The trouble that some 20th century business models are having with new, 21st century paradigms have some parallels with the rise and fall of great societies. Complexity may be the cause of its own downfall because it is affected by the law of diminishing returns. But this observation makes some implicit assumptions that may not hold true for long. What if the new paradigms had some form of immunity to this historic law?
Archive for the ‘Strategy’ Category
Are Complex Business Models Really Dead?
Saturday, April 3rd, 2010iPad Strategy Misunderstood
Thursday, February 4th, 2010
Segmentation is the heart of marketing because it is the best way to guarantee the relevancy of the offering, of the value proposition, and of the messaging to the target market. So, by definition, what is aimed at one segment does not necessarily please another segment, nor should it. This “Marketing 101″ lesson seems lost on the mass of skeptical technology enthusiasts who do not see in the iPad what they were hoping for. But make no mistake: the iPad is a transformational product. Apple intends to capitalize on the momentum of the iPod and iPhone to rope in enough partners and spark another revolution.
The New Normal and the Consequences for Marketing Strategy
Thursday, August 20th, 2009
Many savvy observers are convinced that this recession will not just be a temporary pause in a generally upward economic trend but will represent a “reset“, a point from which the US economy is going to operate differently moving forward. The probable long term contraction of consumer spending will have some important consequences for marketers, mainly: international marketing and exporting are going to become key components of the recovery with business investment as a corollary.
Strategic Marketing Case Study: Thin-Film Solar Technology
Monday, June 29th, 2009
Solar power has been a topic of discussion and high hopes for decades now. Actually, that is not a very good sign. Solar power technology still needs to “cross the chasm”, to become a widespread technology that can effectively compete with electricity generated from fossil fuels. Success is not so much a matter of popular acceptance of the technology which is high overall, but mostly a matter of cost. Here’s a suitably hot, summer mini-case study on the future of the solar power business.
21 Signs That Your Company Is Not Customer-Driven
Monday, April 27th, 2009
Companies talk a lot about being more customer-driven, but it mostly remains just talk. It makes for good PR internally and externally. The question is whether a transition has really been made away from being mostly product-driven. Here is a selection of practical signs that indicate that a focus on products is preventing your company from unlocking real value for customers.
Should Your Company Switch To a Low-Cost Strategy?
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
When it comes to competitive advantage, the recession is re-dealing the cards. If you suspect that the value your company delivers is seen as being too rich, now is the time to do some forward-looking thinking to decide if the basis on which you are competing needs to change.
Has Your Company Fallen Into One of These Four Strategic Traps?
Tuesday, April 14th, 2009
For a management team, it is hard to accept that a strategy that was birthed after so much work, discussion, and compromise is leading to limited growth, or worse. That is the predicament that many SMBs find themselves in, and it can be painfully apparent especially in these times. Here is a framework that describes four common strategic traps, some of them uglier than others, identified by examining the combination of two strategic biases (see diagram). (more…)
In This Economy, Does Your Value Proposition Still Hold?
Thursday, April 2nd, 2009
The news is full of stories of companies “battening down the hatches”, going into “cash conservation mode”, and making deep cost reductions in an effort to survive the real or expected drop in demand. This retreat reflex drives business decisions that feel like the right thing to do at the moment. But, statistically, for many companies these measures will prove insufficient (more…)
Market Research by Product Launch: When Does It Make Sense?
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009
We all know of companies that put products out in the marketplace like the proverbial spaghetti tossed against the wall just to see if “it sticks”. Spotty planning and tentative execution usually lead to mixed results and perplexity as to what to do next.
But are there circumstances when a solid case can be made for the “let’s see if it sticks” approach? What if throwing spaghetti had real value? (more…)
When Does “Focus” Become “Tunnel Vision”?
Friday, March 6th, 2009
“Tunnel vision is a medical condition that results in a loss of peripheral vision. As a result, the patient can only see objects from within a circular field.”
Today, “focus” is an almost universally accepted imperative when elaborating a business strategy. But tunnel vision is a risk inherent to concentrating on the pressing objectives of the day. So what happens when focus turns to tunnel vision? What are the signs? How does one resist it?
Clearly, there is a right way to focus, as well as some pitfalls. (more…)
