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How did BMW recover from the verge of bankruptcy to become one of Europe's strongest companies? Why did Saatchi and Saatchi's global strategy bring the company to its knees? Why has Philips' outstanding record in innovation not been translated into success in the market? What can be learned from the marriage contract about the conduct of commercial negotiations? Drawing on his own business experience and concepts in economics, legal theory, and sociology, John Kay presents a fresh approach to questions of business strategy. He rejects the military analogy that underpins much strategic thinking, in which success depends on size and share, on vision and leadership, on shifting patterns of mergers and alliances. Kay argues that outstanding businesses derive their strength from a distinctive structure of relationships with employees, customers, and suppliers, and explains why continuity and stability in these relationships is essential for a flexible and co-operative response to change. By integrating organizational and financial perspectives on the performance of the firm, the book not only offers insights into the creation of effective business strategies, but also sheds lights on the success, and failure of national economies. Now that the single market is upon us, this lively, perceptive book is probably the most important European contribution to strategic thinking for many years.
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Foundations of Corporate Success How business strategies add value
JOHN KAY
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
This book has been printed digitally and produced in a standard design in order to ensure its continuing availability
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Great Clarendon Street, Oxford 0x2 6op Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Athens Auckland Bangkok Bogota Buenos Aires Cape Town Chennai Dar es Salaam Delhi Florence Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kolkata Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi Paris Sao Paulo Shanghai Singapore Taipei Tokyo Toronto Warsaw with associated companies in Berlin Ibadan Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New York ©John Kay 1993 The moral rights of the author have been asserted Database right Oxford University Press (maker) Reprinted 2001 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer ISBN 0-19-828781-X
PREFACE In 1986 I was offered the opportunity, and substantial resources, to answer the question, 'What are the origins of industrial success?' There are, perhaps, more important questions, but not many, and that was certainly the most important question I felt in any way equipped to try to answer. So I accepted the challenge. It was obvious that there was no shortage of data. Every corporation is required to file detailed returns of its activities. In all Western economies there are several journals which track the performance and activities of leading companies. Case studies, business histories, and business biographies describe how decisions were made and problems overcome. I began to understand that what was needed was not t