Now nearing its 60th printing in English and translated into nineteen languages,
Michael E. Porter's "Competitive Strategy" has transformed the theory, practice,
and teaching of business strategy throughout the world. Electrifying in its
simplicity -- like all great breakthroughs -- Porter's analysis of industries
captures the complexity of industry competition in five underlying forces.
Porter introduces one of the most powerful competitive tools yet developed: his
three generic strategies -- lowest cost, differentiation, and focus -- which
bring structure to the task of strategic positioning. He shows how competitive
advantage can be defined in terms of relative cost and relative prices, thus
linking it directly to profitability, and