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Operational effectiveness and strategy are both essential to superior performance.

Michael Porter

Billions are wasted on ineffective philanthropy. Philanthropy is decades behind business in applying rigorous thinking to the use of money.
MICHAEL PORTER

Business Money Philanthropy Thinking Time Wasted Time
Sound strategy starts with having the right goal
MICHAEL PORTER

Goal Right Sound Start
Without a goal analytics is aimless and worthless.
MICHAEL PORTER

Aim Goal Wasted Worth
There’s a fundamental distinction between strategy and operational effectiveness.
MICHAEL PORTER

Effect Fundamental Operational Strategy
In the vast majority of businesses, there is simply no such thing as “the best.”
MICHAEL PORTER

Best Business Majority Simplicity
If your goal is anything but profitability – if it’s to be big, or to grow fast, or to become a technology leader – you’ll hit problems.
MICHAEL PORTER

Big Goal Leadership Problem Profit Yourself
The purpose of the corporation must be redefined as creating shared value, not just profit per se. This will drive the next wave of innovation and productivity growth in the global economy.
MICHAEL PORTER

Creation Definition Economy Global Production Profit Purpose
The essence of strategy is that you must set limits on what you’re trying to accomplish.
MICHAEL PORTER

Accomplishment Limitation Strategy Yourself
Technology has given us this wonderful opportunity to have low energy costs. We have to seize that, rather than keep debating and discussing and fighting over it.
MICHAEL PORTER

Cost Discussion Energy Fight Low Opportunity Technology Wonderful
If a strategy meets a goal: It’s working. If a strategy meets a target: It’s a success.
MICHAEL PORTER

Goal Inspirational Strategy Success Work
Strategy is about setting yourself apart from the competition. It’s not a matter of being better at what you do – it’s a matter of being different at what you do.
MICHAEL PORTER

Better Competition Different Started Yourself
The thing is, continuity of strategic direction and continuous improvement in how you do things are absolutely consistent with each other. In fact, they’re mutually reinforcing.
MICHAEL PORTER

Consistency Direction Each Other Improvement Strategy
Companies operating in urban communities have a tremendous ripple effect.
MICHAEL PORTER

Community Company Effect Urban
Risk is a function of how poorly a strategy will perform if the ‘wrong’ scenario occurs.
MICHAEL PORTER

Function Performance Poor Risk Strategy Wrong
The company without a strategy is willing to try anything.
MICHAEL PORTER

Company Ideas Try Willing
Finally, strategy must have continuity. It can’t be constantly reinvented.
MICHAEL PORTER

Constant Invention Strategy
Efforts to preserve all industries will lower the national standard of living.
MICHAEL PORTER

Effort Live Lower National Preserve Standard
The underlying principles of strategy are enduring, regardless of technology or the pace of change.
MICHAEL PORTER

Change Endurance Pace Principle Technology
Good leaders need a positive agenda, not just an agenda of dealing with crisis.
MICHAEL PORTER

Deal Goodness Leadership Need Positive
Competitive strategy is about being different. It means deliberately choosing a different set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value.
MICHAEL PORTER

Activity Choice Competition Deliver Different Unique
I teach in the medical school, the School of Public Health, the Kennedy School of Government, and the Business School. And it’s the best perch… because most of my work crosses boundaries.
MICHAEL PORTER

Boundary Government Medicine Teaching
If all you’re trying to do is essentially the same thing as your rivals, then it’s unlikely that you’ll be very successful.
MICHAEL PORTER

Rival Success Try Yourself
Ultimately, health care fails the most basic test. It’s not organized around the needs of the patient.
MICHAEL PORTER

Basic Care Failure Health Need Patient
Health care historically has been a very siloed field that’s organized around medical specialties – urology, cardiac surgery, and so forth – and around the supply of these specialty services. The patient is the ping-pong ball that moves from service to service.
MICHAEL PORTER

Health History Medicine Organization Patient Service
You can’t be all things to all people.
MICHAEL PORTER

Be Yourself People Self Love
The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.
MICHAEL PORTER

Choice Essence Strategy Yourself
The ability to change constantly and effectively is made easier by high-level continuity.
MICHAEL PORTER

Ability Change Constant Continue

Operational effectiveness and strategy are both essential to superior performance.

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Operational effectiveness and strategy are both essential to superior performance.

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