Harvard Business Review

DECEMBER 19, 2011

During the current recession, overall consumer spending has declined or held flat, sales per square foot have not improved significantly, and retailers' return on invested capital (ROIC) has suffered dramatically. With the demise of Circuit City in 2009, one would have reckoned that Best Buy's best days were ahead.

ROIC 12

ROIC Retail Mass Marketing Price 12

Harvard Business Review

MARCH 7, 2013

In what is now a famous interview with the UK's Sunday Times in 2009, Goldman Sachs chief executive officer, Lloyd Blankfein suggested he was simply a banker, " doing God's work ," even if that meant, at the same time, recognizing, "people are pissed off, mad, and bent out of shape," over bankers' actions.

ROIC 8

ROIC Airlines Chief Executive Officer Metrics 8

Harvard Business Review

DECEMBER 8, 2011

Over the past decade (2000-2009), its average return on invested capital was 50 percent higher than the industry average. Moreover, when Porter defines strategy, he is really talking about what constitutes a good strategy — one that will result in a higher ROIC than the industry average. Mistake #5.

Strategy 15

Strategy Porter ROIC Competitive Advantage 15