Bringing Strategy Back: How Strategic Shock Absorbers Make Planning Relevant In a World of Constant Change

Reconsider Strategy and Make Planning Relevant. In Bringing Strategy Back, strategy expert Jeffrey Sampler cuts through the clutter to reveal exactly why the usual tools of strategy are so sorely out of sync with our needs: windows of opportunity close far faster than they once did, many of these opportunities are smaller than they once were, growth rates are uneven across markets, and today's competition is more asymmetrical than ever. The upshot for managers is that they need to reorient their approach to absorb the shocks and surprises that strike at a moment's notice. Only then can strategic planning reliably play its part. Leaders all around the world at organizations of any size and type will benefit by shedding their obsolete notions about strategy and becoming more resilient. Bringing Strategy Back rises to the challenge and presents a new prescriptive model. It introduces four "strategic shock absorbers" that enable leaders to build resilient organizations that can withstand even the most unexpected global turbulence. Based on the author's in-depth research in the world's most tempestuous markets, the model delivers several must-have qualities that interact and work together in an ongoing process: Accuracy, Agility, Momentum, and Foresight. With this new framework, Bringing Strategy Back shows how to be prepared and proactive, rather than reactive, even when the future is uncertain.

About the Author

Jeffrey Sampler is an adjunct professor of strategy and technology at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS). Previously he was a faculty member of London Business School and the University of Oxford for over twenty years. His research interests include the strategic implications of new technology and the management of information as a strategic resource. His work has appeared in such journals as Accounting, Management, and Information Technology; Fortune Journal of Management Studies; Journal of Management Information Systems; MIS Quarterly; Sloan Management Review; and Strategic Management Journal. He has written two books on the economic transformation of Dubai, Sand to Silicon and Sand to Silicon—Going Global.

Dr. Sampler is also a frequent speaker at conferences and corporate management retreats and has traveled over 2.5 million miles to give lectures in over thirty-five countries. He has advised and been a board member of both FTSE 100 corporations and start-ups, as well as advising two heads of state. In addition, he has extensive experience advising family businesses and has worked with top family groups in India and Thailand for many years. He also has been featured in Newsweek, BBC Television, BBC World Service, BBC Radio, CNBC, Economic Times, and Financial Mail.