Managing the Multibusiness Company: Strategic Issues for Diversified Groups

All multibusiness companies need to be able to justify their ownership of their multiple businesses. The corporate-level strategy must show how and why the corporate parent adds value to its business. Classic strategic issues which are addressed in this book include the allocation of resources between businesses, the creation of synergy through linkages amongst the businesses and the choices faced when creating a corporate portfolio. The selection of readings chosen, (including writings by business theorists such as: Michael Porter, Alfred Chandler, Michael Jenkins, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, C.K. Prahalad), have been organized around the major issues outlined above. Although the strategic issues that multibusiness companies confront will remain challenging and difficult, this study reveals that a robust framework for dealing with them is beginning to emerge.