Assignment Task:
TASK:
CMBA Capstone Bibliography
Note: The following are resources that are utilized in the Walden CBMA program and are considered relevant to the CMBA Capstone SF005 and SF006 Competencies.
For the strategy Competencies, you are expected to be familiar with the concepts that underlie these resources, and you are expected to be able to apply the appropriate concepts when confronted with a case study or other analysis situation.
Use this focused Bibliography as a knowledge base to help you perform appropriate and rigorous strategic thinking analysis.
Area of Focus: Leadership and Management
Primary Emphasis on Leadership
Collins, J. (2005, July/August). Level 5 leadership: The triumph of humility and fierce resolve. Harvard Business Review, 83(7/8), 136–146.
The division between organizations that are great and those that are merely good has often been attributed to powerful and charismatic leaders. Jim Collins’ research into companies that lead in their fields, in fact, proves the exact opposite. A “Level 5 Leader” is someone who leads his or her company with vision, perseverance, and, most importantly, humility. Collins discusses the careers and leadership styles of several “Level 5 Leaders” and offers a detailed psychological profile of truly great leaders.
Covey, S. R. (2008). Authentic leaders: They are centered on principles. Leadership Excellence, 25(5), 20.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Leaders whose actions emerge from a core set of deeply held principles find themselves able to cope more effectively with change. Rather than enacting social norms or simply behaving in an expected manner, true leaders rely on principles to guide them to effective actions. Covey emphasizes the importance of humility and self-awareness in order to discover your own principles.
Dhiman, S. (2011). Personal mastery and authentic leadership. Organization Development Journal, 29(2), 69–83. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article builds on the work of researchers from several disciplines, including humanistic, existential, and positive psychology. The author pays particular attention to the recent work of researchers in the field of positive psychology, as contributors to the emerging field of “human flourishing.”
Drucker, P. F. (2004, June). What makes an effective executive. Harvard Business Review, 82(6), 58–63. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Most people imagine effective executives as outgoing, charismatic leaders, but Peter Drucker observes that the most effective executives in history do not fall into one personality category. Regardless of their personality traits, the most successful executives follow eight practices that make them effective. In this article, Drucker explains these eight practices and discusses how you can apply them in your own career.
George, B., Sims, P., McLean, A. N., & Mayer, D. (2007, February). Discovering your authentic leadership. Harvard Business Review, 85(2), 129–138.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Bill George, the former CEO of Medtronic and highly sought-after leadership expert, has co-authored several books on the importance of individual authenticity in successful leadership. This article, a precursor to George’s book, True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership, will introduce you to the concept of finding your leadership compass and help guide you toward genuine and effective leadership.
Lencioni, P. M. (2002, July). Make your values mean something. Harvard Business Review, 80(7), 113–117.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Corporate values statements, when they are meaningful and sincere, can drive innovation, unify teams, and bring meaning to the work employees do every day. All too often, however, they are insincere, insufficiently integrated into a company’s fabric, or simply unattainable. Lencioni discusses the real worth of corporate values and suggests methods for organizations to create meaningful and effective values statements.
Lichtenstein, S. (2012). The role of values in leadership: How leaders’ values shape value creation. Integral Leadership Review, 12(1), 1–18.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
In this article, Lichtenstein asserts that changed societal values have made the “my way or the highway” leadership style obsolete. The author explains the impact of values on effective leadership and how values should be applied when establishing organizational strategies.
Prahalad, C. K. (2010, January/February). The responsible manager. Harvard Business Review, 88(1/2), 36.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Because managers are “custodians of society’s most powerful institutions,” they have both great opportunities and great responsibilities as leaders. Prahalad urges leaders to consider their values and principles and use those values to drive their everyday work. He highlights social responsibility, loyalty, fairness, and a commitment to ongoing learning as the hallmarks of a responsible manager.
Ulrich, D., Smallwood, N., & Sweetman, K. (2008). Defining leadership code: Five rules of effective leadership. Retrieved from http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/pl/19338696/19347519/7e890950904a30731656370e2390c100In this chapter, Ulrich, Smallwood, and Sweetman attempt to capture the rules of leadership that all leaders need to know. The authors draw from past studies and frameworks of leadership to identify five rules they think apply to all leaders in any circumstance.
Primary Emphasis on Management
Amabile, T., & Kramer, S. (2012). How leaders kill meaning at work. McKinsey Quarterly, 1, 124–131.Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
Many executives imagine their number one priority to be developing and executing the right strategy. According to Amabile and Kramer, making this a top priority means that many executives are missing the mark. These authors contend that executives and managers must strive to make work meaningful for their employees and review the traps that prevent executives and managers from doing so.
Cabrera, E. F. (2012). The six essentials of workplace positivity. People & Strategy, 35(1), 50–60.Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
In this article, Cabrera argues that a positive work environment is a strategic competitive advantage for companies. She lists six essentials of workplace positivity and the benefits of positive emotions in the workplace.
Jeffrey, S. (2009). Are you killing creativity? Sales & Service Excellence, 9(5), 5.Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
How do you create the appropriate working environment so that employees feel motivated and committed to perform for the organization? This article provides five lessons to apply that can improve the inner and outer conditions so that worker creativity can fuel growth within an organization.
Lawler, E. E. III, Pringle, A., Branham, F. L., Cornelius, J., & Martin, J. (2008, June). Why are we losing all our good people? Harvard Business Review, 86(6), 41–51.Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
Retaining talent is often just as challenging as attracting highly qualified candidates. When top employees start to leave in masses, finding the root cause may require creative techniques. This fictional case study explores the topic of talent drain.
Pfeffer, J., & Veiga, J. F. (1999). Putting people first for organizational success. Academy of Management Executive, 13(2), 37–48.Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
While most organizations pay lip service to the maxim, “our people are our most important asset,” it is rare for an organization to protect and develop its people to build an enduring competitive advantage. This article draws on research to argue that the quality of staff development and how companies manage their people are the most important organizational strategies companies can and should make.
Zigarmi, D., Houson, D., Diehl, J., & Witt, D. (2010). Employee work passion: A new look at engagement. Chief Learning Officer, 9(6), 32–35.Retrieved from Walden Library databases.
As research continues to support employee engagement as a key factor in organizational vitality, managers need to learn effective methods of bolstering employee satisfaction. The authors of this article identify motivators that influence positive workplace attitudes and management interventions that lead to a more passionate workforce.
Area of Focus: Innovation for Growth
Primary Emphasis on Innovation
Barsh, J., Capozzi, M. M., & Davidson, J. (2008). Leadership and innovation. McKinsey Quarterly, 1, 36–47.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
How does leadership effectively cultivate innovation so that it extends beyond products and services? This article examines the impact a culture of innovation can have on organizations. It reviews what executives need to do if they want to establish a culture of innovation in their organizations.
De Jong, J. P. J., & Den Hartog, D. N. (2007). How leaders influence employees’ innovative behavior. European Journal of Innovation Management, 10(1), 41–64. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article offers an inventory of leader behaviors that can positively influence employees’ innovative behavior. The authors discover 13 relevant leadership behaviors exhibited in knowledge-intensive service jobs such as consulting, research, and engineering.
Ekvall, G. (1996). Organizational climate for creativity and innovation. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 5(1) 105–123. Organizational climate for creativity and innovation by Ekvall, G. in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. 5/1. Copyright 1996 by Psychology Press. Reprinted by permission of Taylor & Francis Informa UK, LTD–Journals via the Copyright Clearance Center.
This article describes an instrument for measuring organizational structure and climate regarding their influence on creativity and innovation.
Golovatchev, J., Budde, O., & Kellmereit, D. (2010). Technology and innovation radars: Effective instruments for the development of a sustainable innovation strategy and successful product launches. International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management, (7)3, 229–236. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
The authors summarize sustainable innovation development within innovation projects in various industries (e.g., fixed and mobile telecommunications, high tech, and logistics). The article explains an approach using technology and innovation radars and a rating mechanism to evaluate innovation initiatives.
Hamel, G. (2009). Moonshots for management. Retrieved from https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/web/pl/product.seam?c=20331266&i=20331394&cs=502ded68209602b62fec1adb81951e0dMany philosophies of how to be an effective manager date back to the 19th century. While this long history lends richness to the foundations of management theory, Gary Hamel argues that the 21st century presents unique challenges to managers and that new “visionary goals” must be integrated into management best practices. Hamel presents 25 of these visionary goals and challenges today’s managers to integrate them into their practice.
Hoever, I. J., van Knippenberg, D., van Ginkel, W. P., & Barkema, H. G. (2012). Fostering team creativity: Perspective taking as key to unlocking diversity’s potential. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97(5), 982–996.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article presents a theoretical model about the effect of a team’s diversity on its creativity. Perspective taking is identified as a facet of diversity that enhances creativity by fostering information elaboration.”
Montgomery, C. A. (2008). Putting leadership back into strategy. Retrieved from https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/web/pl/product.seam?c=20331266&i=20331397&cs=f681723ce94064afdc9f567c211557e3What is the role of creativity and insight in forging an organizational purpose? The article argues that leaders need to use their creativity keep their companies strategically competitive, even in this age when economic theory sees strategy as a problem to be addressed with analysis not creativity. The author explores the need for leaders to see strategy as a dynamic tool to shape and guide their organizations.
Puccio, G. J., Mance, M., Switalski, L. B., & Reali, P. D. (2012). Creativity rising: Creative thinking and creative problem solving in the 21st century. Buffalo, NY: ICSC Press.
Chapter 7, “Principles for Divergent and Convergent Thinking: Becoming a Better Creative Thinker” (pp. 51–70).
Many of us have probably felt frustrated that the world around us continues to change at an increasingly fast pace. A cell phone or tablet computer that was state of the art when purchased can be sadly out of date just one year later. The authors of this reading discuss the wide variety of changes we are experiencing today and explore how creative responses to the challenges presented by the rapid pace of change are necessary.
Primary Emphasis on Marketing
Davenport, T. H., Mule, L. D., & Lucker, J. (2011, December). Know what your customers want before they do. Harvard Business Review, 89(12), 84–92.
After studying dozens of retail, software, and financial services companies, the authors concluded that most companies are not taking full advantage of next-best-offer (NBO) strategies that seek to pinpoint customer wants and needs. In successful NBO marketing, companies customize offers based on consumer’s attributes and behaviors, the purchase context, product or service characteristics, and the organization’s strategic goals. Often, goal-setting is left out of this equation.
Spenner, P., & Freeman, K. (2012, May). To keep your customers, keep it simple. Harvard Business Review, 90(5), 108–114.
The authors of this article examine what makes customers “sticky,” or in other words, likely to follow through on intended purchases, recommend to others, and buy again.
Primary Emphasis on Accounting
Joseph, G. (2009). Mapping, measurement and alignment of strategy using the balanced scorecard: The Tata Steel case. Accounting Education, 18(2), 117–130.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This case study illustrates the use of the balanced scorecard by using a real-life situation and information gathered from the firm’s internal accounting processes. Special attention is given to the strategy map and measurement aspects of the balanced scorecard.
Likierman, A. (2009, October). The five traps of performance measurement. Harvard Business Review, 87(10), 96–101.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
The author of this article offers specific strategies and provides examples for companies to use in devising measures that provide managers with a full picture of their organization’s performance.
Merrill Lynch. (2007). How to read a financial report. Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/11755202/Merrill-Lynch-How-to-Read-a-Financial-ReportRaynor, M. E., & Ahmed, M. (2013, April). Three rules for making a company truly great: A quest for reliable data on organizational excellence yields surprisingly simple guidelines. Harvard Business Review, 91(4), 108–117.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
The authors of this article look at qualitative measures that might be predictors of organizational performance.
Shrivastava, P., & Berger, S. (2010). Sustainability principles: A review and directions. Organization Management Journal, 7(4), 246–261.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
The authors examine sustainability principles in terms of the concept as it first was stated in the 1987 publication of Our Common Future by the United Nations’ World Commission on Environment and Development and how it is used today. The authors looked specifically at what is included in “sustainability principles” based on the current and evolving literature of this field.
Slaper, T. F., & Hall, T. J. (2011). The triple bottom line: What is it and how does it work? Indiana Business Review, 86(1), 4–8.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
The article provides a high level overview of the measurement system called the Triple Bottom Line (TBL). The social, environmental, and financial impact of decisions are considered in this relatively new way of assessing organizational performance.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (n.d.). Beginners’ guide to financial statements. Retrieved from http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/begfinstmtguide.htmThis site discusses the four main financial statements, the accounting equation, selected parts of annual reports, and rations related to making organization decisions.
Area of Focus: Systems and Performance
Emphasis on Managing Business Information Systems
Drnevich, P. L., & Croson, D. C. (2013). Information technology and business-level strategy: Toward an integrated theoretical perspective [Special Issue]. MIS Quarterly, 37(2), 483–509.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
In this article, Drnevich and Croson argue the importance of integrating information technology with both functional and business-level strategies and goals in order to improve organizational flexibility and performance. The authors explore the implications of IT and business strategy alignment on maintaining existing organizational capabilities, as well as capitalizing on future opportunities.
Grover, V., & Kettinger, W. J. (1997). Special section: The impacts of business process change on organizational performance. Journal of Management Information Systems, 14(1), 9–12.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
The article examines a handful of empirical studies related to the importance of business process change to the success of a firm’s overall efforts in change management, discussing its relationship to organizational control, team empowerment, and major change initiatives.
Jin, K. G., & Drozdenko, R. G. (2010). Relationships among perceived organizational core values, corporate social responsibility, ethics, and organizational performance outcomes: An empirical study of information technology professionals. Journal of Business Ethics, 92(3), 341–359.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This study examines the relationships among and perceptions associated with organizational attitudes, values, performance outcomes, and corporate social responsibility, comparing and contrasting them within both organic and mechanistic organizational structures.
Khani, N., Nor, K. M., & Bahrami, M. (2011). IS/IT capability and strategic information system planning (SISP) success. International Management Review, 7(2), 75–83.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This paper explains the ways in which IT capabilities can be used to transform a firm’s IT investments from a knowledge-based perspective.
Kneževi?, S., Stankovi?, A., & Tepavac, R. (2012). Accounting information system as a platform for business and financial decision-making in the company. Management, 65, 63–69.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Using the content analysis method, the authors of this paper discuss different types of accounting information systems, as well as their role and active use as a platform in decision making.
Shanks, G., Jagielska, I., & Jayaganesh, M. (2009). A framework for understanding customer relationship management systems benefits. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 25(1), 263–287.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This paper presents a structured framework for understanding the benefits of customer relationship management systems.
Emphasis on Improving Business Performance
Braun, W. (2002). The system archetypes. In The systems modeling workbook. Unpublished manuscript. Retrieved from http://www.albany.edu/faculty/gpr/PAD724/724WebArticles/sys_archetypes.pdfThis article reviews common archetypes and explains how to use them in analyzing business issues.
Jacob, D., Bergland, S., & Cox, J. (2010). Velocity: Combining lean, six sigma, and the theory of constraints to achieve breakthrough performance. New York, NY: Free Press.
Using an unusual approach to discussing business strategy, the authors have written a novel about a manufacturing company that allows them to present their ideas concerning bottlenecks and constraints. The authors continue in the tradition of Eliyahu Goldratt, who developed the theory of constraints.
Meadows, D. H. (2008). Thinking in systems: A primer. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green.
The author presents the basics of systems thinking logic and applies that logic to a number of real world situations.
Senge, P. M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art & practice of the learning organization. New York, NY: Doubleday.
The author presents a framework for thinking about both personal and organizational learning that is rooted in a multi-disciplinary approach, called “the fifth discipline,” which builds on systems thinking and archetype analysis.
Wolstenholme, E. F. (2003). Towards the definition and use of a core set of archetypal structures in system dynamics. System Dynamics Review, 19(1), 7–26. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article reviews system archetypes, suggesting classification schemes and new sets of archetypes. The author encourages decision makers to use these tools to ensure systemic thinking.
Area of Focus: Strategic and Financial Management
Emphasis on Financial Management
From MBA 6070
Chun, J. S., Shin, Y., Choi, J. N., & Kim, M. S. (2013). How does corporate ethics contribute to firm financial performance? The mediating role of collective organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Management, 39(4), 853–877.
Despite the increasing significance of corporate ethics, few studies have explored the intermediate mechanisms that explain the relationship between corporate ethics and firm financial performance. Drawing on institutional theory and strategic human resource management literature, this article hypothesizes that the internal collective processes based on employees’ collective organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) mediate the ethics–performance relationship at the organizational level.
Kim, Y., Park, M. S., & Wier, B. (2012). Is earnings quality associated with corporate social responsibility? The Accounting Review, 87(3), 761–796.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This study examines whether socially responsible firms behave differently from other firms in their financial reporting. Specifically, it questions whether firms that exhibit corporate social responsibility (CSR) also behave in a responsible manner to constrain earnings management, thereby delivering more transparent and reliable financial information to investors as compared to firms that do not meet the same social criteria.
Perrini, F., Russo, A., Tencati, A., & Vurro, C. (2011). Deconstructing the relationship between corporate social and financial performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 102(1), 59–76.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Heeding the call for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms linking certain corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts to certain performance outcomes, this study provides a stakeholder-based organizing framework rooted in an extensive review of existing literature on the link between CSP and CFP. In so doing, it aims at guiding research and practice toward less simplistic understandings of the CSP-CFP connection.
Wise, S. (2013). The impact of financial literacy on new venture survival. International Journal of Business & Management, 8(23), 30–39.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article is an investigation into the impact of financial literacy on new venture survival. A model is proposed in which increased adoption of financial tools (e.g., financial statements and financial ratios) leads to increased frequency of financial statement generation, which in turn, increases the likelihood of loan repayment and decreases the probability of venture failure. This research found that entrepreneurs who produced financial statements more frequently had a higher probability of loan repayment and a lower probability to close their venture involuntarily.
Emphasis on Strategic Management:
Barney, J., & Clifford, T. G. (2010). What I didn’t learn in business school: How strategy works in the real world. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
Chapter 14, “A Tailored Presentation: Real World Strategies for Anticipating Resistance to Recommendations, Making High Impact Presentations, and Aligning Organizational Structure with Strategic Objectives” (pp.191-204)
This business novel explores the human side of executing strategy. It concerns the relationships, politics, and personalities that can shape a company’s strategy. In this chapter, consultants discuss how to present recommended strategic options to the board of HGS, a chemical company that has developed a new textile technology. HGS is unsure of how to exploit this opportunity. As you read this excerpt, consider how top managers at the company you have selected for the Capstone Project would receive and question your findings and recommendations.
Bungay, S. (2011, January/February). How to make the most of your company’s strategy. Harvard Business Review, 89(1/2), 132–140.
Often, when managers hear a new strategy communicated throughout an organization, many ask the question: “What do you want me to do?” In this article, Bungay explains a process that helps managers on the ground translate strategy into plans of action.
Christensen, C. M., Anthony, S. D., & Roth, E. A. (2004). Seeing what’s next: Using theories of innovation to predict industry change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.
Chapter 3, “Strategic Choices: Identifying Which Choices Matter” (pp. 1–16)
In this chapter excerpt, the authors discuss how firms can know if their decisions are having a positive or negative impact on success. The chapter covers how companies respond to signal changes, how they engage in competitive rivalries, how companies make strategic choicesCollis, D. J., & Rukstad, M. G. (2008, April). Can you say what your strategy is? Harvard Business Review, 86(4), 82–90.
How easy is it to explain your strategy? Once you finish explaining, will the audience be able to articulate your strategy well? In this article, the authors discuss why the answers to these questions are so important when implementing a strategy. They describe how to craft a strategy statement which communicates the aims of a strategy simply and succinctly.
Courtney, H., Lovallo, D., & Clarke, C. (2013, November). Deciding how to decide. Harvard Business Review, 91(11), 62–70.
Most strategic decisions must be made under conditions of great uncertainty, and many finance and budgeting processes assume certainty, so other tools must be considered. This article provides a perspective for matching decision-making tools to the decision being made, on the basis of three factors: how well you understand the variables that will determine success, how well you can predict the range of possible outcomes, and how centralized the relevant information is. (As described by Harvard editors, retrieved from https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/search?term=deciding%2520how%2520to%2520decide&navigation=0 )
Galunic, C., & Hermreck, I. (2012, December). How to help employees ‘get’ strategy. Harvard Business Review, 90(12), 24.
This article explores how senior leaders can better communicate, and establish an “embeddedness” to organizational strategy that goes beyond the simple “top down” cascade approach.
Hamel, G., & Prahalad, C. K. (2005, July/August). Strategic intent. Harvard Business Review, 83(7/8), 148–161.
For Hamel and Prahalad, being a leader in business does not mean lowering expectations to match resources and opportunity. These authors argue that leading competitors need stretch targets, coherent organizational learning, and innovation to match and surpass rivals. In this article, the authors describe four techniques companies can use to realize their strategic intent.
Hammond, J. S. (2002) Learning by the case method [Teaching note]. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.
In this essay, Hammond discusses what the case method is, how to learn from it, and how to get the most out of the process of studying, discussing, and analyzing case studies.
Johnson, G., Yip, G. S., Hensmans, M. (2012). Achieving successful strategic transformation. MIT Sloan Management Review, 53(3), 25–35.
The authors review, based on empirical and longitudinal observation of 215 organizations, what it takes to undertake substantial changes in strategy in structure, while still maintaining strong performance.
Joseph, G. (2009). Mapping, measurement and alignment of strategy using the balanced scorecard: The Tata Steel case. Accounting Education, 18(2), 117–130.Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This case study illustrates the use of the balanced scorecard by using a real-life situation and information gathered from the firm’s internal accounting processes. Special attention is given to the strategy map and measurement aspects of the balanced scorecard.
Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, D. P. (2006). Alignment: Using the balanced scorecard to create corporate synergies. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.
Chapter 10, “Total Strategic Alignment” (pp. 259–290)
How do companies manage the execution of strategy? In this article, the authors present a management framework for strategy execution and discuss the necessary components for strategic alignmentKim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. (2004, October). Blue ocean strategy. Harvard Business Review, 82(10), 76–84.
Would you rather compete in a market where several rivals compete for the limited demand? Or you would rather create demand by creating a new market with no rivals to cut into your market share? If you prefer the second option, then you need a “blue ocean” strategy. In this article, Kim and Mauborgne present the defining characteristics of “blue ocean” strategy through their study of over 150 “blue ocean” creations from 30 different industries from the past 100 years.
Koehn, N. (2013, November). The brain—and soul—of capitalism. Harvard Business Review, 91(11), 44.
The author suggests that organizations must think beyond the simple bottom line in order to thrive in today’s global realities.
Lafley, A. G., Martin, R., & Riel, J. (2013). A playbook for strategy: The five essential questions at the heart of any winning strategy. Rotman Magazine, Winter, 5–9.
The authors provide a concise, yet robust framework for developing and evaluating competitive strategies.
Lafley, A. G., Martin, R. L., Rivkin, J. W., & Siggelkow, N. (2012, September). Bringing science to the art of strategy. Harvard Business Review, 90(9), 56.
The authors propose a rigorous strategy-making process that incorporates hypothesis testing into the process. They describe how one company, P&G, applied this process in developing a new product line.
Lencioni, P. (2012). The advantage: Organization health trumps all else. Leadership Excellence, 18–19.
The author argues that organizations that are healthy (and smart) are in a position to out-perform organizations that are technically sound (smart) but which lack a cohesive sense of purpose and internal trust.
Levitt, T. (2004, July/August). Marketing myopia. Harvard Business Review, 82(7/8), 138–149.
In this seminal article, renowned scholar Theodore Levitt popularized the question, “What business are you in?” Levitt focuses on strategy as much as marketing and stresses companies need to orient their strategy on the services and value they provide to consumers and not only on selling a product. Use this article to help you define the business of the company you are studying for the Capstone Project.
Magretta, J. (2012). Understanding Michael Porter: The essential guide to competition and strategy. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
Chapter 4, “Creating Value: The Core” (pp. 95–120)
Dr. Joan Magretta is a valued colleague and editor of Michael Porter. In this chapter, Magretta discusses two tests any strategy must pass is if it is to be considered viable. These tests help managers answer the following questions: (1) What is the distinctive value proposition offered by the company, and (2) how do you tailor your value chain to meet your distinctive value proposition?
Martin, R. L. (2014, January/February). The big lie of strategic planning. Harvard Business Review, 92(1/2), 78–84.
Strategy making forces executives to confront a future they can only guess at. It’s not surprising, then, that they try to make the task less daunting by preparing a comprehensive plan for how the company will achieve its goal. But good strategy is not the product of endless research and modeling; it’s the result of a simple process of thinking through how to hit a target and whether it’s realistic to try. Discomfort is part of the process. (As described by Harvard editors, retrieved from https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/search?term=the+big+lie&navigation=&coursepackName=&libraryItemId= )Porter, M. E. (1983). Note on the structural analysis of industries [Industry and Background Note]. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School.
In this seminal article, renowned business scholar Michael Porter categorizes the general forces that shape and influence all industries.
Porter, M. E. (1996, November). What is strategy? Harvard Business Review, 74(6), 61–78.
In this seminal article, Michael Porter contrasts strategy with operational efficiencies. He argues that operational efficiencies, while important, are easy to imitate and do not lead to sustainable competitive advantage. He explains that strategy is about finding ways to be different that are sustainable for the long term.
Porter, M. E., & Kramer, M. R. (2006, December). Strategy and society: The link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. Harvard Business Review, 84(12), 78–92.
In this article, Porter and Kramer challenge the notion that business and social responsibility are in opposition to each other. Instead, they discuss how companies can pursue corporate social responsibility strategically—and not in a fragmented manner—to unlock benefits for business and society. As you read this article, consider if business and corporate social responsibility are at tension with each other, or if the support sustainable competitive strategies.
Rawson, A., Duncan, E., & Jones, C. (2013, September). The truth about customer experience. Harvard Business Review, 91(9), 90.
In this article the authors argue that it is the customer’s end-to-end journey in working with a company that determines their loyalty and likelihood of repeat business. They suggest that the “customer journey” should be an important element during the deployment of any strategy.
Reeves, M., & Deimler, M. (2011, July/August). Adaptability: The new competitive advantage. Harvard Business Review, 89(7/8), 134–141.
The authors describe an adaptable strategy approach that allows companies to respond to new business realities in an unstable environment. They propose that companies learn to be good at doing new things in response to these shifts.
Reeves, M., Love, C., & Tillmanns, P. (2012, September). Your strategy needs a strategy. Harvard Business Review 90(9), 76–83.
The authors describe the disconnect between corporate strategy suitable for stable environments and the reality of highly volatile markets. They propose a framework suited to individual industries and how realistically analysts can forecast in each sector.
Schulz, W. C. (2014). Supplemental reading notes to prepare for effective strategic thinking. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Education.
The author reviews some essential concepts to help prepare students to be more effective strategic thinkers.
Verschoor, C. C. (2003). Eight ethical traits of a healthy organization. Strategic Finance, 85(3), 21–22.
The author reviews eight core elements of ethics-based traits that healthy organizations exhibit, according to the Institute for Business, Technology, and Ethics.
Williams, O. F. (2014). CSR: Will it change the world? Hope for the future: An emerging logic in business practice. The Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 53, 9–26.
The author reviews the prospects for an expanded, and effective, role for Corporate Social Responsibility in the emerging global business environment.
Wolfe, N. (2011). The living organization: Transforming business to create extraordinary results. Irvine, CA: Quantum Leaders Publishing.
Introduction (pp. 4–10)
Chapter 1, “A Shock to Our System” (pp. 11–20)
Chapter 2, “The Living Organization” (pp. 21–30)
Appendix (pp. 159–180)
Norman Wolfe argues that a fundamental shift in the way we think about organizations is needed if we are to see them produce extraordinary results and make a positive difference in the world. Wolfe offers an insightful strategic framework that discusses how leaders can build “Living Organizations” that are rooted deeply within a “Soulful Purpose,” and who build cultures that value open collaboration, effective real-time teamwork, build off the energy of empowered and engaged people, all while seeking to create value for both shareholders and the more broad set of stakeholders.
Zenger, T. (2013, June). What is the theory of your firm? Harvard Business Review, 91(6), 72–78.
Zenger argues that managers’ most vexing strategic challenge is not how to win or sustain competitive advantage but, rather, how to keep creating value. He offers what he calls the corporate theory, which reveals how a given company can do just that. Drawing on the history of Disney and Apple, he describes what makes a corporate theory strong, shows how it informs strategic choices, and warns what can happen when a company loses sight of its theory. (As described by Harvard editors, retrieved from https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/search?term=what+is+the+theory+of+your+firm%3F&navigation=&coursepackName=&libraryItemId= )
Zook, C., & Allen, J. (2011, November). The great repeatable business model. Harvard Business Review, 89(11), 106.
The authors identify the strategies that sustain high levels of performance over the long term. They caution that companies need to resist the temptation to make quick changes to meet the latest shifts in the marketplace and focus, instead, on their fundamental strengths.
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