What we mean when we talk about strategy

Business strategy is perhaps the most important function in any organization and yet it is generally one of the most poorly understood. Thinkers50 founders Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove explore the realities of strategy and the ideas behind it with some of the world’s greatest strategic minds.

Crainer and Dearlove have interviewed hundreds of strategists from all parts of the world during the last 25 years.  From experienced C-suite veterans, leaders who had lived through the ups and downs of corporate life, to leading edge Business Schools thinkers Crainer and Dearlove have grilled strategists for over two decades to discover what we mean when we talk about strategy.

From Sun Tzu to Michael Porter via McKinsey and the Boston Consulting Group, What we mean when we talk about strategy offers authoritative and original insights into how best to  devise and implement strategy.  In the digital age identifying the best route forward and then executing it has never been more demanding nor important.

There is a new age of strategy thinking.  Richard D’Aveni, who coined the word ‘hypercompetition’, has switched his attention to strategies that deal with the tech revolution. Alex Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur champion their new and unique take on capturing strategy. Rita McGrath has bidden farewell to the concept of competitive advantage.  And Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, having created the concept of Blue Ocean Strategy, are now taking the next step into the strategic future. Join them on their amazing journey.

What We Mean When We Talk About Strategy is a smorgasbord of ideas rather than neatly packaged reference guide to received wisdom. Crainer and Dearlove provide accessible, pithy inspiration for anyone who wants to create something new.