Abstract
The article considers the career of the business management theorist C. K. Prahalad through a discussion of three of his main works. Following discussion of the future-oriented nature of his thinking, the article considers the first of Prahalad’s books, The Multinational Mission, in which he argued that multinational companies should aim to achieve a balance between global scale and local demands. In what is perhaps the best known of his titles, Competing for the Future, he challenged much of the conventional wisdom about competitive strategy, highlighting concepts such as the resource-based view of the firm and strategic intent. Finally, in Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, Prahalad turns his attention to how entrepreneurs can address the needs of the poorest in society, who may – contrary to expectations – prove to be the fastest-growing consumer segment. A short conclusion highlights that Prahalad has practised what he has preached, putting into effect some of his key business messages.
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References
Bartlett, C.A., and S. Ghoshal. 1988. Managing across borders: The transnational solution. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Ghemawat, P. 2007. Redefining global strategy crossing borders in a world where differences still matter. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Hamel, G., and C.K. Prahalad. 1994. Competing for the future. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
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Selected Works
Prahalad, C.K., and Y.L. Doz. 1987. The multinational mission: Balancing local demands and global vision. New York: Free Press.
Prahalad, C.K. 2005. The fortune at the bottom of the pyramid. Upper Saddle River: Wharton School of Publishing.
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Govindarajan, V. (2016). Prahalad, C. K. (1941–2010). In: Augier, M., Teece, D. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Strategic Management. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-94848-2_650-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-94848-2_650-1
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Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-94848-2
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