Playing to Win How Strategy Really Works

Strategy, in this account, is a set of five linked choices rather than a document produced once a year and filed. A. G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin set out the cascade in order: what winning would mean, where to compete, how to win in that space, which capabilities are required, and what management systems keep them functioning. Examples come largely from Lafley's years running Procter & Gamble, including brand decisions that worked and several that did not. The framework is deliberately restrictive, because its value lies in forcing an organisation to rule options out rather than collect them. Core takeaways: • Presents strategy as five connected choices • Examples drawn from Procter & Gamble • Separates strategy from planning and aspiration • Includes tools for testing strategic options For managers, marketers, consultants and MBA students, available from Boipoka.