Imagine, if you can, the world of business - without corporate strategy.
Remarkably, fifty years ago that's the way it was. Businesses made plans, certainly, but without understanding the underlying dynamics of competition, costs, and customers. It was like trying to design a large-scale engineering project without knowing the laws of physics.
But in the 1960s, four mavericks and their posses instigated a profound shift in thinking that

...

To stay ahead of the pack, you must translate your organization's competitive strategy into the day-to-day actions carried out in your company. That means channeling resources into the right efforts, achieving the right balance between innovation and control, and getting everyone pulling in the same direction. How to keep all this on track? Identify critical gaps in your strategy execution processes, focus on the most important choices you must make,...

"You've got a great idea that will increase revenue or productivity--but how do you get approval to make it happen? By building a business case that clearly shows its value. Maybe you struggle to win support for projects because you're not sure what kind of data your stakeholders will trust, or naysayers always seem to shoot your ideas down at the last minute. Or perhaps you're intimidated by analysis and number crunching, so you just take a stab...

An Oxford economist and expert on mega-projects examines how the lessons learned through both their successes and failures can be applied to decision-making about any size project. "The secrets to successfully planning and delivering ambitious, complex projects on any scale--from home renovation to space exploration--by the world's leading expert on mega-projects. Nothing is more inspiring than a big vision that becomes a triumphant, new reality....

A visionary survey of urbanism from the Middle Ages to the late 1930s, with a new introduction by Thomas Fisher Considered among the greatest works of Lewis Mumford-a prolific historian, sociologist, philosopher of technology, and longtime architecture critic for the New Yorker-The Culture of Cities is a call for communal action to rebuild the urban world on a sounder human foundation. First published in 1938, this radical investigation into the human...

Are you at risk of being trapped in an uncompetitive business? Chances are the strategies that worked well for you even a few years ago no longer deliver the results you need. Dramatic changes in business have unearthed a major gap between traditional approaches to strategy and the way the real world works now. In short, strategy is stuck. Most leaders are using frameworks that were designed for a different era of business and based on a single...

"Are you ready for retirement? Retirement Planning For Dummies is your comprehensive guide to shoring up your finances as you prepare to leave the workforce. Learn to manage and optimize your 401(k), balance retirement savings with other financial needs, and set up pensions and insurance. Plus, get the latest updates on all things retirement, including the SECURE Act and new withdrawal rules. Written by an expert investment writer, this beginner-friendly...

"THE PATH TO YOUR ULTIMATE RETIREMENT STARTS RIGHT HERE When you think about planning for retirement-whether it's years in the future or just around the corner-you're bound to have questions. Can I ever afford to stop working? Will Social Security be there for me when I need it? Is the market a safe place for my money? How can I make my money last? Have I waited too long to start saving? Suze Orman, America's most recognized expert on personal finance,...

Learn How to Make Any Occasion Shine! Have you ever attended a party so clever it had you talking for days? Or, received an invitation that made you feel like royalty? Were you ever given a gift so "you" that you never forgot it? Make It Memorable is an A to Z thematically organized resource for making the most of every special occasion and highlighting the little things in life. From anniversaries and birthdays through weddings and zero-cost ideas,...

Investment and personal finance experts Larry Swedroe and Kevin Grogan present comprehensive coverage of important aspects to think about as retirement approaches, including: Social Security, Medicare, investment planning strategy, portfolio maintenance, preparing heirs, retirement issues faced by women, the threat of elder financial abuse, going beyond financials to think about happiness, and more.