Value in brands and competitive analysis

Two interesting pieces this week coming from Emory.

The first article looks at the role of brands in mergers and acquisitions. Specifically, it looks at how the acquiring company perceives the brand that it is acquiring and what value it places on its strength.

The second article uses, as its point of entry, Thomas Davenport's now-popular book Competing on Analytics: The Science of Winning. The authors explain how information - data relevant to a sector or industry - can be utilized in improving effectiveness and efficiency of a business, and how it also equips a company with new strategic advantages.

Here is a preview of what's in Davenport's book, and an article from Harvard Business Review.

These are some interesting ideas. Enjoy!