Strategy in 3D: Essential Tools to Diagnose, Decide, and Deliver

Strategy decision making and action used to be off limits to all but the select few at the very top of an organization. It was a largely cerebral activity focused on grand long-terms plans made at annual off-site retreats away from the daily challenges of the business. That is no longer the case. The current business environment does not wait for companies to slowly adjust in an annual meeting. The relentless pace of change renders today's long-term future tomorrow's history. Rapid innovations and ever-increasing complexities limit executives' ability to make decisions with perfect information. Does this mean strategy is no longer useful, or even feasible? No. Good strategists are needed now more than ever. But today's high-performing organizations think of strategy differently than in the past. These companies make strategy part of every manager's role; they strategize continuously and tackle strategic problems through individuals from all parts of the organization. Strategy in this new, fast-paced world is about diagnosing the diverse array of complex challenges confronting organizations, deciding on novel solutions to address those challenges, and delivering by taking action on those solutions. Including a novel organizational framework and never-before-published application examples, Strategy in 3D helps build these foundational skills and prepares the reader for success as a strategist in the 21st century.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Introduction Part 1: Fundamentals Chapter 2: Definition and Levels of Strategy Chapter 3: The Context for Strategic Decision Making Chapter 4: The 3D's of Strategy Part 2: Tools Chapter 5: A Strategy Toolbox Chapter 6: STEEP Chapter 7: 5-Forces Chapter 8: Competitor Analysis Chapter 9: VRIO Chapter 10: Financial Performance Analysis Chapter 11: SWOT Chapter 12: Root Cause Analysis Chapter 13: S-Curve Analysis Chapter 14: Value Chain Analysis Chapter 15: Hypothesis Testing Chapter 16: Segmentation Analysis Chapter 17: Vertical Integration Chapter 18: Market Entry Modes Chapter 19: Business Model Canvas Chapter 20: Balanced Scorecard Chapter 21: Conclusion

About the Author :
Greg Fisher, Larry and Barbara Sharpf Professor of Entrepreneurship and Associate Professor in the Management and Entrepreneurship Department, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, John Wisneski, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Management & Entrepreneurship Department at the W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University, Rene Bakker, Associate Professor in the Strategy and Entrepreneurship Department, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. Greg Fisher is the Larry and Barbara Sharpf Professor of Entrepreneurship and Associate Professor in the Management and Entrepreneurship Department at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. John E. Wisneski is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Management & Entrepreneurship Department at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. Rene M. Bakker is Associate Professor in the Strategy and Entrepreneurship Department at the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University.

Review :
Strategy in 3D: Essential Tools to Diagnose, Decide & Deliver (Oxford University Press), co-authored with two former Kelley School faculty members, presents insights into how companies can broaden and include more people in the strategic process. Strategy in 3D is one of the most useful and practical strategy books I have encountered. It is structured extremely well around the core strategic modules of diagnosis, decision, and delivery. It also gives students a practical how-to guide to 15 of the most useful strategy frameworks. Students tend to enjoy the contemporary examples and it is clear the authors have written a book that remedies some of the typical issues in strategy textbooks. The simplicity and straightforwardness of the writing style is attractive. The fact that this book gets right to business without fluff makes it a book I would choose to use in the classroom. Strategy in 3D is a practitioner-oriented book that is easy to read and understand. The authors primarily focus on the various strategy tools and how each tool could be used for any business scenario. At the same time, the authors succinctly explain and duly give credit to the theory that each tool is based on. The first thing that caught my attention is the word 3D and its representation of the three important phases of the strategic management process - diagnose, decide, and deliver, with clear guidelines about the relevant tools that could be used within each phase for any firm. Strategy in 3D provides a thorough and digestible overview of the fundamentals of strategy and important tools that can be used. The book is packaged together in a way that makes it easy to navigate and offers high-value to the reader. The authors show that they are not only experts in the field, but that they can also effectively deliver that expertise/knowledge in a succinct manner. It's a great resource for any strategic management class and I've also referred back to it for other classes and projects. It's definitely the best strategy textbook that I've read and I highly recommend it.