The Strategy Show

When sustainability gets expensive, what should businesses do?In this episode, we examine the growing tension between profitability and sustainability. With rising energy costs, investor pressure, and cautious consumers, companies are being forced into tough strategic trade-offs.Using real-world examples from industries like energy, aviation, and manufacturing, we explore why going green isn’t always straightforward, and how leading firms are adapting their strategies under pressure.If you’re studying business strategy or working in finance, this episode will challenge how you think about long-term value, short-term performance, and the real meaning of “sustainable” strategy.

In this episode we look at the thorny issue of the conglomerate - what is it, why did they become popular and why do they seem to be going out of fashion? As always, we help you understand the business world around you by looking at strategy theory and real world examples.

What happens when a sustainability success story suddenly changes direction?In this episode, we unpack the surprising shift of Allbirds - from a purpose-driven, eco-friendly footwear brand to exploring a future in AI infrastructure.Why would a company pivot so dramatically? Is this bold strategic reinvention… or a sign of deeper problems?Using core strategy frameworks and real-world analysis, we break down what’s really going on - and what it tells us about growth, competitive pressure, and the risks of losing strategic focus.

In this episode we'll be looking at the Balanced Scorecard and how (and if) it really works in the modern world.

In this episode we will look at Porter's Diamond - how it works in the real world, where it fails and how useful it is in a business setting. Get yourself familiar with this classic model and why it still matters.

In this episode we take an in depth look at the BCG and its origins. We'll look at how it works for business strategy, where it falls down in the real world and how it gets used in the modern, digital world. We use real world examples to show you how this theory works (and fails) in reality.

In this episode we'll be using Peleton as a case study of how strategy can go wrong and how businesses can still successfully turn themselves around. We'll look at how key strategic models like Five Forces, Ansoff and Generic Strategies can all give us insights into company behaviour.

In this episode we examine the importance of understanding the competitive industry you operate in - using the key models of Porter's Five Forces and the Industry Life Cycle. We'll also spend some time considering just how useful these traditional models are in the modern digital world.

In this episode we look at a classic model - Ansoff's Matrix. We'll look at how this key business strategy model works in the real world and where it breaks down in today's fast-paced industries - with real world examples.

In today's episode, we have a special guest, Martin - a project manager with over 30 years experience - to help chat through the main types of organisational structure. We'll cover traditional structures, Mintzberg's organisational configurations, top-down and bottom-up structures, as well as virtual, flexible organisations.

In this episode we are looking at one of the fundamental models used to decide on an organisation's strategic approach to attracting customers and beating its rivals - the Generic Strategies. We use real world examples to talk you through each of Porter's business strategies and examine how well the model really works in the modern world.

In this episode we take an in depth look at the corporate failure of NCP in the UK. We'll look at how strategic models like PESTEL, Porter's Five Forces and the Value Chain can help us understand where the company went wrong - and what NCP could have done differently to avoid collapse. Our goal in this episode is to give you a real-world demonstration of some key strategic frameworks and show how they are not just academic - they’re essential tools fordiagnosing risk and guiding business survival.

In this episode we take a look at mission statements - why do companies use them? How useful are they really? And how do we make sure that our employees are paying attention to them?

In this episode we look at how organisations identify their stakeholders and why it matters. We'll take a look at Mendelow's Matrix with some real world examples to show how businesses strategically manage they stakeholders - and why it's not as easy as it sounds!

In this episode, we look at the two classic examples of strategic decision making - the rational and emergent models. We'll look at how they work for real companies and where they fail. We'll also take a look at how they are used in the real world as the global environment becomes increasingly uncertain.

In this episode we break down the key concepts of Porter's incredibly important Value Chain model and show you how they apply in business. We examine the concept of linkages and the value system to understand how many successful companies gain competitive advantage.

In this episode we are taking a look at why business ethics matters, why it can be beneficial and what the risks are. We will consider ethical frameworks and look at how they apply in the real world, with a particular focus on sustainability.

In this episode I'm joined by fellow lecturer Amy. We evaluate the key theoretical models organisations use when undertaking major strategic changes and look at how well they apply in the real world.

In this episode, we look at modern developments in Artificial Intelligence. We cover what AI really means, how it can be deployed in organisations and where the key pitfalls are. We also consider how organisations can decide if AI is right for them.

Information systems and technology are absolutely everywhere - in business and the real world. But what are the ethical issues businesses need to consider when designing and managing new systems? We try to answer that in this podcast. IS and IT ethics is a key strategic issue for most organisations, so we've given them the priority they deserve - their own episode!

How do businesses grow? What options do they have? In this episode we discuss several key growth strategies for businesses - organic and acquisition growth, joint ventures and franchising. As always, we merge theory with real world examples to give you the best overall grounding in this topic.

In this episode we run through some of the key areas in corporate risk management, including risk appetite, risk identification, risk evaluation (using TARA) and risk monitoring.