Always a Winner

About the Author

Peter Navarro, Ph.D., is a renowned economist and author, known for his insightful works on economic strategy and global trade. He is a professor at the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine. Navarro has authored several influential books, including The Coming China Wars, The Well-Timed Strategy, and If It's Raining in Brazil, Buy Starbucks.

Main Idea

Always a Winner by Peter Navarro is a strategic guide for businesses aiming to thrive throughout the economic cycle, not just during periods of growth. Navarro emphasizes the importance of becoming a Master Business Cycle Manager to gain a competitive edge by effectively anticipating and responding to economic fluctuations. The book provides actionable strategies and tools to ensure an organization remains profitable during both economic booms and recessions.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Chapter 1: A Big Picture View of the Always a Winner Organization
• Chapter 2: Becoming Your Own Economic Forecaster
• Chapter 3: Always a Winner Strategies Through the Business Cycle Seasons
• Chapter 4: Building the Always a Winner Organization
• Conclusion

Introduction

In Always a Winner, Navarro sets the stage by underscoring the critical lesson learned from the 2007-2009 financial crisis: the business cycle is unpredictable and can be highly destructive. He advocates for businesses to adopt a proactive approach in managing economic fluctuations to avoid being vulnerable during recessions. This book serves as a comprehensive guide for businesses to develop and implement strategies that ensure sustained profitability and competitive advantage.

Chapter 1: A Big Picture View of the Always a Winner Organization

Navarro begins by outlining the three essential steps to becoming an "Always a Winner" organization:

1. Develop strong forecasting capabilities to anticipate business cycle movements.
2. Apply well-timed strategies across the organization based on forecasting data.
3. Build an organization with a strategic business cycle orientation and high economic literacy.

By following these steps, organizations can recession-proof themselves and achieve superior financial performance, gaining a sustainable advantage over rivals. Navarro emphasizes the importance of viewing recessions not just as threats but as opportunities for strategic growth.

Key Principles of Strategic Business Cycle Management

Navarro discusses several key principles for managing through business cycle seasons: