logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
18m 55s

The Key to Sustaining an Enduring Compet...

Harvard Business Review
About this episode

It’s a holy grail for many businesses—the search for sustainable competitive advantage. But Chris Zook points out that it’s elusive for most companies. He notes that less than one in 10 companies even achieve a modest level of sustained and profitable growth over a 10-year period on average.

Zook is the former head of Bain’s global strategy practice and coauthor of the book Repeatability: Build Enduring Businesses for a World of Constant Change.

In this episode, he shares three key principles that can help your organization find and maintain an enduring competitive advantage, with real-world examples drawn from IKEA, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Nike.

Key episode topics include: strategy, leadership, growth strategy, long-term growth, competitive advantage, case studies.

HBR On Strategy curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week.

· Listen to the full HBR IdeaCast episode: Good Strategy’s Non-Negotiables (2021)

· Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast

· Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org

Up next
Jun 25
An Announcement from HBR On Strategy
For the last two years, HBR On Strategy has been a collection of the best conversations and case studies with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. But the time has come for HBR On Strategy to hit pause on new episodes. We ... Show More
1m 5s
Jun 25
The Strategic Advantage of Tapping Freelancers
The rapid pace of technological change is making a big impact on hiring. Some organizations are dynamically securing freelance workers through platform apps like Upwork and Freelancer. Other companies are investing heavily in work enabled by artificial intelligence. John Winsor a ... Show More
30m 26s
Jun 18
The Promises, Pitfalls, and Trade-offs of the Circular Economy
Most businesses are built on a linear model: take, make, and discard. But that norm is reaching its limits, and leaders are under pressure to find smarter, more sustainable ways to operate. Weslynne Ashton is a systems scientist and professor at the Illinois Institute of Technolo ... Show More
20m 36s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2
539: The 80/20 CEO on Guiding Your Business from Panic to Profit
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 539, an interview with the author of From Panic to Profit: Uncover Value, Boost Revenue, and Grow Your Business with the 80/20 Principle, Bill Canady.   In this episode, Bill shares insights from his military background and how it shaped his lea ... Show More
52m 33s
Jan 2025
Exploring Profitable Growth
Welcome to "Accelerate Your Business Growth," an insightful podcast series by Evergreen Podcast that dives deep into the strategies and philosophies driving today's successfulbusinesses. In this episode, our esteemed host Diane Helbig chats with Jeff Morrill, co-founder of the hi ... Show More
1 h
Nov 2024
The Secret to Success
Welcome to another compelling episode of "Accelerate Your Business Growth"! Today, we have the privilege of hosting Jim Huling, the global managing consultant for Franklin Covey's 4 Disciplines of Execution. Jim brings his wealth of expertise to discuss the critical elements that ... Show More
48m 22s
Jan 2025
How to Get Leadership Succession Right
When Jason Buechel became CEO of Whole Foods in 2022, he faced the challenge of succeeding co-founder John Mackey, who led the company for over 40 years. This leadership transition was not only a personal challenge for Buechel but also a significant shift for the entire organizat ... Show More
31m 59s
Dec 2024
Sustainable Business Success
Welcome to another insightful episode of Accelerate Your Business Growth! Today, our host Diane Helbig sits down with Dr. Ian Brook, CEO and founder of Rhodes Smith Consulting, to delve into the essence of intentional transformation in the business world. In this episode, Ian hig ... Show More
41m 37s
Nov 2024
498: INSEAD Professor on Rethinking Your Growth Logic with Triple Fit Strategy
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 498, an interview with the coauthor of Triple Fit Strategy: How to Build Lasting Customer Relationships and Boost Growth, Christoph Senn.    In this episode, Christoph introduces us to the concept of the "Triple Fit Strategy," a groundbreaking a ... Show More
50m 36s
Jun 16
The Most Strategic Networking Strategy Ever?
In a high-tech world, old-school relationships still win. So take a cue from Hollywood: Film producer and financier Matthew Helderman, cofounder and CEO of BondIt Media Capital and Buffalo8, shares how his team turned the classic business lunch into a repeatable growth strategy - ... Show More
33m 27s
Nov 2024
729: INSEAD Professor on Rethinking Your Growth Logic with Triple Fit Strategy (with Christoph Senn)
Welcome to an interview with the coauthor of Triple Fit Strategy: How to Build Lasting Customer Relationships and Boost Growth, Christoph Senn.    In this episode, Christoph introduces us to the concept of the "Triple Fit Strategy," a groundbreaking approach to strategy and sales ... Show More
48m 58s
Jul 2024
695: Survive, Reset, Thrive: Leading Breakthrough Growth Strategy in Volatile Times (with Ex McKinsey and LBS lecturer, Dr. Rebecca Homkes)
Welcome to an interview with the author of Survive, Reset, Thrive: Leading Breakthrough Growth Strategy in Volatile Times, Dr. Rebecca Homkes.   How would you stabilize your business to withstand and grow through market shocks, reset your strategy to take account of new realities ... Show More
48m 3s