The Strategist's Handbook Tools, templates, and best practices across the strategy process

Strategy, an ancient pursuit, has evolved through the centuries and in today's business environment applies to all organizations, across all sectors and geographies.

The Strategist's Handbook is a collection of the best materials, insights, tools, and templates that comprise the core Strategy course taught in the undergraduate, MBA, Executive MBA, and Post-graduate Diploma programs at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. Each of the best practices, pitfalls to avoid, tools, and templates presented in this book has been field-tested and refined for over three decades while working with for profit, not-for-profit, and government organizations, across multiple industries around the globe to help them develop and implement their strategies.

The guidance and tools can be applied in small, mid-sized, and large organizations; their application just needs to be scaled accordingly. While this is a practical “how-to” book, the tools and approaches presented are based on a solid foundation of well-established theory and extensive research that is also highlighted within each chapter. The contents can benefit those new to “strategy” as well as seasoned strategy professionals, current and aspiring senior managers, middle- and front-line managers, functional experts, and strategy consultants.

Timothy Galpin, Senior Lecturer and Director Postgraduate Diploma in Strategy and Innovation, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Tim Galpin is Senior Lecturer and Director of the Postgraduate Diploma in Strategy and Innovation at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. He has authored numerous articles for publications including Mergers & Acquisitions, Strategy & Leadership, Journal of Business Strategy, The Handbook of Business Strategy, World Journal of Entrepreneurship, and Corporate Governance. Tim is also a Contributing Editor of Strategy & Leadership and is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for the Journal of Business Strategy. He has been featured on CNBC, Reuters Television, National Public Radio, and quoted in various publications throughout the world.

Introduction: Strategy in Theory and Practice
SECTION I. STRATEGY FORMULATION
1. Predicting the future
2. Building strategically valuable resources
3. Selecting high impact strategies
SECTION II. STRATEGY EXECUTION
4. The best strategy is the one you can implement
5. Managing strategic transformation
6. Communicate even if there is nothing to tell
7. Your best players will find a new team first - retain and re-engage them
8. Your strategy needs a nudge - aligning organizational culture with strategy
SECTION III. BEYOND BUSINESS STRATEGY
9. Nonmarket strategy
10. How corporate parents add strategic value
11. Pursuing alliances, joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions
12. Shareholder activism and restructuring
Appendix A. The Oxford Strategy Insights Project
Appendix B. Strategy Workbook
References
Index