Critical Business Skills for Success

Knowing what it means when talking about business strategy; thinking more smartly about strategy with this introductory look at four key facts about competition; the two drivers of profitability are industry structure and competitive advantage.

Five essential forces shape any business strategy; together, they create a framework that can help one better make key strategic choices; central to this discussion of these five strategic forces is Apple's meteoric rise to the top of the market.

Professor Roberto introduces the three paths that lead to competitive advantage and four basic competitive strategies; using case studies including JC Penney, IBM and Dell; he explains both the dangers of straddling between competitive positions.

Passionate customers, huge profits, happy employees; the Trader Joe's grocery chain is a powerful success story; their secret for success lies in their use of trade-offs to make it hard for imitators; mitigating the negative effects of the industry.

Discovering the strengths and drawbacks of being a first mover who establishes a market position; fast followers can learn from first movers' mistakes; relevant examples from industries including video game systems and social media networks.

Netflix's ultimate domination of the video rental market is a classic example of disruptive innovation; a serious threat to traditional business; often the hardest to respond to.