Title: Extraordinary Synergy
Subtitle: Founder Built It CEO Cashed It: Valuing Legacy vs. Leadership
Author: Ph.D. Hairong Gui
Publisher: Page Solutions
ISBN: 979-8896331148
Pages: 166
Genre: Business & Economics
Reviewed by: Subhrajit Saha
Hollywood Book Reviews
There is a famous case study saying Japan was not fond of coffee and knowing that Nescafe dived into the Japanese market. But they had some bigger plans in their mind, which was selling coffee flavored toffees to a certain generation of Japan and while they will be grownups then would love to live in the nostalgia of the coffee flavor so they would love to buy coffee powder. While in the planning level it sounds too big and hypothetical but in reality the brand executed well and most importantly succeeded in their plan. But they had to wait for a long twenty years to earn the profit of their investment. After almost two decades, that brand has their biggest consumer base in Japan in comparison to other countries. This nonfiction book by Ph. D. Hairong Gui reminded me of that great story of foresight.
Hairong Gui’s book is a bible for the students of marketing and corporate finance. The book covers vast topics including corporate company’s strategic planning, evaluation, business models, data analysis, business planning, growth and so on. As an example, the author took the business strategy of MNCs like Adidas, Nike, Ferrari, etc. To evaluate these companies’ framework the author invented a mode called Synergistic Option Model aka SOM. This model is inspired by Black-Scholes framework, and it basically deals with bold strategic moves, like an iconic product launch, a global campaign, a flagship investment, and so on. In addition to that it evaluates the market’s culture, emotional resonance, timing, etc.
The process of the evaluation contains things including the leader valuation, quantifying the value of visionary leadership, leaders’ values, key strengths, notable weaknesses, contributions of the board of directors to the company. The author’s evaluation has some real-life examples, as well theories like illustrating the current scenario in some particular market areas. As an example, it is shown how Nike is doing in China nowadays. The evaluation provided a clear image of why Nike is struggling there, what are the market dynamics and so. Along with illustrating the problems in the strategy making in some parts of the book, the author even described how it can be solved hypothetically.
Above everything the cultural and emotional connection brands try to grow with their audience are well jotted in Extraordinary Synergy: Founder Built It CEO Cashed It: Valuing Legacy vs. Leadership. For example, “We don’t just make cars. We make dreams.” tagline by Ferrari creates a visual impact on the audience’s mind like a soul connection. Even the author herself got deeply connected with Nike’s tagline “Just Do It” which gives her a push to move forward in her initial days. This added things like exploring the cultural impact of a brand as well as demonstrating its strategies, strong and weak aspects which makes the book special and well connected with the audience. Overall, if you are willing to make your career in the niche of business and economics then Hairong Gui’s book is a must read for you.