In Business and Battle

"In Business and Battle" represents the interaction between top strategic leadership in the commercial, civilian and military spheres. It addresses a wide spectrum of the current and emerging challenges they face and offers perspectives on their attributes and approach. It demonstrates how, in a globalised world, a multinational, multicultural and multisectoral tactic can provide the golden thread of effective strategy and leadership; how simple insights can be refined from complexity. The Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) annual programme unites senior personnel from around the world who are preparing for the highest responsibilities in civilian and military spheres. During the 2009 programme, representatives of some fifty countries shared over a thousand years of experience in some of the most complex and demanding environments on earth. They embarked upon a journey of critical exploration and developed a high level of mutual understanding and the ability to reach across the toughest political and cultural barriers. This book is the synthesis of the expert analysis and experience of members of that programme, tested and sharpened by extensive international field-work and coupled with contributions by first-rate external presenters like Sir John Parker, Chairman Anglo American plc; Ian Davis, former worldwide MD McKinsey & Company; and, Lord Patten of Barnes, Chairman BBC. This book satisfies the pressing need for a work that brings together the substantial body of literature on strategy and top strategic leadership, discussing them in a concise, practical and up-to-date way relevant to key sectors of society across the commercial, civilian and military spheres. It provides extensive and deep insights into how to interpret and shape the strategic environment of today. All current and aspiring top strategic leaders should read "In Business and Battle".