Michael Porter

American engineer and economist

Michael Eugene Porter is an American businessman and professor at Harvard Business School. He was one of the founders of the consulting firm The Monitor Groupand FSG, a social impact consultancy.

Table of Contents

About the Michael Porter

Michael Eugene Porter is an American businessman and professor at Harvard Business School. He was one of the founders of the consulting firm The Monitor Groupand FSG, a social impact consultancy. He is credited with creating Porter’s five forces analysis, which is instrumental in business strategy development at present. He is generally regarded as the father of the modern strategy field. He is also regarded as one of the world’s most influential thinkers on management and competitiveness as well as one of the most influential business strategists. His work has been recognized by governments, non-governmental organizations and universities.

21 Quotes by Michael Porter

  1. 1.

    The underlying principles of strategy are enduring, regardless of technology or the pace of change.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  2. 2.

    Companies operating in urban communities have a tremendous ripple effect.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  3. 3.

    Change brings opportunities. On the other hand, change can be confusing.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  4. 4.

    Finally, strategy must have continuity. It can’t be constantly reinvented.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  5. 5.

    If your goal is anything but profitability – if it’s to be big, or to grow fast, or to become a technology leader – you’ll hit problems.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  6. 6.

    A strategy delineates a territory in which a company seeks to be unique.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  7. 7.

    Billions are wasted on ineffective philanthropy. Philanthropy is decades behind business in applying rigorous thinking to the use of money.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  8. 8.

    Sound strategy starts with having the right goal.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  9. 9.

    The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  10. 10.

    There’s a fundamental distinction between strategy and operational effectiveness.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  11. 11.

    The best CEOs I know are teachers, and at the core of what they teach is strategy.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  12. 12.

    The company without a strategy is willing to try anything.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  13. 13.

    The ability to change constantly and effectively is made easier by high-level continuity.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  14. 14.

    The thing is, continuity of strategic direction and continuous improvement in how you do things are absolutely consistent with each other. In fact, they’re mutually reinforcing.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  15. 15.

    The essence of strategy is that you must set limits on what you’re trying to accomplish.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  16. 16.

    Strategy is about making choices, trade-offs; it’s about deliberately choosing to be different.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  17. 17.

    Strategy 101 is about choices: You can’t be all things to all people.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  18. 18.

    So companies have to be very schizophrenic. On one hand, they have to maintain continuity of strategy. But they also have to be good at continuously improving.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  19. 19.

    Innovation is the central issue in economic prosperity.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  20. 20.

    The chief strategist of an organization has to be the leader – the CEO.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist

  21. 21.

    If all you’re trying to do is essentially the same thing as your rivals, then it’s unlikely that you’ll be very successful.

    Michael Porter

    American engineer and economist