Fit for Growth: A Guide to Strategic Cost Cutting, Restructuring, and Renewal

Although I now work in the private sector, I spent years of my career at a nonprofit with 60 employees. The concepts outlined in Fit for Growth are relevant to both Fortune 500 companies and small nonprofits, and provides a valuable way for leaders to assess an organization's core strengths and allocate resources accordingly. In this book, the consultants at Strategy& (formerly Booz & Company) translate their years of experience into an essential guide for business leaders to understand the fundamentals of running a lean, effective organization. The book provides a valuable blueprint for managers to reassess the (usually negative) concepts of "cost-cutting" and "restructurings" as reactionary, harmful measures as a fundamental, positive part of effective management. Too often, cost-cutting exercises commit the fatal mistake of crippling an organization's competitive advantage rather than freeing resources to support those valuable differentiating factors. "Fit for Growth" can help managers avoid these missteps and provides an integrative set of tools to build a strategy that supports its strongest capabilities through intentional, continuous assessment from within.

Ask 50 companies what their operating models look like, and you’ll likely get 50 different answers. That’s a sure sign that many leadership teams cannot say with certainty where exactly critical work gets done. This book will change that. The book is a reminder that too many of us embark on cost-reduction programs without taking a hard look at our operating models, at serious risk of cutting into organizational muscle. But ‘Fit for Growth’ isn’t just telling us what we ought to know – it delivers very accessible prescriptions for what we must do to ensure that our operating models are fully aligned with our companies’ strategies and if they’re not, what has to happen to quickly rework the operating model. Put this book at the top of your reading list.-- Rodger Howell

It has a couple of interesting concepts, but it is too general in my opinion, and not very useful to small or even medium companies.

Fit for Growth places a true strategic lens on cost and links it to the overall organization model. Packed with real life examples of how other tackled the challenge of finding the right balance of cost investment to fuel growth while delivering the bottom line, the book is also filled with rich detail on specific levers for assessing opportunities, as well as useful discussions of how to think of the methodology versus concepts like zero base or 3G. A must read for anyone contemplating a major overhaul of their organization, who hopes for enduring change.

Fit for Growth provides a start to finish guide on the right way to look at cost cutting and realigning a business to its core strengths. By covering both the logic behind the strategies and the methodologies on how to effectively implement the changes, this book proves to be an invaluable resource for all business leaders. Especially enlightening to me was how the authors differentiated between a cost reduction approach and their fit for growth approach to cost cutting. The numerous case studies also provided some real life examples to better understand the process.

Fit for Growth is a must have handbook on strategic cost cutting for leaders at any stage in their career.Strategies, specific examples and hands-on advice show how spending aligned with strategy allows businesses to stay competitive. Real life examples at companies like IKEA, Circuit City, P&G bring to life the three elements of the Fit for Growth framework—focus on a few differentiating capabilities, align cost structure, and reorganize for growth. First read provided plenty of food for thought and I know it will be a great resource for years to come.

Transforming costs can be challenging and traumatic. Fit for Growth provides a guide to cutting costs the right way with a viewpoint ranging from 30,000 feet to ground level. In it you’ll find tangible cost reduction case studies and a step-by-step guide to commonly used levers and processes for getting the right costs out of your business. With this guide, leaders of all levels can ensure that they reduce waste, improve their bottom line, and free up investment to grow their business.

Fit for Growth is an informative, yet easy to read guide on transformation within a company; focusing on key capabilities to drive growth and cut costs in a way that helps a company maintain and improve upon its competitive advantages. Pulling on a vast amount of experience, the authors provide several helpful key insights and examples they have observed with their clients. Whether it be a transformation of a business unit or a company-wide transformation, Fit for Growth will serve as a valuable resource.

I was surprised when I opened the package. It is like new. Great book, Great buying

Good

Book received, quick delivery and good quality. Excited to start.