Title: Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy (original English edition)
Author: Joan Magretta
Publication date (EN): December 6, 2011 (hardcover, HBR Press); the HBR store lists Dec 16, 2011.
Pages (EN): 256 pp. (hardcover); some publisher/online listings show 208 pp. for certain formats.
Value for PMs & founders (problem it solves)
A crisp, practitioner-friendly distillation of Porter’s strategy toolkit to compete for profits by creating unique value—from industry analysis (Five Forces) to competitive advantage via the value chain, trade-offs and fit.
Summary
Two parts: What is competition? (profit pools, Five Forces) and What is strategy? (value creation, trade-offs, fit, continuity). Corrects common misconceptions (e.g., compete to be unique, not best) and includes a Q&A with Porter. Chapter topics include Five Forces, value chain & P&L, trade-offs, fit, continuity.
3 community-reported takeaways (with sources)
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Compete to be unique; strategy is about creating value, not just beating rivals. Goodreads
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Industry structure drives average profitability—use Five Forces to shape where/how to play. Harvard Business School
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Advantage = value chain choices + trade-offs + fit; operational effectiveness alone isn’t strategy. Manas J. Saloi
Buy online (FR & international)
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HBR Store (publisher) — English edition. Harvard Business Review Store
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Bookshop.org — English hardcover/ebook. Bookshop
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Amazon.fr — English edition listing. Amazon France
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FNAC (France) — French translation page. fnac.com
Author of Impact Factories / Co-founder of Shy Robotics and Product Whys / Head of Product at Dassault Systèmes / Engineer passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship
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