Table of Contents

• • Chapter - 00: Introduction;
  • Chapter - 01: You should look to the best for inspiration;
  • Chapter - 02: Strategy is very different from the sciences;
  • Chapter - 03: The most successful strategies are carefully planned;
  • Chapter - 04: Success is essentially about talent;
  • Chapter - 05: It is impossible to think strategically in an environment of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity;
  • Chapter - 06: Direct aim is the best way to attain goals;
  • Chapter - 07: Firms achieve higher performance when they adopt a raison d’être;
  • Chapter - 08: Having a corporate social responsibility strategy is bad for performance;
  • Chapter - 09: The best strategy is to set up an attractive business and try to beat competitors;
  • Chapter - 10: In most firms, costs are too high;
  • Chapter - 11: In the digital era, having the best or cheapest product is enough for success;
  • Chapter - 12: A firm must address its weaknesses before it develops its strengths;
  • Chapter - 13: Business success depends primarily on a firm’s capabilities;
  • Chapter - 14: The best business leaders are visionaries;
  • Chapter - 15: Businesses benefit from hiring stars;
  • Chapter - 16: Interviews are the best technique for selecting new employees;
  • Chapter - 17: A good strategy is enough for success;
  • Chapter - 18: It’s easy to drop a strategy that has failed to deliver;
  • Chapter - 19: Boards of directors are willing to challenge bad strategy decisions;
  • Chapter - 20: Innovation requires state-of-the-art technologies;
  • Chapter - 21: To innovate, businesses need experts;
  • Chapter - 22: Always listen to customers;
  • Chapter - 23: Innovating means offering customers new products or services;
  • Chapter - 24: Businesses innovate more when they have more resources;
  • Chapter - 25: Business leaders have a long-term outlook;
  • Chapter - 26: It is impossible to reconcile the long term and the short term;
  • Chapter - 27: A firm that’s improving is headed for success;
  • Chapter - 28: Change is always good for businesses;
  • Chapter - 29: The first thing to do in a recession is cut costs;
  • Chapter - 30: Process management improves performance;
  • Chapter - 31: Mergers and acquisitions create value for shareholders;
  • Chapter - 32: Outsourcing is good for firms;
  • Chapter - 33: Adopting management fads is pointless;
  • Chapter - 34: Financial analysts like firms that have an original strategy;
  • Chapter - 35: Consultants always help improve performance

About the Author

Jérôme Barthélemy is Executive Vice-President, Dean for Post Experience Programs, Corporate Programs and Relations and Professor of strategy and management at ESSEC Business School, Paris, France. He has been a visiting professor and visiting research scholar at New York University (NYU), Stanford University and Cambridge University. His book, Unleash your company's competitive spirit, received France's best management book award in 2017.

Reviews

"Myths of Strategy will surprise you. Backed by deep research and packed with rich nuggets of insight, this book serves up a potpourri of smart ideas. A clever, practical and fun read!"
*Kathleen Eisenhardt, Professor, Stanford University, co-author of Simple Rules*

"A great book and a must read for strategists and CEOs altogether. Jérôme Barthélemy's analysis of 35 strategic myths is full of great stories quickly read which often defy conventional wisdom."
*Pierre-André de Chalendar, Chairman of the Board, Saint-Gobain*

"The business world abounds with claims about what it takes to achieve high performance. In Myths of Strategy, Jérôme Barthélemy considers many popular claims and, by drawing on empirical research, reveals them to be at best partially right - and often downright wrong. An insightful, entertaining, and thought-provoking read!"
*Phil Rosenzweig, Professor, IMD, author of The Halo Effect*

"Far from the linear structure of classic studies on business strategy, Myths of strategy is a book to explore with curiosity and enthusiasm. Senior managers may not agree with the author on all points, but this lively and solidly researched essay with its many insightful examples will doubtless open up some relevant avenues for making strategy a powerful force in leveraging performance!"
*Benoît Coquart, CEO, Legrand*

"Grounded on findings from decades of research, Jérôme Barthélemy's book reveals the limitations of strategy recommendations and tools by debunking myths about business strategy. A compelling read that presents powerful lessons for anyone seeking to develop an effective business strategy."
*Laurence Capron, Professor, INSEAD*