On Competition

In this summary you will learn

• The five classic factors that determine your competitive position and, ultimately, your corporate strategy
• Why, even in the age of globalization, your headquarters’ locale is more important than ever
• How to channel competition to address chronic social ills
• Why the U.S. system for attracting investment dollars leaves U.S. firms at a disadvantage

getAbstract rating

Why you should read On Competition

Remember when you were a youthful entrepreneur operating a neighborhood lemonade stand? If author Michael E. Porter had walked up to buy a cup of punch from you, he probably would have asked about your business strategy. While you poured, he would have questioned what made your lemonade different from anyone else’s. If he liked your lemonade, he’d no doubt give you suggestions on how to earn millions competing in the global marketplace. Ah, if only you had listened... The author, America’s dean of competition, has spent two decades asking seminal questions such as, "What is competition? What are its effects? How can society benefit?" The Harvard Business Review previously published 11 of the 13 articles collected in this book. In the two new essays, Porter serves up invaluable concepts. His take on the growing importance of location, despite rising globalization, is a tour de force. Oddly, Porter sees no inconsistency in encouraging "productive competition" in the health care industry while advocating universal health care. For Porter, competition is the ingredient that turns lemons into lemonade. getAbstract.com recommends his latest book to any corporate strategist who seeks ideas on becoming more competitive, starting in your own neighborhood.

About the Author

As the Bishop William Lawrence University Professor at Harvard Business School, Michael E. Porter has written 17 books, including several classic works on strategy and competition such as The Competitive Advantage of Nations and Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. He speaks worldwide on competitive strategy, competitiveness and related subjects.