Summary

New in Paperback: Publishing February 2006!

`If you had to read only one book to understand the roots and branches of the study of strategy & organization, this would be it. Pettigrew, Thomas and Whittington have gathered an impressive array of contributions, which provide a comprehensive guide to the current state of the art. It′s a book that reflects a maturing field, offering thought-provoking discussions of the major issues in strategy, reflections on how they have been tackled in the last three decades, and identifying the themes, promises and challenges that lie ahead. Useful for a novice and an accomplished scholar alike, this is a remarkable effort that shows how far the Strategy field has come′ - Michael G. Jacobides, London Business School

`This is an interesting, insightful and thought provoking collection. It not only comprehensively maps the field of strategic management but also offers a critical reflection on past and present work. The rich mix of contributors criticize, entice and provoke, while also scoping a future research agenda. The authors have accomplished a major and important contribution to our understanding of the history and development of strategy and research in strategy′ - David Asch, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law, De Montfort University.

`The publication of the Handbook of Strategy and Management is a major event. The Handbook not only brings together the World′s leading strategy and management scholars; it is also remarkably well-organized and future-oriented, having the right balance between focus and diversity. By critically taking stock of the field and by discussing future paths of strategy, this Handbook will serve as an important stimulus for intellectual development for years to come′- Nicolai Foss, Copenhagen Business School

`Finally! We have a comprehensive, reflective and critical overview of the field of strategy in the new Handbook of Strategy and Management. The strategy literature has come of age with this "mapping of the terrain" by Andrew Pettigrew, Howard Thomas and Richard Whittington. The Handbook provides an useful overview of different streams of thought with contributions by leading scholars and researchers. Equally importantly, this Handbook provides us with reflections on the past and insights into the future of the field. Such a critique is an important aid in understanding and researching strategy for newcomers and experienced scholars alike′ - Cynthia Hardy, Head of Department of Management, University of Melbourne

The Handbook presents a major retrospective and prospective overview of the strategic management field and will be an important benchmark volume for management scholars worldwide. The Handbook frames, assesses and synthesizes the work in the field and helps to define and shape its current and future development. The editors combine focus with diversity in the material and approaches covered, thus providing a powerful critical analysis and synthesis of diverse disciplinary contributions to this rapidly growing body of knowledge.

Each of the four parts of this book concentrates on a specific area of strategy and management. Within these parts, leading international scholars provide historical overviews of the key strands delineating the `topography′ of their particular themes, address the central problems and approaches which have characterized these, critically assess the state and quality of current theory and knowledge, and set out agendas for future theoretical and empirical development.

The resulting volume is a unique overview of the inputs and dynamics that shape the core ideas and practices of strategy and management.