The Competitive Mind

This is a guide to the principles of competitive business strategy.
The book draws, chapter by chapter, on illustrative instances and
examples involving vigorous competition between determined rivals
in business. It offers helpful ideas for devising ways to prevail
in confrontation with business competitors. Based on the course on
competitive strategy taught by the author over the past ten years
to executives and undergraduates, the book provides a
thought-provoking complement to standard textbooks. Each chapter
addresses a key strategic principle, richly illustrated with
topical business examples, and followed by student questions at the
end of the chapter.

Most contemporary accounts of strategic thinking concentrate on
preserving a business in steady state through thinking about
economics, markets and business development, rather than dealing
directly with psychological confrontation between business
rivals.

Autorentext
Andrew Crouch joined the Business School at Bond University in 1989, just as the University opened. Prior to his move to Bond he held academic positions in the Melbourne Business School and the Australian Graduate School of Management. His professional interests have been based in managerial psychology where he completed his doctorate. Andrew has taught and consulted in strategy, competitive intelligence and the management of change.

Zusammenfassung
This is a guide to the principles of competitive business strategy. The book draws, chapter by chapter, on illustrative instances and examples involving vigorous competition between determined rivals in business. It offers helpful ideas for devising ways to prevail in confrontation with business competitors. Based on the course on competitive strategy taught by the author over the past ten years to executives and undergraduates, the book provides a thought-provoking complement to standard textbooks. Each chapter addresses a key strategic principle, richly illustrated with topical business examples, and followed by student questions at the end of the chapter. Most contemporary accounts of strategic thinking concentrate on preserving a business in steady state through thinking about economics, markets and business development, rather than dealing directly with psychological confrontation between business rivals.

Inhalt
Acknowledgements. 1 Introduction.

Heritage.

Contemporary perspectives.

Classic perspectives.

Delineation of strategy.

Primary concepts.

Levels of direction.

Principles.

2 Competition.

Strategic threshold.

Dynamics of harmony.

Dynamics of confrontation.

Threshold of confrontation.

Competition.

Competition and games.

Purpose.

Competitive context.

Competitive intelligence.

Appendix 2: The practice of competitive intelligence.

3 Assessment.

Strategic assessment.

Design.

Strategic appraisal.

Strategic issues.

Alternative courses of action.

Evaluation.

Contemporary criteria.

Classic criteria.

Appendix 3: The look of a Strategic Assessment..

4 Integrity.

Initiative.

Creating momentum.

Flexibility.

Adapting to circumstances.

Balance.

Maintaining stability.

5 Security.

Time.

Impressions of time.

Deception.

Impressions of reality.

Power.

Impressions of dependence.

6 Feasibility.

Capability proposition.

Assets.

Resource-based view.

Maintenance of wherewithal.

Ability.

Core competencies.

Capacity to transform.

Alliances.

Strategic satellites.

7 Morality.

8 Conclusion.

Alexander's strategy.

Policy objectives.

Strategic thresholds.

Principles of strategy.

Finally . . . .

Endnotes.

Index.