it gives examples and makes managers think beyond classical strategy.
The four strategic approaches discussed are:
- Classical: A akin to Porter's five forces framework and cost-leadership/differentiation frameworks, as well as the resource-based view of the firm (VRIO).
- Adaptive (experimentation): Relates to Eisenhardt's simple rules and Rita McGrath's discovery-based planning.
- Visionary: Similar to blue ocean strategy and Clayton Christensen’s disruptive innovation model.
- Shaping (collaborating and competing with external parties): Brings in ideas from Brandenburger and Nalebuff's coopetition, Evans and Wurster orchestrator model in 'Blown to Bits', Chesbrough's open innovation, plus Prahalad and Ramaswamy's cocreation between customers/organizations.
The four strategic approaches discussed are:
- Classical: A akin to Porter's five forces framework and cost-leadership/differentiation frameworks, as well as the resource-based view of the firm (VRIO).
- Adaptive (experimentation): Relates to Eisenhardt's simple rules and Rita McGrath's discovery-based planning.
- Visionary: Similar to blue ocean strategy and Clayton Christensen’s disruptive innovation model.
- Shaping (collaborating and competing with external parties): Brings in ideas from Brandenburger and Nalebuff's coopetition, Evans and Wurster orchestrator model in 'Blown to Bits', Chesbrough's open innovation, plus Prahalad and Ramaswamy's cocreation between customers/organizations.
April 25, 2021
I'm conflicted about this book. There is a lot of insight articulated in the beginning that was helpful in helping make sense of the various strategic paradigms and approaches to strategy out there. This books is recommended reading because it brings it all together for novice managers and strategists.
That being said, I found the the language and writing style to reflect too much modern "consultese". It's verbose, repetitive and, at times, confusing. And may not be accessible to a non-consultant reader. It's a reflection of the poor writing and communication that exists in the industry. Too many words to not say something much. A lot of vague theory, that's paired to loosely related anecdotes and soundbytes from industry leaders
That being said, I appreciate how well-researched this is. It pulls together a lot of thought leadership across Boston Consulting Groups' partners. And I do love the fact that in Appendix B there is a list of recommended readings that reinforce the strategic archetypes that are unveiled in this book.
That being said, I found the the language and writing style to reflect too much modern "consultese". It's verbose, repetitive and, at times, confusing. And may not be accessible to a non-consultant reader. It's a reflection of the poor writing and communication that exists in the industry. Too many words to not say something much. A lot of vague theory, that's paired to loosely related anecdotes and soundbytes from industry leaders
That being said, I appreciate how well-researched this is. It pulls together a lot of thought leadership across Boston Consulting Groups' partners. And I do love the fact that in Appendix B there is a list of recommended readings that reinforce the strategic archetypes that are unveiled in this book.
October 11, 2019
This book outlines four types of company strategies: classical, visionary, adaptive, and renewal. Classical is maximizing your current setup (think Mars candy & decades of M&M sales). Visionary is a clear picture of a new place to go (think Steve Jobs and the iPad). Adaptive is to do a lot of experiments and see what works (think drug companies developing new chemicals). Renewal is turning around a failing business (think Ford recovering under Alan Mulally).
The key, they say, is to match your strategy type to the right circumstances. Not everyone should be visionary. Nor should everyone have an adaptive, experimental approach. Have a strategy for picking which kind of strategy to pursue. Also, it's important to match all your systems, so you don't have a visionary leader with a company that uses classical decision making and compensation systems.
If you set strategy for an organization, this is a good read.
The key, they say, is to match your strategy type to the right circumstances. Not everyone should be visionary. Nor should everyone have an adaptive, experimental approach. Have a strategy for picking which kind of strategy to pursue. Also, it's important to match all your systems, so you don't have a visionary leader with a company that uses classical decision making and compensation systems.
If you set strategy for an organization, this is a good read.
April 4, 2020
I don't read management books much anymore, but l quite enjoyed reading this. The authors articulate five approaches to strategy - classical, visionary, adaptive, shaping and renewal, each of which is suitable in different situations. This is not a book about one particular idea or concept, but a general framework for thinking about strategy. Different concepts such as Blue Ocean Thinking, Business Process Re-engineering, Porter's Five Forces and many more are mentioned, but only as tools to consider when thinking about or when applying the right strategy. The focus is not on any specific tool or framework, and that is to the book's merit. The other thing l liked is that it's not overwritten with multiple examples detailing the same idea. There is a basic structure to each chapter describing each strategy and the content is succinct without being weightless. The writing is quite good too, well crafted but avoiding jargon.
March 25, 2025
This book provides a high-level overview of five different approaches to strategy: classical, adaptive, visionary, shaping, and renewal. Based on HBR research, the “strategy palette” is shaped by the unpredictability, malleability, and harshness of a given business environment. Leaders are encouraged to assess their current environment, apply the most appropriate strategy archetype, and orchestrate its execution. As the environment changes (or is predicted to change), leaders must reevaluate and either continue with the current approach, select a new approach, or utilize multiple approaches—what the authors refer to as being “ambidextrous.”
The book provides helpful tips and traps for each approach as leaders seek to implement and execute.
The book provides helpful tips and traps for each approach as leaders seek to implement and execute.
October 8, 2017
I found this book on Audible and was pleasently surprised. It is a great source of knowledge for those working in business Strategy.
TOP
The book is clearly divided making it useful as a reference after reading it through at least one time. There are many clarifications and examples that serve the purpose of understanding the topic.
TRAPS
The book contains quite some tables and references. These are difficult to understand in the audio version. So I would suggest the eBook version or even better the good old paperback as it is much easier to make notes.
TIP
If you are a business leader and/or strategist just read this book. It will be of inspiration and motivation.
TOP
The book is clearly divided making it useful as a reference after reading it through at least one time. There are many clarifications and examples that serve the purpose of understanding the topic.
TRAPS
The book contains quite some tables and references. These are difficult to understand in the audio version. So I would suggest the eBook version or even better the good old paperback as it is much easier to make notes.
TIP
If you are a business leader and/or strategist just read this book. It will be of inspiration and motivation.
July 31, 2022
Companies need to adjust their strategy processes to their specific competitive environment. Their environment can be defined by whether it is predictable and malleable. This generates four different types of environments: classical, adaptive, shaping and visionary.
Classical (predictable: high, malleable: low, example: oil)
This style is familiar to business students through classical frameworks: five forces, blue ocean, growth share matrix etc. Companies analyse markets, identify the most attractive segments and carefully plan how to leverage their resources and capabilities to achieve and maintain strong positions within those. These plans tend to last for years thanks to the predictability of these markets. The relatively low pace of change allows for strategy to be a standalone function since information has time to travel to other departments.
Adaptive (predictable: low, malleable: low, example: fashion)
Companies must be flexible in their strategy making process when the environment is changing rapidly. Management need to continually test, produce and roll-out new products. This requires strategy to be a cross-functional exercise between planners, designers, manufacturers and distributors.
Shaping (predictable: low, malleable: high, example: internet software)
A shaping strategy requires companies to apply a flexible approach that expands beyond the boundaries of the company to include their ecosystem of customers, suppliers etc. This allows them to define new markets, standards, platforms and practices. These companies often operate a portfolio of experiments to continuously learn and adapt about their environment.
Visionary (predictable: high, malleable: high, example: entrepreneurs)
The visionary approach requires bold strategies to take advantage of the malleable environment and can be highly focused thanks to its predictable context. Entrepreneurs tend to apply a build it and they will come approach. It requires strong conviction for the strategists to stay the course while creating the markets.
Implementing the Strategic Approach
Adapting the appropriate strategy approach starts with managers accurately identifying the characteristics of their environment. There is a tendency for managers to overestimate how much they can predict and shape their environment. They are also influenced by the financial calendar which might not be well-aligned with the planning horison for their respective environment. Managers also need to build a culture that supports the respective strategic approach.
Companies may need to deploy different strategy approaches within their various subsidiaries and departments. The environment can also change over time, for example when a company or an entire market develops from start-up to maturity. Leaders must therefore develop strong strategic flexibility.
Classical (predictable: high, malleable: low, example: oil)
This style is familiar to business students through classical frameworks: five forces, blue ocean, growth share matrix etc. Companies analyse markets, identify the most attractive segments and carefully plan how to leverage their resources and capabilities to achieve and maintain strong positions within those. These plans tend to last for years thanks to the predictability of these markets. The relatively low pace of change allows for strategy to be a standalone function since information has time to travel to other departments.
Adaptive (predictable: low, malleable: low, example: fashion)
Companies must be flexible in their strategy making process when the environment is changing rapidly. Management need to continually test, produce and roll-out new products. This requires strategy to be a cross-functional exercise between planners, designers, manufacturers and distributors.
Shaping (predictable: low, malleable: high, example: internet software)
A shaping strategy requires companies to apply a flexible approach that expands beyond the boundaries of the company to include their ecosystem of customers, suppliers etc. This allows them to define new markets, standards, platforms and practices. These companies often operate a portfolio of experiments to continuously learn and adapt about their environment.
Visionary (predictable: high, malleable: high, example: entrepreneurs)
The visionary approach requires bold strategies to take advantage of the malleable environment and can be highly focused thanks to its predictable context. Entrepreneurs tend to apply a build it and they will come approach. It requires strong conviction for the strategists to stay the course while creating the markets.
Implementing the Strategic Approach
Adapting the appropriate strategy approach starts with managers accurately identifying the characteristics of their environment. There is a tendency for managers to overestimate how much they can predict and shape their environment. They are also influenced by the financial calendar which might not be well-aligned with the planning horison for their respective environment. Managers also need to build a culture that supports the respective strategic approach.
Companies may need to deploy different strategy approaches within their various subsidiaries and departments. The environment can also change over time, for example when a company or an entire market develops from start-up to maturity. Leaders must therefore develop strong strategic flexibility.
May 10, 2017
Um livro interessante que propõe um leque de caminhos estratégicos que uma empresa deve considerar hoje em dia. É interessante porque os autores propõem enxergar a criação da estratégia não apenas pelo lado tradicional (jeito Porter de fazer), mas sim, olhar através de outras óticas, ao meu ver mais próximas de abordagens da Rita Macgrath e Roger Martin.
Recomendo para ampliar a percepção. Importante frisar que gostaria de adicionar à formulação da estratégia o componente colaborativo - algo que aparece mais apenas na de Formação/Shaping.
Recomendo para ampliar a percepção. Importante frisar que gostaria de adicionar à formulação da estratégia o componente colaborativo - algo que aparece mais apenas na de Formação/Shaping.
February 25, 2019
Livro bem escrito com conteúdo relevante e confiável.
O livro tem um formato bem diversificado, mesclando teoria, cases e experimentos, tudo muito bem interligado. A ferramenta proposta parece fazer bastante sentido (vou começar a incorporar no ambiente de trabalho para aprender melhor) e o conceito de que diferentes estilos de estratégia do aplicáveis em diferente contextos (e isso varia com o passar do tempo empresa um business) é ouro. Além disso, o livro referencia inúmeras fontes sérias de leitura para nos aprofundarmos nos assuntos abordados.
O livro tem um formato bem diversificado, mesclando teoria, cases e experimentos, tudo muito bem interligado. A ferramenta proposta parece fazer bastante sentido (vou começar a incorporar no ambiente de trabalho para aprender melhor) e o conceito de que diferentes estilos de estratégia do aplicáveis em diferente contextos (e isso varia com o passar do tempo empresa um business) é ouro. Além disso, o livro referencia inúmeras fontes sérias de leitura para nos aprofundarmos nos assuntos abordados.
July 13, 2019
The book covers the main components of the strategy framework you need, which are dependent on the market dynamics, namely in terms of market malleability and predictability.
The main contribution of the book is its ability to help you identify and choose the right framework alongside the type of strategy cycle, culture, organisation, as well as employ ambidexterity-like approaches in multi-geography multi-segment enterprises
The main contribution of the book is its ability to help you identify and choose the right framework alongside the type of strategy cycle, culture, organisation, as well as employ ambidexterity-like approaches in multi-geography multi-segment enterprises
May 1, 2020
A good strategy refresher for consultants, corporate strategy folks, and anyone who's interested in strategic planning. Essentially, the authors say that there isn't one way to do strategy. Rather, strategy development depends on the environment in which an organization operates. I found the way the authors' framework helpful and the way they aligned it to other familiar frameworks (e.g., 7s, 5 Forces, etc.).
May 5, 2020
در این کتاب نویسندگان ایده پالت استراتژی را در انتخاب استراتژی پیشنهاد میکنند که بسته به قابلیت پیش بینی، انعطاف پذیری، و طاقت فرسایی، ۵ محیط کلاسیک، انطباقی، آرمان گرایانه، شک لدهی، و نوسازی را تعریف میکند و هر سازمانی بسته به صنعتی که در آن فعالیت میکند (یکی از ۳ مورد ذکر شده) میتواند یکی از این انواع این استراتژی ها را برگزیند. در پایان نویسندگان شرکتهای بزرگی را مثال میزنند که هر بخش از آنها، یکی از انواع این محیط را بسته به محصول تولیدی شان، انتخاب کرده و موفق عمل کرده اند.
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