Crafting and Executing Strategy: The Quest for Comptetitive Advantage: Concepts and Cases

Overview: Thompson, Strickland and Gambles', CRAFTING AND EXECUTING STRATEGY, 16e presents the latest research findings from the literature and cutting-edge strategic practices of companies have been incorporated to keep step with both theory and practice. The chapter content continues to be solidly mainstream and balanced, mirroring both the best academic thinking and the pragmatism of real-world strategic management. Known for its cases and teaching notes, CRAFTING AND EXECUTING STRATEGY, 16e provides an unparalleled case line up. (1) 28 of the 31 cases are new to this edition, (2) The selection of cases is diverse, timely, and thoughtfully-crafted and complements the text presentation pushing students to apply the concepts and analytical tools they have read about. (3) Many cases involve high-profile companies. (4) And there’s a comprehensive package of support materials that are a breeze to use, highly effective, and flexible enough to fit most any course design.

Table of Contents:
Part One: Concepts and Techniques for Crafting and Executing Strategy Section A: Introduction and Overview 1. What Is Strategy and Why Is It Important? 2. The Managerial Process of Crafting and Executing Strategy Section B: Core Concepts and Analytical Tools 3. Evaluating a Company's External Environment 4. Analyzing a Company's Resources and Competitive Position Section C: Crafting a Strategy 5. The Five Generic Competitive Strategies: Which One to Employ? 6. Supplementing the Chosen Competitive Strategy: Other Important Strategy Choices 7. Competing in Foreign Markets 8. Tailoring Strategy to Fit Specific Industry and Company Situations 9. Diversification: Strategies for Managing a Group of Businesses 10. Strategy, Ethics, and Social Responsibility Section D: Executing the Strategy 11. Building an Organization Capable of Good Strategy Execution 12. Managing Internal Operations: Actions That Facilitate Strategy 13. Corporate Culture and Leadership: Keys to Good Strategy Execution Part Two: Cases Section A: Crafting Strategy in Single-Business Companies 1. Costco Wholesale Corporation: Mission, Business Model, and Strategy 2. Shearwater Adventures Ltd. 3. The Battle in Radio Broadcasting: XM vs. Sirius vs. Local Radio vs. Internet Radio 4. Competition in the Bottled Water Industry in 2006 5. Blue Nile, Inc.--World's Largest Online Diamond Retailer 6. Eat2eat.com 7. Panera Bread Company 8. Coach Inc.: Is Its Advantage in Luxury Handbags Sustainable? 9. Nucor Corporation--Competing Against Low Cost Steel Imports 10. The YMCA of London, Ontario 11. Wild Oats Market, Inc. 12. Zune: Microsoft's Entry into the Digital Music Player Market 13. Skywest, Inc. and the Regional Airline Industry 14. Competition in Video Game Consoles: Sony, Microsoft, and nintendo Balle for Supremacy 15. Electronic Arts in 2007: Can It Retain Its Global Lead in Video Game Software? 16. Sun Microsystems 17. Toyota's Strategy and Initiatives in Europe: The Launch of the Aygo 18. Econet Wireless International's Expansion Across Africa Section B: Crafting Strategy in Diversified Companies 19. PepsiCo in 2007: Strategies to Increase Shareholder Value 20. Spectrum Brands' Diversification Strategy: A Success or a Failure? 21. Sara Lee Corppration: Retrenching to a Narrower Rang of Business Section C: Executing Strategy and Strategic Leadership 22. Robin Hood 23. Dilemma at Devil's Den 24. Enterprise Rent-a-Car 25. Manpower Australia: Using Strategy Maps and the Balanced Scorecard Effectively 26. Abercrombie and Fitch: An Upscale Sporting Goods Retailer Becomes a Leader in Trendy Apparel 27. New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. 28. Ryanair: European Pioneer of Budget Airline Travel Section D: Strategy, Ethics, and Social Responsibility 29. Monitoring Foreign Suppliers: The Challenge of Detecting Unethical Practices 30. Queensland Rainforest Resort 31. Smithfield Foods' Vertical Integration Strategy: Is It Environmentally Correct? Indexes Organization Name Case Subject

About the Author :
Arthur A. Thompson, Jr., earned his B.S and Ph.D. degrees in economics from The University of Tennessee, spent three years on the economics faculty at Virginia Tech, and served on the faculty of The University of Alabama's College of Commerce and Business Administration for 24 years. In 1974 and again in 1982, Dr. Thompson spent semester-long sabbaticals as a visiting scholar at the Harvard Business School.His areas of specialization are business strategy, competition and market analysis, and the economics of business enterprises. In addition to publishing over 30 articles in some 25 different professional and trade publications, he has authored or co-authored five textbooks and six computer-based simulation exercises. His textbooks and strategy simulations have been used at well over 1,000 college and university campuses worldwide. Dr. Thompson spends much of his off-campus time giving presentations, putting on management development programs, working with companies, and helping operate a business simulation enterprise in which he is a major partner. Dr.Thompson and his wife of 56 years have two daughters, two grandchildren, and a Yorkshire terrier.  A.J. (Lonnie) Strickland received a BS in Math and Physics from the University of Georgia, an MS in Industrial Management from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a PhD from Georgia State university. He currently holds the rank of Professor of Strategic Management in the Graduate School of Business at the University of Alabama. He has done extensive consulting and research work. In recent years, he was honored with the Outstanding Professor Award for the Graduate School of Business, and was the recipient of the Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award for the University of Alabama. John E. Gamble is currently Associate Dean and Professor of Management in the Mitchell College of Business at the University of South Alabama. His teaching specialty at USA is strategic management and he also conducts a course in strategic management in Germany, which is sponsored by the University of Applied Sciences in Worms. Dr. Gamble's research interests center on strategic issues in entrepreneurial, health care, and manufacturing settings. His work has been published in various scholarly journals and he is the author or co-author of more than 50 case studies published in an assortment of strategic management and strategic marketing texts. He has done consulting on industry and market analysis for clients in a diverse mix of industries. Professor Gamble received his Ph.D. in management from the University of Alabama in 1995. Dr. Gamble also has a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Alabama.