Harvard Business Review on Strategies for Growth

by Harvard Business Publishing

The Harvard Business Review paperback series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. Here are the landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious business people in organizations around the globe. The Harvard Business Review on Strategies for Growth presents the latest tactics--including acquisitions, diversification, and innovation--for helping managers find and exploit the best opportunities for growth and profitability. Articles include: Breaking Compromises, Breakaway Growth by George Stalk, Jr., David K. Pecaut, and Benjamin Burnett; Value Innovation: The Strategic Logic of High Growth by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne; Growth Through Acquisitions: A Fresh Look by Patricia L. Anslinger and Thomas E. Copeland; To Diversify or Not to Diversify by Constantinos C. Markides; The Living Company by Arie De Geus; Making the Deal Real: How GE Capital Integrates Acquisitions by Ronald N. Ashkenas, Lawrence J. DeMonaco, and Suzanne C. Francis; Capturing the Value of Supplementary Services by James C. Anderson and James A. Narus; and Exploiting the Virtual Value Chain by Jeffrey F. Rayport and John J. Sviokla.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Management

213 pages, Paperback

First published August 7, 1998

About the author

Harvard Business Publishing (HBP) is a publisher founded in 1994 as a not-for-profit, independent corporation and an affiliate of Harvard Business School (distinct from Harvard University Press), with a focus on improving business management practices. The company offers articles, books, case studies, simulations, videos, learning programs, and digital tools to organizations and subscribers.
HBP consists of three market units: Education, Corporate Learning, and Harvard Business Review Group. Their offering consists of print and digital media (Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review Press books, Harvard Business School cases), events, digital learning (Harvard ManageMentor, HMM Spark), blended learning, and campus experiences.

Reviews

[Facundo]

The book covers a broad range of topics, providing insightful frameworks and actionable advice for executives and managers seeking to expand their companies. Here is an overview of the core themes covered:

Strategic Diversification: The book discusses ways companies can expand into new markets or develop new products to fuel growth. It emphasizes the importance of evaluating existing capabilities before diversifying.

Innovation as a Growth Driver: Innovation is presented as essential for sustained growth. The articles explore approaches like disruptive innovation and how companies can adapt to market changes to stay competitive.

International Expansion Strategies: The opportunities and challenges of entering global markets are examined. This theme covers cultural adaptation, entry strategies, and managing the risks associated with international expansion.

Growth through Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A): The collection highlights M&A as a strategy for increasing market share and gaining new capabilities. The importance of due diligence and effective post-acquisition integration is also stressed.

Organic vs. Inorganic Growth: The contrast between organic growth (improving internal operations and gradual expansion) and inorganic growth (through acquisitions and strategic partnerships) is a central theme. The book discusses when and how companies should opt for one approach over the other.

Corporate Reinvention: This theme focuses on how companies need to reinvent themselves over time to stay relevant. It touches on repositioning strategies and digital transformation, both crucial for adapting to new market realities.

Customer-Centric Growth Strategies: The book emphasizes the importance of putting the customer at the center of growth strategies. This includes understanding changing customer needs, personalizing products and services, and creating superior customer experiences.

Data and Analytics for Growth: Another focus is the use of data analysis and business intelligence to identify growth opportunities. Effective use of data enables companies to make more informed decisions and allocate resources more efficiently.

Sustainability and Long-Term Growth: The book underscores the importance of adopting sustainable practices, not just for ethical reasons, but also as a strategy to ensure long-term growth in a resource-constrained environment.

These themes provide a comprehensive framework for thinking about business growth, from market expansion to innovation and sustainability. Whether you are a business leader, strategist, or manager, this book offers valuable insights into the various paths companies can take to achieve sustainable and scalable growth.

[Andrew Barkett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection had several good articles but the last one on "marketspace" vs. "marketplace" was very dated.

[Vivek Agarwal · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I like about this book is the short articles
These seem to be previous HBR publication articles chosen to make a book

All the same

I liked articles No. 1,5,6 the best

They were the most applicable and interesting

The common link here is that a lot of the structure of these articles are similar to the concepts as we have learnt previously from Michael Porter and his 5 Forces

I like these articles because they take some of the fundamental ideas of strategic analysis further and deeper

Such as the chapter one which was quite an eye opener and a next link to thinking about trade offs