--- product_id: 104673273 title: "Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy" brand: "harvard business review press" price: "€ 33.41" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 category: "Digital Ebook Purchas" url: https://www.desertcart.ie/products/104673273-understanding-michael-porter-the-essential-guide-to-competition-and-strategy store_origin: IE region: Ireland --- # Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy **Brand:** harvard business review press **Price:** € 33.41 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy by harvard business review press - **How much does it cost?** € 33.41 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ie](https://www.desertcart.ie/products/104673273-understanding-michael-porter-the-essential-guide-to-competition-and-strategy) ## Best For - harvard business review press enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted harvard business review press brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41SLcSwkp+L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An Accessible, Concise and Yet Rigorous Introduction to the Ideas of Michael Porter on Business Strategy *by G***F on Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2015* Michael Porter is considered one of the most important scholars in the field of strategy, and Ms. Magretta's book presents his ideas clearly and concisely. As a professor of strategy who has been teaching Porter's ideas to executives and students for more than 10 years, I enjoyed the book, even though I have read Porter's books and articles themselves. The book can be thought of as a more detailed yet accessible versions of two of his seminal articles, The Five Forces That Shape Competitive Strategy and What is Strategy.If you have not read any of Porter's work before, this book is probably the best vehicle to get introduced to his ideas, and you will gain valuable insights. Even if you have read the above articles however, the book will still be useful, because Ms. Magretta updates the examples, integrates material from other works by Porter and makes the material more accessible without watering it down. The last chapter on Continuity is quite fresh for example. The case study examples have been updated, which was important for me. The discussion of how the desire to grow detracts from strategy is especially insightful and eye-opening. The Q&A with Michael Porter is also unique to this book. Finally, Ms. Magretta presents a list of additional readings case studies for those who are interested in pursuing the material further. In short, there is enough material to satisfy even avid readers of Porter's ideas.One could of course point to some weaknesses as well. The strategy field has advanced quite a lot since Porter's ideas have been presented, and a full understanding of his concepts and views requires relating them to alternative views of strategy. For example, his 1996 article, What is Strategy, was written partly as a defense of his views vis-a-vis some of the alternative views. Furthermore, Porter's ideas are controversial and not universally accepted. Finally, one could argue that examples were picked conveniently to support Porter's views. However, these are more critiques of Professor Porter's views, rather than of the book itself.One word of caution: Porter's ideas are wide-ranging. He has written about diverse topics such as competitive advantage of nations, clusters and global strategy and health care. Those are not in this book. This book focuses on his ideas on the field of business strategy, which is where he made his biggest mark.The book will be most relevant and useful for practicing managers, especially senior managers or those who are part of the strategy formation process in their organizations. However, the general reader can also gain valuable insights. As someone who teaches and studies business strategy, I highly recommend this book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I found this book truly valuable. *by J***E on Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2016* If you are a fan of Michael Porter's work, or you simply want to get a deeper understanding of competitive strategy – I cannot possibly recommend this book highly enough. I underlined page after page of great ideas and then created a summary which I would consider some of the best information I have been able to put together on truly understanding strategy. I have been teaching strategic thinking at the Wharton School of Business as a guest lecturer for more than 15 years and I found this book truly valuable. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good Strategy Test *by J***Y on Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2017* Great book to understand Porter 5 forces and test if you have good strategy. Magretta summarizes Porter's work into an easy and clear book to read. I have researched on Porter's concepts but found this book to have the most material on his theories. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ie/products/104673273-understanding-michael-porter-the-essential-guide-to-competition-and-strategy](https://www.desertcart.ie/products/104673273-understanding-michael-porter-the-essential-guide-to-competition-and-strategy) --- *Product available on Desertcart Ireland* *Store origin: IE* *Last updated: 2026-06-03*