Includes bibliographical references and index.

The origins of modern business strategy thinking -- There's no such thing as a bad industry -- Why are we in business? -- The search for business's holy grail: long-term profitable growth -- Do you know what your strategy is? -- Getting strategy right -- Creating strong brands -- Brand builders and killers -- What makes products meaningfully different? -- Where do great ideas come from? -- Strategies to break away from the pack -- Hitting the bull's-eye.

Businesses often find themselves trapped in a competitive dogfight, scratching and clawing for market share with products consumers view as largely undifferentiated. Conventional wisdom suggests that dogfights are to be expected as marketplaces mature, giving rise to the notion that there are "bad" industries where it is unlikely that any company can succeed. But there are notable exceptions in which enlightened executives have changed the rules to grasp the holy grail of business: long-term profitable growth.

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