This student-focused text provides an emphasis on skills development. Packed with real-life examples of what can go wrong with even the most well-conceived strategies, there is a focus on realism throughout. With a highly accessible writing style, this text it is an invaluable learning tool for all students in this area.

Strategic Management: Theory and Application is an undergraduate student-focused text which provides an emphasis on skills development. The features provided throughout the book promote the development of critical thinking, analytical rigour and creativity skills. The text is structured to include a variety of learning features including real-life applications, four running cases, what can go wrong boxes, theoretical debates, using evidence, creative

strategising, end-of-chapter cases and longer cases. These place emphasis on realism through recent, illustrative examples of what can go wrong with even the most well-conceived strategies as well as demonstrating the relevance of the theory to real-life practice. The balanced approach to theory and application

summarises relevant economic, sociological and organisation-theoretic concepts, without attempting to artificially force these into inappropriate theoretical 'boxes'. With a highly accessible writing style, this text it is an invaluable learning tool for all students in this area.

Online Resource Centre

The Online Resource Centre (ORC) accompanying this textbook provides all the teaching and learning materials needed to support each chapter, removing the need for lecturers to look for additional seminar and text materials, and giving students the resources they need to check and build upon their understanding.

The Lecturer section features answers to case study and end-of-chapter questions, seminar activities, PowerPoint slides and a test bank to aid lecturers' teaching. The suite of video clips matching the core concepts explored in the book helps bring the subject to life and adds a useful teaching tool to the textbook package.

0

The Student section comprises multiple-choice questions, web-links a flashcard glossary and exercises to help students test their own understanding.

At last a book which addresses the practical aspects of analysing markets, assessing opportunities and developing winning strategies . . . to help students develop analytical skills!

Succeeds in creating a sense of realism through the deployment of sophisticated meso-level theory rather than simple abstractions. Students and instructors will find this very valuable.

The case studies used are up-to-date, relevant and appropriate. The level is pitched correctly to promote critical thinking and academic rigour. Overall each chapter provides a good balanced and comprehensive approach to theory.

Adrian Haberberg is Senior Lecturer in Strategic Management at the University of Westminster's Westminster Business School. He has a PhD in Ismorphism in Strategic Decision-Making from CASS Business School. His other research interests include the relationship between organisational resources and competitive advantage and the food retailing and information technology industries. He worked for several years as a corporate planner with Rank Xerox before becoming a

management consultant, most recently with Price Waterhouse. His consultancy clients have included the World Bank, the European Commission and a number of major UK corporations and public sector organisations.

Alison Rieple is Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Westminster's Harrow Business School. Her research focuses on the management of design, innovation and change; the politics of organisational change; and innovation-generating structures in creative industries. Professor Rieple's consultancy work has led to her assisting a number of public sector and commercial organisations with change management and business planning. She is widely published in journals such as the

Journal of Organizational Behavior, Design Management Review and the Journal of Cultural Economics.