The Manager's Guide to Strategy [Paperback]

Roger Formisano (Author)

Book Description

Series: Briefcase Books Series | Publication Date: October 20, 2003

Translated into 16 languages! The reader-friendly, icon-rich Briefcase Books series is must reading for all managers at every level.

All managers, whether brand new to their positions or well-established in the organizational hierarchy, can use a little "brushing up" now and then. The skills-based Briefcase Books series is filled with ideas and strategies to help managers become more capable, efficient, effective, and valuable to their organizations.

The best strategies--and the most capable managers--are those that effectively match an organization's capabilities with its customers' needs. The Manager's Guide to Strategy shows managers how to analyze a firm's position in the marketplace, formulate and execute a profitable strategy, then evaluate and revise that strategy over time. It details techniques for making employees excited about and committed to a strategy, and explains how to use strategy to take advantage of opportunities as they arise--to the mutual benefit of both a company and its customers.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

How Top Managers Create and Implement Strategies that Benefit Their Companies and Their Careers

As a manager, every decision you make must both support and drive your organization's strategic goals. But first you must understand those goals--what they are, how they were arrived at, how you can contribute to them, and what you can do to help achieve them.

Manager's Guide to Strategy provides you with proven, up-to-date concepts, tools, and insights for effective strategy formulation, along with myriad examples of successful and not-so-successful strategies from real companies. The latest results-focused volume in McGraw-Hill's bestselling Briefcase Books series, this step-by-step introduction to strategy and strategic planning will show you how to:

• Formulate long-term goals, and create a plan to achieve those goals
• Factor your best customers and their needs into every strategic decision
• Evaluate and revise strategies to take advantage of new opportunities

Successful companies and managers recognize that strategy development is a continuous, iterative, and interactive process. Learn how to both think and act strategically--for the benefit of your organization, your customers, and your career--in Manager's Guide to Strategy.

Briefcase Books are written specifically for today's busy manager. Each book features eye-catching icons, checklists, and sidebars to guide managers step-by-step through everyday workplace situations. Look for these innovative design features to help you navigate through each page:

[Key Terms icon] Clear definitions of key strategy development terms and jargon

[Smart Managing icon] Ideas for intelligent strategy development and implementation

[Tricks of the Trade icon] How-to hints for efficient, effective strategic management

[Mistake proofing icon] Advice for minimizing errors when planning strategy

[Caution icon] Warning signs of strategic planning attempts going wrong

[For Example icon] Examples from a variety of companies, large and small

[Tools icon] Boxes where you'll find specific strategic planning procedures

About the Author

Roger A. Formisano is a professor of executive education at UW-Madison, focused on the areas of strategy, leadership, governance, and mergers and acquisitions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (October 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071421726
• ISBN-13: 978-0071421720
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,577,498 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Roger Formisano, September 30, 2007

By 

Elijah Chingosho "Dr Elijah Chingosho" (Nairobi, Kenya) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Manager's Guide to Strategy (Paperback)

I enjoyed reading this book which I found to be fascinating and enlightening. The book describes strategy and its role in ensuring that organisations achieve their mission. It is a comprehensive book on various aspects of strategy including the need to focus on customer needs, environmental analysis, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, corrective adjustments to strategy with time and the process of ensuring that employees and other stakeholders are motivated to ensure the success of the strategy.

The book is well written, well presented and easy to follow and understand. It is very practical and with many good examples. I would strongly recommend managers at all levels to read this interesting, practical and insightful book on strategy. The book is also useful and handy for students doing an MBA or other postgraduate studies in business.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great find for business strategy, November 23, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Manager's Guide to Strategy (Paperback)

This book is a great, quick read for someone looking for a fresh outlook on business strategy. I think this book is good for people on a variety of different levels of management, from salespeople to top executives. The author's use of entertaining analogies helps translate traditional business speak to real life examples of how business works in the real world and adds humor and flavor where it might not be expected. It is great for newly promoted people who are looking for the foundation of how to think ahead and implement a vision through tangible goals and evaluation. Merry Christmas to the seven managers who report to me-- they are getting this!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for all levels of managers!, December 14, 2003

By 

Kate M. Nisbet (Madison, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Manager's Guide to Strategy (Paperback)

The Manager's Guide To Stategy is a must read for all levels of management. Get your staff thinking about core business activities. Examine your business and refocus to meet a customer need and succeed! The author does an excellent job at providing examples throughout the book. Working tools provided can be put to use today. It is a perfect blend of marketing and managemnet. This will be on my list of recommended reading in 2004.