Strategic Management From Theory to Practice

A focus on creating and sustaining a flow of profitable transactions, in other words, the creation of sustainable competitive advantage is the seemingly simple, yet complex goal of strategic leaders and managers. Allen Amason and Andrew Ward approach the topic of strategic management with this focus in mind. Rather than simply teaching theory and research, Amason and Ward seek to convey the fundamental keys to how strategy works. This book is designed to help students think critically and understand fully how to strategically manage their future firms. In so doing, it will enable them to adapt and learn, even as their circumstances change; to apply sound logic and reasoning, even in new and unfamiliar settings. By conveying enduring and fundamental principles of economic and human behavior rather than simply reporting on the latest innovations, this book succeeds in preparing students to excel in the business environment over time, regardless of how it evolves.

1. An Introduction to Strategic Management 2. Understanding Organizational Performance 3. Tools of the Trade4 Analyzing the Environment 5. Organizational Strengths and Weaknesses: Analyzing a Firm’s Capabilities and Resources 6. Strategies for Competitive Advantage 7. Corporate and Multi-Business Unit Strategy 8. Implementation, Adaptation and Learning 9. Disruptive Megatrends 10. Issues of Context, Setting and Application

Allen Amason is Dean of the College of Business at Georgia State University, USA Andrew Ward is Associate Professor of Management at Lehigh University, USA