Strategy to Beat the Odds
We identified ten performance levers and, importantly, how strongly you have to pull them to make a real difference in your strategy’s success. We divided these levers into three categories: endowment, trends, and moves. Your endowment is what you start with, and the variables that matter most are your revenue (size), debt level (leverage), and past investment in R&D (innovation). Trends are the winds that … [ Read more ]
Content: Article | Authors: Chris Bradley, Martin Hirt, Sven Smit | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subject: Strategy
Ezra Greenberg, Martin Hirt, Sven Smit
Business leaders typically spend about 30 percent of their time on external engagement, but by their own assessment, few do so effectively. For more business leaders to “step up to the plate” and “play a key role in driving solutions,” they will need to do more to embed society’s concerns in their business priorities, to make external engagement an integral part of their strategy, and … [ Read more ]
Content: Quotation | Authors: Ezra Greenberg, Martin Hirt, Sven Smit | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subjects: Social Responsibility (ESG), Strategy
The Global Forces Inspiring a New Narrative of Progress
That broad narrative of intensifying competition, as well as the growing need for cooperation, contains challenges, but also great opportunity. We hear about the challenges every day in our conversations with global business leaders: How long can their traditional sources of competitive advantage survive in the face of technological shifts? How will changing consumer and societal expectations affect their business models? What does it mean … [ Read more ]
Content: Article | Authors: Ezra Greenberg, Martin Hirt, Sven Smit | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subjects: Economics, Trends / Analysis
The Global Forces Inspiring a New Narrative of Progress
Growth is shifting, disruption is accelerating, and societal tensions are rising. Confronting these dynamics will help you craft a better strategy, and forge a brighter future.
Editor’s Note: by its nature, this is a topical article but I think the analysis provided is interesting and I think it will still be worth reading in future years to see how accurate it turns out to be. … [ Read more ]
Content: Article | Authors: Ezra Greenberg, Martin Hirt, Sven Smit | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subject: Trends / Analysis
The Economic Essentials of Digital Strategy
A supply-and-demand guide to digital disruption.
Content: Article | Authors: Angus Dawson, Jay Scanlan, Martin Hirt | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subjects: IT / Technology / E-Business, Management, Strategy, Trends / Analysis
Digital Disruption Forces
Strategic Principles for Competing in the Digital Age
Digitization is rewriting the rules of competition, with incumbent companies most at risk of being left behind. Here are six critical decisions CEOs must make to address the strategic challenge posed by the digital revolution.
Content: Article | Authors: Martin Hirt, Paul Willmott | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subject: IT / Technology / E-Business
Have you tested your strategy lately?
Ten timeless tests can help you kick the tires on your strategy, and kick up the level of strategic dialogue throughout your company.
Content: Article | Authors: Chris Bradley, Martin Hirt, Sven Smit | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subject: Strategy
Chris Bradley, Martin Hirt, and Sven Smit
80 percent of the variance in revenue growth is explained by choices about where to compete, leaving only 20 percent explained by choices about how to compete. Unfortunately, this is the exact opposite of the allocation of time and effort in a typical strategy-development process. Companies should be shifting their attention greatly toward the “where” and should strive to outposition competitors by regularly reallocating resources … [ Read more ]
Content: Quotation | Authors: Chris Bradley, Martin Hirt, Sven Smit | Source: McKinsey Quarterly | Subject: Strategy