Foundations of Strategy, Canadian Edition is a concise text aimed at both undergraduate and MBA students. With the needs of these students in mind, the authors made sure that the text was written in an accessible style, with a clear, comprehensive approach and sound theoretical depth. An excellent set of current and in-depth Canadian and global cases will show students how to apply the strategy concepts in real-world scenarios. Today’s strategy modules are delivered in a wide variety of different formats to a wide range of audiences. Instructors frequently find themselves faced with the challenge of delivering their modules in relatively short time frames to student groups with very diverse educational and employment backgrounds. This text is designed to assist instructors in meeting this challenge by covering the core aspects of strategy as concisely as possible without losing academic depth.

The theoretical foundations of management strategy are identified and outlined in this text. Five theories are considered in the light of questions about how organisations operate efficiently, cost minimization, wealth creation, individual self-interest, and continued growth.

Presenting the foundations of an integrated theory of organizations, Jensen argues that the cost of transferring information necessitates decentralization of some decision rights in organizations and economies. This in turn requires organizations to solve the control problem that results when self-interested persons do not behave as perfect agents.

7 Powers details a strategy toolset that enables you to build an enduringly valuable company. It was developed by Hamilton Helmer drawing on his decades of experience as a strategy advisor, equity investor and Stanford University teacher. This is must reading for any business person and applies to all businesses, new or mature, large or small.

Developed for students on short courses in strategy for example, doing an initial course at undergraduate, postgraduate or post-experience level, or studying strategy as part of a wider degree in the arts, sciences or engineering, this book focuses on the analysis and formulation of strategy.

The globalization of the competitive landscape has forced companies to fundamentally rethink their strategies. Whereas once only a few industries such as oil could be labeled truly global, today many-from pharmaceuticals to aircraft to computers-have become global in scale and scope. As a consequence, creating a global competitive advantage has become a key strategic issue for many companies. Crafting a global strategy requires making decisions about which strategy elements can and should be globalized and to what extent.

This book explores the extent to which economic theory is able to provide the theoretical foundations of strategic management. To this end it draws on the philosophy of science; microeconomic theory; and different approaches to strategic management. The work shows that many of the propositions of strategic management are deducible from the economic theories considered. It argues that these propositions should be made open to empirical testing and that a unified theory of strategic management should be developed. Thus the book addresses a current major concern of theorists - that strategy remains ’atheoretical’ and that this reduces the predictive power of the subject and hampers further theory development. The essential contribution made is that economic theory should be systematically explored in order to establish the foundations of business strategy.