S05E09 Jay Barney and the Resource-Based View of Strategy
Take the leap - Management by Gunnar
Release Date: 09/05/2025
S06E04 Is Strategic Alignment Mostly Theater?
Take the leap - Management by Gunnar
Almost every project claims to be strategic. But when everything sounds aligned, does strategy still help us choose? This episode examines when strategic language becomes more performance than discipline.
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S06E03 Why Zombie Projects Never Die
Take the leap - Management by Gunnar
Some projects stop creating real value long before they stop consuming time, money, and attention. This episode looks at zombie projects, sunk cost, and the growing burden of portfolio debt.
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S06E02 Your Hidden Portfolio Is Bigger Than You Think
Take the leap - Management by Gunnar
Most organizations manage two portfolios at once: the official one on the slides, and the shadow one made up of urgent fixes, hidden work, and constant interruptions. This episode explores the gap between planned priorities and lived reality.
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S06E01 Why the Best Project Often Loses
Take the leap - Management by Gunnar
Welcome to season 6 of Management talks with Gunnar Wettergren. This first series is a reflective podcast series about what really shapes IT project portfolios, including strategy, politics, hidden work, AI, resilience, public value, and the future of portfolio leadership. In this first episode we ask why weaker projects survive while better ones quietly disappear? This opening episode explores the real forces behind portfolio decisions, including power, sponsorship, visibility, timing, and organizational politics.
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S05E14 Why Prototypes Matter More Than Perfect Plans
Take the leap - Management by Gunnar
This module helps students understand how ideas move from abstract concepts to tangible learning tools. The focus is on prototyping as a way of exploring assumptions, testing as a way of generating evidence, and iteration as a disciplined process of improvement. Students should leave the module with a clear understanding that prototypes are not unfinished failures, but purposeful instruments for learning under uncertainty.
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S05E13 Problem Identification in Communities
Take the leap - Management by Gunnar
This episode helps you understand how meaningful problems are identified in real communities. The focus is on moving beyond assumptions, abstract problem statements, and solution-first thinking.
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S05E12 What Is Design Thinking and Why Does It Matter?
Take the leap - Management by Gunnar
This episode introduces Design Thinking as a human-centered and iterative way of approaching complex problems. After this episode, students should be able to explain what Design Thinking is, why it differs from solution-first approaches, and why empathy, experimentation, and iteration are central.
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S05E11 Peter Drucker and the Purpose of Management
Take the leap - Management by Gunnar
In this lecture, we explore the ideas of Peter Drucker, often called the father of modern management. Drucker argued that the true purpose of business is to create a customer, and that innovation and responsibility are at the heart of management practice. We discuss his influence on concepts such as management by objectives, the rise of knowledge workers, and the ethical role of corporations in society. With examples from Intel, Apple, and Johnson & Johnson, the episode highlights how Drucker’s broad and pragmatic vision continues to shape how organizations think about strategy, purpose,...
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S05E10 Prahalad & Hamel and the Idea of Core Competencies
Take the leap - Management by Gunnar
In this lecture, we explore C. K. Prahalad and Gary Hamel’s influential concept of core competencies and their argument that firms succeed not by managing portfolios of products, but by cultivating the deep, collective capabilities that underpin innovation and growth. Using examples from Honda, Canon, Apple, and Google, we see how core competencies enable firms to enter new markets, create new products, and sustain advantage over time. The episode also considers the risks of neglecting or misidentifying competencies, the need for renewal in a fast-changing world, and the ethical implications...
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S05E09 Jay Barney and the Resource-Based View of Strategy
Take the leap - Management by Gunnar
In this lecture, we explore Jay Barney’s influential Resource-Based View of the firm and his argument that sustainable competitive advantage comes from unique internal resources and capabilities. We examine the VRIN framework — resources that are valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable — and see how companies from Apple to Toyota and Zara have leveraged such resources to maintain their edge. The episode also considers critiques of RBV, its extension into dynamic capabilities, and the ethical questions raised when resources such as data, culture, or natural assets are used for...
info_outlineIn this lecture, we explore Jay Barney’s influential Resource-Based View of the firm and his argument that sustainable competitive advantage comes from unique internal resources and capabilities. We examine the VRIN framework — resources that are valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable — and see how companies from Apple to Toyota and Zara have leveraged such resources to maintain their edge. The episode also considers critiques of RBV, its extension into dynamic capabilities, and the ethical questions raised when resources such as data, culture, or natural assets are used for competitive advantage. Barney’s work reminds us that strategy is not only about markets and positioning, but about what firms uniquely bring to the competition.