Rating: 
Summary: Strategic Renaissance
Review: As a small businessman living the "American Dream", I don't get the opportunity to read as much as I would like. That's why I'm very pleased to have spent some precious time with "Strategic Renaissance" by Evan M. Dudik. While receiving some valuable insights into refining strategies for my business, I was also entertained with the connections Mr. Dudik made with classical philosophy, science, and especially, military history. In addition to the inspiration to re-engage my intellect, the book offers some practical checklists and useful tools to construct a better strategic planning process for my company. I especially appreciate the exposure to three of the themes in the book: 1. The development of an "if-then" quantifiable approach to analysis of strategies that creates the challenge to falsify the underlying hypotheses; 2. The utilization of the time tested "pivot and hammer" strategies to defend against and attack direct competitors, especially those with numerical superiority; and 3. Ways of dealing with corporate culture while making necessary strategic moves. I highly recommend this book as a management tool - and an interesting read!
Rating: 
Summary: A good concept with disappointing substance
Review: At first, I was intrigued by the title and the idea of using insights from history and science to formulate corporate strategy. However, disappointment set in already in the first chapter. It gave the impression that the whole strategic concept was based on a "falsifiable strategic hypothesis" with little room for imagination and creative thinking. The historic lessons appeared also to be scarce and somewhat academic. I ran out of incentive to complete reading the book. As a fellow McKinsey alumnus and a 'student of the arts', I had expected something better than that.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: Evan Dudik has made a critical contribution to the strategy field with an examination on how to recognize if a strategy is good (meaning, has a rock solid chance of success). If Mr Dudik had been a Harvard Business School professor, this book would be on the bestseller list and Mr. Dudik could command consulting fees ten times as great as he is now. Maybe it is not too late.... Using the philosopher Karl Popper's approach as a guide Mr. Dudik draws a parrallel between scientific theory and strategy. Like a theory, a strategy cannot be proved at all. Instead they both can prove their greatness by their "great explanatory power coupled with great specificity about what observations...would make the theory false." Mr. Dudik's insight is to apply this concept to the cause-effect relationship that must exist between the assumptions on which a strategy is based and the results the strategy is supposed to lead to. That cause-effect relationship he says is best expressed as an IF... THEN statement. For example, "IF I enter the market with a product of equal performance than the leader and at 20% discount, THEN I will gain 5 points of market share." It is not enough to express it that way, the cause-effect relationships need to be proven correct by testing and whatever other means that exist. Most companies express a strategy as above but never bother to go to that step of proving that cause-effect relationship and making that connection compelling. In other words, most strategies are built on quick sand and stay at the level of "pray and hope": "IF I enter the market with a product of equal performance than the leader and at 20% discount, THEN (I HOPE and I will PRAY) I will gain 5 points of market share."
I happened to have read Mr. Dudik's book right before a meeting with a client who was looking for help in strengtheneing his strategy. Summarizing what he presented as an IF...THEN statemnt, and pointing to the various assumptions he was making in the cause-effect relationship was extremely valuable. This IF...THEN approach is by itself worth the cost of the book and the 5 stars I am giving it. There are many other areas that Mr. Dudk's cover. Most books I have read on strategy focus on how to develop one, regardless of whether it can work or not. This book is different. It focus on the "greatness" quality of the stated strategy. You can use all the tools that exist (like SWOT, balanced score cards, core competencies and the like) but if there is one critical cause-effect relationship relationship that is false, the entire edifice can collapse. Mr. Dudik shows us how to avoid the trap. Mr. Dudik's book is a classic, and like all classics it needs to read and reread a regular basis.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: Evan Dudik has made a critical contribution to the strategy field with an examination on how to recognize if a strategy is good (meaning, has a rock solid chance of success). If Mr Dudik had been a Harvard Business School professor, this book would be on the bestseller list and Mr. Dudik could command consulting fees ten times as great as he is now. Maybe it is not too late.... Using the philosopher Karl Popper's approach as a guide Mr. Dudik draws a parrallel between scientific theory and strategy. Like a theory, a strategy cannot be proved at all. Instead they both can prove their greatness by their "great explanatory power coupled with great specificity about what observations...would make the theory false." Mr. Dudik's insight is to apply this concept to the cause-effect relationship that must exist between the assumptions on which a strategy is based and the results the strategy is supposed to lead to. That cause-effect relationship he says is best expressed as an IF... THEN statement. For example, "IF I enter the market with a product of equal performance than the leader and at 20% discount, THEN I will gain 5 points of market share." It is not enough to express it that way, the cause-effect relationships need to be proven correct by testing and whatever other means that exist. Most companies express a strategy as above but never bother to go to that step of proving that cause-effect relationship and making that connection compelling. In other words, most strategies are built on quick sand and stay at the level of "pray and hope": "IF I enter the market with a product of equal performance than the leader and at 20% discount, THEN (I HOPE and I will PRAY) I will gain 5 points of market share."
I happened to have read Mr. Dudik's book right before a meeting with a client who was looking for help in strengtheneing his strategy. Summarizing what he presented as an IF...THEN statemnt, and pointing to the various assumptions he was making in the cause-effect relationship was extremely valuable. This IF...THEN approach is by itself worth the cost of the book and the 5 stars I am giving it. There are many other areas that Mr. Dudk's cover. Most books I have read on strategy focus on how to develop one, regardless of whether it can work or not. This book is different. It focus on the "greatness" quality of the stated strategy. You can use all the tools that exist (like SWOT, balanced score cards, core competencies and the like) but if there is one critical cause-effect relationship relationship that is false, the entire edifice can collapse. Mr. Dudik shows us how to avoid the trap. Mr. Dudik's book is a classic, and like all classics it needs to read and reread a regular basis.
Rating:
Summary: Strategic Scholarship
Review: Evan M. Dudik's "Strategic Renaissance" is an engaging product of a richly informed mind at work. The promise in the subtitle that it will use "insights from history and science" proves too modest, for it does not fully encompass the resources behind the insights--notably the writer's knowledge of past and current corporate strategies and of the luminaries of Western thought from Aristotle to Sir Karl Popper. It is Popper's idea of "falsifiability that Dudik adopts as a guide to sound thought. It is the acid test of inductively developed theories, a safeguard against being persuaded merely by the accumulation of data. The book offers much to readers besides those concerned with corporate strategies. It is a lucid, persuasive treaise on how to think and is in itself an impressive example of the processes it recommends. As an educator I was pleased to see it as scholarship functioning outside the ivory tower, as an affirmation of the practical value of the liberal curriculum.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended!
Review: Evan Matthew Dudik says businesses do not select their strategies based on scientific thinking, but on anecdotal evidence. This trend has contributed to the explosion of new and changing ideas about what businesses should do. The resulting churn of activity is reflected in the many different approaches that books and consultants advocate. Dudik calls for a return to building and testing theories scientifically, arguing that no one-size-fits-all business strategy exists. Instead, managers should create and test hypotheses to determine an effective approach. Dudik also suggests applying effective warfare strategies and tactics to business. Overall, this is a fairly innovative, refreshing take on developing strategies, although presumably market research is set up to do some of this testing. Paradoxically, Dudik's battlefield analogy seems like one more use of anecdotal evidence to bolster a theory. Generally, however, we[...] recommend this thoughtful, helpful book, noting that its primary strength lies in explaining the use of scientific methodology to test business presumptions.
Rating:
Summary: Basic contradictions weaken the book's credibility
Review: I am a big believer in the use of metaphor and historical examples to frame strategy questions. Consequently, I was excited by the premise of this book - using ideas from science and history to build innovative strategies. By the time I finished the first chapter, though, this excitement had dissipated. Two issues surfaced in the first chapter: Dudik starts by emphasizing a flaw common to most strategy books - relying on a sea of examples to justify a particular perspective. He argues that relying on examples is flawed, because of the potential for distortion and selectivity. For the moment, ignore the fact that both inductive and deductive reasoning have a place in scientific inquiry. Instead, my concern here is that author then proceeds to use his own sea of examples to justify his own framework. The second issue is related - he condemns theories that aren't suitable to testing. Citing Karl Popper, the author notes that many theories - e.g., Freudianism and Marxism - are not readily testable. As such, they become matters of belief. Dudik use this rationale to argue that strategy theories should be testable. The argument is a reasonable one, and he shows how this can help firms uncover assumptions behind a mission or a strategy. Subsequently, though, he offers his own model of strategy - the Hammer and Pivot. As far as I can tell, it is no more testable than these other theories he critiques. His own recommendation to carefully try and falsify a theory is also ignored. The bottom line, then, is not to trust an untestable model supported by countless anecdotes. I could not get past this basic contradiction. More generally, I did not find much in the way of new thinking here. Many of the topics have been covered better elsewhere - e.g., in the context of sustainable advantage, Charles Fine has a much more insightful assessment in Clockspeed, and Dudik largely dismisses the role of human capital and culture as the basis of an advantage. Other recommendations are scarcely novel. Some of his recommendations include: stretch goals improve performance; anonymous participation lowers inhibitions in a discussion group. Finally, most of the parallels come from military history - a different orientation than one would expect from the book summary.
Rating:
Summary: New Thinking Indeed!
Review: I have been attempting to write you for several days regarding my impressions of SR. Each time I would think I had read enough to make a comment; I would be hurled into another captivating chapter. I resigned that I would have to finish the book before e-mailing you. I finished it last evening! When I sat down to write you, I almost felt like I was writing a review of a Broadway play and not a strategic planning book. Phrases like, "Wow," "Fabulous" and "Spell-Binding" come to mind. The book is well-crafted, humorous, thought-provoking, and cuts to very heart of what is not working in popular management circles. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Master's Degree in Sociology and have worked in private counseling and a psychiatric hospital setting. I found your views on TMT dynamics and business culture to be fascinating and insightful. Thanks for confirming my belief that there is no substitute for the "big picture." I am now a reconfirmed "generalist." I referred the book to a friend of mine in Orlando and he read several items from your web site and ordered two copies immediately. I plan to take several days and go back through my copy so as to make notes and jot down creative ideas related to my current job. Please accept my sincere thanks for sharing a significant part of your personal and professional life. Robert C. Coop
Volaris Online
Business Planning
Rating:
Summary: A must read
Review: I use this book all the time. As the dot COM world changes at dot COM speed if your not using the tools Dudick lays you will not survive. It's a must read if your company is to succeed.
Rating:
Summary: Evaluating Strategic Renaissance
Review: In preparation for a class on strategic thinking, I read through many sources including a number of books on strategic thinking. The first thing that struck me was what a refreshing read Strategic Renaissance was compared to all of the other drones I had read. Dudik's book is lively and clear and extremely easy to follow. But what made the book so enjoyable was the freshness of his approach. After years in consulting, Dudik has arrived at his own conclusions that bring energy and vitality to the field. From his four key elements of a successful strategy, to the hammer and pivot, to the end of the sustainable competitive advantage, to the creation of dynamic strategy, Dudik lays out a thoughtful and timely message. The remaining chapters of his book delve into a new strategic approach that gives you a step by step analysis of how to approach strategy in a world where nothing is certain any longer. The book is also filled with ongoing cases that are compared against his theories so we get a very good look at how companies could have changed their strategic approach as well as seeing mistakes they made along the way. Finally, Dudik draws upon a wonderful knowledge of history to provide strategic insights as well. If you are looking for a fresh read, lively prose and inventive thinking, I wholeheartedly recommend Strategic Renaissance. Chapter Outline Chapter One - What Strategy Has Learned From Astrology and What it Needs to Learn From Science Chapter Two - "Only Make the Right Wing Strong": The Four Key Elements of a Successful Strategy Chapter Three - Strategic Anatomy: Strategy's Hammer and Pivot Chapter Four - The End of an Era: The Twilight of Sustainable Competitive Advantage Chapter Five - Making Strategy Dynamic: The Dawn of Opportunity Creation and Exploitation Chapter Six - Better Tools for Better Strategies: Creating, Testing and Falsifying Strategic Ideas Chapter Seven - Strategic Breakthrough and Exploitation: Making the Right Choices and Choosing the Right Tools Chapter Eight - Deploying Resources: Tools for Exploration Chapter Nine - Born Allies and Sworn Enemies: Corporate Strategy Meets Corporate Culture Chapter Ten - Top Management Teamwork: Tools for Harmonizing Strategy and Culture Chapter Eleven - 81 Do's and Don't's on the Road to a Great Corporate Strategy
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