HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeStrategyback to Research & KnowledgeLeapback to Strategy

Book

Leap

How to thrive in a world where everything can be copied

By Howard H. Yu

269 pages

Hardcover

Overview

Keep reading

Overview

Keep reading

In today’s competitive environment where latecomers can replicate almost any product or service for less, and where expert intuition and market intelligence have been overtaken by machine algorithms, companies can no longer just be very good at what they do. They need to leap to new knowledge disciplines. The best leap repeatedly. And it’s the combination of two skills–mastery of the old and the new–that empowers them with the best competitive advantage.

To discover how some companies not only survive but thrive for centuries, strategy expert Howard Yu identifies key trends from business history, skillfully extracting timeless lessons and applying them to today. He illustrates how managers can look to leverage technological shifts, increasingly ubiquitous connectivity, smart machines, and managerial creativity–in order to leap forward. Ultimately, Leap is a playbook for the future that shows how pioneering players can thrive by rethinking their businesses, their relationships with customers, and the very reasons they exist.

Jørgen Vig Knudstorp

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

This book is part of a series

Changing strategies when you are late to the game
How to know if your industry is about to be disrupted
Leap: How to thrive in a world where everything can be copied
Questions your company should be asking to be future-ready
Ready for the next landscape shift? Gauge your company’s agility now
The four principles to survive disruption and flourish in a changing world

FT business books of the month (June 2018)

Strategy+Business Best Business Books 2018: Strategy

Axiom Business Book Awards 2019: Gold Medal (Business Intelligence/Innovation)

This book is part of a series

Changing strategies when you are late to the game
How to know if your industry is about to be disrupted
Leap: How to thrive in a world where everything can be copied
Questions your company should be asking to be future-ready
Ready for the next landscape shift? Gauge your company’s agility now
The four principles to survive disruption and flourish in a changing world

Hardcover

eBook

You can also buy the book on Barnes & Nobles, Book Depository, Orell Füssli and Routledge.

Publisher

PublicAffairs

ISBN

9781610398817

Keep reading

Article

People, Culture, and Strategy - The Boards Role

#post_excerptHannele Jakosuo-Jansson of Neste and Finnair shared key insights on board roles in CEO transitions and culture shifts with IMD’s High Performance Boards program.

Board Business Transformation Strategy

By Didier Cossin and Yukie Saito

in I by IMD

Article

Three ways to deal with your boss - Poor Leadership

Three Ways to Deal with Your Boss when they act against civility, empathy, and ethics. Discover strategies to handle difficult workplace dynamics effectively.

Leadership Negotiation Strategy

By Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg

in I by IMD

Article

6 Tips for Leaders - Reputation Building

Six ways leaders can shape corporate reputation building strategies within their organizations, drawing on key insights from a Bloomberg Media study.

Branding Business Ethics Leadership Strategy

By Anne Kawalereski, Michelle Lynn and Elisabeth Oak

in I by IMD

Article

Leadership Thinking - Turbulent Business

To navigate a turbulent business environment, CEOs must understand their landscape and align leadership thinking priorities, advises IMD’s Michael Watkins.

Leadership Resilience Strategy

By Michael D. Watkins

in I by IMD

Case Study

TBC Group: Future proofing a history of success

Strategy Digital Growth

By Goutam Challagalla, Francis D. Kim and Philip Charles Zerrillo

Case Study

Nestlé Health Science: Building a healthy future towards 2030

The board of Nestlé S.A. announced that Anna Mohl would become the CEO of Nestlé Health Science (NHSc) — a global leader in nutritional science — on 1 January 2024. She was delighted to hear about her new position but knew there was little time to...

Strategy General Management Global Business

By Niccolò Pisani, Elham Pazirandeh-Micol, Karine Richard, Liudmila Ost and Quentin de Rham

Article

Surviving the cut: What do you do when your coworkers get laid off?

Business traditionally emphasizes the consequences of downsizing on the leavers, but what happens to those who stay? In the aftermath of corporate restructures, "survivors" find themselves navigating a complex mix of emotions and uncertainty. Alys...

Workplace Well-being Disruption Team Dynamics

By Alyson Meister and Victoria Kemanian

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

21 February 2025

People, Culture, and Strategy - The Boards Role

By Didier Cossin and Yukie Saito
in I by IMD

Summary

#post_excerptHannele Jakosuo-Jansson of Neste and Finnair shared key insights on board roles in CEO transitions and culture shifts with IMD’s High Performance Boards program.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Board

Business Transformation

Strategy

Browse all topics

Three ways to deal with your boss - Poor Leadership

By Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg
in I by IMD

Summary

Three Ways to Deal with Your Boss when they act against civility, empathy, and ethics. Discover strategies to handle difficult workplace dynamics effectively.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Negotiation

Strategy

Browse all topics

6 Tips for Leaders - Reputation Building

By Anne Kawalereski Michelle Lynn and Elisabeth Oak
in I by IMD

Summary

Six ways leaders can shape corporate reputation building strategies within their organizations, drawing on key insights from a Bloomberg Media study.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Branding

Business Ethics

Leadership

Strategy

Browse all topics

Leadership Thinking - Turbulent Business

By Michael D. Watkins
in I by IMD

Summary

To navigate a turbulent business environment, CEOs must understand their landscape and align leadership thinking priorities, advises IMD’s Michael Watkins.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Resilience

Strategy

Browse all topics

CO-RO (B): Weathering the storm

By Omar Toulan and Valerie Keller-Birrer
Case reference: IMD-7-2640 ©2025

Summary

Case B describes the unprecedented challenges faced by CO-RO in 2020. The implementation of the sugar tax in its largest Middle Eastern market led to a near 50% volume drop in CO-RO’s sales, and Covid-19 lockdowns impacted the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region in particular. These events led to a dramatic drop in net sales and gross profit, forcing CO-RO to re-evaluate its growth strategy and implement cost-saving measures. By 2022, CO-RO faced further challenges with global supply chain disruptions and inflation due to the war in Ukraine. This required strategic decisions to stabilize and ensure future growth amid ongoing external pressures.

Reference IMD-7-2640

Organization CO-RO Group

Industry Consumer Goods, Food and Beverage

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Browse all topics

CO-RO (A): Storm clouds forming

By Omar Toulan and Valerie Keller-Birrer
Case reference: IMD-7-2590 ©2025

Summary

The CO-RO Group is a manufacturer of fruit-based still drinks, concentrates and ambient ice (home-freeze popsicles) headquartered in Denmark. Although production takes place in Denmark, most of its products are sold internationally, with the company relying on long-term local partners to convert and market the finished products. Historically, the company focused on markets in which fruit-based drinks were rare, which led to steady growth in line with GDP and population increases; 70% of sales and 80% of profits came from the Middle East. Set between 2015 and 2019, Case A describes the company’s “Shape for Growth” strategy, which aimed to reduce over-reliance on key markets and resulted in new market entries and over 150 new products. This strategy also mitigated the effects of the 2014-2016 oil price crisis. However, in 2019, Saudi Arabia’s announcement of a 50% sugar tax on sweetened beverages threatened to significantly reduce market volumes.

Reference IMD-7-2590

Organization CO-RO Group

Industry Consumer Goods, Food and Beverage

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Browse all topics

TBC Group: Future proofing a history of success

By Goutam Challagalla Francis D. Kim and Philip Charles Zerrillo
Case reference: IMD-2651 ©2025

Summary

The case explores TBC Bank Group’s remarkable journey from a small Georgian bank to a regional leader in digital financial services across Central Asia. Founded in 1992 with just US$500 in initial capital, TBC evolved into Georgia’s largest financial institution and pioneered into digital banking. The case highlights TBC’s strategic expansion into Uzbekistan, where it rapidly built a leading digital banking ecosystem. Students will analyze TBC’s international growth approach as it transformed customer experience, leveraged technology and built a sustainable competitive advantage through product diversification, strong organizational culture and operational agility. The case explores international market entry, digital transformation and aligning strategies with local market needs, highlighting how TBC’s focus on innovation drives its regional expansion.

Reference IMD-2651

Organization TBC Bank Group

Industry Finance and Insurance, Banking

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Digital

Growth

Browse all topics

Nestlé Health Science: Building a healthy future towards 2030