The Strategic Discount

In this book Gordon Pearson introduces a new, and original concept - The Strategic Discount - a device to redress the anti- investment bias often inherent in financial appraisal methods. In a broader context, the book is a plea to consider those few factors which determine the long term success of a business. Those investments, products, customers, projects which could give a strategic advantage and should be favoured over those which do not, even if their strategic attractions are difficult to quantify. This favourable bias is the real strategic discount. Unique in its approach, and possibly controversial, this book is not about planning systems and sophisticated analytical and quantative methods. It is aimed at the person who actually has the responsibility for business strategy and is based on widely accepted principles and many years of experience. It takes a fresh, simple, and rigorous approach to the often confusing area of strategic direction and control and business objectives. It explains the failure of existing systems and describes a practical and straightforward method of developing and controlling an effective business strategy.