Episode notes
Value Chain Analysis (VCA) is a strategic method used to identify how a company’s internal activities generate competitive advantage.
Podcast
The Pocket MBA
The Business School · Business · English
Discussing the key theories in economics, business, management, strategy, innovation, marketing, and psychology. Your own personal pocket business school.
More from The Pocket MBA All episodes →
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S1 · E20 · 9 Oct 2026 · 46 min
Macroenvironmental Analysis
PEST, PESTEL / PESTLE, STEP, STEEP, STEEPLE, etc., are slight variations of frameworks used for macroenvironmental analysis. Irrespective of the specific taxonomy used, scanning the external environment regularly is essential to identify critical long-term trends and shape proactive strategies. Ultimately, these frameworks provide crucial guidance for managers navigating complex, ever-changing global business landscapes.
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S1 · E18 · 3 Apr 2026 · 45 min
Organisational Learning and Absorptive Capacity
Successful learning is not a universal ability but a result of relational compatibility and the technical ease with which specific knowledge can be communicated. There are specific mechanisms and obstacles associated with interorganizational and internal knowledge transfer.
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S1 · E17 · 28 Mar 2026 · 58 min
Resource-based view and the VRIO framework
The Resource-Based View (RBV) of the firm is a strategic framework that shifts focus from external market conditions to a company's internal tangible and intangible assets. Central to this perspective is the VRIO analytical framework, which evaluates whether resources are Valuable, Rare, Inimitable, and supported by the Organisation to determine their potential for creating a sustained competitive advantage.
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S1 · E16 · 21 Nov 2025 · 38 min
Power
Power dynamics or political currency - How to execute your agenda in a complex organisation? How is power acquired, held and lost? Why do some people have power and others don't?
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S1 · E15 · 20 Nov 2025 · 31 min
Psychological Safety and the Fearless Organization
Psychological Safety is often misunderstood as group cohesion, ignoring performance or softness. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In reality, it is about leaders demonstrating situational humility and responding productively. Psychological safety is a necessary but not sufficient condition for high performance - it must be balanced with high standards, accountability, and a focus on results.
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S1 · E14 · 18 Nov 2025 · 41 min
Motivation
Human motivation in the workplace is a complex and widely misunderstood topic. This episode discusses intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of behaviour, from Maslow's foundational need hierarchy, to Herzberg's two-factor theory, to the latest in behavioural science.
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