Burkhard Schwenker, Klaus Spremann, "Management Between Strategy and Finance: The Four Seasons of Business"  
Springer | 2008 | ISBN: 3540852743 | 325 pages | PDF | 1,2 MB



Companies' decision-making and planning systems find themselves in aconstant tug of war between strategic and financial considerations. Theauthors analyze these two opposing currents in business thinking,dissecting their differences and identifying their best practices. Theyalso develop an approach that reconciles the two conflicting schools ofthought – without watering down their differences. Schwenker undSpremann argue that both strategic and financial perspectives can serveas a compass in management's decision-making processes: Whichperspective to choose depends on the phase of business. The authorsdistinguish four phases in the company lifecycle – phases in which thebusiness must find the proper position, develop, grow and, ultimately,earn. In the first two phases, strategic considerations should takepriority; in the latter two phases, financial considerations rule theday.