‘Vaughan Evans not only demystifies strategy, he provides a useful and enjoyable step-by-step guide to constructing effective business strategies.’

Jeff van der Eems, Chief Operating Officer, United Biscuits

‘A wonderfully practical and highly readable guide to strategy development.’

Marcus Alexander, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship,

London Business School

‘This is an uncomplicated DIY strategy manual for the SME manager. It works perfectly.’

David Williamson, Managing Director, Nova Capital Management

YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO BUSINESS STRATEGY

Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a manager, The Financial Times Essential Guide to Developing a Business Strategy gives you the tools you need to build a powerful strategy and take your business to the next level.

By using its simple framework, you can achieve success without having to rely on external advisors or consultants. The innovative nine-step strategy process will help you turn your business goals into reality, whilst the lively anecdotes provide illuminating examples of strategy in action.

Follow this guidance to create a roadmap for enduring business success. This book complements and is a companion to the best-selling FT Essential Guide to Writing a Business Plan.

FINANCIAL TIMES ESSENTIAL GUIDES: THE KNOW-HOW YOU NEED TO GET THE RESULTS YOU WANT

“This is the most succinct and most practical handbook on business strategy on the market.”

Jules Goddard, Fellow, London Business School and co-author of Uncommon Sense, Common Nonsense.

Want to take your company to the next level? You need a roadmap, a strategy. Preferably one that is simple, workable and saleable. This book provides you with just that. It sets out a straightforward strategy development process, the ‘Strategy Pyramid’, and guides you through it. It uses a lively central case study throughout, as well as drawing on examples of how real businesses have developed winning strategies. Whether you are intent on growing your business, or setting out on your start-up, this book offers an uncomplicated, practical and readable guide on how to get the strategy you need for your business to succeed.

It offers sound advice on the following areas:

• Setting goals and objectives
• Forecasting market demands
• Gauging industry competition
• Tracking competitive advantage
• Targeting the strategic gap
• Bridging the gap with business strategy
• Bridging the gap with corporate strategy
• Addressing risk and opportunity

The FT Essential Guide to Developing a Business Strategy will help businesses of all sizes to chart and realise their growth ambitions.