Following the 8th Global Conference on Business & Economics, held in Florence in October 2008, the International Journal of Business & Economics decided to publish a special issue with a maximum of twenty conference contributions in the areas of strategic management and finance, all featuring innovative content in relation to the state of the art in these disciplines. In keeping with the Journal's high scientific standards, a qualified group of academics coordinated by myself served as referees for submitted papers, using a process of double blind peer review to select contributions for publication. This review led to the selection of a reduced number of papers with respect to the total number that had been submitted, three of which were unconditionally accepted and thirteen were accepted conditionally upon implementing some scientific and/or linguistic revisions. As guest editor, it is my opinion that this collection of selected papers offers an interesting panorama of original theoretical and applied developments, representing “cutting edge” research on key topics of strategic management and finance.

The Second Edition of the book encompasses two new chapters—Strategic Cost Management and Business Ethics—A Strategic Financial Management Instrument. The book, being an augmented version of the previous edition, equips the young managers with the fundamentals and basics of strategic management and financial management in a cogent manner. The text now provides a better orientation to the students on the topics like corporate restructuring, divestitures, acquisitions, and mergers in the global context with the help of examples and caselets. The book has been revised keeping in view the requirements of postgraduate students of management and the students pursuing professional courses such as CA, MFC and CS. In addition, professionals working in the corporate sector may also find the book beneficial to integrate the financial management functions into business strategy and financial operations. Distinctive features • Model question papers have been appended at the end of the book. • Better justification of topics by merging the contents wherever required. • Theory supported with caselets inspired from global as well as Indian context.

Provides a concise yet rigorous introduction to strategic management and its contemporary challenges, with multiple examples, case studies and references.

Strategic Outlook in Business and Finance Innovation: Multidimensional Policies for Emerging Economies brings together new theoretical frameworks and develops appropriate strategies to improve the performance of firms globally.

Editor Biography: Adam Jab'o'ski is an associate professor in The Department of Management at the University of D'browa G�rnicza. He is also Vice-President of the Board of a reputable management consulting company "OTTIMA plus" Ltd. of Katowice, and President of the "Southern Railway Cluster" Association of Katowice, which supports development in railway transport and the transfer of innovation, as well as cooperation with European railway clusters (as a member of the European Railway Clusters Initiative). He holds a postdoctoral degree in Economic Sciences, specializing in Management Science. Having worked as a management consultant since 1997, he has broadened his experience and expertise through co-operation with a number of leading companies in Poland and abroad. He is the author of a variety of studies and business analyses on business models, value management, risk management, the balanced scorecard and corporate social responsibility. He has also written and co-written several monographs and over 100 scientific articles in the field of management, published both in Poland and abroad. Adam's academic interests focus on the issues of modern and efficient business model design, including Sustainable Business Models and the principles of company value building strategy that includes the rules of Corporate Social Responsibility. Book Description: The dynamics of market changes determine new perspectives both in the theory and practice of management science. The mechanisms of doing business aimed at achieving a high level of company performance are changing. This requires adequate instruments based on the solid pillars of strategic management. Undoubtedly, the key ontological beings which determine the success of an organization are effective and efficient business models, strategies and business processes. A kind of strategic hybrid emerges that shapes the principles of doing business subject to pressure, constraints and emerging opportunities. In this approach, companies implement strategies for growth and development not only to survive, but also to achieve a strong and competitive advantage. Value creation is another area of developing management science and practices, defining key factors underlying the conceptualization and operationalization of business models, strategies and business processes. The above mentioned concepts are nowadays widely discussed, creating a new dimension of strategic management. This monograph consists of chapters focused on both theoretical and practical conditions of modern companies, specifically focused on building effective and efficient business models and strategies. This monograph primarily refers to new research perspectives which determine the new challenges of strategic management. The aim of the monograph is to present views and approaches to strategic management determined by the development and growth of companies through building their business models and strategies. The issues addressed in this book are: -determining key trends in the theory and practice of management science -defining key ontological beings and their use in the dynamic management of modern companies -presenting the new dimensions of strategic management as seen through the eyes of the international authors of individual chapters -the possibility of applying solutions to problems addressed in this monograph The editor and authors hope that the presented combination of theory and practice will satisfy the needs of readers, in particular managers of modern companies, business consultants and researchers.

Strategic management is a field that has diversity in approach and scope, but relative homogeneity in pedagogy. This book, a refreshed edition of its successful predecessor, brings something different to the field, by concisely introducing it with a focus on doing business in the Middle East and North Africa. Supplemented by online case studies and other resources, the reader is exposed to a plethora of concepts, theories, practical implications, and experiential exercises in the strategic management process. The updated text explores key regional issues, including the "Arab Spring", economic recession, corporate social responsibility, the role of women in business and the rise of emerging economies. The reader is encouraged to look at the world in light of the challenges many organizations are facing around the globe. Features like "Stop and Think Critically" and "Focus" points throughout each chapter encourage and inspire a thoughtful reading of the text. This is a book designed to aid undergraduate and graduate students, as well as managers in both for-profit and non-profit sectors. The authors guides the reader through both new and ongoing issues in the field of strategic management, and allow them to foster a greater understanding of this ever-developing field.