Essentials of Strategic Management: The Quest for Competitive Advantage, 2/e
John E. Gamble,
University of South Alabama Arthur A. Thompson, Jr.,
University of Alabama
ISBN: 0078137144 Copyright year: 2011
Features
Focus on the essential concepts and analytic tools – In 10-chapters, this text presents the essential topics thoroughly as expected by the vast majority of faculty teaching undergraduate and MBA strategic management courses. Gamble provides solid explanations and real-world illustrations of strategies keyed to industry positioning, corporate-level strategy, and various strategic management analytical tools without being definition driven.
NEW Chapter Realignment – The order of the chapters have been reorganized to match the organization of the 17th edition of our bestselling full-length text, Crafting & Executing Strategy.
NEW Chapter 6 – A brand new chapter Supplementing the Chosen Competitive Strategy—Other Important Business Strategy Choices has been added to the 2nd edition based on user and reviewer feedback. Chapter 6 deals with the business strategy options available to complement a company's basic competitive strategy and improve its market position. The advantages and disadvantages of offensive strategies (including the benefits of a blue ocean strategy), defensive strategies, first mover, fast follower, and late mover strategies are discussed. The chapter features sections on what use to make of strategic alliances and collaborative partnerships; merger and acquisition strategies; vertical integration strategies; and outsourcing strategies.
UPDATED & EXPANDED coverage of business ethics, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability - Unsurpassed by any other leading strategy text, t his new edition, embellishes the highly important chapter on “Ethical Business Strategies, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Environmental Sustainability” with fresh content Moreover, discussions of the importance of high ethical standards is integrated into portions of Chapters 2 and 10 to further reinforce why and how considerations relating to ethics, social responsibility, and sustainability should figure prominently into the managerial task of crafting and executing company strategies.
NEW lineup of 15 diverse, timely, and thoughtfully crafted cases. All of the cases are tightly linked to the content of the 10 chapters, thus pushing students to apply the concepts and analytical tools they have read about. Nine of the 15 cases were written by the coauthors to illustrate specific tools of analysis or distinct strategic management theories. The six cases included in the text not written by the coauthors were chosen because of their exceptional linkage to strategic management concepts presented in the text.
Current Research and Up-To-Date Findings: The new edition presents the latest research findings and thoroughly updated examples pertinent to a first course in strategy. Coverage of Strategic Leadership from the Board of Directors, and the discussion of business models have been revised and updated based upon the latest research findings.
New and revised Assurance of Learning Exercises - This text simplifies the task of demonstrating student learning through course embedded assessment. Through their experiences as business faculty and administrators, these authors fully understand the assessment demands on faculty teaching strategic management courses. Hence every chapter contains a number of interesting Assurance of Learning exercises for class discussion or to demonstrate student learning through written assignments and/or team presentations. Instructors can easily pair the Assurance of Learning exercise with instructor-developed scoring rubrics to assess course or program learning outcomes.
New and revised Exercises for Simulation Participants - The text does not require the use of a simulation, but should meet the needs of simulation users perfectly. The relatively short length of each chapter allows students to devote more time to simulation activities that illustrate the application of chapter concepts. Additionally, Assurance of Learning exercise in every chapter are designed to drive home the linkage between the strategic management concepts presented in the chapter and the decision-making demands of a business simulation.
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2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education