Bart Vanneste

Corporate Strategy

Tools for Analysis and Decision-Making

About

Many companies are not single businesses but a collection of businesses with one or more levels of corporate management. Written for managers, advisors and students aspiring to these roles, this book is a guide to decision-making in the domain of corporate strategy. It arms readers with research-based tools needed to make good corporate strategy decisions and to assess the soundness of the corporate strategy decisions of others.

Readers will learn how to do the analysis for answering questions such as 'Should we pursue an alliance or an acquisition to grow?', 'How much should we integrate this acquisition?' and 'Should we divest this business?'. The book draws on the authors' wealth of research and teaching experience at INSEAD, London Business School and University College London. A range of learning aids, including easy-to-comprehend examples, decision templates and FAQs, are provided in the book.

Click here for a sample chapter of Puranam P. & Vanneste B.S. (2016), Corporate Strategy: Tools for Analysis and Decision-Making, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.

Praise

'Puranam and Vanneste will change how you think about corporate strategy. They offer rigorous principles, frameworks and exercises to address some of the most crucial challenges of business leaders: how to compose the firm's portfolio, how to manage it and how to change it. A must-read for business students, business development professionals and senior executives.' Laurence Capron, Paul Desmarais Chaired Professor of Partnership and Active Ownership, and Professor of Strategy, INSEAD

'Corporate Strategy is a wonderful book. It guides its readers through a number of corporate strategy issues and helps them think through how to make a good decision on that issue and how to justify the decision in a rigorous and clear way based on research rather than judgement or received wisdom. It does so in a refreshingly clear and practical way. This book will change the way we teach and practice corporate strategy.' Costas Markides, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, and Robert P. Bauman Chair in Strategic Leadership, London Business School

'This book provides a unique guide to business students and practicing managers who seek a comprehensive understanding of the factors to consider when making strategic decisions for multi-business firms. By focusing on specific decisions that managers of multi-business firms must make, the book provides a very practical yet rigorous guide to the formulation and implementation of corporate strategy. The book includes many examples that show how to analyze complex issues of corporate strategy in a clear and logical manner.' Constance E. Helfat, J. Brian Quinn Professor in Technology and Strategy, Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College

'Puranam and Vanneste have provided a thought-provoking articulation of the key aspects of a strong corporate strategy. What is particularly remarkable is the analytical breakdown of topics that can sometimes be discussed in vague terms. Well worth the read for any practicing strategy executive.' Vishal Dixit, Head of Group Strategy at a FTSE-100 telecoms operator, and former McKinsey management consultant

The book is used at many schools around the world, including Columbia University, INSEAD, Peking University, University College London, University of California, University of Michigan, and University of Toronto.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction: what this book is about and how to use it

Part I. Foundations:

1. Corporate advantage

2. Synergies: benefits to collaboration

3. Governance costs: impediments to collaboration

Part II. Decisions about Portfolio Composition: Increasing the Scope of the Corporation:

4. Diversification

5. Ally or acquire?

6. Organic or inorganic growth?

Part III. Decisions about Portfolio Composition: Reducing the Scope of the Corporation: