Strategy: Theory, Practice, Implementation

What does strategy mean to the founder and CEO of a coaching and consulting company whose mission is to create inclusive and values-driven cultures where people can achieve their full potential while positively impacting society?
How is sustainable strategic decision-making viewed by a former Member of the European Parliament?

Developed in consultation with lecturers, students, and professionals, the research-driven process-practice model of strategy in Strategy: Theory, Practice, Implementation places implementation at its core, enabling students to develop a crystal-clear understanding of how strategy operates in a culture of dynamism, adaptability, and change.

The authors' wealth of teaching, research, and practitioner experience shines through in their writing as they strike the perfect balance between clarity and rigor. They expertly cover all the core areas of strategy, using carefully paced, step-by-step guidance to apply theories and models of strategy to a diverse range of examples, making the text the most practical of its kind.

Moving beyond the limits of traditional texts, Strategy offers unique Practitioner Insights (and accompanying video interviews) gathered from professionals engaged in a range of strategic roles, across multiple industries and sectors worldwide, to help students grasp the complex reality of strategic management in practice.
Strategy ultimately provides students with an empowering, critical, and highly practical approach to thinking, talking, and acting like a strategist.

Online resources accompanying the textbook include:
For registered adopters:
- A test bank
- PowerPoint slides
- Answers to, or guidance on, the case study questions in the book
- A series of "Boardroom Challenges" for use in group role play exercises / action learning simulations
- Teaching notes on using the "Boardroom Challenges" in class

For students:
- Practitioner insight video interviews, and further videos providing advice on how students can enhance their employability
- Research Insights to broaden students' perspectives of academic research and its impact on strategic thinking
- Links to articles, cases, chapters, or multimedia resources to support students' further reading
- Additional case studies with exercises or discussion questions
- MCQs
- Guidance on how to analyze a case study
- Flashcard glossary
- Two additional chapters: Chapter 15., Designing effective strategy activities; and Chapter 16., Strategy in practice: learning, reflecting, thinking

Dave Mackay is Professor of Strategy at the Strathclyde Business School in Glasgow. Previously he held business management roles in multi-national, SME, and entrepreneurial start-up organizations in the UK. He has a continuing research interest in developing understanding of effective strategic management and organizational leadership practices, technologies, and knowledge. As a practitioner, Dave has engaged with a wide range of private, public, and charitable organizations, supporting their strategy work and development of implementable, practical outcomes. Dave has taught and consulted internationally in locations including the USA, India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, and the UAE.

Mikko Arevuo is Senior Lecturer in Strategic Management at Cranfield School of Management. His background includes senior business practitioner experience in global financial services and management consulting; academic scholarship; and university, graduate, and executive-level teaching. His research and teaching interests are in strategy as managerial practice, competitive strategy, senior management, and group decision-making processes, and the application of visual methods in organizational research. Mikko has also consulted widely in the public and private sectors--including at Fortune 500 companies--as a facilitator providing evidence-based tools and frameworks to support strategic decision-making processes. A native of Finland, Mikko earned his BA in Economics from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and his MBA and PhD from Cranfield University.

Maureen Meadows is Professor of Strategic Management at the Centre for Business in Society at Coventry University. Formerly with the Open University Business School and Warwick Business School, Maureen's research interests include the use of such strategy tools as scenario planning and visioning by senior managers, and the post-merger integration phase following M&A deals. With a background in mathematics, statistics, and operational research, Maureen has many years' experience of working with "big data" and customer analytics, both as a practitioner in the financial services sector and as an academic. She has published on the progress and problems experienced by organizations working on strategic projects including market segmentation, relationship marketing, and customer relationship management.