Fundamental Issues in Strategy

The thesis of the book is that research in strategy needs to be directed at fundamental questions, like "Why are firms different (despite attempts to imitate one another)?" The writers don't even bother to discuss the popular sillyness of advising firms to be "quick" or "invest in IT" and so on. Rather, there is a real attempt to describe what is known and not known about fundamental issues, like imitability.The book's strength is the qulaity of the 22 authors involved. It is the strongest showing of intellectual talent on this subject ever assembled. The weakness is that it was written just before the rise of "competence-based" views of strategy, so that it offers little perspective on that literature.Twelve years after the papers in this book were written, it remains an essential reference to research in strategy. MBAs and business people looking for the newest guru ideas should stay away---there are plenty of guru books out there to satisfy their needs for cool hip ideas ("seek chaos!").

The thesis of the book is that research in strategy needs to be directed at fundamental questions, like "Why are firms different (despite attempts to imitate one another)?" The writers don't even bother to discuss the popular sillyness of advising firms to be "quick" or "invest in IT" and so on. Rather, there is a real attempt to describe what is known and not known about fundamental issues, like imitability.The book's strength is the quality of the 22 authors involved. It is the strongest showing of intellectual talent on this subject ever assembled. The weakness is that it was written just before the rise of "competence-based" views of strategy, so that it offers little perspective on that literature.Twelve years after the papers in this book were written, it remains an essential reference to research in strategy. MBAs and business people looking for the newest guru ideas should stay away---there are plenty of guru books out there to satisfy their needs for cool hip ideas ("seek chaos!").

This book resulted from a conference held in Napa valley a few years before the book's publication. The editors and contributors examine critical issues in strategic management. Ten years later, these issues remain unresolved. This is because these issues are complex and enduring. Anyone interested in understanding enduring competitive advantage will benefit greatly by reading this book. One of its major contributions is that it delineates the boundaries of current understanding. To those looking for immediate help to their organizational problems this volume will offer few solutions. For those wanting to understand how firms behave, adapt, and organize for sustainable advantage this book will be a great start.

This book is a thorough study about Strategy. It conveys you all the great knowledge about Strategy that has been accumulated over the last decades. All the great strategists put their two cents, and that is why this is a great work.

The depth of knowledge of the authors and the complexity of the agenda covered is so remarkable. This book enbles the reader (who should be well versed in strategic studies) to get their mind around the subject in a comprehensive light. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone in with a strategy background.