Publisher's Synopsis
Many businesses around the world are suffering a crisis, and while experts agree, the economy will indeed rebound, managers are looking for tactics and strategies to help see them through these "bad times" and help them build momentum and position their companies for success when the economy does turn around. Agile Business for Fragile Times was conceived to help executives manage through a downturn, and, more importantly, prepare for the rebound. The book guides readers through the key strategic, financial, and operational steps they should take to ensure stability and growth. The first section of the book covers strategies to protect performance: - prioritizing customers, projects, and employees; - digitizing for more powerful and effective links to your customers, and - optimizing business opportunities and "take a reality check" on their current business model. Once your strategy is in place, the rest comes down to execution. Execution is the main skill required in a recession. Execution in a boom is very difficult: skilled staffs are hard to get, but in a recession, these resources become easier to claim.;Now is the time for companies to seize and deploy talent in retaining key customers and delivering on strategy. The second section of the book examines specific business processes and issues on-by-one. These processes include: - cost cutting: don't damage your company's potential to secure future growth - capital spending: is it wise to spend for programs for a market that may or may not exist? - M&A: is it time for bargain-shopping? The third section of the book offers specific recommendations for executing the strategies and approaches mentioned above. Throughout the book there will be checklists of dos and don'ts so companies can make sure they are on the right track and avoid missteps. The goal of this book is to prepare companies to withstand the challenges and exploit opportunities in a recession - companies that do so will stand to emerge stronger and in a much better competitive position when the economy picks up again.
