Profit From the Core : Growth Strategy in an Era of Turbulence - Hardcover

Zook, Chris; Allen, James

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1578512301 ISBN 13: 9781578512300

Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press, 2001

Synopsis

1.An indispensable strategic guide for leaders in all industries based on a ten-year study of 2,000 companies.
2.Rigorous analysis of what drives successful growth strategies, consisting of specific company examples, financial performance histories, industry case studies, interviews with CEOs, etc.
3.Identifies enduring and often counterintuitive lessons on achieving profitable growth over the long haul.
4.Makes compelling case that it's the core business that provides the value and builds market power.
5.Thorough examination of what differentiates sustained value creators.
6.Authoritative text written by respected leaders of Bain's worldwide strategy practice.

About this title

Review:

Spawned by a 10-year study of 2,000 firms conducted at Bain & Company, a global consultancy specializing in business strategy, Profit from the Core is based on the fundamental but oft-ignored maxim that prolonged corporate growth is most profitably achieved by concentrating on a single core business. To help companies identify this true essence, narrow their focus accordingly, and move forward in a manner that builds upon existing structure, Bain director Chris Zook and former Bain director James Allen present "a set of practical and proven principles, diagnostic tests, and questions for management teams to use as tools for reexamining or revising their strategies in search of the next wave of profitable growth." Bolstering their argument with real-world examples--including companies such as Disney, which succeeded by taking this approach, and Bausch & Lomb, which faltered by eschewing it--the authors show how to effectively uncover true corporate strengths, elevate them to realize their potential, identify related new businesses that could be successfully added, and even completely redefine a core when confronted with factors forcing such action. (For example: they offer a step-by-step method for mapping "adjacent opportunities" that may prove complementary, ranking them according to potential, and developing strategies to further evaluate and ultimately implement them.) The result is recommended for anyone tired of the management theory du jour who seeks a proven way to propel their company into the future. --Howard Rothman

From the Back Cover:

"This back-to-basics book couldn't have come at a better time for CEOs and managers of 'old economy' and 'new economy' companies looking for growth. Their focus should be on expanding and innovating in and around their core business, rather than on chasing whatever the capital markets view as the current hot business model."
-Brook Byers, Venture Capitalist, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers

"Anyone who has built a successful business knows that these core business concepts are central to sound strategy. Core business theory and value creation are inseparable twins."
-James L. Vincent, Chairman of the Board, Biogen, Inc.

"The authors make a compelling argument for sustainable, profitable growth. They bring a refreshing approach to corporate strategy, arguing that the job of CEO isn't to adopt the latest fad du jour from business gurus, but rather to focus on creating a winning business."
-Mark Wössner, Former President and CEO of Bertelsmann AG

"Striking the right balance between focusing on your core business and expanding into new areas has never been more challenging. Zook and Allen provide extremely helpful tools, frameworks, and case studies for navigating strategic choices in a turbulent business environment."
-Debra Dunn, Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Operations, Hewlett-Packard

"Zook and Allen remind us that, in the long run, very few companies achieve sustained and profitable growth. To make yours one of them, heed these lessons."
-David S. Pottruck, President and Co-CEO, The Charles Schwab Corporation

About this edition

• Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 1578512301
• ISBN 13: 9781578512300
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 194