Understanding Michael Porter

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1. lostintangentSep 2022
   Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy

   This is a commonly cited book about “strategic thinking”. But despite that, it’s one of the few business books that I actually read every page (as opposed to spotting fluff and selectively skipping pages), and it had a notable impact on the way I think/write/communicate.

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2. DanRosanovaApr 2022
   Understanding Michael Porter by Joan Magretta and Co-opetition by Barry Nalebuff and Adam M. Brandenburger are the two best books I've ever read about business and strategy in my life... and 20+ years in tech tells me these are relevant in any industry - even fast moving ones. The five tests of a good strategy in particular, from Margretta's book, are amazing and are about building sustainable competitive advantage in positive sum competition.

   Porter has written a lot and five forces was originally in a very different context, but the real thrust of Competitive Strategy (the giant book) was about taking the time to do the homework. And that hasn't changed. You still need to do the homework. Porter was never, in any of my reading of his work, about destroying the competition... at was all about creating and capturing value.

   And these books aren't easy "how to's" they're mental models for approaching things. Like von Clausewitz or Sun Tzu your mileage will vary with the creativity you apply in the comprehension and then application. There is a lot more creativity in competition and strategy than most people realize.

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3. vmurthyJul 2020
   The second part of your need is interesting. I'm being a bit generic but to speak with CEOs, it would greatly help to know about strategy and competition. It's a loaded term and here's what I would recommend:

   1. Michael Porter's Competitive Advantage [0] or Understanding Michael Porter [1]

   2. One of the things that really applies well to tech businesses has been Platform Business Model. This book [2] is a good starting point

   3. The Lean startup [3] and Hacking Growth [4] round up the tech books that I have benefited from.

   3b. Warren Buffet's letters are a classic to learn about businesses and help when you are dealing with CXOs.

   4. With these basics in place, I would recommend Stratecherry - the blog and Economist for keeping up with the current developments in the field.

   Good luck!

   [0] https://www.amazon.com.au/Competitive-Advantage-Creating-Sus...

   [1] https://www.amazon.com.au/Understanding-Michael-Porter-Essen...

   [2] https://www.amazon.com.au/Platform-Revolution-Networked-Tran...

   [3] https://www.amazon.com.au/Lean-Startup-Innovation-Successful...

   [4] https://www.amazon.com.au/Hacking-Growth-Fastest-Growing-Com...

   FYI, I come from a similar background. Was a techie for 9+ years before switching to an MBA and can personally attest to the materials given above :)

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4. diegof79May 2020
   Some books that I liked:

   - “Good Strategy / Bad Strategy” : it’s an introductory book to business strategy with tons of examples in the software/hardware business.

   - “Understanding Michael Porter” is another one about business strategy that I enjoyed.

   - “Well-Designed: How to Use Empathy to Create Products People Love”, a book about product design with some interviews from the industry (I enjoyed the interviews)

   - “Why We Fail: Learning From Experience Design Failures” another book about product design using some well known cases as examples.

   - “Sense and Respond”

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5. lpolovetsDec 2019
   Professionally influential:

     - High Growth Handbook (general company building tips)
     - Traction (the one by Weinberg and Mares; engineer-friendy guide to marketing and growth)
     - Understanding Michael Porter (great intro to business strategy)
     - Monetizing Innovation (pricing advice)
   

   Personally influential:

     - Thinkertoys and Cracking Creativity (how to be more creative)
     - Atomic Habits (how to establish good habits)
     - A Guide to the Good Life (friendly intro to stoicism)
     - What Got You Here Won't Get You There (building self-awareness)
   

   Fun:

     - Richard Feynman autobiographies
     - The Martian
     - Shadow Divers
     - Ready Player One
     - The Myron Bolitar Series (mysteries with a good sense of humor)

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6. jeffreyrogersOct 2014
   Since Thiel talks a lot about "monopoly theory" it's probably worth reading some of the people who've been talking about this for longer than Thiel's been in business (i.e. before the late 1980s). The two most prominent are Michael Porter and Warren Buffett. Buffett's annual letters to shareholders make excellent reading, and the book Understanding Michael Porter is a very good summary of Porter's thoughts.
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