Table Of Content“The Game Changer is a source of useful learning for MBA students and
young executives. Alistair delivers a unique perspective on many aspects of
strategic management supported by real-life case studies from business and
sport. I have taken benefit from Alistair and his approach to accelerate the
University’s strategy.”
Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal and Vice Chancellor,
University of Strathclyde
“It is one thing to write about strategy and how it should be done. It is
a completely different thing to write about strategy and to have actually
done it. Alistair Gray provides the latter in his book. It is a tremendous read
packed with insight into how to deliver meaningful strategic change.”
Harry Sminea, Professor of Strategic Management,
Strathclyde Business School,
University of Strathclyde
“Top business frequently turns to sport for strategies to improve perfor-
mance. Alistair Gray benefits from his unique combination of a successful
voluntary leader in sport and respected consultant to leading businesses
and sports around the world. The articles and case studies in the book
deliver real insight into how to succeed.”
Martin Gilbert, CEO Standard Life Aberdeen PLC
“Altogether, a really useful book whose articles and case studies will be
invaluable for anyone facing the prospect of competing in the challenging
global markets of the 21st century.”
Sir Tom Farmer KBE, Founder of Kwik Fit
The Game Changer is a demonstration and evolution of the importance of
out-of-the-box thinking in providing winning performance. It emphasises
the benefits of embracing change in mindset and strategic perspective.
Sir Bill Gammell FRSE, Founder and former Chair
and CEO of Cairn Energy PLC; Chair of
Winning Scotland Foundation
“This is a very enlightening and well-researched read from a wise sage who
knows – from first-hand experience – more than a bit about what provides
the zeitgeist in business.”
Andy Nash, Portfolio Chair and former Director of
Taunton Cider PLC
“For many years I have appreciated Alistair’s unique insight across business,
elite sport and other sectors. The Game Changer captures that and will be
stimulating for executives in business and sport at any stage in their career –
from MBA classes to the Board Room.”
Charles Berry, Chairman of The Weir Group PLC
“The creation of Scotland Food & Drink was the ultimate game changer
for the food and drink industry in Scotland. Alistair led us through the
journey that initially created an industry strategy group. He further guided
us through a process that included industry leadership, the Scottish
Government, Scottish Enterprise and Highland & Islands Enterprise to
create Scotland Food & Drink. We began the journey with the complexity
of the cluster strategy and concluded with a pragmatic approach to deliver
the platform for Scotland Food & Drink. In doing so, we created a collabo-
rative model, with strong strategic direction that has now transformed the
value and reputation of Scotland’s food and drink industry.”
David Kilshaw, Former Chair of Scotland Food & Drink
“In helping make the best strategic choices, Alistair always considers
whether they can be successfully implemented, taking into account leader-
ship qualities and optimal use of resources. This invaluable book is full of
pragmatic insights on how to decide and then deliver.”
David Gray, Non-Executive Director
“Alistair Gray has a lifetime of experience in business and sport and this
book provides an insight into the strategic management, innovation and
drivers needed to change the game.”
Baroness Sue Campbell CBE, Director of Women’s Football
at The FA. Chair of UK Sport (2003–2013)
and Youth Sport Trust (2005–2017)
“The Game Changer is easy to read and follow and challenges the reader to
think differently, with clarity. Full of examples and strategic models, it pro-
vides an excellent framework to develop winning strategies and improve
performance in business and sport.”
Sir Ian McGeechan OBE, Head Coach, British and
Irish Lions (four tours) and Director of Rugby for
Scotland, Northampton and Wasps
“A supportive infrastructure is key to ensuring coaches and other per-
formance specialists in sport can exercise their skills effectively. Alistair
applies his unique skills set to creating such infrastructure by tackling
culture shift head on. Putting it another way, he facilitates performance
excellence.”
Professor Frank Dick OBE, Coach and Motivational Speaker
“Nowadays sport operates more like business and must employ best business
practice in its operations, within systems of good governance for its athletes,
officials, volunteers and supporters. Alistair Gray presents his own considerable
experience achieving these goals which those in sport and business will find
most valuable.”
Sir Craig Reedie GBE, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency,
former Chairman of the British Olympic Association (1992–2005)
and Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee
(current serving member)
“Alistair Gray draws upon behind-the-scenes insights into the change process
to provide a much needed and revealing insider account of sports manage-
ment in the real world. It relegates data and evidence, promotes people and
relationships to answer some important contemporary sporting questions –
How can small nations win at sport? How can sport build integrity? How do
you manage sustainable change?”
Professor Dr Grant Jarvie, Chair of Sport, University of
Edinburgh, Founding Director Academy of Sport,
Professor, University of Toronto
“This book will be a great resource for all management professionals and
those building their career. The content and case studies reflect the open-
minded, ambitious and check and challenge approach of Alistair in his
many roles and experiences across organisations in business and sport.”
Anne Marie Harrison, CEO Victorian Institute of Sport (Australia)
“In my experience in sport, especially in Ireland, Alistair Gray and Brian
MacNeice are the first names mentioned for strategy development. Genesis
were instrumental in supporting us to achieve our ambition to secure
Test status in Cricket. Their approach is inclusive and uncomplicated and
focuses on clear targets and accountability. Their honesty and integrity set
them apart and they are a pleasure to work with.”
Warren Deutrom, CEO Cricket Ireland
“The Genesis report on the 2002 FIFA World Cup and subsequent pro-
jects provided the FAI with the practical impetus to make many significant
changes within the Association and improve our performances on and off
the field. The reforms made along the way have helped Ireland’s position
in European football administration and the Association is proud to occupy
a place among UEFA members as a modern progressive governing body.”
John Delaney, CEO FAI and UEFA Executive Committee
“Alistair is someone who challenges you to think the unthinkable and
has undoubtedly influenced my professional development. Winning in
business and sport is a golden thread through his philosophy and his con-
tribution to Scottish Cycling and Scottish sport has definitely been a Game
Changer. This really useful book provides the opportunity to learn from
one of the best.”
Craig Burn, CEO Scottish Cycling
“Alistair’s insights into what makes elite athletes perform and his knowl-
edge of how sports organisations can improve their performance through
the execution of a carefully-crafted strategy were of enormous value to the
Scottish FA during my time as CEO.”
Stewart Regan, CEO Scottish FA
The Game Changer
The Game Changer powerfully demonstrates how some organisations in busi-
ness and sport have done more than raise their performance; they have
also changed the rules of the game or the game itself within their industry.
It gives examples of the strategies and governance programmes that have
emerged to accomplish this, and the challenges of executing them.
This book brings to life strategic management in business, sport and not-
for-profit organisations. It explores many of the theories taught on MBA
and other professional programmes through case studies from the worlds of
sport and business, written by authors who have actively played a part in the
change. Alistair Gray has spent much of his career in senior roles in these sec-
tors and brings a unique insight to the field, as well as providing the reader
with tools and techniques for improvement in governance and performance.
The Game Changer is essential reading for both professionals looking for
methods to improve their own performance and to embed strong princi-
ples of governance, and business students looking for real-life lessons from
practice.
Alistair Gray is the founder and Managing Director of Renaissance & Co,
UK, and one of Europe’s leading strategic management consultants. He
is also a lecturer on strategic management on the MBA programme at
Strathclyde Business School, UK. A director of a number of companies, he
has held a range of board positions in business and sport.
The Game Changer
How Leading Organisations in
Business and Sport Changed
the Rules of the Game
Alistair Gray
First published 2019
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
2019 Alistair Gray
The right of Alistair Gray to be identified as author of this work has
been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Gray, Alistair (Management consultant), author.
Title: The game changer : how leading organizations in sport and
business changed the rules of the game / Alistair Gray.
Description: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2019. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018027490| ISBN 9781138362703 (hbk) | ISBN
9781138362727 (pbk)
Subjects: LCSH: Strategic planning. | Management. | Organizational
change. | Sports—Management.
Classification: LCC HD30.28 .G727 2019 | DDC 658.4/012—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018027490
ISBN: 978-1-138-36270-3 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-36272-7 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-429-43189-0 (ebk)
Typeset in Baskerville
by Swales & Willis Ltd, Exeter, Devon, UK
Contents
List of figures and images xi
Foreword by Sir Tom Farmer KBE, Founder of Kwik Fit xv
Acknowledgements xvii
Our authors xix
1 Introduction: the grand strategist and the
Focus Framework 1
PART I
Changing the game in business 15
2 NCR Manufacturing: challenging Michael Porter’s
generic strategy theories 17
3 Scenario thinking: the answer to future uncertainty 39
4 The new age of strategic management 62
5 The power of purpose 79
FIONA GIFFORD
6 Innovation management and MTBD>MTBS 89
7 Strategic benchmarking 109
8 Braveheart 2: future lessons from yesterday’s leaders 128
9 Clusters are cool! 145
10 Making mergers work: mixing spirits 170
11 Managing in (and out of) recession 195
12 Adelon Ireland: the road to a strategic site 207
JAMES BOWEN
