The Execution Premium: Linking Strategy to Operations for Competitive Advantage

by Robert S. Kaplan, David P. Norton

Overview

In a world of stiffening competition, business strategy is more crucial than ever. Yet most organizations struggle in this area—not with formulating strategy but with executing it, or putting their strategy into action. Owing to execution failures, companies realize just a fraction of the financial performance promised in their strategic plans.

It doesn't have to be that way, maintain Robert Kaplan and David Norton in The Execution Premium. Building on their breakthrough works on strategy-focused organizations, the authors describe a multistage system that enables you to gain measurable benefits from your carefully formulated business strategy. This book shows you how to:

Develop an effective strategy—with tools such as SWOT analysis, vision formulation, and strategic change agendas
Plan execution of the strategy—through portfolios of strategic initiatives linked to strategy maps and Balanced Scorecards
Put your strategy into action—by integrating operational tools such as process dashboards, rolling forecasts, and activity-based costing
Test and update your strategy—using carefully designed management meetings to review operational and strategic data

Drawing on extensive research and detailed case studies from a broad array of industries, The Execution Premium presents a systematic and proven framework for achieving the financial results promised by your strategy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781422121160
Publisher:	Harvard Business Review Press
Publication date:	06/17/2008
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Robert S. Kaplan is the Baker Foundation Professor at the Harvard Business School. He has been a codeveloper of both activity-based costing and the Balanced Scorecard.

David P. Norton is a founder and director of the Palladium Group, a consultancy focusing on strategy execution, and is codeveloper of the Balanced Scorecard.

Table of Contents

Preface     vii
Acknowledgments     xi
Introduction     1
Develop the Strategy     35
Plan the Strategy     69
Strategic Initiatives: Launching the Strategy into Motion     103
Aligning Organizational Units and Employees     125
Plan Operations: Align Process Improvement Programs     157
Plan Operations: Sales Forecasts, Resource Capacity, and Dynamic Budgets     185
Operational and Strategy Review Meetings     221
Meetings to Test and Adapt the Strategy     251
The Office of Strategy Management     281
Index     305
About the Authors     319