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  • Good Strategy/Bad Strategy

  • The Difference and Why It Matters
  • Written by: Richard Rumelt
  • Narrated by: Sean Runnette
  • Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (71 ratings)

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Good Strategy/Bad Strategy

Written by: Richard Rumelt
Narrated by: Sean Runnette
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Publisher's Summary

Good Strategy/Bad Strategy clarifies the muddled thinking underlying too many strategies and provides a clear way to create and implement a powerful action-oriented strategy for the real world.

Developing and implementing a strategy is the central task of a leader. A good strategy is a specific and coherent response to - and approach for - overcoming the obstacles to progress. A good strategy works by harnessing and applying power where it will have the greatest effect. Yet, Rumelt shows that there has been a growing and unfortunate tendency to equate Mom-and-apple-pie values, fluffy packages of buzzwords, motivational slogans, and financial goals with “strategy”.

In Good Strategy/Bad Strategy, he debunks these elements of “bad strategy” and awakens an understanding of the power of a “good strategy”. He introduces nine sources of power - ranging from using leverage to effectively focusing on growth - that are eye-opening yet pragmatic tools that can easily be put to work on Monday morning and uses fascinating examples from business, nonprofit, and military affairs to bring its original and pragmatic ideas to life. The detailed examples range from Apple to General Motors, from the two Iraq wars to Afghanistan, from a small local market to Wal-Mart, from Nvidia to Silicon Graphics, from the Getty Trust to the Los Angeles Unified School District, from Cisco Systems to Paccar, and from Global Crossing to the 2007-08 financial crisis.

Reflecting an astonishing grasp and integration of economics, finance, technology, history, and the brilliance and foibles of the human character, Good Strategy/Bad Strategy stems from Rumelt’s decades of digging beyond the superficial to address hard questions with honesty and integrity.

©2011 Richard Rumelt (P)2019 Random House Audio

What the critics say

"Represents the latest thinking in strategy and is peppered with many current real world examples. Good Strategy/Bad Strategy has much to offer and has every chance of becoming a business classic.” (Management Today)

“Brilliant...a milestone in both the theory and practice of strategy... Vivid examples from the contemporary business world and global history that clearly show how to recognize the good, reject the bad, and make good strategy a living force in your organization.” (John Stopford, chairman, TLP International, professor emeritus, London Business School)

“Penetrating insights provide new and powerful ways for leaders to tackle the obstacles they face. The concepts of "the kernel" and "the proximate objective" are blockbusters. This is the new must-have book for everyone who leads an organization in business, government, or in-between.” (Robert A. Eckert, chairman and CEO of Mattel)

What listeners say about Good Strategy/Bad Strategy

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This is already one of my favourite business books

Do you like thinking deeply? Challenging your assumptions or improving your judgement? Then this is the perfect book.

Filled with examples and case studies, the author methodically breaks down good and bad strategy. Some examples made me laugh out loud. A bank is a bank! Each example helps clarify and elaborate the underlying concepts.

The different chapters complement each other very well. Early chapters introduce key ideas that are expanded upon later. When the book returns to these topics they already make sense. The author continues to refine these earlier concepts even deeper. Each new idea strengthens the whole.

What could have been better? The final few chapters did not connect as well with the rest of the book. There were a few slower sections. Some simpler ideas may have had too many examples making them feel a little bogged down. This did not bother me much since the examples are interesting and enjoyable.

I would highly recommend this book to any leader or strategic thinker.

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Strategy formulation finally explained!

This is the single best strategy book I've ever read, and I've read a lot! This book actually outlines in a clear way how to formulate a good business strategy, and how to avoid creating a bad one.. brilliant writing and deep thinking by the author, a strategy master, sharing his secret sauce to strategy. A must read.

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Actual Strategy

This book is exceptionally well Narrated. just the right flair to take what might be dry and instead bring it to life. feeding off the personality of the writer. so many amazing examples, even now after 4 times through and years of implementation, this book just keeps exposing hidden gems and ideas in my mind and business decisions. Worth 10x the price!

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Very educational.

Must read for anyone who wants to know more about strategy. Also last chapter will provide great insight into our market crashes and the failed strategies.

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