Book Description
Max Euwe was World Chess Champion in the 1930s and he collaborated with International Master Kramer to write this great treatise on how to play chess middlegames. Book I of the series covers pawn formations and static features of the game of chess. Thousands of satisfied customers have made this one of the most popular books on chess middlegames. Completely re-edited and translated to algebraic notation in this 1994 edition.
Customer Reviews:
too classic.......2007-08-29
I guess classic is the right word for it, for better and for worse.
it has quite an old attitude, before the modern chess (sacrifices are not even considered an option, if there is no immediate benefit).
good for beginners (say up to 1700), but I think that's about it.
you can see a remark on this book in the introduction of Watson's book:
Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy
CHESS.......2005-09-14
This book is outstanding if you want to get better at chess,
buy both volumes of this book.
Forget the opening until you've gone through this book.
It may take some time to go through,but believe you me ,it
we be more than worth it.
Very instructive.......2005-04-25
These are wonderfully instructive books. Full games are used to illustrate specific points. If enjoy Euwe and Meidens's Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur, let these be your next books on strategy. (I suggest sticking with an author you like.) These are probably most helpful for someone rated between 1600 and 1800 USCF. (Never waste time on chess books that are over your head.)
If you have trouble with the binding, search the web for the books in ChessBase format. They are encrypted, and the key is found in the books themselves. So once you have bought the books, you can read them in ChessBase at no extra charge.
4 stars for the books, plus one for the files.
Classics that should be in every chess player's library.......2005-04-06
Max Euwe was a great chess player, and with real insight into what separates masters from the rest of us. These books won't teach you how to play the middlegame. For that you need "My System" and "Pawn Power in Chess". But if you are already a competent tournament player, who wants an enumeration of all the major pawn structures that you might encounter, along with classic examples of grandmaster play, buy these books.
A tremendous instructional book!.......2004-02-05
The last guy to review this book down below apparently meant to give it 5 stars, but instead gave it zero. Oops!
This book, along with Book 2 on Dynamic Features, was a very big reason why I made it up to a USCF Expert rating.
Buy these two books. Study them. Watch your rating climb!
Book Description
Max Euwe was World Chess Champion in the 1930s and he collaborated with International Master Kramer to write this great treatise on how to play chess middlegames. Book II of the series covers the dynamic features of the game of chess. This book also contain a fascinating section on the playing styles of the world's strongest players at the time of it's first publication, along with interesting insights on the psychological aspects of the game of chess. Thousands of satisfied customers have made this one of the most popular books on chess middlegames. Completely re-edited and translated to algebraic notation in this 1994 edition.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Book.......2005-01-20
I just finished both volumes and feel I know chess a lot better.
I am currently rated 1800 and it took me over 2 years of off again on again study to complete both books. Sometimes I would play over the games twice but the time is worth it if you want to improve at chess. There are other great books on chess like My System by Nimzovitch or Chess Strategy by Pachman, but both are turgid and boring going compared to this modern classic. It covers the entire sweep of chess history and discusses most middlegame concepts like the minority attack or asymetric pawn structures or development vrs material advantage or the art of defense. I can go on and on. I would say you cannot go wrong with these 2 books. Also if you have chessbase the Ossimitz chess site has a good download site where you can download this whole book in chessbase format. Stydying chess could not get any easier.
A tremendous instructional book!.......2004-02-05
The last guy to review this book down below apparently meant to give it 5 stars, but instead gave it zero. Oops!
This book, along with Book 1 on Static Features, was a very big reason why I made it up to a USCF Expert rating.
Buy these two books. Study them. Watch your rating climb!
Customer Reviews:
Mednis magic.......2004-08-24
Here are thirty-three games annotated over 172 pages in the inimitable Mednis way. In my opinion, Mednis was the best grandmaster at annotating for the masses (not that many even attempted it). Other than the necessity of having this book for games annotated by Mednis, the independent value is that these are modern games, with lots of Sicilians (10). Along with Mastering the Strategic Game, and How Karpov Wins, this is an essential part of my collection. Each chapter oopens with a brief description of the theme to be fleshed out by the games in that section. The whole book consists of complete annotated games. Nicely produced as well.
Customer Reviews:
All-time classic.......2006-04-14
I have at various times owned, bought and sold about 1,000 chess books, yet Middlegame Planning by ROmanovsky is one chess book I will never sell. It is an utter and absolute classic on the middlegame. It presents complete annotated games, mostly classics by Alekhine, Steinitz, Lasker, Capablanca, etc., and with wonderfully lucid and succinct annotations explains the strategy of the game as it unfolds at each stage. He starts right from the opening. This is a perfect book if you have worked through the Silman books, How to Reassess and The Amateur's Mind, and you are looking for raw material of annotated games to apply what you have learned. Everything about this book is just great: the production, the fonts, the diagrams, the binding, but mostly the writing! I consider this an absolutely essential part of my chess library, as well as its companion Middlegame Combinations. If you see one here used, BUY IT!
well organized, good explanations, BUT not for under 1500.......2004-12-23
Well organized, good explanations, BUT not for under 1500.
I am b/w 1300 and 1400, so maybe I failed to see some
things, but this book seemed to be "tutorial". However,
explanations are good. Very well organized!
But, somehow I thought it was comprehensive.
Book Description
In this easy-to-read pocket-sized guide, Grandmaster Neil McDonald concentrates on the fundamentals of middlegame play in chess. He provides simply enough material so that readers can enter this part of the game with the knowledge and confidence required.
Product Description
Companion volume to "Chess Middlegame Planning." "After studying Romanovsky the reader should never make a move without good reason- a positional plan or a combinational idea- ever again!"
Average customer rating:
- good for motivated and self-directed learning style
- Even cheaper
- mixed
- great book
|
Chess: Middlegames
Laszlo Polgar
Manufacturer: Konemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Chess
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ASIN: 3895086835 |
Customer Reviews:
good for motivated and self-directed learning style.......2007-06-15
Like his other books, this is a great resource for analysis/study. It is not, however, for those who want to read what someone has to say about chess rather than study the positions on their own.
It is available at Amazon france site, www.amazon.fr, where I purchased it for 29 euros.
Even cheaper.......2005-12-11
Hi,
I also got this is TelAviv, it was on sale for 59 sheks, I though why not. When I got to the casheir I saw that I got 30% off meaning I payed 41 sheks (about $9).
Besides that point I totally agree with the previous reviewer.
mixed .......2005-04-08
to the previous reviewer -- i found a copy (brand new) in tel aviv for only 85 shk. seems like this edition is being quietly killed.
some points:
4000+ middle game problems
0 explanations!!!
basic algebraic notation, i.e. captures, checks -- are not indicated in solutions.
0 theory
0 hints, i.e. # of moves, what to capture ...
in my humble opinion, such a concept is best served for endgame studies.
excellent quality+binding, but too big and heavy to carry along with you.
great book.......2004-02-15
I just have to tell you that this work has helped me a lot. As a class player I am struggling to reach expert and including this in my weekly program (mostly tactics) has really made a difference. As most of you probably know, the Polgar family has turned out three amazing daughters and this work is written by their father and trainer. 12 Gold medals and numerous championships...
I do have to gloat though as I found this book for about 40 dollars US - brand new. God knows why it costs so much here - but look around for a copy on ebay too - it's well worth it.
Customer Reviews:
Practical Advice: Effective And Memorable.......2000-04-06
Grandmaster Mednis concentrates his focus on practical examples such as what to do when one is unavoidably headed for or already in an inferior endgame position. He notes how most players often go from desperate suicidal attempts at counterplay or play passively, defending threats and drifting towards defeat. What Mednis provides is info on how one can balance one's play and make the opponent earn that victory. His examples are memorable - for instance, players are often reluctant to trade queens fearing it will blunt their attack, but often the opposing queen is a great defender without which the enemy's position often collapses. An interesting and rewarding read.
Average customer rating:
- A Fine Mess from Hochberg
- Great Material, Horrible revision & editing
- Lots of mistakes
- Absolutely horrible
- Insane Typos!
|
The Middlegame in Chess
Reuben Fine
Manufacturer: Random House Puzzles & Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0812934849
Release Date: 2003-02-11 |
Book Description
Long out-of-print and known only to collectors and connoiseurs, this legendary work by Reuben Fine returns in a completely revised and corrected edition in modern algebraic notation. After explaining the basic elements of combinations and attacks against the King, Fine discusses how to evaluate a position; how to handle superior, equal, and inferior positions; the significance of pawn structure and space; the transition from opening to middlegame and middlegame to endgame; and much more. With hundreds of diagrams and examples from actual play, The Middlegame in Chess is one of the modern classics of the game.
Customer Reviews:
A Fine Mess from Hochberg.......2007-08-06
From what I understand, Reuben Fine's Middle Game in Chess is a classic. I believe that, although I'm having a hard time enjoying or even understanding the diagrams. I do not fault Mr. Fine for the travesty that is this "revised" edition. Hochberg, whoever he is, has ruined what should have been a wonderful experience. There are errors on every page, sometimes multiple errors. It seems, sometimes, that I'm spending more times trying to figure out what the right move should have been than actually analyzing a game. Another thing that irritates me is Hochberg's intro where he says the Index of Players and Openings have been removed, being unnecessary. The only thing that should be removed from this book is Hochberg.
Aside from Hochberg's despicable impression left on this book, if one can (admittedly painstakingly) make the necessary corrections in ink as he or she goes through the games, eventually you'll have the masterpiece in its proper form. My 3 stars rating is due to Burt Hochberg's revision.
Great Material, Horrible revision & editing.......2005-12-28
Reuben Fine had a unique, clear style in explaining the game of chess, and it shows in this work. His assessment of positions is great for a patzer like me. However, Burt Hochberg & McKay / Random House have managed to revise this on the order of John Nunn doing Bobby Fischer's 60 Memorable Games. Huge numbers of typos and errors in diagrams make for difficult reading.
Fine produced a classic work. the reviser and publisher forgot a couple of things -- proofreading and accuracy.
Lots of mistakes.......2004-10-03
Some of the diagrams and a lot of the text items have typos and mistakes as the other reviewers have pointed out. This guy who did the update to this book did a horrible job.
If you want to learn a lot about the middle game get Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors along with Winning Chess Tournaments for Juniors. These books will also help make your game stronger in the Opening and Endgame too. Also, The Middlegame by Euwe is also good.
Absolutely horrible.......2004-07-09
Obviously I am giving this book 1 star because of Burt Hochburg, not Reuben Fine. This revised edition is a complete insult to chess and chess literature. Almost every page has a typo, incorrect move, or incorrect diagram (many times several errors per page). If you are a beginner do not get this book. Get the original. And if you're someone who isn't that familiar with chess notation then do NOT get it. You will be confused over and over at all the stupid mistakes. I bought this book at a book store and after becoming more and more fed up I have decided I'm going to return it. This is a disgusting book and an insult to Reuben Fine. Mr. Fine must be rolling over in his grave right now. The cover of this book says that it's revised. So basically typos, move errors, incorrect diagrams, the removal of a game from the original book, and the removal of the unnecessary (Hochberg's words) player index and opening index make this book revised? He lists six revisions at the beginning of the book. First, the notation has been changed from descriptive to algebraic. This is the only good thing about the book (although personally, I'd rather read a chess book in descriptive without errors than in albebraic with a googol plex errors). Second, he says that in some places the text has been updated to conform to modern style. What the hell does that mean? Could he be any less clear? Sounds like BS to me. Third, he says all the diagrams are new and several have been added. Excuse me? That makes no sense. If all the diagrams are new how can more be added? Why would you even say that? More BS. Fourth, he says in the new page layouts the diagrams are properly integrated with the game moves. Since when does combining incorrect moves with incorrect diagrams make something properly integrated? Two negatives make a positive? I don't think so. More BS. Lots of these diagrams have pieces on the wrong squares and extra pieces that aren't supposed to be there. Fifth, he says the game Flohr-Ragozin, an uneventful and unenlightening draw, has been deleted. HAHAHA! Wow what a brilliant revisionist you are Mr. Hochberg. It must take a lot of skill to remove a game from a chess book. I'm sure your opinion on that game is much more respectable than the ORIGINAL author's opinion. Thank you so much for taking it out. It would have been too much to skip it if I had the original version. A true revision, if I ever did see one. Sixth, he says the unnecessary index of players and the index of openings and variations, half a century out of date, have both been omitted. What kind of idiot thinks that the player and opening index is unnecessary? Are you out of your mind Mr. Hochberg? Those two things are extremely necessary for referencing. What if a reader is trying to look up a particular player or opening? Is he just supposed to quickly skim through the 400 pages? You didn't even give a reason for omitting the player index. The only reason you gave was why you took out the opening index. And if the opening variations are out of date, then why don't you make them up to date? That's obviously the most logical thing to do. But no, to you revision means subtraction. You have added nothing to The Miggle Game in Chess, except your own countless errors. And another thing, I laughed my @$$ off when I read how he changed the original title, which was "The Middle Game in Chess" to "The Middlegame in Chess." Wow, that was brilliant. Thanks for telling us all. So let's recap: you changed correct moves to incorrect ones, you added incorrect diagrams, you took out a game, you took out the player index, you took out the opening index, and you invented a new word that doesn't exist by changing Reuben Fine's original title. Bravo. Great revisions. My recommendation? Don't buy this book. If you did, return it immediately (if you aren't able to return it then it might come in handy if you're in the bathroom and run out of toilet paper). Please, get the original if you can find it.
Insane Typos!.......2003-10-29
This is an excellent book, but the reviser needed only a chess amateur or two to clear up 99% of the errors in this book. It's truly insane and hilarious how obvious they are. at one point you see 20. Rxf8 Rxf1 21. Rxf8# and they're supposed to be talking about f1!!!!!! hahaha...There's even a diagram with three rooks (and a pawn hadn't promoted). There's another diagram with pawns on f2, g2, h2, and h4! Seriously ugly.
I wish the publisher would fix the errors and offer a recall on the existing books as an apology instead of just settling for rushing it out the door. It's ludicrous.
Book Description
Long ago Philidor taught that "pawns are the soul of chess." Today we know that understanding the pawn structure is vital when choosing a plan of action for the middlegame. Indeed, any correct middle- game plan depends on knowing how the pawns will behave - only then is it clear where the pieces should go! That is why Middlegame Strategy takes the guesswork out of planning in chess. Here NM Robert Leininger examines a single key pawn structure (seen on the cover), exploring each of its possibilities in detail. Concentrating on one fundamental pawn formation lets you cut through the clutter, focusing on how the pawns determine which course is best. With Middlegame Strategy, the art of sound planning in chess can be mastered by players of any level.
Known in Russia as the "Carlsbad" pawn structure, this ever-popular middlegame formation is famous in the Queen's Gambit after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.cxd5 exd5, but is also common in the Gruenfeld, Nimzo-Indian and other openings. The Carlsbad is a flexible and dynamic mainstay in the repertoires of many top Grandmasters, who can devise subtle, long range plans because they understand the pawn structure. Middlegame Strategy explains every aspect of this complex formation, including the minority attack, hanging pawns, the isolated d-pawn and much more. The lessons learned here will help any player make his middlegame decisions with accuracy and confidence.
Customer Reviews:
GREAT BOOK ON THE QGD.......2007-01-28
This book is right up there with Matthew Sadler's QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED. I only wish Leininger had written a book on every other basic opening structure--this book is THAT good. NB: This book is about pawn structures and overall ideas, not about parsing variations. (FWIW I'm a USCF 1800 OTB player.)
Middlegame Strategy, with the Carlsbad Pawn Structure.......2001-10-13
This is a terrific chess book! Most chess books teach you how to get through the opening and then leave you there. This book takes you into the "action". Where strategy and tactics reign supreme. You want to win at chess? The middlegame is where it happens. This book will teach you how.
Beware - it is a bloody chess book !.......1998-04-27
After reading "Killing Suki Flood" which is one of my all time favourites I ordered the new Robert Leininger Book "Middlegame Strategy" as soon a s it was out. Other than the Suki Book, which is some sort of a Tarantino-esque action thriller, "Middlegame Strategy" ia actually a chess-book with nothing but 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.c3.f6 etc. and I doubt that it is written by the same person. I do not play chess therefore I cannot comment the quality of this book.(The only reason I gave it a rating is beacuse I had to enter one - please ignore)
Book Description
Most organizations consist of multiple business and support units, each populated by highly trained, experienced executives. But often the efforts of individual units are not coordinated, resulting in conflicts, lost opportunities, and diminished performance
Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton argue that the responsibility for this critical alignment lies with corporate headquarters. In this book, the authors apply their revolutionary Balanced Scorecard management system to corporate-level strategy, revealing how highly successful enterprises achieve powerful synergies by explicitly defining corporate headquarters’ role in setting, coordinating, and overseeing organizational strategy.
Based on extensive field research in organizations worldwide, Alignment shows how companies can build an enterprise-level Strategy Map and Balanced Scorecard that clearly articulate the “enterprise value proposition”: how the enterprise creates value above that achieved by individual business units operating alone. The book provides case studies, actionable frameworks, and sample scorecards that show how to align business and support units, boards of directors, and external partners with the corporate strategy and create a governance process that will ensure that alignment is sustained.
The next breakthrough in strategy execution from the field’s premier thinkers, Alignment shows how today’s companies can unlock unrealized value from enterprise synergies.
Customer Reviews:
Book review.......2006-06-26
I ordered this for my boss. He said it gave him some direction for a project he is working on.
Their most important book thus far...........2006-06-07
After their article "The Balanced Scorecard - Measures That Drive Performance" appeared in Harvard Business Review" (January-February, 1992), Kaplan and Norton co-authored four books in which they expand and fine-tune several of their core concepts about the Balanced Scorecard. What we have in this volume is a brilliant analysis of how to use the Balanced Scorecard to create corporate synergies. As they observe in the Preface, they have identified five key principles "for aligning an organization's management and measurement systems to strategy":
1. Mobilize change through executive leadership.
2. Translate strategy into operational terms.
3. Align the organization to the strategy.
4. Motivate to make strategy everyone's job.
5. Govern to make strategy a continual process.
When gathering the information needed to write this book, Kaplan and Norton rigorously examined more than 30 organizations which include Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Citizens Schools, Hilton, IBM, Lockheed Martin, Media General, and the U.S. Army. Note how different these organizations are in terms of their respective products and services, markets, and potentialities for aligning their management processes and systems to the given strategy. I assume that the diversity of the exemplary enterprises during Kaplan and Norton's selection process was deliberate because they are convinced - as am I - that if the core principles of the Balanced Scorecard are applied effectively, any organization (regardless of its size or nature) can create highly beneficial synergies by getting its management and measurement in proper alignment with its strategy. In this book, Kaplan and Norton explain how to do that. Obviously, it is difficult to achieve such alignment and even more difficult to sustain it. Although a cliché, it remains true that change is the only constant. Moreover, change seems to occur much more rapidly now than ever before. What is in proper alignment today may not be tomorrow...or by the end of today
Nothing within an organization's structure can be in proper balance unless and until it is in proper alignment. Hence the importance of prioritization and, especially, of proportionality (e.g. allocation of resources). Here is a brief excerpt from Chapter 10. "The Balanced Scorecard, since its introduction in 1992, has evolved into the centerpiece of a sophisticated system to manage the execution of strategy. The effectiveness of the approach is derived from two simple capabilities: (1) the ability to clearly describe strategy (the contribution of Strategy Maps) and (2) the ability to link strategy to the management system (the contribution of Balanced Scorecards). The net result is the ability to align all units, processes, and systems of an organization to its strategy." With this brief statement, Kaplan and Norton suggest the interdependence of strategy, alignment, and executive leadership.
In my opinion, this is the most important book written thus far by Kaplan and Norton. In it, they develop in much greater detail many of the same concepts they examined in previous books but they also share what they have learned over the years about devising, implementing, and then sustaining (while fine-tuning) the "sophisticated system" to which they refer in the excerpt just provided. Their collaborative thinking, as is also true of every organization they discuss, continues to be "a work in progress."
A repeat of the other two books - little help for those who need alignment.......2006-05-11
If you are a CIO, Head of HR, or other so called "support" function looking for help on how to align with the business, this is not the book for you.
My suggestion is to skip this book, or if you must check it out of the library or buy it used. The book you want is Kaplan and Norton's first book called "The Balanced Scorecard" which is very good and is just repeated in this book. Next I would purchase the HBR article on Strategy Maps (September 2000). Those two works cover all of what is in this book and they have a stronger implementation flavor.
Alignment is a persistent issue facing every organization and operating unit with the organization. This book does not provide the practical or actionable advice needed to give business leaders the tools and techniques need to make progress in this critical area.
If you want to know why please read on.
Kaplan and Norton are the undisputed masters of issues related to scorecards and their ideas in that area are used by leading organizations everywhere with great success. Unfortunately as they have tried to expand beyond scorecards there work in this area (this book and The Strategy-Focused Organization) have not come near the mark in my opinion.
Alignment is a critical issue in today's dynamic and changing environment. Unfortunately the authors approach alignment in a very simplistic way: create a strategy map, then create a scorecard and you will get alignment. Sorry but just using these two tools do not cut it to handle such a tough issue and this book shows it.
Like "The Strategy Focused Organization" Kaplan and Norton seek to use case studies to help illustrate their points. For that they are to be commended. However, the case studies they use are very shallow, read more like corporate press releases and product testimonials. That is a shame and a real weakness of this book as Alignment is a complex issue and simply saying 'we sat down created a Balanced Score Card and a Strategy Map and we were aligned' does not address the issues nor provide insight for the reader.
The reason for such a low score on this book is the lack of help it provides the people who most are in need of alignment CIOs, HR and to some extent finance. Kaplan and Norton dedicate Chapter 5 to "Aligning support functions" and right away you know the mindset they are applying.
For K and N, alignment is a process of completing their deliverables and they treat IT, HR, Finance and any other support function as "staffed with expert specialists whose culture is quite different from that of managers in line operating units. Consequently, support groups frequently become isolated from the line organization ... executives of business units accuse them of living in HQ based silos and being incapable of responding to local operating needs." (Page 120)
Their solution for IT, HR and Finance alignment puts these organizations back into the 1960's as they advise these functions to read the business strategy map and scorecard and then create your own - separate but not equal - scorecard based on the services you can provide. That works if all you want IT and HR to do is provide basic services, but if you want to gain competitive advantage, or if you are a CIO, HR or CFO who wants to link into and align with the business this approach puts you at arms length and something apart.
Kaplan and Norton should know better and more importantly I have to believe that there are case studies that do not treat IT, HR and Finance as support functions but integral parts of the business strategy. The fact that they could not find these cases where there is one strategy map that the whole company could align around, give the impression that they are looking at the issue of alignment with the wrong lens.
Focus and Coordinate Your Organization's Energies for Better Strategic Execution.......2006-04-26
Alignment is a superb addition to the remarkable series written by Professor Robert S. Kaplan and Dr. David P. Norton. If you have not yet read Strategy Maps, The Balanced Scorecard and The Strategy-Focused Organization, you should begin with those books before reading this one. With each book in the series, you'll find out more about how to create and use balanced scorecards . . . and your organization will prosper because of it.
Leaders have always found it much easier to formulate strategy than to turn strategies into accomplishments. As the authors note, many such organizations are like an uncoordinated 8-person rowing shell than a championship team.
In studies of the Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame organizations, the authors learned that organizational alignment is a more important factor than mobilization, strategic translation, employee motivation and governance in achieving superior results during execution.
The authors identify eight essential check points for successful organizational alignment:
1. An enterprise value proposition (to lead strategic guidelines)
2. Board and shareholder alignment (to approve, review and monitor strategy)
3. Coordination between the corporate offices and the corporate support units (by creating corporate policies)
4. Coordination between the corporate office and the business units (business unit strategy matching the corporate direction)
5. Coordination between the business units and the support units (to create appropriate functional strategies)
6. Alignment between business units and their customers (an on-going to and fro)
7. Alignment among business support teams and their suppliers and external partners (to share problems and solutions)
8. Company support coordination (among the corporate support people and the business support activities)
To get a sense of the whole process, be sure to turn to figure 9-1.
The great strength of the book comes, however, in its many examples and case studies involving organizations like Aktira, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Citizen Schools, City of Brisbane, DuPont Engineering Polymers, Handleman, Hilton Hotels, IBM Leasing, Ingersoll Rand, KeyCorp, Lockheed Martin Enterprise Information Systems, Marriott Vacation Club, MDS, Metalcraft (disguised name), Media General, New Profit Inc., Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Salmon recovery in Washington State, Sport-Man, Inc. Tiger Textiles (disguised name), and the U.S. Army.
Bravo!
Don't miss this book.
Translate, cascade and align your strategies.......2006-03-24
This book is about organizational alignment. It is the fourth in a series of thought-leading books on how to translate strategy into actions - via balanced scorecard, strategy maps, and the strategy-focused organization.
The authors start with a wonderful story:
Imagine an eight-person shell racing up the river populated by highly trained rowers, but each with different ideas of how to achieve success. But rowing at different speeds and in different directions could cause the shell to travel in circles and perhaps capsize. The winning team invariably rows in beautiful synchronism; each rower strokes powerfully but consistently with all the others, guided by a coxswain [corporate center], who has the responsibility for pacing and steering the course of action.
Unfortunately, many firms are like an uncoordinated shell. They consist of strong business units, each populated by highly trained, experienced and motivated executives. But the efforts of the individual businesses are not coordinated.
Unsurprisingly, the authors suggest that their four scorecard perspectives on financials, customers, processes, as well as growth/learning also could be used to create organizational alignment and also find synergies, e.g.
- FINANCIAL: acquiring and integrating other firms, monitoring and governance processes, skills in negotiating with external entities (capital providers, etc.)
- CUSTOMERS: leverage common customers (cross-sales), corporate brand, common customer value propositions across the world,
- PROCESSES: exploiting core competencies in product or production technologies, sourcing or distribution skills, etc.
- LEARNING AND GROWTH: Enhancing human capital thru excellent HR practices, leveraging a common technology, sharing best-practices and knowledge.
The book does not only focus on how to align the corporate-level and businesses, it also covers how to align towards support functions (finance, IT and HR), external business partners (customers, suppliers) and even the board.
Don't buy this book as your first on scorecards. It requires that you have read some of the previous published articles or books by the author team. However, if you are a balanced scorecard practitioner, then this book adds yet another dimension to our understanding of how to make scorecard systems work in an organization.
Being a corporate strategist, I can use most of this thinking in my day-to-day work - and I can highly recommend it to all other scorecard insiders.
If you're interested in Balanced Scorecard, you should obviously read the core by Kaplan and Norton - especially the "Strategy-Focused Organization". But I also recommend a very capable book by the Swedes Olve et al (2003) - "Making Scorecards Actionable: Balancing Strategy and Control" - that even includes some thinking on why balanced scorecards go wrong - and what to do about it. Paul Niven (2005) does the same in his "Balanced scorecard diagnostics".
If you're even more interested in performance measurement systems, then do also consider "Performance Prism" by Neely et al (2002) that takes performance systems to the next level. Personally, I don't believe they've designed balanced scorecard's successor, but they have many interesting perspectives on stakeholders, choice of measurements, and the relationship between cause and effect.
Peter Leerskov,
MSc in International Business (Marketing & Management) and Graduate Diploma in E-business
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Australian Journal of Management, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1166 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Alignment: Using the Balanced Scorecard to Create Corporate Synergies.(Book review)
Author: Rob McLean
Publication:
Australian Journal of Management (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 31
Issue: 2
Page: 367(3)
Article Type: Book review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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