Executive Strategy

Book excerpt: A modern theory of executive strategy for the information age The information revolution has radically transformed virtually every aspect of business today. Yet, no book has fully addressed its impact on strategic management-until now. In Executive Strategy: Strategic Management and Information Technology, Frederick Betz builds on his pioneering work concerning the management of technical innovation to explore the powerful relationship between traditional strategic management and today's computer and communications technologies. By adapting established strategy-related concepts and processes to the strategic management challenges faced by companies in the information age, this book offers readers the background they need to guide processes ranging from the creation of strategic business models and the development of comprehensive planning scenarios to the strategic management of business diversification and the formulation of information strategy. Concepts are developed with a survey of the older business literature on strategy and the newer information strategy literature, and illustrated by a wealth of new technology and e-commerce-related case studies. The case studies, presented in the book and on its accompanying Web site (www.execstrat.com), are drawn from leading companies such as Apple Computer, Pixar, AOL Time Warner, and Amazon.com. From the Internet and e-commerce to the role of computer-aided tools such as inventory control and project management software, the world of information technology is filled with innovations that have crucial ramifications for the strategic management of every business. This book equips present and future engineering and business professionals with the road map they need to help steer the modern organization skillfully through the twists and turns of this new and exciting business landscape.