Business Problem-Solving and Strategy Manga for Success

A FUN AND APPROACHABLE WAY TO LEARN IMPORTANT BUSINESS PRINCIPLES

Do you want to improve your business performance? Or are you looking for a basic understanding of business strategy? Whatever your reason for picking up this book, Business Problem-Solving and Strategy: Manga For Success makes business strategy concepts easy to understand using practical examples and situations. You’ll read about:

• Important business analysis tools like SWOT analysis and issue analysis
• Strategic option assessment
• Developing and executing a strategy for any business situation

TAKAYUKI KITO is a graduate of Tokyo University Law School and a former Roland Berger employee with extensive experience in business strategy planning and execution assistance. Kito has published and lectured on brand and global strategies.

KEISUKE YAMABE is a graduate of Hitotsubashi University Business School and a former Roland Berger employee with extensive experience in planning and execution of company-wide strategies in industries such as restaurant and service, automobile, aviation, consumer goods, and construction.

Preface 10

Prologue What is a Business Strategy?

Story 0 Help Me, Senpai! 13

1 What is a “Strategy”? 26

2 The Many Pitfalls of a Business Strategy 34

3 Preparations to Build the Corect Strategy 39

4 Create a “Dynamic” Strategy! 45

Step 1 Analyze the Situation

Story 1 Knowing Your Enemy is Knowing Yourself 50

1 The Essentials of Situation Analysis 74

2 OT Analysis 83

3 SW Analysis 99

4 Organizing SWOT 113

Step 2 Forming Strategic Options

Story 2 How to Save a Company in Trouble? 118

1 What Are Strategic Options? 140

2 Make Objectives and Issues Clear 142

3 Lay Out the Strategic Options 1: Growing Potentials for the Pre-Established Company 154

4 Lay Out the Strategic Options 2: Options for the Newly Established Businesses 167

5 Lay Out the Strategic Options 3: Improve Profit 177

6 Summerizing Strategic Options 181

Step 3 Review and Select Options

Story 3 All for One, One for All 186

1 Reviewing Options 206

2 Reviewing and Selecting Options 1: Rationality 209

3 Reviewing and Selecting Options 2: Feasability 215

4 Reviewing and Selecting Options 3: The Intents and Expectations of the Parties Involved 225

Step 4 How to Translate Options into Plans and Actions

Story 4 What Becomes of a Strategy 232

1 How to Translate Strategic Options into a Plan 252

2 How to Apply Strategy to Execution 254

3 How to Apply Strategic Options into Action 258

4 Create a Plan of Action 263

5 How to “Execute” with Certainty 269

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.