Essentials of Strategic Managementresponds head-on to the growing requests by business faculty for a concisely-written strategic management text that's robust and theory-driven and supported with a compelling collection of cases. This text was written with four objectives in mind: 1) Although relatively brief in length, the text provides students with an up-to-date and thorough understanding of essential strategic management concepts and analytic tools; 2) It simplifies the task of demonstrating student learning through course embedded assessment; 3) The concepts are supported by contemporary, well-written cases involving headline strategic issues; and lastly, 4) The text serves as the theoretical foundation of a teaching approach incorporating a business strategy simulation.

PART ONE: CONCEPTS AND TECHNIQUES FOR CRAFTING AND EXECUTING STRATEGY
Section A: Introduction and Overview
Chapter 1: What Is Strategy and Why Is It Important?
Chapter 2: Charting a Company’s Direction: Vision and Mission, Objectives, and Strategy

Section B: Core Concepts and Analytical Tools
Chapter 3: Evaluating a Company’s External Environment
Chapter 4: Evaluating a Company’s Resources, Cost Position, and Competitiveness

Section C: Crafting a Strategy
Chapter 5: The Five Generic Competitive Strategies
Chapter 6: Supplementing the Chosen Competitive Strategy – Other Important Strategy Choices
Chapter 7: Strategies for Competing in International Markets
Chapter 8: Corporate Strategy: Diversification and the Multibusiness Company
Chapter 9: Strategy, Ethics, and Corporate Social Responsibility

Section D: Executing the Strategy
Chapter 10: Superior Strategy Execution – Another Path to Competitive Advantage

PART TWO: CASES IN CRAFTING AND EXECUTING STRATEGY
Section A: Crafting Strategy in Single-Business Companies
Case 1: Mystic Monk Coffee
Case 2: Competition among the North American Warehouse Clubs: Costco Wholesale versus Sam’s Club versus BJ’s Wholesale
Case 3: Competition in Energy Drinks, Sports Drinks, and Vitamin-Enhanced Beverages
Case 4: Netflix’s Business Model and Strategy in Renting Movies and TV Episodes
Case 5: Redbox’s Strategy I the Movie Rental Industry
Case 6: Sift Cupcake and Dessert Bar
Case 7: Blue Nile Inc. in 2011: Will Its Strategy to Remain Number One in Online Diamond Retailing Work?
Case 8: Panera Bread Company in 2011 – Pursuing Growth in a Difficult Economy
Case 9: Apple Inc. in 2011: Can It Prosper Without Steve Jobs?
Case 10: Google’s Strategy in 2011

Section B: Corporate Strategy in Multi-business Companies
Case 11: Sara Lee Corporation in 2011: Has Its Retrenchment Strategy Been Successful?

Section C: Implementing and Executing Strategy
Case 12: Robin Hood
Case 13: Southwest Airlines in 2010: Culture, Values, and Operating Practices
Case 14: Norton Lilly International: Implementing Transformational Change in the Shipping Industry
Case 15: Starbucks’ Strategy and Internal Initiatives to Return to Profitable Growth

Section D: Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
Case 16: Cash Connection: Are Its Payday Lender Strategy and Its Business Model Ethical?