National Competitive Advantage

Author: Michael Porter
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2002-01-01
Features: After being printed 11 times and translated into 12 language versions, Michael Porter's The Competitive Advantage of Nations has completely transformed our understanding of how wealth is formed and sustained in the modern global economy. Porter's pioneering research on international competitiveness has influenced national policies in countries around the world, changing the thinking and behavior of states, cities, businesses, and even regions like Central America. Based on research in 10 major developed countries, The Competitive Advantage of Nations provides theoretical explanations for the productivity on which enterprises compete. Traditional comparative advantages, such as natural resources and labor, are explained by Porter as being replaced as sources of wealth, and how broad macroeconomic explanations for competitiveness are insufficient. This book introduces Porter's "Diamond" model—a new method for understanding the global competitive position of nations or regions, which has now become an indispensable part of international business thinking. Porter's "cluster" perspective—groups of interconnected businesses, suppliers, related industries, and organized institutions in specific regions—has become a new way for businesses and governments to think about the economy, assess regional competitive advantages, and formulate public policies. Before this book was published, Porter's theories had already guided the reevaluation of national competitiveness in places like New Zealand and elsewhere. His insights and direct involvement in research have shaped the policies of some nations and......