Michael Porter had a huge impact on business startegy with his classic books Competitive Strategy and Competitive Advantage.
I see both as must read books for anyone serious about developing a deep knowledge of strategy.
Michael Porter is also the author of the Competitive Advantage of Nations which I haven’t read yet but should to get new perspectives on differentiation by where.
Core competitive strategy concepts that Michael Porter has introduced include:
Generic strategies – a business must choose between differentiation, cost leadership or focus or risk being stuck in the middle.
The Five Forces of industry analysis
The value chain
Michael Porter has written a number of classic Harvard Business Review Articles and these are a much easier introduction to his thinking than the large, intellectual books.
How Global Companies Win Out by Thomas M. Hout, Michael E. Porter, Eileen Rudden in Sep 01, 1982
End-Game Strategies for Declining Industries by Kathryn Harrigan, Michael E. Porter in Jul 01, 1983
How Information Gives You Competitive Advantage by Michael E. Porter, Victor E. Millar in Jul 01, 1985
From Competitive Advantage to Corporate Strategy by Michael E. Porter in May 01, 1987
Competitive Advantage of Nations by Michael E. Porter in Mar 01, 1990
Capital Disadvantage: America’s Failing Capital Investment System by Michael E. Porter in Sep 01, 1992
Making Competition in Health Care Work by Elizabeth Olmsted Teisberg, Michael E. Porter, Gregory B. Brown in Jul 01, 1994
Competitive Advantage of the Inner City by Michael E. Porter in May 01, 1995
Green and Competitive: Ending the Stalemate by Michael E. Porter, Claas Van Der Linde in Sep 01, 1995
What Is Strategy? by Michael E. Porter in Nov 01, 1996
Clusters and the New Economics of Competition nby Michael E. Porter in Nov 01, 1998
Philanthropy’s New Agenda: Creating Value by Michael E. Porter, Mark R. Kramer in Nov 01, 1999
Strategy and the Internet by Michael E. Porter in Mar 01, 2001
Competitive Advantage of Corporate Philanthropy by Michael E. Porter, Mark R. Kramer in Dec 01, 2002
Redefining Competition in Health Care by Michael E. Porter, Elizabeth Olmsted Teisberg in Jun 01, 2004
Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility by Michael E. Porter, Mark R. Kramer in Dec 01, 2006
The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy by Michael E. Porter in Jan 01, 2008
Creating Shared Value by Michael E. Porter, Mark R. Kramer in Jan 01, 2011
How to Solve the Cost Crisis in Health Care by Robert S. Kaplan, Michael E. Porter in Sep 01, 2011
One of the very best known strategy models is the Five Forces Of Industry Profitability that has been developed and promoted by Professor Michael Porter. Background To The Five Forces Analysis Model The Five Forces Analysis model was first introduced in the Harvard Business Review in 1979 in an article by Michael Porter called “How [...]
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Continue ReadingIn my guide to strategic planning models I described Michael Porter’s Five Forces Analysis as probably the most famous of the strategy models but until now, I haven’t written about it in detail on my blog. Background To The Five Forces Analysis Model The Five Forces Analysis model was first introduced in the Harvard Business [...]
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Continue Reading“What is strategy?” seems such an easy question to answer because you hear the words “strategy” and “strategic” banded around like confetti. But the “What is strategy” question hides a problem. What Is Strategy? People often decide that they need to work on their business strategy before really understanding what strategy is. And doing something [...]
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Continue ReadingValue Chain Analysis is the big idea in Michael Porter’s classic strategy book Competitive Advantage. Image Rights for diagram The Advantages Of Value Chain Analysis A big advantage is that the value chain is a very flexible strategy tool for looking at your business, your competitors and the respective places in the industry’s value system. [...]
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Continue ReadingMy thinking on strategy is heavily influenced by Michael Porter and his classic book Competitive Advantage introduced the concept of the value chain analysis. The value chain is an original Porter concept although he built on the idea of the business system from strategy consultants McKinsey and its main purpose is to help you to [...]
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Continue ReadingThe follow up to the classic book Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter is the equally influential Competitive Advantage: Creating And Sustaining Superior Performance. I first read it in 1990 when I realised strategy was the subject that combined (and reconciled) my interest in finance and marketing. I’d be so impressed with Competitive Strategy and wanted [...]
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Continue Reading“Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors” by Michael E. Porter is a classic business strategy text and must reading for anybody who has a serious interest in business strategy. It was this book combined with Competitive Advantage which established Harvard Business School Professor, Michael Porter’s reputation as the pre-eminent thinker on business strategy [...]
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Continue ReadingHarvard professor and world famous business strategist Michael Porter has a simple view to business and how you can generate superior returns from your business – the generic strategies - but you can get stuck in the middle, not one thing or the other. These ideas were introduced in the book Competitive Strategy by Michael [...]
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Continue ReadingI believe you need to differentiate your business to be successful in these super-competitive times when it can be tough to get attention, let alone action from potential customers and clients.
I've worked as a business strategy coach and consultant for SME's in the UK since 1995 using my strategy, finance, marketing and process improvement skills.
I'm a Chartered Accountant, have a Masters In Business Administration (MBA) and I'm a Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach.
If you own or manage an Internet based SME in the UK and you want to move from tactical improvements to strategic business improvement, then I'd love to hear from you.
I can be contacted on 0121 554 4057 or email me at paul@plancs.co.uk
A zebra look stunning on its own but a group of zebras is called a dazzle because they all merge into one to protect them from lions.
It's like many businesses. Individually the marketing looks good and a strong case is made for buying the generic product or service but it doesn't differentiate and create buyer preference.
Our task is to make sure your business stands out like the blue zebra and gets the attention it deserves by being different in ways that matter to the customers.
