Photos and Music

This photo was taken on July 9, 2002 in the East Room at the White House where President George W. Bush presented Peter Drucker with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Corporate success depends to a considerable degree on the ability of senior executives to craft and implement effective strategies. Companies that enjoy a competitive advantage over their rivals typically have a better grasp of what their customers prefer, how they can create value, who their competitors are, and how they behave.

Formulating a sound strategy requires both analysis and synthesis, and therefore is as much a rational as it is a creative act. Successful strategies reflect a solid grasp of relevant forces in the external and competitive environment, a clear strategic intent, and a deep understanding of an organization’s core competencies and assets.

Generic strategies rarely propel a company to a leadership position. Knowing where you want to go and finding carefully considered, creative ways of getting there are the hallmarks of successful strategy.

This book is written for practicing executives who are getting ready to assume broader responsibilities and need a short, practical, highly readable guide to strategy formulation, and for MBA and EMBA students who aspire to top management responsibilities.

    Royale Garden    

   Dixieland Band

Bob Waner (trombone), Alan Shelton (leader, cornet), Larry Wright (piano), Kees de Kluyver (banjo), Mike Olson (clarinet), Rudy Eleff (tuba) and Gordon Hirsch (drums)