Strategic Management Collection

John A. Pearce II, Editor

Strategic
Management
An Executive
Perspective

Cornelis A. de Kluyver
John A. Pearce II
Strategic Management:
An Executive Perspective
Strategic Management:
An Executive Perspective

Cornelis A. de Kluyver and John A. Pearce II

Strategic Management: An Executive Perspective
Copyright © Business Expert Press, LLC, 2015.

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Business Expert Press Strategic Management Collection

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 Abstract
The principal objectives of this book are to assist practicing managers
in preparing to assume executive responsibilities and to introduce MBA
and Executive MBA students to an executive perspective on strategic
management.
Organizational success crucially depends on having a superior strategy
and effectively implementing it. Companies that outperform their rivals
typically have a better grasp of what customers value, who their competi-
tors are, and how they can create an enduring competitive advantage.
Successful strategies reflect a solid grasp of relevant forces in the exter-
nal and competitive environment, a clear strategic intent, and a deep
understanding of a company’s core competencies and assets. Generic
strategies rarely propel a firm to a leadership position. Knowing where to
go and finding carefully considered, creative ways of getting there are the
hallmarks of successful strategy.
Perhaps even more important to success is the ability to effectively
implement a chosen strategy—marshaling the right resources and talent,
creating a functional organizational structure, fostering a beneficial cor-
porate culture and providing appropriate incentives.

Keywords
Strategy formulation, corporate strategy, business unit strategy, competi-
tive advantage, business model, innovation, value creation, value prop-
osition, markets, segmentation, positioning, value disciplines, market
participation, supply chain infrastructure, global management model,
global industry, global branding, innovation, outsourcing, offshoring,
board of directors
 Contents
Acknowledgments....................................................................................ix
Preface...................................................................................................xi
Chapter 1 What Is Strategy?...............................................................1
Introduction......................................................................1
Strategy Formulation: Concepts and Dimensions...............5
The Strategy Formulation Process.....................................16
Chapter 2 Strategy and Performance.................................................19
Introduction....................................................................19
Strategy and Performance: A Conceptual Framework.......33
Evaluating Strategic Options............................................41
Chapter 3 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment.................45
Introduction....................................................................45
Globalization...................................................................46
The Technology Revolution..............................................54
Corporate Social Responsibility—A New Business
Imperative....................................................................58
Risk and Uncertainty.......................................................63
Chapter 4 Analyzing an Industry......................................................71
Industry Influences a Company’s Options
and Outcomes..............................................................71
What Is an Industry?........................................................72
Industry Evolution...........................................................76
Methods for Analyzing an Industry..................................86
Chapter 5 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base...............91
Introduction....................................................................91
Strategic Resources...........................................................92
Global Supply-Chain Management................................103
Forces for Change..........................................................109
Stakeholder Analysis.......................................................111
Creating a Green Corporate Strategy..............................112
Chapter 6 Formulating Business Unit Strategy................................119
Introduction..................................................................119
viii CONTENTS

SBU Disruptions Come from Myriad Sources................120

Foundations...................................................................120
Formulating a Competitive Strategy...............................122
Porter’s Generic Business Unit Strategies........................128
Value Disciplines............................................................133
Designing a Profitable Business Model...........................136
Chapter 7 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and
Special Dimensions........................................................139
Introduction..................................................................139
One Cause to Reconsider an SBU Strategy....................139
Emerging, Growth, Mature, and Declining Industries....141
Fragmented, Deregulating, Hypercompetitive,
and Internet-Based Industries.....................................144
Business Unit Strategy: Special Dimensions...................153
Chapter 8 Global Strategy: Fundamentals.......................................167
Introduction..................................................................167
Global Strategy as Business Model Change....................167
Ghemawat’s Generic ”AAA” Global Strategy
Framework.................................................................168
Which ”A” Strategy Should a Company Choose?...........174
The Need for Global Strategic Management...................177
Chapter 9 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model...............189
Introduction..................................................................189
Globalizing the Value Proposition..................................198
Globalizing the Sourcing Dimension.............................208
Chapter 10 The Board’s Role in Strategic Management.....................215
Introduction..................................................................215
What is the Proper Role of the Board in Strategy
Development?.............................................................215
Creating a Meaningful Role for the Board......................220
Dealing with Special Situations......................................223
Monitoring Strategy Implementation:
Choosing Metrics.......................................................230
Creating a Strategy Focused Board.............................. 231
Notes..................................................................................................233
Index..................................................................................................245
 Acknowledgments
Writing a book is a mammoth undertaking. Fortunately, we had a lot of
encouragement along the way from users of our other books, our pub-
lisher, our families, our colleagues, and our friends. We take this opportu-
nity to thank them all for their constructive criticisms, time, and words of
encouragement. We are grateful to all of them and hope the result meets
their high expectations.
We are particularly indebted to our families: Louise de Kluyver and
sons Peter and Jonathan, and Susie Pearce and sons David and Mark. We
thank them for their unwavering support.

Cornelis A. “Kees” de Kluyver

John A. “Jack” Pearce II
January 2015
 Preface
Executive students at both our institutions inspired the writing of this
book. Its content and structure reflect their probing questions, many con-
structive suggestions, and demand for practical examples. At the same
time, we have worked hard to differentiate this book from rival entries
by keeping it short, maintaining a conversational style, and adopting an
executive orientation.
Every company claims to have a strategy although it may not always
be explicitly articulated. In Chapter 1, “What is Strategy?”, we define
strategy as the deliberate act of positioning a company for competitive
advantage by focusing on unique ways to create value for customers. In
doing so, we distinguish strategy from business models and tactics. We
also differentiate between crafting a strategy and enhancing an organiza-
tion’s operational effectiveness, introduce the concept of a competitive
advantage cycle, and define such commonly used terms as mission, vision,
strategic intent, and stretch. We conclude with a discussion of the process
by which strategy is formulated in most companies.
Distinguishing effective from poor strategies should ultimately
be based on corporate performance. Chapter 2, “Strategy and Perfor-
mance,” begins with a discussion of the importance of economies of scale
and scope in today’s competitive environment. Next, it argues that care-
fully defining a firm’s core business is critical to sustained success as is a
clear understanding of the need and avenues for growth. With this back-
ground, we introduce a conceptual framework that links strategy and per-
formance. Finally, we discuss different approaches to evaluating strategy
proposals. As part of this discussion, concepts such as shareholder value
and the Balanced Scorecard are introduced.
Yearend strategy reviews are often devoted to “What has changed?”
discussions. In Chapter 3, “Analyzing the External Strategic Environ-
ment,” we look at three environmental trends that continue to reshape
the competitive environment. The first is globalization. We ask how global
we have become, analyze the persistence of distance, and look at why
xii PREFACE

companies and entire industries seek to become global. Next, we look

at how the technology revolution is changing business with particular
emphasis on the influence of the Internet, the impact of “Big Data” and
the new business models it is spawning. Third, we look at how demands
for corporate social responsibility (CSR) have created a new compact
between business and society. We end with a description of different
approaches to analyzing uncertainty in the competitive environment.
With Chapter 4, “Analyzing an Industry,” we begin the discussion of
specific analytical concepts, tools and frameworks used in strategy formu-
lation. We start by defining an industry along four principal dimensions:
products, customer, geography, and stages in the production–distribution
pipeline. Next, it introduces Porter’s well-known five forces model, the
so-called Rule of Three, and looks at patterns of industry evolution. It
concludes with a discussion of segmentation, competitor analysis, and
strategic groups.
In Chapter 5, “Analyzing an Organization’s Strategic Resource Base,”
we focus on analyzing a firm’s strategic resources, including its physical
assets, its relative financial position, the quality of its people, its market
reputation and brand equity, and specific knowledge, competencies, pro-
cesses, skills, or cultural aspects. As part of this discussion we consider the
value of a company’s global eco-system, look at internal change forces a
company must deal with and present a model for assessing an organiza-
tion’s capacity to absorb change. We end with a section on the benefits
associated with creating a green corporate strategy.
Two Chapters are devoted to the development of a competitive
strategy at the business unit level. Business unit or competitive strat-
egy is concerned with how to compete in a given competitive setting.
In Chapter 6, “Formulating Business Unit Strategy,” we ask the ques-
tion: What determines profitability at the business unit level? We look
at how profitability is related to the nature of the industry in which a
company competes and to the company’s competitive position within
that industry. Next, we discuss the concept of competitive advantage and
introduce value chain analysis, Porter’s generic strategy framework, and
value disciplines.
Hyper-competition is becoming the norm in many industries. In
Chapter 7, “Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions,”
 PREFACE
xiii

we move beyond generic strategies to strategy formulation in specific dif-

ferent industry environments. Three contexts represent different stages in
an industry’s evolution—emerging, growth, and maturity. We also discus
industry environments that pose unique strategic challenges such as frag-
mented, deregulating, hypercompetitive, and Internet-based industries.
Because hyper-competition is increasingly characteristic of business-level
competition in many industries, we conclude the chapter with a discus-
sion of two critical attributes of successful firms in dynamic industries:
speed and innovation.
Leveraging global opportunities is the subject of the next two Chap-
ters. In Chapter 8, “Global Strategy Formulation-Fundamentals,”
we introduce global strategy formulation as business model change—
through principles of adaptation, aggregation and arbitrage. We also
look at important changes companies have to make to their management
model as they globalize such as creating a global mindset, and restructur-
ing their operations for global competitive advantage.
Opening global markets, globalizing the value proposition and evalu-
ating sourcing and supply chain options are the major topics covered in
Chapter 9, “Corporate Strategy Formulation: Specifics.” The discussion
includes a section on the strategic logic behind the use of alliances in
pursuing global goals.
Visionary strategy development and implementation requires a diver-
sity of perspectives and strong endorsement by a company’s board of
directors. In Chapter 10, “The Board’s Role in Strategic Management,”
we discuss what contributions directors can make to the strategy formula-
tion process and when their involvement is essential. We conclude that
a board’s most important role is to monitor the strategy implementation
process and provide feedback to stakeholders.
Entrepreneurial thinking is important to effective strategy develop-
ment and implementation in any successful organization—at board level,
for managers at all levels of the organization, and in strategic partnerships.
Reflecting this thought, we end the book with a section on strategic met-
rics the board should consider and other actions the board can take to
infuse an entrepreneurial spirit.
 CHAPTER 1

What Is Strategy?

Introduction
The question “What is strategy?” has stimulated lots of debates, countless
articles, and serious disagreement among management thinkers. Perhaps
this is why many executives also struggle with it. However, they deserve
a pragmatic reply. Understanding how a strategy is crafted is important,
because there is a proven link between a company’s strategic choices and
its long-term performance. Successful companies typically have a better
grasp of customers’ wants and needs, their competitors’ strengths and
weaknesses, and how they can create value for all stakeholders. Successful
strategies reflect a company’s clear strategic intent and a deep understand-
ing of its core competencies and assets—generic strategies rarely propel a
company to a leadership position.
Numerous attempts have been made at providing a simple, descrip-
tive definition of strategy but its inherent complexity and subtlety pre-
clude a one-sentence description. There is a substantial agreement about
its principal dimensions, however. Strategy is about positioning an orga-
nization for competitive advantage. It involves making choices about which
markets to participate in, what products and services to offer, and how to
allocate corporate resources. And its primary goal is to create long-term value
for shareholders and other stakeholders by providing customer value. Strategy
therefore is different from vision, mission, goals, priorities, and plans. It is
the result of choices executives make, about what to offer, where to play and
how to win, to maximize long-term value.
What to offer refers to a company’s value proposition and comprises
the core of its business model; it includes everything it offers its customers
in a specific market or segment. This comprises not only the company’s
bundles of products and services but also how it differentiates itself from
2 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

its competitors. A value proposition therefore consists of the full range of

tangible and intangible benefits a company provides to its customers and
other stakeholders.
Where to play specifies the target markets in terms of the customers
and the needs to be served. The best way to define a target market is
highly situational. It can be defined in any number of ways, such as by
where the target customers are (for example, in certain parts of the world
or in particular parts of town), how they buy (perhaps through specific
channels), who they are (their particular demographics and other innate
characteristics), when they buy (for example, on particular occasions),
what they buy (for instance, are they price buyers or do they place more
value on service?), and for whom they buy (themselves, friends, family,
their company, or their customers?).
How to win spells out the capabilities and policies that will give a
company an essential advantage over key competitors in delivering the
value proposition. As such, it has two dimensions. The first is the value
chain infrastructure dimension. It deals with questions such as: What key
internal resources and capabilities has the company created to support the
chosen value proposition and target markets? What partner network has
it assembled to support the business model? and How are these activities
organized into an overall, coherent value creation and delivery model?
The second is the management dimension. It summarizes a company’s
choices about its organizational structure, financial structure, and man-
agement policies. Organization and management style are closely linked.
In companies that are organized primarily around product divisions man-
agement is often highly centralized. In contrast, companies operating
with a more geographic organizational structure usually are managed on
a more decentralized basis.
Choices must be made because there is usually more than one way to
win in every market, but not everyone can win in any given market. With
good choices, a business gains the right to win in its target markets. The
target market, value proposition, capabilities and management regime
must hang together in a coherent way.
Most companies face innumerable options for what value proposi-
tion to choose, where to play and how to win. As well, they have to sort
out seemingly conflicting objectives such as the need for both long-term
 What Is Strategy? 3

growth and short-term profitability. To “maximize long-term value”

means—when there are mutually exclusive options—to select options
that will give the greatest sustained increase to the company’s economic
value. It is worth emphasizing that “maximizing long-term value” is not
the same thing as “maximizing share price” or “maximizing shareholder
value.” Those objectives typically represent the more short-term demands
of current shareholders or their advisers, and they do not always align
with what is best for all stakeholders, On the other hand, “maximizing
long-term value” does not mean forgetting about the short term. Eco-
nomic value takes into account growth and profitability, the short term
and long term, and risk as well as reward.
Strategic thinking has evolved substantially in the past 25 years. We
have learned much about how to analyze the competitive environment,
define a sustainable position, develop competitive and corporate advan-
tages, and how to sustain advantage in the face of competitive challenges
and threats. Different approaches—including industrial organization
theory, the resource-based view, dynamic capabilities and game theory—
have helped academicians and practitioners understand the dynamics of
competition and develop recommendations about how firms should de-
fine their competitive and corporate strategies. But drivers such as glo-
balization and technological change continue to profoundly change the
competitive game. The fastest growing firms in this new environment
appear to be those that have taken advantage of these structural changes
to innovate in their business models so they can compete differently.
In addition to the business model innovation drivers noted above,
much recent interest has come from three other environmental shifts.
Advances in information technology have been a major force behind the
recent interest in business model innovation. Many e-businesses are based
on new business models. New strategies for the ‘bottom of the pyramid’ in
emerging markets have also steered researchers and practitioners toward
the systematic study of business approaches. Third, the quest for sustain-
ability and commitment to corporate social responsibility in all aspects of a
business have become an imperative: A company that creates profit for its
shareholders while protecting the environment and improving the lives
of those with whom it interacts is likely to enjoy a significant competi-
tive advantage over its rivals. These companies operate in such a way that
4 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

their business interests and the interests of the environment and society
intersect.
The evolution of strategic thinking reflects these changes and is char-
acterized by a gradual shift in focus from an industrial economics to a
resource-based perspective to a human and intellectual capital perspective.
It is important to understand the reasons underlying this evolution, be-
cause they reflect a changing view of what strategy is and how it is crafted.
The early industrial economics perspective held that environmental
­influences—particularly those that shape industry structure—were the
primary determinants of a company’s success. The competitive environ-
ment was thought to impose pressures and constraints, which made cer-
tain strategies more attractive than others. Carefully choosing where to
compete—selecting the most attractive industries or industry segments—
and control strategically important resources, such as financial capital, be-
came the dominant themes of strategy development at both the business
unit and corporate levels. The focus, therefore, was on capturing economic
value through adept positioning. Thus, industry analysis, competitor
analysis, segmentation, positioning, and strategic planning became the
most important tools for analyzing strategic opportunity.1
As globalization, the technology revolution, and other major envi-
ronmental forces picked up speed and radically changed the competitive
landscape, key assumptions underlying the industrial economics model
came under scrutiny. Should the competitive environment be treated as
a constraint on strategy formulation, or was strategy really about shap-
ing competitive conditions? Was the assumption that businesses should
control most of the relevant strategic resources needed to compete still
applicable? Were strategic resources really as mobile as the traditional
model assumed, and was the advantage associated with owning particular
resources and competencies therefore necessarily short lived?
In response to these questions, a resource-based perspective of strategy
development emerged. Rather than focusing on positioning a company
within environment-dictated constraints, this new school of thought de-
fined strategic thinking in terms of building core capabilities that tran-
scend the boundaries of traditional business units. It focused on creating
corporate portfolios around core businesses and on adopting goals and
 What Is Strategy? 5

processes aimed at enhancing core competencies.2 This new paradigm re-

flected a shift in emphasis from capturing economic value to creating value
through the development and nurturing of key resources and capabilities.
The current focus on knowledge and human and intellectual capital as
a company’s key strategic resource is a natural extension of the resource-
based view of strategy and fits with the transition of global commerce
to a knowledge-based economy. For a majority of companies, access to
physical or financial resources no longer is an impediment to growth or
opportunity; not having the right people or knowledge has become the
limiting factor. Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo scan the entire pool of U.S.
computer science graduates every year to identify and attract the few they
want to attract. Today it is recognized that competency-based strategies
are dependent on people, that scarce knowledge and expertise drive prod-
uct development, and that personal relationships with clients are critical
to market responsiveness.3

Strategy Formulation: Concepts and Dimensions

Strategy, Business Models, and Tactics

Every company has a business model—a blueprint of how it does busi-

ness—defined by its core strategy although it may not always be explicitly
articulated. This model most likely evolved over time as the company rose
to prominence in its primary markets and reflects key choices about what
value it provides to whom, how, and at what price and cost. As shown in
Figure 1.1, it describes who its customers are, how it reaches them and re-
lates to them (market participation); what a company offers its customers
(the value proposition); with what resources, activities, and partners it cre-
ates its offerings (value chain infrastructure); and finally, how it organizes,
finances, and manages its operations (management model ).
A company’s value proposition comprises the core of its business model;
it includes everything it offers to its customers in a specific market or seg-
ment. This comprises not only the company’s bundles of products and
services, but also how it differentiates itself from its competitors. A value
proposition therefore consists of the full range of tangible and intangible
benefits a company provides to its customers and other stakeholders.
6 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

The Value
Proposition
• Offer
• Message

Value Chain Innovation Market

Infrastructure Supply Participation
• Core Capabilities Global • Target Markets and
Chain
• Partner Network Branding Mode of Entry
Management
• Supply Chain Managing • Distribution
Architecture Globally • Global Branding

Management
Model
• Mindset
• Organization

Figure 1.1  Four components of a business model

The market participation dimension of a business model has three com-

ponents. It describes what specific markets or segments a company chooses
to serve, domestically or abroad; what methods of distribution it uses to
reach its customers; and how it promotes and advertises its value proposi-
tion to its target customers.
The value chain infrastructure dimension of the business model deals
with such questions as: What key internal resources and capabilities has
the company created to support the chosen value proposition and target
markets? What partner network has it assembled to support the business
model? and How are these activities organized into an overall, coherent
value creation and delivery model?
The management submodel summarizes a company’s choices about
a suitable organizational structure, financial structure, and management
policies. Typically, organization and management are closely linked. In
companies that are organized primarily around product divisions man-
agement is often highly centralized. In contrast, companies operating
with a more geographic organizational structure usually are managed on
a more decentralized basis.
Business models can take many forms. The well-known “razor–razor
blade model” involves pricing razors inexpensively, but aggressively
­marking-up the consumables (razor blades). Jet engines for commercial
 What Is Strategy? 7

aircraft are priced the same way—manufacturers know that engines are
long lived, and maintenance and parts are where Rolls Royce, General
Electric (GE), Pratt & Whitney and others make their money. In the
sports apparel business, sponsorship is a key component of today’s busi-
ness models. Nike, Adidas, Reebok, and others sponsor football and
soccer clubs and teams, providing kit and sponsorship dollars as well as
royalty streams from the sale of replica products.
In industries characterized by a single dominant business model com-
petitive advantage is won mainly through better execution, more efficient
processes, lean organizations, and product innovation. Increasingly, how-
ever, industries feature multiple- and co-existing business models. In this
environment, competitive advantage is achieved by creating focused and
innovative business models. Consider the airline, music, telecom or bank-
ing industries. In each one there are different business models competing
against each other. For example, in the airline industry there are the tra-
ditional flag carriers, the low-cost airlines, the business class only airlines,
and the fractional private jet ownership companies. Each business model
embodies a different approach to achieving a competitive advantage.
Describing a company’s strategy in terms of its business model al-
lows explicit consideration of the logic or architecture of each compo-
nent and its relationship to others as a set of designed choices that can
be changed. Thus, thinking holistically about every component of the
business model—and systematically challenging orthodoxies within these
­components—significantly extends the scope for innovation and im-
proves the chances of building a sustainable competitive advantage.
The term “strategy”, however, has a broader meaning. It extends be-
yond the design of business models—and redesigning them as competi-
tive positions change—for long-term economic value: Strategy formulation
embodies a “contingency” notion—a good strategy anticipates a wide range of
changes in the competitive environment and contains provisions to deal effec-
tively with those changes. A business model therefore is more generic than a
specific business strategy. Coupling strategic analysis with business model
evaluation is necessary in order to protect whatever competitive advantage
results from the design and implementation of new business models. Se-
lecting a business strategy is a more granular exercise than designing a busi-
ness model. Linking competitive strategy analysis to business model design
8 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

requires segmenting the market, creating a value proposition for each seg-
ment, setting up the apparatus to deliver that value, and then figuring
out how to prevent the business model/strategy from being undermined
through imitation by competitors or disintermediation by customers.4
We also need to distinguish between the terms “strategy” and “tactics”.
New business concepts, technologies, and ideas are born every day. The
Internet, innovation, outsourcing, offshoring, total quality, flexibility,
and speed, for example, all have come to be recognized as essential to
a company’s competitive strength and agility. But although enhancing
operational effectiveness is crucial in today’s cut throat competitive envi-
ronment, it is no substitute for sound strategic thinking. There is a dif-
ference between strategy and tactics—the application of operational tools
and managerial philosophies focused on operational effectiveness. Both
are essential to competitiveness. But whereas tactics are aimed at doing
things better than competitors, strategy focuses on doing things differently.
Understanding this distinction is critical, as recent history has shown.
Companies that embraced the Internet as “the strategic answer” to their
business rather than just another, if important, new tool were in for a rude
awakening. By focusing too much on e-business options at the expense
of broader strategic concerns, many found themselves chasing customers
indiscriminately, trading quality and service for price, and, with it, losing
their competitive advantage and profitability.5

Good Strategy Takes a Long-term Perspective

and Forces Trade-offs

Strategic thinking, instead, focuses on the longer term and on taking dif-
ferent approaches to deliver customer value; on choosing different sets of
activities that cannot easily be imitated, thereby providing a basis for an
enduring competitive advantage. Amazon is a good example.
Today, Amazon offers 230 million items for sale in America—some
30 times the number sold by Wal-Mart, the world’s biggest retailer, which
has its own fast-growing online business. Its total 2013 revenues were
$74.5 billion, but when one takes into account the merchandise that
other companies sell through its “marketplace” service the sales volume is
nearly double that. Though by far the biggest online retailer in America,
 What Is Strategy? 9

Amazon is still growing faster than the 17 percent pace of e-commerce

as a whole. It is the top online seller in Europe and Japan, too, and has
designs on China’s vast market. Last year Amazon was the world’s ninth-
biggest retailer ranked by sales; by 2018 it may well be in the top two.
On top of its online-retail success, Amazon has produced two other
transformative businesses. The Kindle e-reader pioneered the shift from
paper books to electronic ones, creating a market that now accounts
for more than a 10th of spending on books in America and which
­Amazon dominates. Less visible but just as transformative is Amazon’s
invention in 2006 of cloud-computing as a pay-as-you-go service, now
a $9 billion market. That venture, called Amazon Web Services (AWS),
has slashed the technology costs of starting an enterprise or running an
existing one.
And Amazon enjoys an advantage most competitors envy: Remark-
ably patient shareholders. The company made a net profit of just $274
million last year, a minuscule amount in relation to its revenues and its
$154 billion value on the stock exchange; its shares are valued at more
than 500 times last year’s earnings, 34 times the multiple for Wal-Mart.
Ités core retail business is thought to do little better than break-even;
most of its profits come from the independent vendors who sell through
Amazon’s marketplace.
Such long-termism takes investment. In its early days Amazon avoided
direct competition with retailers because its lack of stores made it “capital-
light”. Today its empire of warehouses and data centers has changed that.
Now its pitch to merchants and technologists is that it will build physical
assets so that they do not have to. By doing so, it keeps its competitors close
and makes them depend on Amazon for key parts of their business models.6
ING DIRECT (the trading name of ING Bank [Australia] Limited)
is the world’s leading direct savings bank and provides another example
of a company with a potentially (industry-) transformative strategy that
forces competitors to reexamine their entire business model. ING Di-
rect operates a branchless direct bank with operations in Australia, Austria
(branded ING-DiBa), Canada, France, Germany (branded ING-DiBa),
Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It offers services
over the Internet and by phone, ATM, or mail and focuses on simple,
high-interest savings accounts. Customers do business exclusively online,
10 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

over the phone, or by mail. The bank’s value proposition is simple and
direct—great rates, 24 × 7 convenience, and superior customer service.
In the United States alone, ING DIRECT has already attracted more
than two million customers.
Whereas operational effectiveness tools can improve competitiveness,
they do not by themselves force companies to choose between entirely
different, internally consistent sets of activities. Other banks could copy
ING DIRECT and other competitors by also offering banking services
directly to end users, but they would have to dismantle their traditional
distribution structures—branch offices primarily—to reap the benefits
ING realizes from its strategy. Thus, choosing a unique competitive posi-
tioning—the essence of strategy—forces trade-offs in terms of what to do
and, equally important, what not to do and creates barriers to imitation.

Value Erodes Over Time

Good strategy formulation focuses on creating value—for customers,

shareholders, partners, suppliers, employees, and the community—by
satisfying the needs and wants of the market place better than anyone
else. If a company can deliver value to its customers better than its rivals
can over a sustained period of time, that company likely has a superior
strategy. This is not a simple task. Customers’ wants, needs, and prefer-
ences change, often rapidly, as they become more knowledgeable about a
product or service, as new competitors enter the market, and as new en-
trants redefine what value means. As a result, what is valuable today might
not be valuable tomorrow. The moral of this logic is simple but powerful:
The value of a particular product or service offering, unless constantly main-
tained, nourished, and improved, erodes with time.
Consider the U.S. market for coffee. Thirty years ago, coffee was more
or less a commodity. Traditional coffee shops and “office” coffee defined
consumer behavior, and Nescafé, Folgers, and Hills Brothers accounted
for approximately 90 percent of the retail market. Then Starbucks came
along. The company redefined “drinking a cup of coffee” into a new value
proposition consisting of three elements: (1) “great” coffee—Starbuck’s
relentless search for the highest quality coffee in the world was the cor-
nerstone of a differentiated market positioning; (2) a unique physical
 What Is Strategy? 11

environment—Starbucks created a “second” living room for customers

to enjoy their coffee, relax, and meet people; and (3) a new service phi-
losophy—“baristas” were expected to be experts in coffee and provide
a high level of customized service. The new value proposition took off
and redefined the competitive playing field for traditional coffeemakers
and grocery stores, chains such as Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s and
many others. To this day, major companies such as General Foods and
Procter & Gamble are having trouble launching a major counteroffensive
for marketing gourmet coffee through traditional (grocery) channels, a
clear indication of how radically customer perceptions of value about cof-
fee have changed.
The Starbucks example illustrates the principle of “value migration”
and its consequences for creating competitive advantage. At any given
point in time a company competes with a particular mix of resources.
Some of the company’s assets and capabilities are better than those of
its rivals; others are inferior; the superior assets and capabilities are the
source of positional advantages. Whatever competitive advantage the firm
possesses, it must expect that ongoing change in the strategic environ-
ment and competitive moves by rival firms continuously work to erode
it. Competitive strategy thus has a dual purpose: (1) slowing down the
erosion process by protecting current sources of advantage against the
actions of competitors and (2) investing in new capabilities that form
the basis for the next position of competitive advantage. The creation and
maintenance of advantage is therefore a continuous process.

Strategy Is About Creating Options

At the time a strategy is crafted some outcomes are more predictable than
others. When Motorola invests in a new technology, for example, it might
know that this technology holds promise in several markets. Its precise
returns in different applications, however, might not be known with any
degree of certainty until much later.7 Therefore, strategy formulation is
about crafting a long-term vision for an organization while maintaining
a degree of flexibility about how to get there and creating a portfolio of
options for adapting to change. Strategy formulation therefore includes
considering a host of environmental and organizational contingencies.
12 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

This implies learning is an essential component of the process. As soon as

a company begins to implement a chosen direction, it starts to learn—
about how well attuned the chosen direction is to the competitive en-
vironment, how rivals are likely to respond, and how well prepared the
organization is to carry out its competitive intentions.

Strategy: An Ecosystem Perspective

In today’s increasingly interconnected world, a single company focus

often is not strategically viable. Most companies rely heavily on networks
of partners, suppliers, and customers to achieve market success and sus-
tain performance. These networks function like a biological ecosystem, in
which companies succeed and fail as a collective whole.
Business ecosystems have become a widespread phenomenon within
industries such as banking, biotechnology, insurance, and software. As
with biological systems, the boundaries of a business ecosystem are fluid
and sometimes difficult to define. Business ecosystems cross entire indus-
tries and can encompass the full range of organizations that influence the
value of a product or service.
Technology increasingly is the connective tissue that lets the ecosys-
tem function, grow, and develop in widely diverse ways. Corporations
planning to craft an effective ecosystem strategy must have a technical
infrastructure in place that allows them to share information and en-
courage collaboration, as well as integrate systems within the ecosystem.
Wal-Mart’s success as the world’s largest retailer, for example, is based,
in part, on information technology decisions that are closely tied to its
understanding of the ecosystem on which it depends. Wal-Mart main-
tains a vast supply-chain ecosystem that stretches from manufacturer to
consumer. This centralized supply chain brings efficiencies to Wal-Mart
and also creates value for its suppliers, both large and small, by providing
a massive new channel for them to reach consumers worldwide.
An ecosystem-based strategy perspective makes clear the importance
of interdependency in today’s business environment. Stand-alone strate-
gies often no longer suffice, because a company’s performance is increas-
ingly dependent on its ability to influence assets outside its direct control.
 What Is Strategy? 13

Strategy as Alignment

Strategy is concerned with analyzing and making decisions about numer-

ous activities ranging from acquiring and allocating resources to building
capabilities to shaping corporate culture to installing appropriate sup-
port systems. All these decisions are aimed at aligning an organization’s
resources and capabilities with the goals of a chosen strategic direction.
Strategic alignment can be directed at closing strategic capability gaps or at
maintaining strategic focus.
Strategic capability gaps are substantive disparities in competences,
skills, and resources between what customers demand or are likely to de-
mand in the future and what the organization currently can deliver. This
strategic alignment dimension, therefore, focuses on closing the gap be-
tween what it takes to succeed in the marketplace and what the company
currently can do. Examples of activities in this category are developing bet-
ter technologies, creating faster delivery mechanisms, adopting a stronger
branding, and building a stronger distribution network.
A second dimension of alignment is concerned with maintaining stra-
tegic focus. Strategy formulation and implementation are human activi-
ties and thus are subject to error, obstruction, or even abuse. Therefore,
to successfully execute a chosen strategy an organization must find ways
to ensure that what is said—by groups and individuals at all levels of
the organization—is in fact done. Making sure strategic objectives are ef-
fectively communicated, allocating the necessary resources, and creating
proper incentives for effective alignment are examples of activities in this
category.

Is All Strategy Planned?

Even the best-laid plans do not always result in the intended outcomes.
Between the time a strategy is crafted—that is, when intended outcomes
are specified—and the time it is implemented, a host of things can change.
For example, a competitor might introduce a new product or new regula-
tions might have been passed. Thus, the realized strategy can be somewhat
different from the intended strategy.8
14 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Multiple Levels of Strategy

Strategy formulation occurs at the corporate, business unit, and functional

levels. In a multibusiness, diversified corporation, corporate strategy is
concerned with what kinds of businesses a firm should compete in and
how the overall portfolio of businesses should be managed. In a single-
product or single-service business or in a division of a multibusiness cor-
poration, business unit strategy is concerned with deciding what product
or service to offer, how to manufacture or create it, and how to take it
to the marketplace. Functional strategies typically involve a more limited
domain, such as marketing, human resources, or technology. All three are
parts of strategic management—the totality of managerial processes used
to guide the long-term future of an organization.

The Role of Stakeholders

Most companies rely, to a great extent, on a network of external s­ takeholders—

suppliers, partners, and even competitors—in creating value for customers.
The motivation of internal stakeholders—directors, top executives, middle
managers, and employees—also is critical to success. A misstep in managing
suppliers, a major error in employee relations, or a lack of communication
with principal shareholders can set back a company’s progress by years. The
importance of different stakeholders to a company’s competitive position
depends on the stake they have in the organization and the kind of influence
they can exert. Stakeholders can have an ownership stake (shareholders and
directors, among others), an economic stake (creditors, employees, custom-
ers, and suppliers), or a social stake (regulatory agencies, charities, the local
community, and activist groups).9 Some have formal power, others economic
or political power. Formal power is usually associated with legal obligations
or rights; economic power is derived from an ability to withhold products,
services, or capital; and political power is rooted in an ability to persuade
other stakeholders to influence the behavior of an organization.

Vision and Mission

A vision statement represents senior management’s long-range goals for

the organization—a description of what competitive position it wants
 What Is Strategy? 15

to attain over a given period of time and what core competencies it must
acquire to get there. As such, it summarizes a company’s broad strategic
focus for the future. A mission statement documents the purpose for an
organization’s existence. Mission statements often contain a code of cor-
porate conduct to guide management in implementing the mission.
In crafting a vision statement, two important lessons are worth heed-
ing. First, most successful companies focus on relatively few activities and
do them extremely well. Domino’s is successful precisely because it sticks
to pizza; H&R Block because it concentrates on tax preparation; and
­Microsoft because it focuses on software. This suggests that effective strat-
egy development is as much about deciding what not to do as it is about
choosing what activities to focus on.
The second lesson is that most successful companies achieved their
leadership position by adopting a vision far greater than their resource
base and competencies would allow. To become the market leader, a focus
on the drivers of competition is not enough; a vision that paints “a new
future” is required. With such a mindset, gaps between capabilities and
goals become challenges rather than constraints, and the goal of winning
can sustain a sense of urgency over a long period of time.10 Consider
Amazon’s vision statement: “Our vision is to be the earth’s most consumer
centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and
discover anything they might want to buy online”.
A vision statement should provide both strategic guidance and mo-
tivational focus. A good vision “is clear, but not so constraining that it
inhibits initiative, meets the legitimate interests and values of all stake-
holders, and is feasible; that is, it can be implemented.”11
Increasingly, companies are adopting formal statements of corporate
values, the core of a mission statement, and senior executives now rou-
tinely identify ethical behavior, honesty, integrity, and social concerns as
top issues on their companies’ agendas. Whole Foods Market is an ex-
ample of a company with a well-defined mission statement. It lists eight
core values that guide all of its strategic thinking:

• Selling the highest quality natural and organic products

available.
• Satisfying, delighting, and nourishing our customers.
16 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

• Supporting Team Member happiness and excellence.

• Creating wealth through profits and growth.
• Serving and supporting our local and global communities.
• Practicing and advancing our environmental stewardship.
• Creating ongoing win–win partnerships with our suppliers.
• Promoting the health of our stakeholders through healthy
eating education.

Strategic Intent and Stretch

A statement of strategic intent is both an executive summary of the stra-

tegic goals a company has adopted and a motivational message. Properly
articulated, a statement of strategic intent does more than paint a vision
for the future; it signals the desire to win and recognizes that successful
strategies are built as much around what can be as around what is. It
focuses the organization on key competitive targets and provides goals
about which competencies to develop, what kinds of resources to har-
ness, and what segments to concentrate on. Instead of worrying about
the degree of fit between current resources and opportunities, it shifts the
focus to how to close the capability gap. Current resources and capabili-
ties become starting points for strategy development, not constraints on
strategy formulation or its implementation.12
A related idea is the concept of stretch. Stretch reflects the recognition
that successful strategies are built as much around what can be as around
what is. Ultimately, every company must create a fit between its resources
and its opportunities. The question is over what time frame? Too short
a time frame encourages a focus on fit rather than stretch, on resource
­allocation rather than on getting more value from existing resources. The
use of too long a time horizon, however, creates an unacceptable degree of
uncertainty and threatens to turn stretch objectives into unrealistic goals.

The Strategy Formulation Process

Steps

The process of crafting a strategy can be organized around three key

questions: Where are we now? Where do we go? How do we get there? Each
 What Is Strategy? 17

question defines a part of the process and suggests different types of analy-
ses and evaluations. It also shows that the components of a strategic analy-
sis overlap, and that feedback loops are an integral part of the process.

1. The Where are we now? part of the process is concerned with assessing
the current state of the business or the company as a whole. It begins
with revisiting such fundamental issues as what the organization’s
mission is, what management’s long-term vision for the company is,
and who its principal stakeholders are. Other key components in-
clude a detailed evaluation of the company’s current performance; of
pertinent trends in the broader sociopolitical, economic, legal, and
technological environment in which the company operates; of op-
portunities and threats in the industry environment; and of internal
strengths and weaknesses.
2. The Where do we go? questions are designed to generate and explore
strategic alternatives based on the answers obtained to the first ques-
tion. At the business unit level, for example, are optional decisions,
such as whether to concentrate on growth in a few market segments
or adopt a wider market focus, go it alone or partner with another
company, or focus on value-added or low-cost solutions for cus-
tomers. At the corporate level, this part of the process is focused on
shaping the portfolio of businesses the company participates in and
on making adjustments in parenting philosophies and processes. At
both levels, the output is a statement of strategic intent, which identi-
fies the guiding business concept or driving force that will propel the
company forward.
3. The How do we get there? component of the process is focused on
how to achieve the desired objectives. One of the most important
issues addressed at this stage is how to bridge the capability gap that
separates current organizational skills and capabilities from those
that are needed to achieve the stated strategic intent. It deals with the
“strategic alignment” of core competences with emerging market needs
and with identifying key success factors associated with successfully
implementing the chosen strategy. The end product is a detailed set
of initiatives for implementing the chosen strategy and exercising
strategic discipline and control.
18 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Strategy and Planning

A strategy review can be triggered by a host of factors—new leadership,

disappointing performance, changes in ownership, and the emergence of
new competitors or technologies—or be part of a scheduled, typically
annual, review process.
Most companies employ some form of strategic planning. The impe-
tus for imposing structure to the process comes from two main pressures:
(1) the need to cope with an increasingly complex range of issues—­
economic, political, social, and legal on a global scale—and (2) the in-
creasing speed with which the competitive environment is changing.
A formal system ensures that the required amount of time and resources
are allocated to the process, that priorities are set, that activities are inte-
grated and coordinated, and that the right feedback is obtained.
This planning process is usually organized in terms of a planning cycle.
This cycle often begins with a review at the corporate level of the overall
competitive environment and of the corporate guidelines to the various
divisions and businesses. Next, divisions and business units are asked to
update their long-term strategies and indicate how these strategies fit with
the company’s major priorities and goals. Third, divisional and business
unit plans are reviewed, evaluated, adjusted, coordinated, and integrated
in meetings between corporate and divisional/business unit managers.
Finally, detailed operating plans are developed at the divisional/business
unit level, and final approvals are obtained from corporate headquarters.
A formal strategic planning system or planning cycle, by definition,
attempts to structure strategy development and implementation as a pri-
marily linear, sequential process. Environmental and competitive changes
do not respect a calendar-driven process, however. When a significant
new competitive opportunity or challenge emerges, a company cannot af-
ford to wait to respond. This does not mean that formal processes should
be abandoned altogether. Rather, it underscores that even though strategy
is about crafting a long-term vision for an organization, it should main-
tain a degree of flexibility about how to get there and preserve options for
adapting to change.
 CHAPTER 2

Strategy and Performance

Introduction
Carefully crafted strategies often deliver only a fraction of their promised
financial value. Why should this be so? Is it because CEOs press for better
execution when they really need a sounder strategy? Or is it because they
focus on crafting a new strategy when execution is the organization’s true
weakness? Are there other reasons? And how can such errors be avoided?
A good starting point is a better understanding of how strategy and per-
formance are linked.
A plethora of research on this issue exists. Much of what we know
about the determinants of industry, firm, and business (financial) per-
formance is in the form of measures of individual relationships in mod-
els linking various hypothesized causal variables to various measures of
performance. The causal variables usually describe some combination of
elements of environment, firm strategy, and organizational characteris-
tics. This type of research is conducted in disciplines such as economics,
management, business policy, finance, accounting, management science,
international business, sociology, and marketing. Comparing the results
from these studies is difficult, principally because research methodolo-
gies, model specifications, and the definition and measurement of ex-
planatory and dependent variables differ widely. Estimation techniques,
ranging from simple cross tables to complex “causal” models, also differ
substantially.
It is not surprising then that more has been learned about the impact
of specific environmental, organizational, and strategic variables on (fi-
nancial) performance than about the efficacy of entire (multidimensional)
strategies in different settings. We know, for example, that all else being
equal, the following hold true:
20 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

(1) High growth situations are desirable; growth is consistently related

to profits under a wide variety of circumstances.
(2) Having a high market share is helpful, but we do not know exactly
when trying to gain market share is a good idea or not.
(3) Bigness per se does not confer profitability but can have significant
other strategic advantages.
(4) In many industries dollars spent on R&D have a strong relationship
to increased profitability; investment in advertising is also worth-
while, especially in producer goods industries.
(5) High-quality products and services enhance performance, excessive
debt can hurt performance, and capital investment decisions should
be made with caution.

But knowing these relationships exist is a far cry from understanding

how strategy and performance are linked, because no simple prescription
involving one or just a few factors is likely to be helpful in crafting com-
prehensive effective strategies.
Two, widely cited studies shed a different light on how companies
achieve superior, sustained performance. The first, by Jim Collins, en-
titled Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . and Others
Don’t, originally published in 2001, focused on what good companies can
do to become truly great. Its findings have inspired many CEOs to change
their views about what drives success. It shows, among other findings,
that factors such as CEO compensation, technology, mergers and acqui-
sitions, and change management initiatives played relatively minor roles
in fostering the Good to Great process. Instead, successes in three main
areas—disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined a­ ction—were
likely the most significant factors in determining a company’s ability to
achieve greatness. The second, What Really Works: The 4+2 Formula for
Sustained Business Success, by Joyce, Nohria, and Roberson, in association
with McKinsey & Co., was aimed at identifying the must-have man-
agement practices that truly produce superior results. As part of this so-
called Evergreen Project, more than 200 well-established management
practices were evaluated as they were employed over a 10-year period by
160 companies. It concluded that eight management practices—four pri-
mary and four secondary—are directly correlated with superior corporate
 Strategy and Performance 21

performance as measured by total return to shareholders. Winning com-

panies achieved excellence in all four of the primary practices, plus any
two of the secondary practices, suggesting the 4+2 Formula title. Losing
companies failed to do so.
Although the two studies differ significantly in terms of their meth-
odology, there is substantial agreement in the findings. As it turns out, a
company’s strategy, execution, leadership and talent pool, organization,
process, and corporate culture all are critical to sustained success. What is
more, they all are inextricably linked and together determine performance.

Leverage: Economies of Scale and Scope

Business historian Alfred D. Chandler argued that “to compete globally, you
have to be big.”1 Looking back over a century of corporate history, he noted
that the “logic of managerial enterprise” begins with ­economics—and the
cost advantages that come with scale and scope in technologically advanced
capital-intensive industries. Large plants frequently produce products at a
much lower cost than can small ones because the cost per unit decreases as
volume goes up (economies of scale). In addition, larger plants can use many
of the same raw- and semi-finished materials and production processes to
make a variety of different products (economies of scope). What is more, these
principles are not limited to the manufacturing sector. Procter & Gamble,
through its multibrand strategies, benefits from economies of scope because
of its considerable influence at the retail level. In the service sector, the scale
and scope economies of the major accounting firms have enabled them to
dominate the auditing services market for large companies by displacing a
number of respectable local and regional accounting firms.

Economies of Scale

More formally, economies of scale occur when the unit cost of performing
an activity decreases as the scale of the activity increases. Unit cost can fall
as scale is increased for reasons such as the use of better technologies in
production processes or greater buyer power in large-scale purchasing situa-
tions. A different form of scale economics occurs when cost can be reduced
as a result of finding better ways to perform a given task. In this scenario,
22 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

the cumulative number of units processed or tasks performed drives the

cost reduction. This is referred to as the economics of learning. The graphical
representation of this phenomenon is called the learning or experience curve.

Economies of Scope

Economies of scope occur when the unit cost of an activity falls because
the asset used is shared with some other activity. When Frito-Lay Cor-
poration, for example, uses its trucks to deliver not only Frito corn chips
and Lay’s potato chips but also salsa and other dips to be used with the
chips, it creates economies of scope. Decision opportunities for creat-
ing economies of scope fall into three broad classes: (1) horizontal scope,
(2) geographical scope, and (3) vertical scope.
Horizontal scope decisions mainly concern choices of product scope.
General Electric (GE) is a highly diversified company with interests in
appliances, medical systems, aircraft engines, financing, and many other
areas. Intangible assets such as knowledge—Sony’s expertise in miniatur-
izing products, for example—or brands—think of the Virgin brand—can
also be sources of horizontal economies of scope when they are used in
the development, production, and marketing of more than one product.
Geographical scope decisions involve choices about geographical cover-
age. McDonald’s has operations in almost 100 countries, Whirlpool has
production facilities in a few countries but markets its products in a large
number of countries, and Internet-based companies such as eBay and
Amazon have achieved geographical scope on a virtual basis.
Vertical scope decisions are concerned with how a company links its
value chain activities vertically. In the computer industry, IBM has tra-
ditionally been highly vertically integrated. Dell, in contrast, does not
manufacture anything. Rather, it relies on an extensive network of third-
party suppliers in its value creation process.
Size alone, of course, is not enough to guarantee competitive success.
To capitalize on the advantages that scale and scope can bring, companies
must make related investments to create marketing and distribution or-
ganizations. They must also create the right management infrastructure
to effectively coordinate the myriad activities that make up the modern
multinational corporation.
 Strategy and Performance 23

Defining the “Core” Business— Key to Sustained Performance

A useful starting point for crafting a strategy is to define the core business.
For most companies, the core is defined in terms of their most valuable
customers, most valuable products, most important channels, and dis-
tinctive capabilities. The challenge is to define the company as different
from others in a way that builds on real strengths and capabilities—that
avoids “strategy by wishful thinking”—in a manner that is relevant to all
stakeholders, with room for growth.2 Here is where the art and science of
strategy formulation meet and where CEOs have a unique opportunity
to position their companies with customers, suppliers, alliance partners,
and financial markets.
Not choosing what is core by default also is a choice. Not making
a deliberate choice risks confusion about a company’s positioning in its
served markets, however, and might make it more difficult to create value
on a sustained basis.
The story of Colgate-Palmolive illustrates what is possible when a
company chooses to focus on building its core business and driving it to
its full potential. Since 1984, Colgate’s share price has outperformed its
peers and delivered a return three times that of S&P 500. These results
are remarkable, because Colgate operates in low-to medium-growth seg-
ments. The company’s long history of strong performance stems from an
absolute focus on its core businesses: oral care, personal care, home care,
and pet nutrition. This has been combined with a successful global finan-
cial strategy. Around the world, Colgate has consistently increased gross
margins while at the same time reducing costs in order to fund growth
initiatives, including new product development and increases in market-
ing spending. These, in turn, have generated greater profitability.

The Need for Growth

Achieving consistent revenue and profit growth is hard—especially for

large companies. To put this challenge in perspective, for a $30 billion
company, about average for a Fortune 100 company, to grow 6 percent,
it must spawn a new $2 billion company every year. What is more, a
growth strategy that works for one company might not be appropriate
24 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

for another. It might even be disastrous. A high percentage of mergers

and acquisitions, for example, fail to meet expectations. Making the right
acquisition, successfully integrating an acquired company into the ac-
quirer’s operations, and realizing promised synergies is difficult even for
experienced players such as GE. Companies that only occasionally make
an acquisition have a dismal track record. Relying on internal growth
alone to meet revenue targets can be equally risky, especially in years of
slow economic growth. Few companies consistently achieve higher-than-
GDP growth from internal sources alone.
To formulate a successful growth strategy, a company must carefully
analyze its strengths and weaknesses, how it delivers value to custom-
ers, and what growth strategies its culture can effectively support. For
price-value leaders like Wal-Mart, a growth strategy focused on entering
adjacent markets is highly suitable. For performance-value players such as
Intel or Genentech, on the other hand, continuous innovation might be
a more effective platform for revenue growth. Selecting the right growth
strategy, therefore, requires a careful analysis of opportunities, strategic
resources, and cultural fit.3
Whether a company chooses to pursue growth through further in-
vestments in its core business or by expanding beyond its current core, it
has only three avenues by which to grow its revenue base: (1) organic or
internal growth, (2) growth through acquisition, and (3) growth through
alliance-based initiatives. This is often referred to as the “Build, Buy, or
Bond” paradigm. Wal-Mart primarily relies on organic growth. GE regu-
larly makes strategic acquisitions in markets it deems attractive in order to
achieve its growth objectives. Amazon and eBay have numerous alliances
and supplier relationships that fuel their revenue growth.
We characterize growth strategies using product–market choice as the
primary criterion into three categories: (1) concentrated growth (2) verti-
cal and horizontal integration, and (3) diversification.

Concentrated Growth Strategies

Existing product markets often are attractive avenues for growth. A cor-
poration that continues to direct its resources to the profitable growth
of a single product category, in a well-defined market and possibly with
 Strategy and Performance 25

a dominant technology, is said to pursue a concentrated growth strategy.4

The most direct way of pursuing concentrated growth is to target in-
creases in market share. This can be done in three ways: (1) increasing the
number of users of the product, (2) increasing product usage by stimulat-
ing higher quantities of use or by developing new applications, and/or
(3) increasing the frequency of the product’s use.
Concentrated growth can be a powerful competitive weapon. A tight
product–market focus allows a company to finely assess market needs,
develop a detailed knowledge of customer behavior and price sensitiv-
ity, and improve the effectiveness of marketing and promotion efforts.
High success rates of new products are also tied to avoiding situations
that require undeveloped skills, such as serving new customers and mar-
kets, acquiring new technologies, building new channels, developing new
promotional abilities, and facing new competition. Corporations that
successfully use concentrated growth strategies include Allstate, Amoco,
Avon, Caterpillar, Chemlawn, KFC, John Deere, and Goodyear.

Vertical and Horizontal Integration

If a corporation’s current lines of business show strong growth potential,

two additional avenues for growth—vertical and horizontal integration—
are available.
Vertical integration describes a strategy of increasing a corporation’s
vertical participation in an industry’s value chain. Backward integration
entails acquiring resource suppliers or raw materials or manufacturing
components that used to be sourced elsewhere. Forward integration refers
to a strategy of moving closer to the ultimate customer, for example, by
acquiring a distribution channel or offering after-sale services. Vertical
integration can be valuable if the corporation possesses a business unit
that has a strong competitive position in a highly attractive industry—
especially when the industry’s technology is predictable and markets are
growing rapidly. However, it can reduce a corporation’s strategic flexibility
by creating an exit barrier that prevents the company from leaving the
industry if its fortunes decline.
Decisions about vertical scope are of key strategic importance at both
the business unit and corporate levels because they involve the decision
26 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

to redefine the domains in which the firm will operate. Vertical integra-
tion, therefore, also affects industry structure and competitive intensity.
In the oil industry, for example, some companies are fully integrated from
exploration to refining and marketing, whereas others specialize in one or
more “upstream” or “downstream” stages of the value chain.
How profitable is vertical integration? The evidence is not clear cut
but suggests that backward integration has a greater potential for raising
Return on Investment (ROI) than forward integration, whereas partial
integration generally hurts ROI. Studies also show that the impact of ver-
tical integration on profitability varies with the size of the business. Larger
businesses tend to benefit to a greater extent than smaller ones. This sug-
gests that vertical integration might be a particularly attractive option
for businesses with a substantial market share in which further backward
integration has the potential for enhancing competitive advantage and
increasing barriers to entry. Finally, with respect to the question of what
other factors should be considered, the results suggest that (1) alternatives
to ownership, such as long-term contracts and alliances, should actively
be considered; (2) vertical integration almost always requires substantial
increases in investment; (3) projected cost reductions do not always mate-
rialize; and (4) vertical integration sometimes results in increased product
innovation.
Horizontal integration involves increasing the range of products and
services offered to current markets or expanding the firm’s presence into
a wider number of geographic locations. Horizontal integration strategies
are often designed to leverage brand potential. In recent years, strategic al-
liances have become an increasingly popular way to implement horizontal
growth strategies.

Diversification

The term diversification has a wide range of meanings in connection with

many aspects of business activity. We talk about diversifying into new
industries, technologies, supplier bases, customer segments, geographical
regions, or sources of funds. In a strategic context, however, diversification
is defined as a strategy of entering product markets different from those
in which a company is currently engaged. Berkshire Hathaway is a good
 Strategy and Performance 27

example of a company engaged in diversification; it operates insurance,

food, furniture, footwear, and a host of other businesses.
Diversification strategies pose a great challenge to corporate execu-
tives. In the 1970s, many U.S. companies, facing stronger competition
from abroad and diminished growth prospects in a number of traditional
industries, moved into industries in which they had no particular com-
petitive advantage. Believing that general management skill could offset
knowledge gained from experience in an industry, executives thought that
because they were successful in their own industries, they could be just as
successful in others. A depressing number of their subsequent experiences
showed that these executives overestimated their relevant competence
and, under these circumstances, bigger was worse, not better.
Diversification strategies can be motivated by a variety of factors, in-
cluding a desire to create revenue growth, increase profitability through
shared resources and synergies, and reduce the company’s overall exposure
to risk by balancing the business portfolio, or an opportunity to exploit
underutilized resources. A company might see an opportunity to capital-
ize on its current competitive position—leveraging a strong brand name,
for example—by moving into a related business or market. Entering a
new business may also counterbalance cyclical performance or use excess
capacity.
Relatedness or the potential for synergy is a major consideration in for-
mulating diversification strategies. Related diversification strategies target
new business opportunities, which have meaningful commonalities with
the rest of the company’s portfolio. Unrelated diversification lacks such
commonalities. Relatedness or synergy can be defined in a number of ways.
The most common interpretation defines relatedness in terms of tangible
links between business units. Such links typically arise from opportunities
to share activities in the value chain among related business units, made
possible by the presence of common buyers, channels, technologies, or
other commonalities. A second form of relatedness among business units
is based on common intangible resources, such as knowledge or capabili-
ties. Sony’s expertise in “miniaturizing” products is a good example. A
third form of relatedness concerns the ability of business units to jointly
gain or exercise market power. Examples of this form of relatedness include
a company’s ability to cross-subsidize competitive battles across product
28 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

markets or geographies; take advantage of reciprocal buying opportuni-

ties; provide complementary products or “total solutions,” rather than
individual products; and confront challenges from societal stakeholder
groups or regulatory bodies. Strategic relatedness is a fourth type of relat-
edness. It is defined in terms of the similarity of the strategic challenges
faced by different business units. For example, a company might have
developed a special expertise in operating businesses in mature, low-tech,
slow-growing markets. All these scenarios offer companies an opportunity
to exploit the different types of relatedness—which are not available to
single-business competitors—for competitive advantage.
A well-known study links a company’s performance to the degree of
relatedness among its various businesses. It identifies three categories of re-
latedness based on a firm’s specialization ratio, defined as the proportion of
revenues derived from the largest single group of related businesses: domi-
nant business companies, related business companies, and unrelated business
companies.5 Dominant business companies, such as Microsoft and IBM,
derive a majority of their revenues from a single line of business. Related
business companies, such as General Foods, Eastman Kodak, and D ­ uPont,
diversify beyond a single type of business but maintain a common thread
of relatedness throughout the portfolio. The components of the portfo-
lios of unrelated business companies, or diversified conglomerates, have
little in common. Rockwell International and Textron are examples of
conglomerates that lack synergistic possibilities in products, markets, or
technologies. The study concluded that companies with closely related
portfolios tend to outperform widely diversified corporations.
Porter suggests three tests for deciding whether a particular diversifi-
cation move is likely to enhance shareholder value:

(1) The attractiveness test. Is the industry the company is about to enter
fundamentally attractive from a growth, competitive, and profitabil-
ity perspective, or can the company create such favorable conditions?
(2) The cost of entry test. Are the costs of entry reasonable? Is the time
horizon until the venture becomes profitable acceptable? Are risk
levels within accepted tolerances?
(3) The better-off test. Does the overall portfolio’s competitive position
and performance improve as a result of the diversification move?6
 Strategy and Performance 29

Diversification is a powerful weapon in a corporation’s strategic arse-

nal. It is not a panacea for rescuing corporations with mediocre perfor-
mance, however. If done carefully, diversification can improve shareholder
value, but it needs to be planned carefully in the context of an overall
corporate strategy.

Mergers and Acquisitions.  Companies can implement diversification

strategies through internal development; joint ventures or alliances; or
mergers and acquisitions. Internal development can be slow and expensive.
Alliances involve all of the complications and compromises of a renego-
tiable relationship, including debates over investments and profits. As a
result, permanently bonding with another company is sometimes seen as
the easiest way to diversify. Two terms describe such relationships: merg-
ers and acquisitions. A merger signifies that two companies have joined to
form one company. An acquisition occurs when one firm buys another.
To outsiders, the difference might seem small and related less to owner-
ship control than to financing. However, the critical difference is often in
management control. In acquisitions, the management team of the buyer
tends to dominate decision making in the combined company.
The advantages of buying an existing player can be compelling. An
acquisition can quickly position a firm in a new business or market. It also
eliminates a potential competitor and therefore does not contribute to the
development of excess capacity.
Acquisitions, however, are generally expensive. Premiums of 30 per-
cent or more over the current value of the stock are not uncommon.
This means that, although sellers often pocket handsome profits, acquir-
ing companies frequently lose shareholder value. The process by which
merger and acquisition decisions are made contributes to this problem. In
theory, acquisitions are part of a corporate diversification strategy based
on the explicit identification of the most suitable players in the most at-
tractive industries as targets to be purchased. Acquisition strategies should
also specify a comprehensive framework for the due diligence assessments
of targets, plans for integrating acquired companies into the corporate
portfolio, and a careful determination of “how much is too much” to pay.
In practice, the acquisition process is far more complex. Once the
board has approved plans to expand into new businesses or markets, or
30 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

once a potential target company has been identified, the time to act is typ-
ically short. The ensuing pressures to “do a deal” are intense. These pres-
sures emanate from senior executives, directors, and investment bankers,
who stand to gain from any deal; shareholder groups; and competitors
bidding against the firm. The environment can become frenzied. Valu-
ations tend to rise as corporations become overconfident in their ability
to add value to the target company and expectations regarding syner-
gies reach new heights. Due diligence is conducted more quickly than
is desirable and tends to be confined to financial considerations. Inte-
gration planning takes a back seat. Differences in corporate cultures are
discounted. In this climate, even the best-designed strategies can fail to
produce a successful outcome, as many companies and their shareholders
have learned.
What can be done to increase the effectiveness of the merger and ac-
quisition process? Although there are no formulas for success, six themes
have emerged:

(1) Successful acquisitions are usually part of a well-developed corporate

strategy.
(2) Diversification through acquisition is an ongoing, long-term process
that requires patience.
(3) Successful acquisitions usually result from disciplined strategic anal-
ysis, which looks at industries first before it targets companies, while
recognizing that good deals are firm specific.
(4) An acquirer can add value in only a few ways and before proceeding
with an acquisition the buying company should be able to specify
how synergies will be achieved and value created.
(5) Objectivity is essential, even though it is hard to maintain once the
acquisition chase ensues.
(6) Most acquisitions flounder on implementation—strategies for im-
plementation should be formulated before the acquisition is com-
pleted and executed quickly after the acquisition deal is closed.

Cooperative Strategies.  Cooperative strategies—joint ventures, strategic

alliances, and other partnering arrangements—have become increasingly
 Strategy and Performance 31

popular in recent years. For many corporations, cooperative strategies

capture the benefits of internal development and acquisition while avoid-
ing the drawbacks of both.
Globalization is an important factor in the rise of cooperative ven-
tures. In a global competitive environment, going it alone often means
taking extraordinary risks. Escalating fixed costs associated with achiev-
ing global market coverage, keeping up with the latest technology, and
increased exposure to currency and political risk all make risk sharing
a necessity in many industries. For many companies, a global strategic
posture without alliances would be untenable.
Cooperative strategies take many forms and are considered for many
different reasons. However, the fundamental motivation in every case is
the corporation’s ability to spread its investments over a range of options,
each with a different risk profile. Essentially, the corporation is trading
off the likelihood of a major pay off against the ability to optimize its
investments by betting on multiple options. The key drivers that attract
executives to cooperative strategies include the need for risk sharing,
the corporation’s funding limitations, and the desire to gain market and
­technology access.7
Risk Sharing. Most companies cannot afford “bet the company”
moves to participate in all product markets of strategic interest. Whether
a corporation is considering entry into a global market or investments in
new technologies, the dominant logic dictates that companies prioritize
their strategic interests and balance them according to risk.
Funding Limitations. Historically, many companies focused on
building sustainable advantage by establishing dominance in all of the
business’ value-creating activities. Through cumulative investment and
vertical integration, they attempted to build barriers to entry that were
hard to penetrate. However, as the globalization of the business environ-
ment accelerated and the technology race intensified, such a strategic pos-
ture became increasingly difficult to sustain. Going it alone is no longer
practical in many industries. To compete in the global arena, companies
must incur immense fixed costs with a shorter payback period and at a
higher level of risk.
Market Access. Companies usually recognize their lack of prerequi-
site knowledge, infrastructure, or critical relationships necessary for the
32 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

distribution of their products to new customers. Cooperative strategies

can help them fill the gaps. For example, to further its growth strategy in
Latin America, GE Money, the consumer lending unit of GE Company,
acquired a minority position in Banco Colpatria–Red Multibanca Colpa-
tria S.A., a consumer and commercial bank based in Bogota, Colombia.
Banco Colpatria, a member of the Mercantil Colpatria S.A. group, has
over $2.4 billion in assets and is the second largest credit card issuer in
Colombia. With 139 branches, the bank serves more than one million
customers. The new partnership positions the two companies to deliver
enhanced consumer credit products to the growing Colombian financial
services market.
Technology Access. A large number of products rely on so many
different technologies that few companies can afford to remain at the
forefront of all of them. Automakers increasingly rely on advances in
electronics; application software developers depend on new features
delivered by ­Microsoft in its next-generation operating platform, and
advertising agencies need more and more sophisticated tracking data
to formulate schedules for clients. At the same time, the pace at which
technology is spreading globally is increasing, making time an even
more critical variable in developing and sustaining competitive advan-
tage. It is usually beyond the capabilities, resources, and good luck in
R&D of any corporation to garner the technological advantage needed
to independently create disruption in the marketplace. Therefore, part-
nering with technologically compatible companies to achieve the pre-
requisite level of excellence is often essential. The implementation of
such strategies, in turn, increases the speed at which technology diffuses
around the world.
Other reasons to pursue a cooperative strategy are a lack of particu-
lar management skills; an inability to add value in-house; and a lack of
acquisition opportunities because of size or geographical or ownership
restrictions.
Cooperative strategies cover a wide spectrum of nonequity, cross-
equity, and shared-equity arrangements. Selecting the most appropriate
arrangement involves analyzing the nature of the opportunity, the mutual
strategic interests in the cooperative venture, and prior experience with
 Strategy and Performance 33

joint ventures of both partners. The essential question is: How can we
structure this opportunity to maximize the benefit(s) to both parties?
The airline industry provides a good example of some of the drivers
and issues involved in forging strategic alliances. Although the U.S. in-
dustry has been deregulated for some time, international aviation remains
controlled by a host of bilateral agreements that smack of protection-
ism. Outdated limits on foreign ownership further distort natural market
forces toward a more global industry posture. As a consequence, airline
companies have been forced to confront the challenges of global com-
petition in other ways. With takeovers and mergers blocked, they have
formed all kinds of alliances—from code sharing to aircraft maintenance
to frequent-flier plans.

Disinvestments: Sell-Offs, Spin-Offs, and Liquidations

At times, companies are faced with the prospect of having to retrench

in one or more of their lines of business. A sell-off of a business unit to
a competitor or its spin-off into a separate company makes sense when
analysis confirms the corporation is the wrong corporate parent for the
business. In such circumstances, value can be realized by giving the mar-
kets the opportunity to decide the fate of the business. If there are no
potential buyers, liquidation might have to be considered.

Strategy and Performance: A Conceptual Framework

Although some of the conclusions of the studies cited differ in empha-
sis or detail, there is a remarkable consistency to these findings. They
clearly show that in today’s complex business environment, no single
­individual—or even the top two or three people—can do all that is
­required to make a company successful. Corporate success increasingly
depends on the willingness and ability of every manager to not just meet
their own functional or divisional responsibilities but to think about
how their actions influence the performance of the company as a whole.
Viewed this way, organizational performance is ultimately the result of
thousands of decisions and trade-offs made every day by individuals at all
34 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

levels of an organization. The choices that these individuals make reflect

their aspirations, knowledge, and incentives, and usually are sensible in
the context of what each knows, sees, and understands.8
When strategies are not effective, it is therefore not very useful to
question peoples’ rationality. Merely restating the organization’s aspira-
tions or exhorting employees to do better is equally unproductive. In-
stead, the focus should be on changing the organizational environment
to encourage decision making that is aligned with the overall objectives
of the company. This means reexamining who makes what decisions and
what information, constraints, tools, and incentives affect the way they
evaluate those decisions. Understanding why and where suboptimal deci-
sions are made is the first step to realigning the organizational environ-
ment with the chosen strategy.
Success requires that the right people—armed with the right infor-
mation and motivated by the right incentives—have clear authority to
make critical decisions. Developing the right organizational model thus,
requires identifying which activities are critical to achieving a chosen
strategy and then defining the organizational attributes that must be pres-
ent to encourage the right behaviors. Therefore, companies must focus on
three critical dimensions: people, knowledge, and incentives.
Figure 2.1 shows a conceptual framework for understanding the com-
plex links between strategy and a company’s performance. It has three
interrelated components. The first links corporate purpose to strategy and
leadership. The second describes the organizational environment in terms
of five interacting components: structure, systems, processes, people, and
culture. The third links a company’s definition of performance with two
distinct philosophies of exercising control. This framework is helpful in
identifying actual or potential challenges and obstacles to successfully
implementing a chosen strategic direction. It can also be used to analyze
the process of strategic change.

Strategy, Purpose, and Leadership

The so-called strategy–structure–systems paradigm dominated thinking

about the role of corporate leaders for many years. Developed in the
1920s, when companies such as General Electric began to experiment
 Strategy and Performance 35

Figure 2.1  Strategy and performance: A conceptual framework

with diversification strategies, it held that the key to successfully execut-

ing a complex strategy was to create the right organizational structure
and disciplined planning and control support systems. Doing so, it was
thought, would systematize behavior and minimize ineffective and coun-
ter-effective actions, thereby helping managers cope with the increased
complexity associated with a multibusiness enterprise.
This doctrine remained dominant for most of the twentieth century.
It helped companies cope with high growth, integrate their operations
horizontally, manage their diversified business portfolios, and expand
internationally. The advent of global competition and the technology
revolution greatly reduced its effectiveness, however. What had been its
36 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

principal strength—minimizing human initiative—became its major

weakness; the new competitive realities called for a different managerial
thrust that was focused on developing corporate competencies such as
innovation, entrepreneurship, horizontal coordination, and decentralized
decision making.9
To deal with more intense global competition, corporate leaders
began to articulate a broader, long-term strategic intent rooted in a clear
sense of corporate purpose. In effect, they redefined their task from being
the “chief strategist” to being the “chief facilitator” and sought ways to
involve employees at all levels in the strategic management process. Top
executive agendas started to include such items as creating organizational
momentum, instilling core values, developing human capital, and rec-
ognizing individual accomplishment. In the process, the preoccupation
with structural solutions was replaced by a focus on process, and the ratio-
nale behind systems was redirected toward supporting the development
of capabilities and unleashing human potential rather than guiding em-
ployee behavior.10 This broader, more humanistic view of strategic leader-
ship recognizes that strategic discipline and control are secured through
commitment, not compliance.
The top portion in Figure 2.1 summarizes these important relation-
ships among a company’s strategy, leadership, and sense of purpose. Success-
ful strategy development and implementation require that these elements
mutually reinforce each other as a basis for obtaining commitment, focus,
and control at all levels of the organization.

Strategy and Organizational Change

A host of factors—from structural and cultural rigidities to a lack of ad-

equate resources to an adherence to dysfunctional processes—can reduce
a company’s capacity for absorbing change. It is important, therefore, for
executives charged with developing and implementing new strategic di-
rections to understand the dynamics of the various organizational forces
at work.
The middle portion of Figure 2.1 shows five organizational ­variables—
structure, systems, processes, people, and culture—that are key to creating
effective organizational change. As shown, they are interrelated, which
 Strategy and Performance 37

explains why the successful implementation of a new strategy often re-

quires change in all variables. In other words, an implementation effort
or corporate reorganization that is focused on just one of these variables
is doomed to fail. Style, skills, and superordinate goals—values around
which a business is built—are as important as strategy or structure in
bringing about fundamental change in an organization.

Structure.  To become more competitive, many companies have shed

layers of management and adopted flatter organizational structures. As
organizations became leaner, the problem of “how to organize” changed
from one of dividing up tasks to one focused on issues of coordination.
The issue of structure, therefore, is not just one of deciding whether to
centralize or decentralize decision making. Rather, it involves identifying
dimensions that are crucial to an organization’s ability to adapt and evolve
strategically and then adopting a structure that allows it to refocus as and
when necessary.
Choosing the right organizational model is difficult. Most organiza-
tions were not created to support a specific strategy, but evolved over time
in response to a host of known, as well as unknown, market forces. Find-
ing the right model becomes more difficult as companies become larger,
because growth increases complexity. As complexity increases, aligning
the interests of an individual with the interests of the company becomes
much more difficult. Nevertheless, the goal should be to create an orga-
nizational environment that allocates resources effectively and is naturally
self-correcting as strategic changes need to be made.11
In considering structural options, it is important to realize that there
is no “one right form of organization”; each structural solution has spe-
cific advantages and drawbacks. What is more, organizations are not ho-
mogeneous entities; what is right for one part of an organization or set
of tasks might not be the preferred solution for another. No matter what
form of organization is used, however, transparency is critical; effective
strategy implementation cannot occur if lines of authority are blurred or
responsibility is ill defined.
Corporate structures typically reflect one of five dominant approaches
to organization: (1) Functional organizational structures make sense when
38 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

a particular task requires the efforts of a substantial number of specialists.

(2) Geographically based structures are useful when a company operates in
a diverse set of geographical regions. (3) Decentralized (divisional) struc-
tures have been found to reduce complexity in a multibusiness environ-
ment. (4) Strategic business units help define groupings of businesses that
share key strategic elements. (5) Matrix structures allow multiple channels
of authority and are favored when coordination among different interests
is key.
The growing importance of human and intellectual capital as a source
of competitive advantage has encouraged companies to experiment with
new organizational forms. Some companies are creating organizational
structures centered on knowledge creation and dissemination. Others, in
a drive to become leaner and more agile, are restricting ownership or con-
trol to only those intellectual and physical assets that are critical to their
value-creation process. In doing so, they are becoming increasingly virtual
and more dependent on an external network of suppliers, manufacturers,
and distributors.

Systems and Processes.  Having the right systems and processes enhances
organizational effectiveness and facilitates coping with change. Misaligned
systems and processes can be a powerful drag on an organization’s ability
to adapt. Checking what effect, if any, current systems and processes are
likely to have on a company’s ability to implement a particular strategy is
therefore well advised.
Support systems, such as a company’s planning, budgeting, account-
ing, information, and reward and incentive systems, can be critical to
successful strategy implementation. Although they do not by themselves
define a sustainable competitive advantage, superior support systems help
a company adapt more quickly and effectively to changing requirements.
A well-designed planning system ensures that planning is an orderly pro-
cess, gets the right amount of attention by the right executives, and has
a balanced external and internal focus. Budgeting and accounting systems
are valuable in providing accurate historical data, setting benchmarks and
targets, and defining measures of performance. A state-of-the-art informa-
tion system supports all other corporate systems and facilitates analysis as
 Strategy and Performance 39

well as internal and external communication. Finally, a properly designed

reward and incentive system is key to creating energy through motivation
and commitment.
A process is a systematic way of doing things. Processes can be formal
or informal; they define organizational roles and relationships and can fa-
cilitate or obstruct change. Some processes look beyond immediate issues
of implementation to an explicit focus on developing a stronger capacity
for adapting to change. Processes aimed at creating a learning organiza-
tion and fostering continuous improvement are good examples.

People.  Attracting, motivating, and retaining the right people have be-
come important strategic objectives. After several episodes of mindless
downsizing and rightsizing, many companies have recognized how expen-
sive it is to replace knowledge and talent. As a result, much greater em-
phasis is being placed on attracting, rewarding, and retaining talent at all
levels of the organization. A focus on continuous improvement through
skill development is an important element of this strategy. Many compa-
nies have come to realize that developing tomorrow’s skills—­individually
and collectively—is key to strategic flexibility. Leadership skills, in par-
ticular, are in increasing demand. Increased competitive intensity has cre-
ated a greater need for leadership at all levels of the organization. The
rapid pace of change and greater uncertainty in the strategic environment
also have increased the difficulty of providing effective leadership.12

Culture.  Performance is linked to the strength of a company’s corpo-

rate culture. Common elements of strong culture include leaders who
demonstrate strong values that align with the competitive conditions; a
company commitment to operating under pervasive principles that are
not easily abandoned; and a concern for employees, customers, and share-
holders. Conversely, below-average profit performance is associated with
weak corporate cultures. Employees in these cultures report experiencing
separateness from the organization, development of fiefdoms, prevalence
of political maneuvering, and hostility toward change.
A company’s corporate culture is a shared system of values, assump-
tions, and beliefs among a firm’s employees that provides guidance on how
40 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

to think, perceive, and act. It is manifested through artifacts, shared values,

and basic assumptions. Artifacts are visible or audible processes, policies,
and procedures that support an important cultural belief. Shared values
explain why things should be as they are. Shared values often reinforce
areas of competitive advantage and can be found in internal corporate
language. The words can be well defined within mission statements and
codes of ethics or ambiguously embedded within company lingo. Either
way, these words and phrases are used to define the image a firm wants to
portray. Microsoft, for example, supports a culture of high energy, drive,
intellect, and entrepreneurship. The day-to-day company language is filled
with “nerdisms” such as “supercool” and “totally random.” Employees
touted as having “high bandwidth” (energetic and creative thinkers) are
the most respected.13 Finally, basic assumptions are invisible reasons why
group members perceive, think, and feel the way they do about operational
issues. They are sometimes demonstrated in corporate myths and stories
that highlight corporate values. These legends are of considerable value be-
cause employees can identify with them and easily share them with others.
Because of its pronounced effect on employee behavior and effec-
tiveness, companies increasingly recognize that corporate culture can set
them apart from competitors. At United Parcel Service (UPS), for in-
stance, culture is considered a strategic asset, ever growing in importance:
“Managing that culture to competitive advantage involves three key pri-
orities: recruiting and retaining the right people, nurturing innovation,
and building a customer mindset.”14 UPS executives believe that the firm’s
culture is so important that the company spends millions of dollars an-
nually on employee training and education programs, with a great deal
of the expenditures involving the introduction of the company’s culture
to new employees.
A pronounced corporate culture can be an advantage or an impedi-
ment in times of rapid change. On the one hand, the continuance of core
values can help employees become comfortable with or adjust to new chal-
lenges or practices. On the other hand, a company’s prevailing organiza-
tional culture can inhibit or defeat a change effort when the consequences
of the change are feared. For example, in a company in which consensus
decision making is the norm, a change to more top–down decision mak-
ing is likely to be resisted. Similarly, an organization focused on quarterly
 Strategy and Performance 41

results will culturally resist a shift to a longer-term time horizon. These

reactions do not constitute overt resistance to change. Rather, they repre-
sent expected responses fostered by the cultural elements ingrained over a
long period of time in the organization. The failure to recognize and work
within the prevailing cultural elements can doom a change agenda. For
example, a large global pharmaceutical company discovered that R&D
professionals resisted their promotions to management. An examination
revealed that the resistance stemmed from an organizational culture bias
that prevented them from competing with their peers for career rewards.15

Evaluating Strategic Options

Criteria

Estimating the likely specific impact of different broad strategy options

on the long-term value or profitability of a corporation is extremely dif-
ficult. Quantifying such judgments is difficult because the impact of stra-
tegic intent and proposals aimed at realizing such intent cannot always
be reduced to a cash-flow forecast. Clearly, the financial effect on the cor-
poration of specific strategy options, such as acquisitions at the corporate
level or specific new product or market entries at the business unit level,
can and should be quantified. A good argument can be made, however,
that broader strategic thinking does not lend itself to purely quantitative
assessments. Think, for example of making a commitment to a long-term
R&D program or adopting a new positioning/branding platform for the
company. An alternative is to focus on a firm’s future competitiveness and
ask whether the long-term objectives that have been set are appropriate;
whether the strategies chosen to attain such objectives are consistent, bold
enough, and achievable; and whether these strategies are likely to produce
a sustainable competitive advantage with above-average returns.
Nevertheless, executives face enormous pressure from within the or-
ganization and from external sources such as the financial community to
forecast business unit and corporate performance and, implicitly, to quan-
tify anticipated strategic outcomes. Traditionally, Return on Investment
(ROI) was the most common measure for evaluating a strategy’s efficacy.
Today, shareholder value is one of the most widely accepted yardsticks.
42 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Shareholder Value

The shareholder value approach (SVA) to strategy evaluation holds that

the value of the corporation is determined by the discounted future cash
flows it is likely to generate. In economic terms, value is created when
companies invest capital at returns that exceed the cost of that capital.
Under this model, new strategic initiatives are treated as any other invest-
ment the company makes and evaluated on the basis of shareholder value.
A whole new managerial framework—value-based management (VBM)—
has been created around it.16
The use of shareholder value or related measures, such as economic
value added (EVA), defined as after-tax operating profit minus the cost of
capital, as the principal yardstick for evaluating alternative strategy pro-
posals is somewhat contentious. Besides implementation problems, there
are issues of transparency in the relationship between shareholder value
on the one hand and positioning for sustained competitive advantage on
the other. Even though shareholder value and strategy formulation are ul-
timately about the same thing—generating long-term sustained value—
they use different conceptions of value and view the purpose of strategy
from a fundamentally different point of view.
Strategists focus on creating a sustainable competitive advantage through
value delivered to customers. But SVA measures value to shareholders. Though
in the long run the two should be highly correlated, individual strategy pro-
posals can force short-term trade-offs between the two. This explains why
shareholder value has not been universally embraced as the preferred method
for measuring a strategy’s potential and has encouraged the development of
new less restrictive, but also possibly less rigorous, evaluation schemes, such
as the Balanced Scorecard, discussed next, in the last few years.17

The Balanced Scorecard

The Balanced Scorecard is a set of measures designed to provide strategists

with a quick, yet comprehensive, view of the business.18 Developed by
Robert Kaplan and David Norton, the Scorecard asks managers to look at
their business from customer, company capability, innovation and learn-
ing, and financial perspectives. It provides answers to four basic questions:
 Strategy and Performance 43

(1) How do customers see us?

(2) At what must we excel?
(3) Can we continue to improve and create value?
(4) How do we look to our company’s shareholders?

The Balanced Scorecard approach requires managers to translate a

broad customer-driven mission statement into factors that directly relate
to customer concerns such as product quality, on-time delivery, product
performance, service, and cost. Measures are defined for each factor based
on customers’ perspectives and expectations, and objectives for each
measure are articulated and translated into specific performance metrics.
Apple Computer Corporation uses the Balanced Scorecard to introduce
customer satisfaction metrics. Historically, Apple was a technology and
product-focused company that competed by designing better products.
Getting employees to focus on customer satisfaction metrics enabled
Apple to function more as a customer-driven company.
Customer-based measures are important, but they must be translated
into measures of what the company must do internally to meet customer
expectations. Once these measures are translated into operational objec-
tives such as cycle time, product quality, productivity, and cost, managers
must focus on the internal business processes that enable the organization
to meet the customers’ needs.
Customer-based and internal business process measures directly relate
to competitive success. The ability to create new products, provide value
to customers, and improve operating efficiencies provides the basis for
entering new markets that drive incremental revenue, margins, and share-
holder value. Financial performance measures signal whether the compa-
ny’s strategy and its implementation are achieving the company objectives
that relate to profitability, growth, and shareholder value. Measures such
as cash flow, sales growth, operating income, market share, return on as-
sets, ROI, return on equity, and stock price quantify the financial effects
of strategies and link them to other elements of the Balanced Scorecard.
A failure to convert improved operational performance, as measured in
the scorecard, into improved financial performance should spur execu-
tives to rethink the company’s strategy.
44 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

The application of the Balanced Scorecard has evolved into an overall

management system. In essence, the scorecard encompasses four man-
agement processes: translating a vision, communicating goals and link-
ing rewards to performance, improving business planning, and gathering
feedback and learning. Separately, and in combination, the processes con-
tribute to linking long-term strategic objectives with short-term actions.19
The objective of translating a vision is to clarify and gain employee
support for that vision. For people to be able to act effectively on a vision
statement, that statement must be expressed in terms of an integrated set
of objectives and measures that are based on recognized long-term drivers
of success. The application of the scorecard also is useful in highlighting
gaps in employee skill sets, information technology, and processes that
can hamper an organization’s ability to execute a given strategy.
Thorough and broad-based communication is essential to ensure that
employees understand the firm’s objectives and the strategies that are de-
signed to achieve them. Business unit and individual goals must then
be aligned with those of the company to create ownership and account-
ability. Linking rewards to the Balanced Scorecard is a direct means of
measuring and rewarding contributions to strategic performance. Clearly
defined, objective performance measures and incentives are key to creat-
ing the right motivational environment.
Creating a Balanced Scorecard forces companies to integrate their
strategic planning and budgeting processes. The output of the business-­
planning process consists of a set of long-term targets in all four areas of
the scorecard (customer, internal, innovation/learning, and financial), a set
of clearly defined initiatives to meet the targets, an agreed-upon allocation
of resources to support these initiatives, and a set of appropriate measures
to monitor progress. In this process, financial budgeting remains impor-
tant but does not drive or overshadow the other elements. Finally, manag-
ers must constantly gather feedback on the Balanced Scorecard’s short-term
measurements to monitor progress in achieving the long-term strategy and
to learn how performance can be improved. Deviations from expected
outcomes indicate that assumptions regarding market conditions, com-
petitive pressures, and internal capabilities need to be revisited. As such,
this feedback assists in assessing whether a chosen strategy needs to be
revised in light of updated information about competitive conditions.
 CHAPTER 3

Analyzing the External

Strategic Environment

Introduction
Changes in the broader economic, technological, political, and sociocul-
tural environment, which often are beyond the control of any single com-
pany, can have a profound effect on a company’s success. Environmental
forces of change arise from the interactions between people and their
environment, such as the growth in the world’s population or the phe-
nomenon of urbanization. They impact resource management, health,
and the quality of life for people around the world. Technological forces
of change—advances in biotechnology, nanotechnology, and information
systems—power economic growth and development, global integration,
and the speed by which the global economy is becoming a “knowledge”
economy. Societal forces of change represent shifts in international gov-
ernance and in political and cultural values, such as the current wave of
democratization, deregulation, and governance reform.
We focus on three forces that perhaps have had the greatest impact on
strategic thinking.
Globalization has increased the interdependence between the world’s
major economies and intensified competition in many industries. In the
process, entire industries have been restructured based on deconstructed
value chains, new forms of competition have emerged, and “virtual cor-
porations” have become a reality. The technology revolution has changed
the way we live, work, and unwind, spawning entirely new industries.
And a growing concern for the environment has prompted many com-
panies to research their “footprint,” restructure supply chains, or even
radically change their business models, all because they recognize that a
46 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) has virtually become

a business imperative.

Globalization
Globalization as a political, economic, and social force appears all but un-
stoppable. The ever-faster flow of information across the globe has made
people aware of the tastes, preferences, and life styles of citizens in other
countries. Through this information flow, we are all becoming—at vary-
ing speeds and at least in economic terms—global citizens. This conver-
gence is controversial, even offensive, to some who consider globalization
a threat to their identity and way of life. It is therefore not surprising that
globalization has evoked counterforces aimed at preserving differences
and deepening a sense of local identity.
At the same time, we increasingly take advantage of what a global
economy has to offer—we drive BMWs and Toyotas, work with an Apple
or IBM notebook, communicate with a Samsung phone, wear Zara
clothes or Nike sneakers, and drink Coca-Cola and Heineken beer. This
is equally true for the buying habits of businesses. The market boundaries
for IBM global services, GE aircraft engines, or Pricewaterhouse­Coopers
are no longer defined in political or geographic terms. Rather, it is the
intrinsic value of the products and services that defines their appeal. Like
it or not, we are living in a global economy.
Globalization is not new. For thousands of years, people—and, later,
corporations—have been buying from and selling to each other in lands
at great distances, such as through the famed Silk Road across Central
Asia that connected China and Europe during the Middle Ages. Like-
wise, for centuries, people and corporations have invested in enterprises
in other countries. In fact, many of the features of the current wave of
globalization are similar to those prevailing before the outbreak of the
First World War in 1914.
The current wave of globalization is driven by policies that have
opened economies domestically and internationally. In the years since
the Second World War, a growing number of countries have adopted
free-market economic systems, vastly increasing their own productive
potential and creating myriad new opportunities for international trade
 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment 47

and investment. Governments have also negotiated dramatic reductions

in barriers to commerce and have established international agreements
to promote trade in goods, services, and investment. Taking advantage
of new opportunities in foreign markets, corporations have built foreign
factories and established production and marketing arrangements with
foreign partners. A defining feature of globalization, therefore, is an inter-
national industrial and financial business structure.
Technology has been the other principal driver of globalization. Ad-
vances in information technology, in particular, have dramatically trans-
formed economic life. Information technologies have given all sorts of
individual economic actors—consumers, investors, and businesses—­
valuable new tools for identifying and pursuing economic opportunities,
including faster and more informed analyses of economic trends around
the world, easy transfers of assets, and collaboration with far-flung partners.

How Global Are We?

Nevertheless, it would be wrong to conclude that we are inevitably mov-

ing toward a fully globalized, integrated, and homogenized future. There
are regions and markets that resist globalization—especially Western
globalization—evidence that differences between countries and cultures
remain substantial, perhaps larger than is generally acknowledged and
that “ semiglobalization ” is the real state of the world today and likely to
remain so for the foreseeable future.1
Research by Moore and Rugman supports the notion of a semiglo-
balized world and suggest a more regional perspective. They note that
while companies source goods, technology, information, and capital from
around the world, business activity tends to be centered in certain cities
or regions around the world and suggest that regions rather than global
opportunity should be the focus of strategy analysis and organization.
As examples, they cite recent decisions by DuPont and Procter & G ­ amble
to roll their three separate country subsidiaries for the United States,
­Canada, and Mexico into one regional organization.2
The histories of Toyota, Wal-Mart, and Coca-Cola corroborate the
diagnosis of a semiglobalized /regionally divided world. Toyota’s global-
ization has always had a distinct regional flavor. Its starting point was not
48 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

a grand, long-term vision of a fully integrated world in which autos and

auto parts can flow freely from anywhere to anywhere. Rather, the com-
pany anticipated expanded free-trade agreements within the Americas,
Europe, and East Asia, but not across them.3
The globalization of Wal-Mart also illustrates the complex realities of
a more nuanced global competitive landscape. It has been successful in
markets that are culturally and economically closest to the United States:
Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. In others, it has failed to
meet its profitability targets. The point is not that Wal-Mart should not
have ventured into culturally more distant markets, but rather that such
opportunities require a different competitive approach. For example, in
India, which restricts foreign direct investment in retailing, Wal-Mart was
forced to enter a joint venture with an Indian partner Bharti that operates
the stores while Wal-Mart deals with the back-end of the business.
Finally, consider the history of Coca-Cola which, in the late 1990s
under CEO Roberto Goizueta, fully bought into the notion that a fully
globalized, homogeneous future was imminent. Goizueta embarked on a
strategy that involved focusing resources on Coke’s megabrands, an un-
precedented amount of standardization, and the official dissolution of
the boundaries between Coke’s U.S. and international organization. Years
later and under new leadership, Coke’s strategy looks very different and is
no longer always the same in different parts of the world: In big emerging
markets, such as China and India, Coke has lowered price points, reduced
costs by localizing inputs and modernizing bottling operations, and up-
graded logistics and distribution, especially in rural areas. The boundaries
between the U.S. and international organizations have been restored rec-
ognizing the fact that Coke faces very different challenges in the United
States than it does in most of the rest of the world since per capita con-
sumption is an order of magnitude higher in the United States.

The Persistence of Distance4

The notion of a semiglobalized world exemplifies the persistence of dis-

tance. Ghemawat analyzes distance between countries or regions in terms
of four dimensions: cultural, administrative, geographic, and economic,
each of which influences business in different ways.
 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment 49

Cultural Distance.  A country’s culture shapes how people interact with

each other and with organizations. Differences in religious beliefs, race,
social norms, and language can quickly become barriers; that is, “create
distance.” The influence of some of these attributes is obvious. A common
language, for example, makes trade much easier and therefore more likely.
The impact of others is much more subtle, however. Social norms, the set
of unspoken principles that strongly guides everyday behavior, are mostly
invisible. Japanese and European consumers, for example, prefer smaller
automobiles and household appliances than Americans, reflecting a so-
cial norm that highly values space. The food industry must concern itself
with religious attributes; Hindus do not eat beef because it is expressly
forbidden by their religion. Thus, cultural distance shapes preference and
ultimately choice.

Administrative or Political Distance.  Administrative or political distance

is created by differences in governmental laws, policies, and institutions,
including international relationships between countries, treaties, and
membership in international organizations. The greater the distance, the
less likely it is that extensive trade relations develop. This explains the ad-
vantage shared historical colonial ties, membership in the same regional
trading bloc, and the use of a common currency can confer. The integra-
tion of the European Union over the last half-century is probably the best
example of deliberate efforts to reduce administrative distance among
trading partners. Bad relationships can increase administrative distance,
however. Although India and Pakistan share a colonial past, a land border,
and linguistic ties, their long-standing mutual hostility has reduced of-
ficial trade to almost nothing.

Geographic Distance.  Geographic distance is about more than how far

away a country is in miles. Other geographic attributes include the physi-
cal size of the country, average within-country distances to borders, access
to waterways and the ocean, and topography, and such man-made as a
country’s transportation and communication infrastructure. Geographic
attributes most directly influence transportation costs and therefore are
particularly relevant to businesses with low value-to-weight or bulk ratios,
50 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

such as steel and cement. Likewise, costs for transporting fragile or perish-
able products become significant across large distances. Intangible goods
and services are affected by geographic distance as well; cross-border eq-
uity flows between two countries fall off significantly as the geographic
distance between them rises. This is a direct result of differences in infor-
mation infrastructure—telephone, Internet, and banking.

Economic Distance.  Disposable income is the most important eco-

nomic attribute that creates distance between countries. Rich countries
engage in proportionately higher levels of cross-border economic activity
than poorer ones. The greater the economic distance is between a com-
pany’s home country and the host country, the greater the likelihood that
it must make significant adaptations to its business model. Wal-Mart in
India, for instance, would be a very different business from Wal-Mart in
the United States. But Wal-Mart in Canada is virtually a carbon copy.

Industry Globalization Drivers

Four sets of “industry globalization drivers”—underlying conditions in

each industry that create the potential for that industry to become global—
affect the viability of a global approach to strategy formulation.5 Market
drivers—the degree to which customer needs converge around the world,
customers procure on a global basis, worldwide channels of distribution
develop, marketing platforms are transferable, and “lead” countries can be
identified in which most innovation takes place—define how customer
behavior distribution patterns evolve. Cost globalization drivers—the op-
portunity for global scale or scope economics, experience effects, sourcing
efficiencies reflecting differentials in costs between countries or regions,
and technology advantages—shape the economics of the industry. Com-
petitive drivers are defined by the actions of competing firms—the extent
to which competitors from different continents enter the fray, globalize
their strategies and corporate capabilities, and the ­degree to which they
create interdependence between geographical markets. Government driv-
ers include such factors as favorable trade policies, a benign regulatory
climate, and common product and technology standards.
 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment 51

Globalization Has Changed Competition’s Center of Gravity

The rapid emergence of the developing economies—led by the so-

called BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China)—has shifted
the global competitive center of gravity. For the last 50 years, the glo-
balization of business has primarily been interpreted as the expansion
of trade from developed to emerging economies. Today this view is no
longer ­tenable—business now flows in both directions, and increasingly
also from one developing economy to another. Or, as the authors of
“­Globality,” consultants at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), put it:
Business these days is all about “competing with everyone from every-
where for everything.”6
The evidence that this shift in the global competitive landscape will
have seismic proportions is already formidable. Consider, for example,
the growing number of companies from emerging markets that appear in
the Fortune 500 rankings of the world’s biggest firms. It now approaches
100, mostly from the BRIC economies, and is set to rise further. If cur-
rent trends persist, emerging-market companies may well account for
one-third of the Fortune list within 10 years.
Look also at the recent sharp increase in the number of emerging-mar-
ket companies acquiring established rich-world businesses and brands,
proof that “globalization” is no longer just another word for “American-
ization.” For instance, Budweiser, the maker of United States’ favorite
beer, was bought by a Belgian–Brazilian conglomerate. And several of
United States’ leading financial institutions avoided bankruptcy only by
being bailed out by the sovereign-wealth funds (state-owned investment
funds) of various Arab kingdoms and the Chinese government. As these
examples suggest, “Globality” is creating huge opportunities—as well as
threats—for developed-world multinationals and new champions from
developing countries alike.

Globalization Pressures on Companies

Gupta, Govindarajan, and Wang identify five “imperatives” that drive

companies to become more global: to pursue growth, efficiency, or knowl-
edge, to better meet customer needs, and to preempt or counter competition.7
52 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Growth.  In many industries, markets in the developed countries are

maturing at a rapid rate limiting the rate of growth. Consider household
appliances. In the developed part of the world, most households have or
have access to appliances, such as stoves, ovens, washing machines, dry-
ers, and refrigerators. Industry growth is therefore largely determined by
population growth and product replacement. In developing markets, in
contrast, household penetration rates for major appliances are still low
compared to Western standards thereby offering significant growth op-
portunities for manufacturers.

Efficiency.  A global presence automatically expands a company’s scale

of operations giving it larger revenues and larger asset base. A larger scale
can help create a competitive advantage if a company undertakes the
tough actions needed to convert scale into economies of scale by (1) spread-
ing fixed costs, (2) reducing capital and operating costs, (3) pooling pur-
chasing power, and (4) creating critical mass in a significant portion of
the value chain. On the demands side, increasing or decreasing the scope
of marketing and distribution by entering new markets or regions, or by
increasing the range of products and services offered offers opportunities
to realize economies of scope. The economic value of global scope can be
substantial when serving global customers through providing coordinated
services and the ability to leveraging a company’s expanded market power.

Knowledge.  Foreign operations can be a reservoir of knowledge. Some

locally created knowledge is relevant across multiple countries and, if
leveraged effectively, can yield significant strategic benefits to a global
enterprise, such as (1) faster product and process innovation, (2) lower
cost of innovation, and (3) reduced risk of competitive preemption. For
example, Fiat developed Palio—its global car—in Brazil; Texas Instru-
ments uses a collaborative process between Indian and U.S. engineers to
design its most advanced chips; and Procter & Gamble’s liquid Tide was
developed as a joint effort by U.S. employees (technology to suspend dirt
in water), the Japanese subsidiary (cleaning agents), and the Brussels op-
erations (agents that fight mineral salts found in hard water). Most com-
panies tap only a fraction of the full potential in realizing the economic
 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment 53

value inherent in transferring and leveraging knowledge across borders.

Significant geographic, cultural, linguistic distances often separate sub-
sidiaries. The challenge is to create systematic and routine mechanisms to
uncover opportunities for knowledge transfer.

Globalization of Customer Needs and Preferences.  When c­ ustomers start

to globalize their behavior, a firm has little choice but to follow and adapt
its business model to accommodate them. Multinationals such as Coca-
Cola, GE, and DuPont increasingly insist that their ­suppliers—from
raw material suppliers to advertising agencies to personnel recruitment
companies—become more global in their approach and be prepared to
serve them whenever and wherever required. Individuals are no different;
global travelers insist on consistent worldwide service from airlines, hotel
chains, credit card companies, television news, and others.

Globalization of Competitors.  Just as the globalization of customers

compels companies to consider globalizing their business model, so does
the globalization of one or more major competitors. A competitor who
globalizes early may have a first-mover advantage in emerging markets,
greater opportunity to create economies of scale and scope, and an ability
to cross-subsidize competitive battles thereby posing a greater threat in the
home market. A good example of these forces at work is provided by the
global beer market. Over the past decade, the beer industry has seen sig-
nificant consolidation and this trend continues. On a pro forma basis, beer
sales by the top 10 players now total approximately 65 percent of total
global sales compared to less than 40 percent at the start of the century.

Global Strategy and Risk8

Even with the best planning, globalization carries substantial risks. Many
globalization strategies represent a considerable stretch of the company’s
experience base, resources, and capabilities. The firm might target new
markets, often in new—for the company—cultural settings. It might seek
new technologies, initiate new partnerships, or adopt market-share objec-
tives that require earlier or greater commitments than current returns can
54 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

justify. In the process, new and different forms of competition can be

encountered, and it could turn out that the economic model that got the
company to its current position is no longer applicable. Often, a more
global posture implies exposure to different cyclical patterns, currency,
and political risk. In addition, there are substantial costs associated with
coordinating global operations. As a consequence, before deciding to
enter a foreign country or a continent, companies should carefully ana-
lyze the risks involved. In addition, companies should recognize that the
management style that proved successful on a domestic scale might turn
out to be ineffective in a global setting.

The Technology Revolution9

Technological advances continue to challenge and surprise us in all dimen-
sions of life—from social to economic to political and personal. Advances
in biotechnology will enable us to identify, understand, manipulate, im-
prove, and control living organisms (including ourselves). The informa-
tion revolution continues to profoundly change how we work, interact,
and relax. And smart materials, agile manufacturing, and nanotechnology
are altering the way we create products and processes. Soon, all these may
be joined by “wild cards” such as molecular manufacturing—the idea of
assembling objects atom-by-atom (or molecule-by-molecule) from the
bottom-up (rather than from the top-down using conventional fabrica-
tion techniques)—if barriers to their development are resolved in time.
The results will likely be astonishing. Effects may include longer life
spans, a redistribution of wealth, shifts in power from nation states to
nongovernmental organizations and individuals, mixed environmental
effects, improvements in quality of life, and the possibility of human eu-
genics and cloning.
The actual realization of these possibilities will depend on a host of
factors, including local acceptance of technological change, levels of tech-
nology and infrastructure investments, market drivers and limitations,
and technology breakthroughs and advancements. Since these factors
vary across the globe, the implementation and effects of technology will
also vary, especially in developing countries. Nevertheless, the overall rev-
olution and trends will continue through much of the developed world.
 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment 55

The Internet Has Changed Business

The Internet has revolutionized the way business is conducted. Some of

the major changes brought about by the Internet relate to the way we
purchase products and services, obtain information, and conduct our
banking. Customers can quickly find product and price information and
obtain advice from a wide variety of sellers. Online visitors can check
product availability, place an order, check the status of an order, or pay
electronically. This so-called “e-tailing” has increased competition by pit-
ting local against national and international competitors.
Internet-based technologies have significantly reduced the marginal
cost of producing and distributing digital goods such as software, news
stories, music, photographs, stock quotes, horoscopes, sports scores, and
health tips. Some firms such as America Online are selling large aggre-
gations of such digital goods for a low flat monthly fee. Such aggrega-
tion of so many products would be extremely expensive using traditional
distribution media. Such bundling offers economies of scale and scope
that favor large distributors and make it difficult for smaller companies
that sell unbundled products to compete effectively.10 The Internet also
enables customization of products. Online customers can purchase per-
sonal computers on the Internet in a variety of combinations by choosing
the appropriate features. Music retailers can create CDs containing songs
ordered by customers. And search engines such as Google and Yahoo rec-
ommend relevant products or services on the basis of keywords supplied
by users.
Online companies have successfully created strong e-brands and
highly satisfied customers by providing them with a positive experience
and with the use of traditional advertising and promotional efforts. Many
of the factors that lead to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty in tra-
ditional businesses also work in e-businesses. Delivering excellent service
and value is equally important for customer satisfaction, customer loyalty,
and retention in offline and online businesses. Companies hoping to at-
tract and most importantly retain visitors to their website need to offer
online customers superior value and satisfaction. Branding is becoming
important in Internet-based businesses because online consumers prefer
to buy from well-known and reputable e-companies. Companies such as
56 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Amazon.com and Schwab are widely known, recognized, and trusted by

online consumers. Gaining people’s trust is a major challenge for I­ nternet
companies as many online visitors are reluctant to provide credit-card
information because they do not trust the sites they visit. Traditional
retailers with established names usually have an advantage over certain
Internet-only companies because they have been known for years and
enjoy a higher degree of trust by consumers. The reputation and image of
the website may have an impact on the offline business.

The Impact of “Big Data”

We have entered the era of “big data.” Today companies collect and pro-
cess an exponentially growing volume of transactional data about their
customers, suppliers, and operations. To capture these data, millions of
networked sensors are being embedded in devices such as mobile phones,
smart energy meters, automobiles, and industrial machines that sense,
create, and communicate. Social media sites, smartphones, and other
consumer devices including PCs and laptops have allowed billions of
individuals around the world to contribute to the amount of big data
available. Many citizens regard this collection of information with deep
suspicion, fearing a growing potential for invasion of their privacy. But
there is another side to this coin—big data has the potential to create
significant value and enhance competitiveness.11
ShopAlerts, developed by PlaceCast of San Francisco and New York,
is a location-based “push SMS” product that companies including Star-
bucks, North Face, Sonic, REI, and American Eagle Outfitters are using
to drive traffic to their stores. Advertisers define a geographic boundary in
which to send opted-in users a push SMS typically in the form of a promo-
tion or advertisement to visit a particular store; in general, a user would
receive no more than three such alerts a week. ShopAlerts claims 1 million
users worldwide. In the United States, the company says it can locate more
than 90 percent of the mobile phones in use nationwide. The company
reports that 79 percent of consumers surveyed say that they are more likely
to visit a store when they receive a relevant SMS; 65 percent of respon-
dents said they made a purchase because of the message; and 73 percent
said they would probably or definitely use the service in the future.12
 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment 57

Tesco—a major grocery chain in the United Kingdom—credits its use

of big data for capturing market share from its local competitors. Its loy-
alty program generates a tremendous amount of customer data that the
company mines to inform decisions from promotions to strategic segmen-
tation of customers. Similarly, Amazon uses customer data to power its
recommendation engine “you may also like . . .” based on a type of predic-
tive modeling technique called collaborative filtering. By making supply
and demand signals visible between retail stores and suppliers, Wal-Mart
was an early adopter of vendor-managed inventory to optimize the supply
chain. Harrah’s, the U.S. hotels and casinos group, compiles detailed holis-
tic profiles of its customers and uses them to tailor marketing in a way that
has increased customer loyalty. Progressive Insurance and Capital One are
both known for conducting experiments to segment their customers sys-
tematically and effectively and to tailor product offers accordingly.

New Business Models

The arrival of big data, coupled with other advances in business, is en-
abling the emergence of innovative business models that threaten tradi-
tional ones. In the retail sector, for example, two new business models
with the most traction today are price-comparison services and web-based
markets.

Price-Comparison Services.  It is common today for third parties to

offer real-time or near-real-time pricing and related price transparency on
products across multiple retailers. Consumers can instantly compare the
price of a specific product at multiple retail outlets. Where these compari-
sons are possible, prices tend to be lower. Studies show that consumers are
saving an average of 10 percent when they can shop using such services.
Retailers need to carefully think about how to respond to such price-
comparison services. Those that can compete on price will want to en-
sure that they are the most visible on such services. Retailers that cannot
compete on price will need to determine how to differentiate themselves
from competitors in a price-transparent world, whether it is in the quality
of the shopping experience, differentiated products, or the provision of
other value-added services.
58 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Web-Based Markets.  Web-based marketplaces, such as those provided

by Amazon and eBay, provide searchable product listings from a large
number of vendors. In addition to price transparency, they offer access
to a large number of niche retailers that otherwise would not have the
marketing or sales horsepower to reach consumers. They also provide a
tremendous amount of useful product information, including consumer-
generated reviews that provide further transparency to consumers.
Beyond increasing productivity, big data is spawning innovative ser-
vices and entirely new business models in manufacturing as well. For
example, sensor data have made possible innovative after-sale services.
BMW’s ConnectedDrive offers drivers directions based on real-time traf-
fic information, automatically calls for help when sensors indicate trou-
ble, alerts drivers of maintenance needs based on the actual condition of
the car, and feeds operation data directly to service centers. The ability to
exchange data across the extended enterprise has also enabled production
to be unbundled radically into highly distributed networks. For example,
Li and Fung, a supplier to apparel retailers, manages a network of more
than 7,500 suppliers, each of which focuses on delivering a very specific
part of the supply chain.

Corporate Social Responsibility—

A New Business Imperative
CSR, concerned with better aligning a company’s activities with the social,
economic, and environmental expectations of its stakeholders, has become
an important strategic issue for most companies. Also sometimes referred
to with terms such as corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship, respon-
sible business, sustainability, eco-friendliness, or corporate social performance,
CSR promotes the integration of a form of corporate self-­regulation into
a whole range of corporate business practices. Ideally, a focus on CSR
would function as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby com-
panies would monitor and ensure their adherence to law, ethical stan-
dards, environmental standards, and international norms, and take full
responsibility for the impact of their activities on the environment, con-
sumers, employees, communities, stakeholders, and other citizens. CSR-
focused businesses proactively promote the public interest by encouraging
 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment 59

community growth and development, and voluntarily eliminate practices

that are viewed as harmful, regardless of legality. CSR therefore reflects the
deliberate inclusion of public interest into corporate decision making and
the honoring of a triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit.

A New Compact Between Business and Society?

Given its recent origin and complexity, it is not surprising that CSR is
often misunderstood. Is it a moral and ethical issue? Is it a new approach
to compliance and risk management? Or is it a strategic issue—an op-
portunity to differentiate a company and build customer loyalty based
on distinctive ethical values? The simple answer is that it can be all of the
above.
Societal considerations increasingly force companies to rethink their
approach to core strategy and business model design. Dealing more ef-
fectively with a company’s full range of stakeholders therefore has be-
come a strategic imperative. Historically, the amount of attention paid
to stakeholders, other than directly affected parties, such as employees or
major investors, in crafting strategy has been limited. Issues pertaining
to communities, the environment, the health and happiness of employ-
ees, human rights violations of global supply chains, and activist NGOs,
among numerous other issues, were dealt with by the company’s public
relations department or its lawyers.
Today, “business as usual” is no longer an option, and traditional
strategies for companies to grow, cut costs, innovate, differentiate, and
globalize are now subject to a set of new laws of doing business in rela-
tionship to society13:

1. Size means scrutiny. The bigger a company is, and the more market
dominance it achieves, the more attention and demand it faces for
exemplary performance in ethical behavior, good governance, envi-
ronmental management, employee practices, product development
that improves quality of life, support for communities, honest mar-
keting, and so on.
2. Cutting costs raises compliance risk. The more companies use tra-
ditional means to cut costs—finding low-wage producers in less
60 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

developed countries, pressuring suppliers, downsizing, cutting cor-

ners, and so on—the more potential there is for crises related to
noncompliant ethical practices. The risks involved in successfully
complying with society’s expectations for ethical behavior, safety,
product liability, environmental practices, and good treatment of all
stakeholders might well outweigh the benefits accrued from these
kinds of cost savings.
3. Strategy must involve society. For forward-thinking companies, social
and environmental problems represent the growth opportunities of
the future. For example, GE is looking to solve challenges related to
the scarcity of global natural resources and changing demographics,
while IBM has made social innovation a priority alongside business
product and process innovation.
4. Reducing risks means building trust. Classic risk management strate-
gies must expand beyond financial and currency analysis to include
destabilizing trends and events arising from society. Smart leaders
realize that no company can manage these risks if it does not earn the
trust of society’s leaders and of its communities.
5. Satisfying shareholders means satisfying stakeholders. In the long run,
the company that pays attention to the business–society relationship
ultimately serves its investors’ interests because (a) its antennae are
better tuned to identifying risk, (b) it is able to build trust with its
stakeholders, and (c) it is well positioned to develop goods and ser-
vices that society values.
6. Global growth requires global gains. Increasingly, growth requires a
global perspective that recognizes the importance of strong local
communities that supply infrastructure; maintain stable business cli-
mates; attract investment capital; supply healthy, educated workers;
and support growth that generates consumers with greater purchas-
ing power. But long-term growth also requires development.
7. Productivity requires sustainability. Companies have seen that com-
mitment to environmental management and safety in the workplace
has been a driver of lower costs and greater productivity. In addition,
companies that take on the challenge of constraining their behavior
through commitments to corporate citizenship find new incentive
 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment 61

to innovate to compete. The more companies innovate, the more

productive and sustainable they become.
8. Differentiation relies on reputation. In the United States, an estimated
50 million people, representing over $225 billion a year in purchas-
ing power, comprise the emerging “lifestyles of health and sustain-
ability” consumer base. As the influence of these activist consumers
grows, they will demand companies to demonstrate sterling reputa-
tions and commitment to society.
9. Good governance needs good representation. A spate of corporate scan-
dals has generated stricter controls and comprehensive governance
reforms. These changes reflect an underlying revolution calling for
companies to include stakeholders in formal governance.

These “laws” are likely to play a key role in strategy formulation in the
years ahead. Companies that accept, understand, and embrace them will
find that being a “good citizen” has significant strategic value and does not
detract from but actually enhances business success.

How “Going Green” Can Pay Off14

One area where a concern for society and strategic opportunity can be
seen to be firmly aligned is the environment. Thanks to aggressive leader­
ship by some of the world’s biggest companies—Wal-Mart, GE, and­
DuPont among them—green growth has risen to the top of the agenda
for many businesses. From 2007 to 2009, eco-friendly product launches
increased by more than 500 percent. A recent IBM survey found that
two-thirds of executives see sustainability as a revenue driver, and half
of them expect green initiatives to confer competitive advantage. This
dramatic shift in corporate mind-set and practices over the past decade
reflects a growing awareness that environmental responsibility can be a
platform for both growth and differentiation.15
Reducing energy use, for example, is one environmental tenet that is
a virtual no-brainer. United Parcel Service (UPS), one of the world’s larg-
est package delivery companies, began adding hybrid vehicles to its fleet
in 2006 to test whether the introduction of these vehicles might reduce
62 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

their fuel costs (about 5 percent of their operating expenditures in 2006).

UPS has demonstrated that a shift in consumer sentiment toward envi-
ronmental preservation can be good for the company’s bottom line. For
almost a decade, it has managed fuel consumption and greenhouse gas
emissions as a business opportunity—one that can improve the bottom
line, reduce the company’s impact and on the environment, and increase
the long-term viability of the company.
In addition, with pressure increasing for the government to make reg-
ulations to curb corporate pollution, many companies are moving toward
adopting some environmental practices before such regulations are put in
place. Companies like Alcoa and Dupont, for example, have established
systems to reduce carbon emission and other harmful chemicals, the most
likely targets for government intervention. Leading the way, these compa-
nies, while reducing their impact on the environment, are also mitigating
the future risks of regulatory shocks in the future.
Today, manufacturers, service sector companies, professional service
firms, retailers, and Internet and telecommunication companies are all
focused on finding smart ways to make sustainability work in their busi-
nesses. For example:

• General Mills redesigned the packaging of Hamburger

Helper to conserve paperboard without reducing the product
content. Thanks to increased shipping efficiency, product
distribution now requires 500 fewer trucks per year.
• Interface, one of the world’s leading interior furnishing
companies, formed an “Eco Dream Team” to design a safer
and healthier way to run the business. The team helped the
company cut the use of fossil fuels by 45 percent and landfill
use by 80 percent.
• Hubbard Hall, a leading chemical distributor, has developed
a series of green services to help customers track their
chemical inventories, handle regulatory paperwork, and
properly dispose of hazardous containers. These services
make a valuable contribution to the environment. They also
help Hubbard Hall compete effectively with Internet direct
marketers.
 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment 63

• 3M’s Pollution Prevention Pays (3P) program has helped

eliminate more than 2 billion pounds of pollutants from the
environment. When it was launched in 1970, it achieved
$1 billion in savings the very first year.16

Improved public relations and positive public perception can also

have a major impact on a company’s bottom line. Nike Inc., which set
targets to reduce waste and packaging and become “climate neutral,” and
Hewlett-Packard (HP), which is working toward reducing waste and set-
ting up recycling services for electronic waste, made the Global 100 Most
Sustainable Corporations in the World list based on how well they man-
aged environmental risks and opportunities compared to their competi-
tors. The Global 100 compares companies to peers in their sectors and
selects companies on a “best-in-class” basis. Global 100 analysts believe
these sustainable corporations will create long-term value for sharehold-
ers through cost reduction, innovation, and other competitive advantages
that result from sustainable practices. This suggests that, if constructively
approached, getting ahead of the curve by being green actually represents
an opportunity for companies to create a competitive advantage over their
rivals.

Risk and Uncertainty

Many strategic choices involve future events that are difficult to predict.
The success of a new product introduction, for example, can depend on
such factors as how current and potential competitors will react, the qual-
ity of components procured from outside suppliers, and the state of the
economy. To capture the lack of predictability, decision-making situations
are often described along a continuum of states ranging from certainty to
risk to uncertainty. Under conditions of certainty, accurate, measurable
information is available about the outcome of each alternative considered.
When an event is risky, we cannot predict its outcome with certainty but
have enough information to assess its probability. Under conditions of
uncertainty, little is known about the alternatives or their outcomes.
To make analysis of the strategic environment actionable, we must be
able to assess the degree of uncertainty associated with relevant events, the
64 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

speed with which changes are likely to occur, and the possible outcomes
they foreshadow. Conditions of certainty and risk lend themselves to for-
mal analysis; uncertainty presents unique problems. Some changes take
place gradually, and are knowable, if not predictable. We might not be
able to determine exactly when and how they affect a specific industry or
issue, but their broad effect is relatively well understood. The globaliza-
tion of the competitive climate and most demographic and social trends
fall into this category. The prospect of new industry regulations creates a
more immediate kind of uncertainty—the new regulatory structure will
either be adopted or it will not. The collapse of boundaries between in-
dustries constitutes yet another scenario: The change forces themselves
may be identifiable, but their outcomes might not be totally predictable.
Finally, there are change forces such as the sudden collapse of foreign gov-
ernments, outbreaks of war, or major technological discoveries that are
inherently random in nature and cannot be easily foreseen.

Analyzing Uncertainty17

Courtney, Kirkland, and Viguerie argue that a binary approach to dealing

with uncertainty in which the future is either thought to be known or
unknown can be dangerous and that forcing precise predictions in inher-
ently uncertain situations can lead to seriously deficient strategic think-
ing. Instead, they suggest we focus on the degree of residual uncertainty
present in the strategic environment—the uncertainty that remains after
all knowable change forces have been analyzed and distinguished between
four levels of residual uncertainty:

Level 1: A clear-enough future: Some strategic environments are suf-

ficiently transparent and stable that a single forecast of the future
can be made with a reasonable degree of confidence. A number of
mature, low-technology industries fall into this category. It also ap-
plies to more narrowly defined strategic challenges such as counter-
ing a specific competitor in a specific market or region.
Level 2: Alternate futures: At times, the future can be envisioned in
terms of a small number of discrete scenarios. In such cases, we
may not be able to forecast with any precision which outcome will
 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment 65

occur, but the set of possible outcomes is fully understood. Busi-

nesses that are affected by major legislative or regulatory changes
fall into this category.
Level 3: A range of futures: This level defines a higher level of uncer-
tainty in which we can identify the key variables that are likely
to shape the future, but we cannot reduce this knowledge to a
few discrete, plausible outcomes. Instead, a range of almost con-
tinuous outcomes is possible. Courtney et al. cite the example of
a European consumer goods company trying to decide whether
to introduce its products to the Indian market. The best available
market research might identify only a broad range of potential
market shares.
Level 4: True ambiguity: At this level, even the driving forces that are
likely to shape the future are hard to identify. As a consequence,
no discrete scenarios or even ranges of outcomes can be predicted.
While level four situations are rare, they do exist. Take, for ex-
ample, the challenges faced by companies doing business in the
Middle East: Every aspect of the strategic environment is fraught
with uncertainty. There is uncertainty about the legal aspects of
doing business, about the availability of raw materials and compo-
nents, about the likely demand for various products and services,
and about the political stability of the region. In such situations,
traditional analysis techniques and forecasting tools are of little
assistance.

Situations characterized by level one uncertainty lend themselves to

conventional analysis. Simple trend extrapolation may be sufficient to
identify what is happening in the broader sociopolitical, economic, and
technological environment; standard techniques of competitor analysis
can also be used to clarify the picture at the industry level. At level two,
standard techniques can be used for analyzing each discrete set of out-
comes, but a different analysis may be needed for different scenarios. This
can make it difficult to compare them. In addition, we must then assess the
likelihood that each scenario will occur with the use of decision-­analysis
techniques. Level three situations are prime candidates for techniques such
as scenario planning, described earlier. Level four environments are most
66 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

difficult to analyze. At best a partial, mostly qualitative analysis can be

performed. In these situations, it may be useful to analyze comparable,
past environments and extract strategic lessons learned.

Implications for Strategy

Courtney et al. use the terms strategic posture—a company’s strategic in-
tent—and strategic moves to construct a generic framework for formulat-
ing strategy in uncertain environments. In characterizing how firms deal
with uncertainty, they distinguish between shapers, adapters, and compa-
nies reserving the right to play.
Shapers drive the industry toward a structure that is to their benefit.
They are out to change the rules of the competitive game and try to con-
trol the direction of the market. An example is Amazon’s goal to funda-
mentally change the way people shop for broad classes of products.
Adapters are companies that exhibit a more reactive posture. They take
the current industry structure as given and often bet on gradual, evolu-
tionary change. In strategic environments characterized by relatively low
levels of uncertainty, adapters position themselves for competitive advan-
tage within the current structure. At higher levels of uncertainty, they
may behave more cautiously and fine-tune their abilities to react quickly
to new developments. The airline industry provides examples of this type
of strategic behavior.
The third posture, also reactive in nature, reserves the right to play.
Companies pursuing this posture often make incremental investments
to preserve their options until the strategic environment becomes easier
to read or less uncertain. Making partial investments in competing tech-
nologies, taking a small equity position in different start-up companies,
and experimenting with different distribution options are examples of
reserving the right to play. Universities hedging their bets about the future
of higher education and investing in online course delivery exemplify this
strategic posture.
Strategic moves are action patterns aimed at realizing strategic intent.
Big bets are large commitments mostly used by companies with shap-
ing postures such as Tesla in the automotive industry. They often carry
a high degree of risk: Potential payoffs are large but so are potential
 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment 67

losses. Options target high payoffs in best-case scenarios while minimiz-

ing losses in worst-case situations. Licensing an alternative technology in
case it proves superior to current technology is a good example. Finally, a
­no-regret move has a positive or neutral outcome under all scenarios and
is often associated with a reserve-the-right-to-play posture.
In level one strategic environments—a clear-enough future—most
companies are adapters. The industry structure is fairly stable and its evo-
lution is relatively predictable. In this environment, conventional analysis
techniques can assist with positioning the company for sustained com-
petitive advantage. Because of the relatively high degree of predictability,
such strategies by definition consist of a sequence of no-regret moves. This
state of relative tranquility typically is maintained until a shaper upsets the
apple cart, usually with a big bet move. Consider, for example, the actions
of Wayne Huizinga’s Republic Industries in the movie rental and waste
management industries, and now with automobile dealerships.
Whereas shapers in level one environments raise the level of uncer-
tainty by challenging the existing order, at levels two, three, and four their
objective is to reduce uncertainty through determined action. At level
two—alternate futures—a shaping strategy is designed to tilt the prob-
abilities toward a specific outcome. Making a big commitment to build-
ing new capacity as a way of deterring a potential rival from entering the
industry is illustrative of a shaping strategy. A heavy lobbying effort for
or against a piece of legislation is an example of a non–market shaping
posture. At level two, adapting or reserving the right to play is easier than at
higher levels of uncertainty because the forces of change are known and
only a few discrete scenarios are thought to occur.
Whereas at level two shaping was about forcing a particular outcome,
at level three no discrete outcomes can be identified. As a result, at this
level of uncertainty shaping strategies focus on limiting the range of pos-
sible outcomes to a smaller set of more desirable futures. Consider the
earlier example of a European manufacturer wishing to enter the Indian
market. A shaping strategy might involve a local partnerships or tie-ins
with already-established products. Adapter and reserving the right to play
strategic postures are more common at this level. Both are aimed at keep-
ing the company’s options open: Adapters are generally more aggressive
and will craft strategy in real time as opportunities emerge; companies
68 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

adopting a reserve-the-right-to-play posture often wait until a more defini-

tive strategy can be adopted. At this level, options and no-regret moves are
more common than big bets.
Level four environments are the most uncertain. Extreme uncertainty,
however, may represent enormous opportunities to shapers who can ex-
ploit it. When true ambiguity prevails, the situation invites new rules and
a sense of order. As a consequence, shaping strategies may not require big
bets and in fact can be less risky at this level than at level two or three. Al-
ternatively, adaptive strategies or a reserve-the-right-to-play posture may
represent opportunities lost. Battles for technological standards, discussed
earlier, come to mind.

Scenario Analysis

Originally developed at Royal Dutch/Shell in London, scenario analysis

is one of the most widely used techniques for constructing alternative
plausible futures of a business’s external environment. Its purpose is to
analyze the effects of various uncontrollable change forces on the strategic
playing field and to test the resiliency of specific strategy alternatives. It is
most heavily used by businesses that are highly sensitive to external forces
such as energy companies.
Scenario analysis is a disciplined method for imagining and examin-
ing possible futures.18 It divides knowledge into two categories: (1) things
we believe we know something about and (2) elements we consider un-
certain or unknowable. The first category mainly focuses on the forward
projection of knowable change forces. For example, we can safely make
assumptions about demographic shifts or the substitution effects of
new technologies. Obvious examples of uncertain aspects—the second
­category—are future interest rates, oil prices, results of political elections,
and rates of innovation. Because scenarios depict possible futures but not
specific strategies to deal with them, it makes sense to invite into the
process outsiders, such as major customers, key suppliers, regulators, con-
sultants, and academics. The objective is to see the future broadly in terms
of fundamental trends and uncertainties and to build a shared framework
for strategic thinking that encourages diversity and sharper perceptions
about external changes and opportunities.
 Analyzing the External Strategic Environment 69

The scenario-building process involves four steps:

1. Deciding what possible future developments to probe, which

trends—technological change, demographic change, or resource
­issues—to include, and what time horizon to consider.
2. Identifying what forces or developments are likely to have the great-
est ability to shape the future.
3. Constructing a comprehensive set of future scenarios based on dif-
ferent combinations of possible outcomes. Some combinations will
be of greater interest than others, either because they have a greater
effect on the strategic issue at hand or because they are more or less
likely to occur. As a result, a few scenarios usually emerge that be-
come the focus of a more-detailed analysis.
4. Generating scenario-specific forecasts that allow an assessment of
the implications of the alternative futures for strategic postures and
choices.

Limitations of Scenario Planning

Although scenario planning has gained much adherence in industry, its

subjective and heuristic nature leaves many executives uncomfortable.
How do we know if we have the right scenarios? And how do we go from
scenarios to decisions?
Apart from some inherent subjectivity in scenario design, the tech-
nique can suffer from various process and content traps. These traps
mostly relate to how the process is conducted in organizations (such as
team composition and role of facilitators) as well as the substantive focus
of the scenarios (long term vs. short term, global vs. regional, incremental
vs. paradigm shifting, etc.). One might think of these as merely chal-
lenges of implementation, but since the process component is integral
to the scenario experience, they can also be viewed as weaknesses of the
methodology itself. Limited safeguards exist against political derailing,
agenda control, myopia, and limited imagination when conducting sce-
nario planning exercises within real organizations.
A third limitation of scenario planning in organizational settings is its
weak integration into other planning and forecasting techniques. Most
70 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

companies have plenty of trouble dealing with just one future, let alone
multiple ones. Typically, budgeting and planning systems are predicated
on single views of the future, with adjustments made as necessary through
variance analysis, contingency planning, rolling budgets, and periodic re-
negotiations. The reality is that most companies do not handle uncer-
tainty well and that researchers have not provided adequate answers about
how to plan under conditions of high uncertainty and complexity.
 CHAPTER 4

Analyzing an Industry

Industry Influences a Company’s Options

and Outcomes
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) thrust the healthcare industry into de-
cades of upheaval and uncertainty. The ACA is designed to increase in-
surance coverage by expanding Medicaid eligibility in 2014 to include
individuals within 138 percent of the federal poverty level, and by creat-
ing state-based insurance exchanges where individuals and small business
can buy health insurance, with federal subsidies available for individuals
with incomes less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level.
Accommodating 30 million new consumers, most of whom are low-
income patients with little medical care histories, challenges the industry’s
established delivery systems. The industry, which was regularly castigated
for his escalating costs and low levels of productivity, faces challenges in
every facet of its operations. No business, in any segment of the health-
care industry, is immune from meaningful change because of the ACA.
Consequently, McKinsey & Company concluded that healthcare ex-
ecutives have entered an era of an increased number of new competi-
tors, harsher scrutiny of their pricing structures, unprecedented focus on
their operational efficiency, heightened customer sophistication, numer-
ous changes in profitable industry segments, and an upsurge in corporate
mergers in the industry.1 Thus, healthcare is a prime example of power
of industry to impact the strategic planning of individual competitors
and, as we will discuss in this chapter, to influence the likelihood of their
economic success.
This example highlights the importance that an industry plays in the
strategic success of its corporate competitors. People tend to think of an
industry as a group of companies that compete directly with each other
72 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

in the marketplace. Although intuitive, the simplicity of this definition

masks complex issues. Is competition primarily between products, com-
panies, or networks of alliance partners? Should we analyze rivalry at the
business unit level or at the functional level? Should we distinguish be-
tween regional competition and global rivalry?
As these questions suggest, deciding on industry boundaries is dif-
ficult and misspecification of an industry can be extremely costly. The
use of too narrow a definition can lead to strategic myopia and cause
executives to overlook important opportunities or threats, such as would
occur by judging railroads as competing only with other railroads. The
use of too broad a definition, such as identifying a firm’s industry simply
as “high technology,” can prevent a meaningful assessment of the com-
petitive environment.

What Is an Industry?
An industry is a collection of firms that offer similar products or services.
It can be assessed on four dimensions the products its competitors provide,
the customers they serve, the geography in which the customers are located,
and the stage in the production–distribution pipeline that is represented by
its member companies. The product dimension can be further broken
down into its function and technology.
Function refers to what the product or service does. Some cooking
appliances bake. Others bake and roast. Still others fry or boil. Function-
ality can be actual or perceived. Some over-the-counter remedies for nasal
congestion, for example, are positioned as cold relievers, whereas others
with similar chemical formulations are promoted as allergy medicines.
The difference is as much a matter of positioning and perception as of
actual functionality. Technology is a second distinguishing factor: Some
cooking appliances use gas, whereas others are electric; some cold rem-
edies are available in liquid form, whereas others are sold in gel capsules.
Defining an industry’s boundaries requires the simultaneous consider-
ation of all of these dimensions. In addition, it is important to distinguish
between the industry in which a company competes and the market(s) it
serves. For example, a company might compete in the large kitchen ap-
pliance industry but choose refrigerators as its served market. This can be
 Analyzing an Industry 73

depicted as a collection of (adjacent) three-dimensional cells, each charac-

terized by a particular combination of functions/uses, technologies/mate-
rials, and types of customers. The task of defining an industry, therefore,
consists of identifying the group of market cells that are most relevant to
the firm’s strategic analysis.
In the process of generating strategic alternatives, it is often helpful
to use multiple industry definitions. Assessing a company’s growth po-
tential, for example, might require the use of a different industry/market
definition than assessing its current relative cost position.

Industry Structure and Porter’s Five Forces Model

The five forces model developed by Michael Porter is a useful tool for in-
dustry and competitive analysis.2 It holds that an industry’s profit poten-
tial is largely determined by the intensity of the competitive rivalry within
that industry, and that rivalry, in turn, is explained in terms of five forces:
(1) the threat of new entrants, (2) the bargaining power of customers, (3) the
bargaining power of suppliers, (4) the threat of substitute products or services,
and (5) the jockeying among current rivals.

The Threat of Entry.  When it is relatively easy to enter a market, an

industry can be expected to be highly competitive. Potential new entrants
threaten to increase the industry’s capacity, to intensify the fight for mar-
ket share, and to upset the balance between demand and supply. The
likelihood of new entrants depends on (1) what barriers to entry exist and
(2) how entrenched competitors are likely to react.
There are six major barriers to market entry: (1) economies of scale,
(2) product differentiation (brand equity), (3) capital requirements, (4) cost
disadvantages that are independent of size, (5) access to distribution chan-
nels, and (6) government regulations. Consider, for example, the difficulty
of entering the soft drink industry and competing with advertising giants
such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola or the plight of microbrewers trying to
gain distribution for their brands of beer against major companies such as
Anheuser-Busch. In high-technology industries, capital requirements and
accumulated experience serve as major barriers. Industry conditions can
change, however, and cause strategic windows of opportunity to open.
74 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Powerful Suppliers and Buyers.  Buyers and suppliers influence competi-

tion in an industry by exerting pressure over prices, quality, or the quan-
tity demanded or sold.
Generally, suppliers are more powerful when (1) there are a few domi-
nant companies and they are more concentrated than the industry they
serve; (2) the component supplied is differentiated, making switching
among suppliers difficult; (3) there are few substitutes; (4) suppliers can
integrate forward; and (5) the industry generates but a small portion of
the suppliers’ revenue base.
Buyers have substantial power when (1) there are few of them and/
or they buy in large volume; (2) the product is relatively undifferentiated,
making it easy to switch to other suppliers; (3) the buyers’ purchases rep-
resent a sizable portion of the sellers’ total revenues; and (4) buyers can
integrate backward.

Substitute Products and Services.  Substitute products and services con-

tinually threaten most industries and, in effect, place a lid on prices and
profitability. HBO and pay-per-view are substitutes to the movie rental
business and effectively limit what the industry can charge for its services.
Moreover, when cost structures can be changed, for example, by employ-
ing new technology, substitutes can take substantial market share from
existing businesses.
The increased availability of pay-per-view entertainment over cable
networks, for example, erodes the competitive position of movie rental
companies. From a strategic perspective, therefore, substitute products
or services that deserve scrutiny are those that (1) show improvements in
price performance relative to the industry average and (2) are produced
by companies with deep pockets.

Rivalry Among Participants.  The intensity of competition in an indus-

try also depends on the number, relative size, and competitive prowess
of its participants; the industry’s growth rate; and related characteristics.
Intense rivalry can be expected when (1) competitors are numerous and
relatively equal in size and power; (2) industry growth is slow and the
 Analyzing an Industry 75

competitive battle is more about existing customers than about creat-

ing new customers; (3) fixed costs are high or the product or service is
perishable; (4) capacity increases are secured in large increments; and
(5) exit barriers are high, making it prohibitively expensive to discontinue
operations.
Andrew Grove, founder of Intel, has suggested adding a sixth force
to Porter’s model: the influence of complementary products. Computers
need software, and software needs hardware; cars need gasoline, and
gasoline needs cars. When the interests of the industry are aligned with
those of complementors, the status quo is preserved. However, new
technologies or approaches can upset the existing order and cause com-
plementors’ paths to diverge.3 An example is a change in technological
standards, which renders previously compatible products and services
incompatible.
The influence of these forces continues to shift as industry structures
and business models change. For example, companies are increasingly
using the Internet to streamline their procurement of raw materials,
components, and ancillary services. To the extent this enhances access to
information about products and services and facilitates the valuation of
alternate sources of supply, it increases the bargaining power of manufac-
turers over suppliers. However, the same technology might reduce barri-
ers to entry for new suppliers and provide them with a direct channel to
end users, thereby reducing the leverage of intermediaries.
The effect of the Internet on the possible threat of substitute prod-
ucts and services is equally ambiguous. On the one hand, by increasing
efficiency, it can expand markets. On the other hand, as new uses of the
Internet are pioneered, the threat of substitutes increases. At the same
time, the Internet’s rapid spread has reduced barriers to entry and in-
creased rivalry among existing competitors in many industries. This has
occurred because Internet-based business models are generally hard to
protect from imitation and, because they are often focused on reducing
variable costs, they create an unwanted focus on price. Thus, although the
Internet does not fundamentally alter the nature of the forces affecting in-
dustry rivalry, it changes their relative influence on industry profitability
and attractiveness.4
76 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Industry Evolution
Industry structures change over time. Entry barriers can fall, as in the case
of deregulation, or rise considerably, as has happened in a number of in-
dustries where brand identity became an important competitive weapon.
Sometimes industries become more concentrated as real or perceived ben-
efits of scale and scope cause businesses to consolidate. Models of industry
evolution can help us understand how and why industries change over
time. Perhaps the word evolution is somewhat deceptive; it suggests a pro-
cess of slow, gradual change. Structural change can occur with remarkable
rapidity, as in the case when a major technological innovation enhances
the prospects of some companies at the expense of others.

Four Trajectories of Change

Industries evolve according to one of the four distinct trajectories of

change: radical, progressive, creative, and intermediating.5 Two types of
obsolescence define these paths of change: (1) a threat to an industry’s
core activities, which account for a significant portion of an industry’s
profits; and (2) a threat to the industry’s core assets, which are valued as
differentiators. The steady decrease in importance of a dealer’s traditional
sales activities as online shopping has increased is a good example of the
first type of obsolescence. The eroding brand value of many prescription
drugs in the face of generic competition illustrates the second.
Radical change occurs when an industry is threatened with obsoles-
cence of both its core activities and core assets at the same time. Profes-
sor Anita McGahan cites the major changes in the travel business as an
example. As airlines modernized and began to compete more directly
with enhanced reservation systems, and corporate travel clients turned
to Internet-based service providers such as Expedia and Travelocity,
many traditional travel agents had to reinvent themselves as a matter of
survival.
Progressive change can be expected when neither form of obsolescence
is imminent. This is the most common form of industry change. The
long-haul trucking industry has seen changes, but its fundamental value
proposition has remained the same. In such environments, competitive
 Analyzing an Industry 77

strategies and innovation are often targeted at increased efficiencies

through scale and cost reduction.
Creative and intermediating change paths are defined by the domi-
nance of one of the two forms of obsolescence. Under creative change,
the core assets are threatened, but the core activities retain their value.
Strategically, this scenario calls for the renewal of asset values; think of
a movie studio having to produce another blockbuster. Under interme-
diating change, the core assets remain valuable, but the core activities
are threatened. Museums are highly valuable as repositories of art, for
example, but modern communication methods have reduced their power
as educators.

Industry Structure, Concentration, and Product Differentiation

It is useful to analyze changes in industry structure in terms of the move-

ment from a primarily vertical to a more horizontal structure, or vice
versa; increases or decreases in the degree of product differentiation; and
changes in the degree of industry concentration.
These dimensions are illustrated by the convergence of three industries
that originated some 50 years apart: telecommunications, computers, and
television. This convergence has spawned an integrated multimedia in-
dustry in which traditional industry boundaries have all but disappeared.
Instead of consisting of three distinct businesses in which being vertically
integrated was key to success, the industry has evolved into five primarily
horizontal segments in which businesses can successfully compete: con-
tent (products and services), packaging (bundling of content and addi-
tional functionality), the network (physical infrastructure), transmission
(distribution), and display devices. In this new structure, strategic advan-
tage for many companies is determined primarily by their relative posi-
tions on one of the five segments. However, vertical integration is likely
to become an important business strategy once again when economics of
scale and scope become more critical to competitive success.
In fragmented industries, which characterized by a relatively low de-
gree of concentration, no single player has a major market share. Such
industries are found in many areas of the economy. Some are highly dif-
ferentiated, such as application software; others tend to commodity status,
78 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

as in the case of lumber. In the absence of major forces for change, frag-
mented industries can remain fragmented for a long time.

Industry Concentration

When economies of scale are important and market share and total unit
costs are inversely related, industry structures are often concentrated. In
such industries, the size distribution of business firms is often highly
skewed. In stable markets, there may be very few significant competitors
and they will share a high total percentage of industry sales.
Research into approximately 200 industries has revealed that mar-
kets evolve in a highly predictable fashion, supporting a “Rule of Three.”6
When market forces are free to operate, unrestricted by regulatory con-
straints and artificial entry barriers, two kinds of competitors emerge,
called full-line generalists and product/market specialists:

• Generalists offer a broad range of products to multiple

markets. They are volume-driven competitors that depend on
market share to improve their financial performance.
• Specialists restrict themselves to limited products or to limited
markets. They are margin-driven competitors that can suffer
serious declines if they attempt to increase their market share
too rapidly.

Researchers Jagdish Sheth and Rajendra Sisodia found that in competi-

tive, mature markets, there is only room for three full-line generalists,
plus several product or market specialists. In some combination, the three
generalists typically control between 70 and 90 percent of the total sales
in the industry. The smallest of these generalists must control no less than
a 10 percent market share to remain competitively profitable.
The financial performance of specialists drops rapidly as their mar-
ket share increases. In contrast, the three market-driven generalists enjoy
profit improvement with gains in market share. These relationships are
shown in Figure 4.1 to illustrate the central paradigm of the Rule of
Three. The figure plots financial performance against market share, for
generalists and specialists separately.
 Analyzing an Industry 79

Figure 4.1  The financial consequences of growth for specialist

and generalist companies

Sheth and Sisodia also found that a number of firms typically operate as
large market share specialists (with less than 5 percent of total industry
revenues) or small market share generalists (with less than 10 percent of
total industry revenues). Both groups suffer from low levels of profit-
ability and poor prospects if they continue to operate as independent
firms. As shown in Figure 4.1, these companies are labeled as being in
the “ditch.” Therefore, the most desirable competitive positions are those
furthest away from the ditch.

Common Elements in Market Evolution

By analyzing the evolution of about 200 competitive markets, Sheth and

Sisodia reached many important generalizations.7 The following seem
particularly useful:

1. A typical competitive market starts out in an unorganized way,

with only small players serving it. As markets expand, they get or-
ganized through consolidation and standardization. This process
eventually results in the emergence of a handful of “full-line general-
ists” surrounded by a number of “product specialists” and “market
specialists.”
80 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

2. With regularity, the number of full-line generalists that survive this

transition is three. Typically, the market shares of the three eventu-
ally resemble 40, 20, and 10 percent, respectively. Together, they
generally serve between 70 and 90percent of the market, with the
balance going to product/market specialists. The extent of market
share concentration among the three big depends on the extent to
which fixed costs dominate the cost structure.
3. The financial performance of the three large players improves with
increased market share-up to a point, typically 40 percent.
4. The three big companies are typically valued at a substantial pre-
mium (measured by the price–earnings ratio) over those in the ditch.
5. If the top player commands 70 percent or more of the market (usu-
ally because of a proprietary technology or strong patent rights),
there is often no room for even a second full-line generalist. When
the market leader has a share of between 50 and 70 percent, there is
often only room for two full-line generalists. Similarly, if the market
leader enjoys considerably less than a 40 percent share, there may
(temporarily) be room for a fourth generalist player.
6. A market share of 10 percent is the minimum level necessary for a
player to be viable as a full-line generalist. Companies that dip below
this level must become a specialist to survive; alternatively, they must
consider a merger with another company to regain a market share
above 10 percent.
7. The No. 1 company is usually the least innovative, though it may
have the largest R&D budget. Such companies tend to adopt a “fast
follower” strategic posture when it comes to innovation.
8. The No. 3 company is usually the most innovative. However, its
innovations are usually “stolen” by the No. 1 company unless it can
protect them.
9. The performance of specialist companies deteriorates as they grow
market share within the overall market, but improves as they grow
their share of a specialty niche.
10. Specialists can make the transition to successful full-line generalists
only if there are two or fewer incumbent generalists in the market.
11. Successful product or market specialists typically face only one direct
competitor in their chosen specialty.
 Analyzing an Industry 81

12. Successful superniche players (that specialize by product and

­market) are, in essence, monopolists in their niches, commanding
80–90 percent market share.
13. Successful market growth (finding new markets for existing products)
requires product strength, and successful product growth (develop-
ing new products for existing markets) requires market strength.
14. Companies in the ditch exhibit the worst financial performance and
have a very difficult time surviving.
15. The ditch can be a very attractive source of bargains for full-line
generalists looking to boost market share rapidly.

These generalizations—and The Rule of Three—are dependable only

when market structure is determined by competitive market forces cau-
tion.8 Therefore, we are not likely to see the Rule apply in mature markets
with government regulations that:

• greatly restrict consolidation,

• allow exclusive rights to certain companies that enable them
to operate like of sub-monopolies,
• construct significant barriers to trade and foreign ownership
of assets, or
• support major industries that exhibit combined ownership
and management.

Ultimately, the Rule of Three is evidence that the highest operating

efficiency is being achieved in a competitive market. Sheth and Sisodia
also found that industries with four or more major players, as well as
those with two or fewer, tend to be less efficient than those with three
major players, and they warn that the role of the government is to ensure
that free market conditions prevail so that such efficiency can be achieved
and sustained.

Power Curves

Strategic managers have a new tool that helps them to assess industry
structure, which refers to the enduring characteristics that give an industry
82 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

its distinctive character. According to Michele Zanini of the McKinsey

Group, from whose work this discussion is derived, power curves depict
the fundamental structural trends that underlie an industry.9 While major
economic events like the worldwide recession of 2007–2009 are extremely
disruptive to business activity, they do little to change the relative position
of most businesses to one another over the long term.
In many industries, the top firm is best described as a mega-­
institution—a company of unprecedented scale and scope that has an
undeniable lead over competitors. Walmart, Best Buy, McDonalds,
and Starbucks are examples. However, even among these firms, there
is a clear difference in size and performance. When the distribution of
net incomes of the global top 150 corporations in 2005 was plotted,
as shown in ­Figure 4.2, the result was a “power curve,” which implies
that most companies, even in the set of superstars, are below average in
performance.
A power curve is described as exhibiting a small set of companies with
extremely large incomes, followed quickly by a much larger array of com-
panies with significantly smaller incomes that are progressively smaller
than one another, but only slightly.
As Zanini explains, low barriers to entry and high levels of rivalry
are positively associated with an industry’s power curve dynamics. The
larger the number of competitors in an industry, the larger the gap

Common Shape of a Power Curve

Listing of companies’ net incomes as a
percentage of the highest net income

100

1st Last
Rank ordering of companies
based on their net incomes

Figure 4.2  Common shape of a power curve

 Analyzing an Industry 83

on the vertical axis usually is between the top and median companies.
When entry barriers are lowered, such as occurs with deregulation, rev-
enues increase faster in the top-ranking firms, creating a steeper power
curve. This greater openness seems to create a more level playing field
at first, but greater differentiation and consolidation tend to occur
over time.
Power curves are also promoted by intangible assets such as software
and biotech, which generate increasing returns to scale and economies
of scope. By contrast, more labor- or capital-intensive sectors, such as
chemicals and machinery, have flatter curves. In industries that display a
power curve, including insurance, machinery, and U.S. banks and savings
institutions, the intriguing strategic implication is that strategic thrusts
rather than incremental strategies are required to improve a company’s
position significantly.

Product Life Cycle Analysis

The product life cycle model—based on the theory of diffusion of innova-

tions and its logical counterpart, the pattern of acceptance of new ideas—
is perhaps the best-known model of industry evolution. It holds that an
industry passes through a number of stages: introduction, growth, matu-
rity, and decline. The different stages are defined by changes in the rate of
growth of industry sales, generally thought to follow an S-shaped curve,
reflecting the cumulative result of first and repeat adoptions of a product
or service over time.
The service life cycle can be a useful analytic tool for strategy de-
velopment. Research has shown that the evolution of an industry or
product class depends on the interaction of a number of factors, in-
cluding the competitive strategies of rival firms, changes in customer
behavior, and legal and social influences. Figure 4.3 shows typical
competitive responses to the changes that accompany the transition
from a market’s introduction stage to growth to maturity and, ulti-
mately, to decline.
A high level of uncertainty characterizes the introductory or emerging
stage of a product or industry life cycle. Competitors are often unsure
which segments to target and how. Potential customers are unfamiliar
84 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Conditions of the Life Cycle of a Service Firm

Life Cycle Stage
Condition Introductory Growth Maturity Decline
Barriers to low moderate to high: capital low for niche
Entry high requirements players
Barriers to low moderate and high: high: inversely
Exit increasing correlated with related to asset
size convertibility
Power of high moderate low low
Suppliers
Power of moderate decreasing low high
Buyers
Rivalry low: few rapidly stable at increasing as
competitors increasing to moderate to industry sales
high; stabilizes low decline
at moderate
after shakeout*
Experience low high high but not a low
Curve Effects differentiator
for established
firms
Economies of few moderate and high high, but
Scale increasing declining in
value
Price Elasticity inelastic more elastic inelastic elastic: high
of Demand during buyer power
shakeout
Product low rapidly high low
Differentiation increasing
Costs Per Unit high: marketing high: fixed moderate to increasing
assets low
Cash Flow low high but high moderate
necessary but declining
heading low
Profits very low increasing high to low
except during moderate
shakeup

Figure 4.3  Conditions over the life cycle of a service firm1

with the new product or service, the benefits it offers, where to buy it, or
how much to pay. Consequently, a substantial amount of experimenta-
tion is a hallmark of emerging industries.
 Analyzing an Industry 85

Growth environments are less uncertain and competitively more in-

tense. At this stage of an industry’s evolution, the number of rivals is
usually largest. Therefore, competitive shakeouts are common toward the
end of the growth phase.
Mature industries, although the most competitively stable, are rela-
tively stagnant in terms of sales growth. However, product development
can give rise to new spurts of growth in specific segments, technological
breakthroughs can alter the course of market development and upset the
competitive order, and global opportunities can open avenues for further
growth.
Declining industries are typically regarded as unattractive, but clever
strategies can produce substantial profits. We will return to these different
scenarios in Chapter 7 when we consider specific strategies for each life
cycle stage.
Although useful as a general construct for understanding how the prin-
ciple of diffusion can shape industry sales over time, the product life cycle
concept has little predictive value. Empirical studies have shown that indus-
try growth does not always follow an S-shaped pattern. In some instances,
stages are very brief. More important, the product life cycle concept does not
explicitly acknowledge the possibility that companies can affect the shape
of the growth curve through strategic actions such as increasing the pace of
innovation or repositioning their offerings. Taking an industry growth curve
as a given, therefore, can unnecessarily become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

New Patterns

Many new industries evolve through some convergence in technologi-

cal standards. Competition for standards or formats is frequently waged
within a group of companies between the developer of one standard and
another group of companies favoring a different standard. Competition
for standard or format share is important, because the winning standard
will garner for its adopters a substantial share of future profits. Battles for
cell phone technologies and set-top box standards, for example, decide
the winners in market share.
For industries in which competition for standards is an important de-
terminant of strategic success, C. K. Prahalad has proposed a model that
86 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

describes industry evolution in three phases.10 In the first phase, competi-

tion is mostly focused on ideas, product concepts, technology choices, and
the building of a competency base. The primary goal at this stage is to learn
more about the potential of the industry and about the key factors that
will determine future success or failure. In the second phase, competition
is more about building a viable coalition of partners that will support a stan-
dard against competing formats. Companies cooperating at this stage may
compete vigorously in phase three of the process—the battle for market
share for end products and profits.
As competition becomes more global, industries consolidate,
technology becomes more pervasive, and the lines between custom-
ers, suppliers, competitors, and partners are increasingly becoming
blurred. With greater frequency, companies that compete in one
market collaborate with others. At times, they can be each other’s
customers or suppliers. This complex juxtaposition of roles makes
accurately ­forecasting an industry’s future structure extremely diffi-
cult and ­relying on simple, stylized models of industry evolution very
dangerous.
As industry boundaries become more permeable, structural changes
in adjacent industries (industries serving the same customer base with
different products or services, or industries using similar technologies and
production processes) or related industries (industries supplying compo-
nents, technologies, or complementary services) increasingly influence
an industry’s outlook for the future. Finally, change sometimes is sim-
ply a function of experience. Buyers generally become more discriminat-
ing as they become more familiar with a product and its substitutes and,
consequently, they are likely to be more explicit in their demands for
improvements.

Methods for Analyzing an Industry

Analyzing an industry is typically done based on a method of strategic
segmentation that focuses on a subset of the total customer market, a
competitor analysis that concentrates on individual corporations or their
major units, or a strategic group analysis of all firms that face similar
threats and opportunities.
 Analyzing an Industry 87

Segmentation

Strategic segmentation is the process of dividing an industry into relatively

homogeneous, minimally overlapping segments that benefit from dis-
tinct competitive strategies. Strategic segmentation is the process of iden-
tifying segments that offer the best prospects for long term, sustainable
results. It considers the long-term defensibility of different segments by
analyzing barriers to entry such as capital investment intensity, propri-
etary technologies and patents, geographical location, tariffs, and other
trade barriers.
Segmentation is complex because there are many ways to divide an
industry or market. The most widely used categories of segmentation
variables are customer characteristics and product- or service-related vari-
ables. Customer descriptors range from geography, size of customer firm,
customer type, and customer lifestyle to personal descriptive variables,
such as age, income, or sex. Product- or service-related segmentation
schemes divide the market based on variables such as user type, level of
use, benefits sought, competing offerings, purchase frequency and loyalty,
and price sensitivity. After a strategic business unit’s (SBU’s) preferred
segments have been identified, the process of analysis concludes with the
strategic targeting of the particular segment and the positioning the firm
for competitive advantage within that segment.

Competitor Analysis

Because industry structures and patterns of evolution are becoming more

complex, traditional business assumptions are often not tenable. Many
markets are no longer distinct nor are their boundaries well defined;
competition is not mainly about capturing market share; customer and
competitor profiles are constantly shifting; and competition occurs simul-
taneously at the business unit and corporate levels.
These new realities call for executives to adopt a broader perspective
on strategy and for them to ask new questions. Do consumer companies
compete at the business unit level, at the corporate level, or both? Do
companies compete as stand-alone entities or as extended families that
include their supplier bases? When a firm defines its competition, should
88 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

executives focus on the corporate portfolio of which the SBU is a part?

What are the competitive advantages of a portfolio of businesses against
stand-alone businesses? Which is more important to sustainable competi-
tive advantage: access to money or information technology?
As these questions suggest, competitive analysis should be paired with
an analysis of the drivers of industry evolution. Consequently, strate-
gies cannot be neatly compartmentalized at the SBU or corporate level.
A principal rationale behind the concept of the diversified corporation is
that the benefits of a portfolio transcend financial strength. A portfolio of
related businesses reflects an integrated set of resources—core competen-
cies that transcend business units—and has the potential for developing
a sustainable corporate advantage that must be considered along with
competitive factors at the business unit level.
To analyze immediate competitors, five key questions are useful:

1. Who are our firm’s direct competitors now and in the near term?
2. What are their major strengths and weaknesses?
3. How have they behaved in the past?
4. How might they behave in the future?
5. How will our competitors’ actions affect our industry and company?

Developing a solid understanding of who a firm’s immediate com-

petitors are and what motivates their competitive behavior is important
for strategy formulation. An analysis of key competitors’ major strengths
and weaknesses and their past behavior, for example, may suggest attrac-
tive competitive opportunities or imminent threats. Understanding why
a competitor behaves a certain way helps to make a determination of
how likely it is to expect a major strategic or retaliatory initiative. Assess-
ing competitors’ successes and failures assists in predicting their future
behavior. Finally, an analysis of a competitor’s organizational structure
and culture can be insightful; a cost-driven, highly structured competitor
is unlikely to mount a successful challenge with an innovation-driven,
market-oriented strategy.
In analyzing competitive patterns, it is often useful to assign roles to
particular competitors. In many markets, it is possible to identify a leader,
one or more challengers, and a number of followers and nichers. Although
 Analyzing an Industry 89

labeling competitors can be dangerously simplistic, such an analysis can

provide insight into the competitive dynamics of the industry.
Leaders tend to focus on expanding total demand by attracting new
users, developing new uses for their products or services, and encourag-
ing more use of existing products and services. Defending market share
is important to them, but they might not want to be aggressive in taking
share from their immediate rivals because to do so can be more costly
than expanding the market, or because they want to avoid scrutiny by
regulatory agencies. Coca-Cola, for example, focuses more on developing
new markets overseas than on taking market share from Pepsi Cola in the
domestic market.
Challengers typically concentrate on a single target—the leader. Some-
times they do so directly, as in the case of Fuji’s challenge to Kodak. At
other times, they use indirect strategies. Computer Associates, for ex-
ample, acquired a number of smaller competitors before embarking on
directly competitive attacks against larger rivals.
Followers and nichers compete with more modest strategic objectives.
Some followers use a strategy of innovative imitation, whereas others elect
to compete selectively in a few segments or with a more limited product
or service offering. Nichers typically focus on a narrow slice of the market
by concentrating, for example, on specific end users and geographic areas,
or offering specialty products or services.
The identification of potential competitors is more difficult. Firms that
are currently not in the industry but can enter at relatively low cost should
be considered. So should companies for whom there is obvious synergy
by being in the industry. Customers or suppliers who can integrate back-
ward or forward comprise another category of potential competitors.

Strategic Groups

Many industries have numerous competitors, far more than can be ana-
lyzed individually. In such cases, the application of the concept of strategic
groups makes the task of competitor analysis more manageable. A strategic
group is a set of firms that face similar threats and opportunities, which
are different from the threats and opportunities faced by other sets of
companies in the same industry.
90 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Rivalry is usually more intense within strategic groups than between

them, because members of the same strategic group focus on the same
market segments with similar strategies and resources. In the fast food
industry, for example, hamburger chains tend to compete more directly
with other hamburger chains than with chicken or pizza restaurants. Sim-
ilarly, in pharmaceuticals, strategic groups can be defined in terms of the
disease categories on which companies focus.
Analysis of strategic groups helps to reveal how competition evolves
between competitors with a similar strategic focus. Strategic groups can
be mapped by using price, product-line breadth, the degree of vertical
integration, and other variables that differentiate competitors within an
industry.
 CHAPTER 5

Analyzing a Company’s
Strategic Resource Base

Introduction
An assessment of strategic resources and capabilities—and of pressures for
and against change—is critical when determining what strategies a com-
pany can successfully pursue. An organization’s strategic resources include
its physical assets; relative financial position; market position, brands, and
the capabilities of its people; and specific knowledge, competencies, pro-
cesses, skills, and culture.
Consider the rapidly increasing reliance of U.S. corporations on ana-
lytics to improve data analysis. Data has become a critically important
corporate knowledge resource. Data is critical in enabling executives to
evaluate their internal processes, their competitors, and the markets in
which they operate. Consequently, the demand and availability of data
is growing exponentially, with a projected rate of data generation of
40 percent per year through 2020, totally 1,054 percent growth in the
period of 2014 to 2020.1 Firms at the foreground of using this data to
analyze their performance and formulate their strategies are estimated
to have 6 percent higher profits and 5 percent higher productivity than
their competitors.2 These advantages are widening as the leaders in data
utilization see higher growth rates in revenue accompanied by a greater
ability to control costs. McKinsey & Company advises that in the retail
industry, a company that makes full use of the available data could in-
crease their operating margins by 60 percent.3 They estimate that a better
exploitation of data could add $300 billion a year in value to the U.S.
health care industry.
92 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Data acquisition and analysis requires the investment in a lot of

bandwidth. While high-speed Internet connections currently allow the
transfer of about 25 megabits of data per second, analysts forecast that
companies will need connection speeds of 1 gigabit per second by 2020
keeping pace with usage trends.4 Data storage needs will increase at simi-
lar rates. Businesses are increasing their data storage capacity at a rate of
53 percent per year.
Analyzing a company’s internal strategic environment has two princi-
pal components: (1) cataloging and valuing current resources, including
data, and core competencies to create a competitive advantage and (2)
identifying internal pressures for change and forces of resistance.
In this chapter, we characterize a company’s strategic resource base in
terms of physical, financial, human resource, and organizational assets,
and describe techniques for analyzing a company’s strategic resource base.
In the second section, we look at internal organizational change drivers
and counterforces that have a major influence on the feasibility of exer-
cising particular strategic options and introduce the company life-cycle
model.

Strategic Resources
A company’s strategic resource base consists of its physical, financial,
human resource, and organizational assets. Physical assets such as state-
of-the-art manufacturing facilities or plant or service locations near im-
portant customers can materially affect a company’s competitiveness.
Financial strength—excellent cash flow, a strong balance sheet, and a
strong financial track record—is a measure of a company’s competitive
position, market success, and ability to invest in its future. The quality of
a company’s human resources—strong leadership at the top, experienced
managers, and well-trained, motivated employees—may well be its most
important strategic resource. Finally, strategic organizational resources are
the specific competencies, processes, skills, and knowledge under the con-
trol of a corporation. They include qualities such as a firm’s manufactur-
ing experience, brand equity, innovativeness, relative cost position, and
ability to adapt and learn as circumstances change.
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 93

To evaluate the relative worth of a company’s strategic resources, four

specific questions should be asked:

1. How valuable is a resource? Does it help build and sustain competi-

tive advantage?
2. Is this a unique resource, or do other competitors have similar re-
sources? If competitors have substantially similar resources or capa-
bilities or can obtain them with relative ease, their strategic value is
diminished.
3. Is the strategic resource easy to imitate? This is related to unique-
ness. Ultimately, most strategic resources, with some exceptions for
patents and trademarks, can be duplicated. At what cost? The more
expensive it is for rivals to duplicate a strategic resource, the more
valuable it is to a company.
4. Is the company positioned to exploit the resource? Possessing a stra-
tegic resource is one thing; being able to exploit it is quite another.
A strategic resource that has little value to one company might be an
important strategic asset for another. The issue is whether a resource
can be leveraged for competitive advantage.

Physical Assets

A company’s physical assets, such as state-of-the-art manufacturing facili-

ties and plant or service locations near important customers, can materi-
ally affect its competitiveness. For airline companies, the average age of
their fleet of aircraft is an important concern. It affects customer per-
ceptions, routing flexibility, and operating and maintenance costs. Infra-
structure is a key issue for telecommunication companies. It determines
their geographical reach and defines the types of customer service they
can provide. In retailing and real estate, the old adage “location, location,
location” still applies.
Physical assets do not necessarily need to be owned. Judicious use
of outsourcing, leasing, franchising, and partnering can substantially
enhance a company’s reach with a relatively modest commitment of
resources.
94 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Analyzing a Financial Resource Base

At the corporate level, an evaluation of a company’s financial performance

and position involves a thorough analysis of the company’s current and
pro forma income statement and cash flows at the divisional or business
unit level, with additional consideration of the balance sheet at the cor-
porate level.
Financial ratio analysis can provide a quick overview of a company’s
or business unit’s current or past profitability, liquidity, leverage, and ac-
tivity. Profitability ratios measure how well a company is allocating its
resources. Liquidity ratios focus on cash-flow generation and a company’s
ability to meet its financial obligations. Leverage ratios may suggest poten-
tial improvements in the financing of operations. Activity ratios measure
productivity and efficiency. These ratios can be used to assess (1) the busi-
ness’s position in the industry, (2) the degree to which certain strategic
objectives are being achieved, (3) the business’s vulnerability to revenue
and cost swings, and (4) the level of financial risk associated with the cur-
rent or proposed strategy.
The DuPont formula for analyzing a company or business unit’s re-
turn on assets (ROA) directly links operating variables to financial per-
formance. For example, ROA is shown to be computed by multiplying
earnings, expressed as a percentage of sales, by asset turnover. Asset turn-
over, in turn, is the ratio of sales to total assets used. A careful analysis of
such relationships allows pointed questions about a strategy’s effectiveness
and the quality of its execution.
Accounting-based measures have generally been found to be inad-
equate indicators of a business unit’s economic value. Shareholder-value
analysis, in contrast, focuses on cash-flow generation, which is the prin-
cipal determinant of shareholder wealth. It is helpful in answering the
following questions: (1) Does the current strategic plan create shareholder
value, and, if so, how much? (2) How does the business unit’s perfor-
mance compare with the performance of others in the corporation? (3)
Would an alternative strategy increase shareholder value more than the
current strategy?
The use of accounting-based financial measures to assess current per-
formance, such as return on investment (ROI), has been supplanted by
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 95

that of the broader shareholder-value-based measures of economic value

added (EVA) and market value added (MVA). EVA is a value-based finan-
cial performance measure that focuses on economic value creation. Un-
like traditional measures based on accounting profit, EVA recognizes that
capital has two components: the cost of debt and the cost of equity. Most
traditional measures, including ROA and return on equity (ROE), focus
on the cost of debt but ignore the cost of equity. The premise of EVA is
that executives cannot know whether an operation is really creating value
until they assess the complete cost of capital.
In mathematical terms, EVA = profit − [(cost of capital) (total c­ apital)],
where profit is after-tax operating profit, cost of capital is the weighted cost
of debt and equity, and total capital is book value plus interest-bearing debt.
Consider the following example. When buying an asset, executives invest
capital from their company and borrowed funds from a lender. Both the
stockholders and the lender require a return on their capital. This return
is the “cost of capital” and includes both the cost of equity (the company’s
investment) and the cost of debt (the lender’s investment). The company
does not generate any meaningful profits until returns generated by the
investment exceed the weighted capital charge. Once this occurs, the assets
are contributing a positive EVA. If, however, the returns continue to lag
the weighted cost of capital, EVA is negative, and change may be needed.
Varity, Inc. used EVA as a basis for reinvigorating its corporate culture
and reestablishing its financial health. The company focused employees’
attention on its negative $150 million EVA. It established clear objec-
tives to turn EVA positive within a 5-year timeframe. These objectives
included revising the firm’s capital structure by initiating a stock buyback
program, considering strategic opportunities with high EVA prospects,
and efficiently managing working capital. By establishing a 20 percent
internal cost of capital, managers found attractive strategic opportunities,
including the construction of a new manufacturing facility, establishing
an Asian presence through a joint venture, and divesting its door-lock
actuator business.5
Following are two additional benefits of EVA: (1) it can help align
employee and owner interests through employee compensation plans and
(2) it can be the basis for a single competitive performance measure called
MVA. Under EVA-based incentive programs, employees are rewarded for
96 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

contributing to profits through the efficient use of capital. As employ-

ees become conscious of the results of their capital-use decisions, they
become more selective in the ways they spend shareholder investment.
MVA is equal to market value less capital invested. Thus, EVA can be used
as a metric for various internal functions, such as capital budgeting, em-
ployee performance evaluation, and operational assessment. In contrast,
external shareholder value is measured through MVA, which is equal to
the future discounted EVA streams.
Although some analysts have reservations, EVA portrays the true re-
sults of a company’s strength by considering the cost of debt and equity.6
Tools such as ROE, ROA, and EPS (earnings per share) measure financial
performance, but ignore the cost of equity component of the cost of capi-
tal. Therefore, it is possible to have positive earnings and positive returns
but a negative EVA. By encouraging an operation to manage indebted-
ness, a firm that uses EVA maximizes capital efficiency and allocation. If,
for example, a business can conserve its assets by improving collections of
receivables and inventory turnover, EVA will rise.
Cost analysis deals with the identification of strategic cost drivers—
those cost factors in the value chain that determine long-term competi-
tiveness in the industry. Strategic cost drivers include variables such as
product design, factor costs, scale, scope of operations, and capacity use.
To assist in strategy development, cost analysis focuses on those costs and
cost drivers that are of strategic importance because they can be influ-
enced by strategic choice.
Cost benchmarking is useful in assessing a firm’s costs relative to those
of competing firms, or for comparing a company’s performance against
best-in-class competitors. The process involves five steps: (1) select-
ing areas or operations to benchmark, (2) identifying key performance
measures and practices, (3) identifying best-in-class companies or key
­competitors, (4) collecting cost and performance data, and (5) analyz-
ing and interpreting the results. This technique is extremely practical and
versatile. It ­allows for direct comparisons of the efficiencies with which
different tasks in the value chain are performed. It is dangerous, however,
to rely heavily on benchmarking for guidance, because it focuses on simi-
larities rather than differences between rival firms’ strategic designs and
on proven, versus prospective, bases of competitive advantage.
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 97

A complete evaluation of a company’s financial resources should in-

clude a financial risk analysis. Most financial models are deterministic.
That is, managers specify a single estimate for each key variable. Yet, many
of these estimates are made with the recognition that there is a great deal
of uncertainty about their true value. Together, such uncertainties can
mask high levels of risk. It is important, therefore, that risk be explicitly
considered. This involves determining the variables that have the greatest
effect on revenues and costs as a basis for assessing different risk scenarios.
Some of the variables that are commonly considered are market growth
rate, market share, price trends, the cost of capital, and the useful life of
the underlying technology.

Human Capital: A Company’s Most Valuable Strategic Resource

Companies are run by and for people. Although some strategic resources
can be duplicated, the people who comprise an organization or its imme-
diate stakeholders are unique. Understanding their concerns, aspirations,
and capabilities is, therefore, key to determining a company’s strategic
position and options.
Continuous employee development, through on-the-job training
and other programs, is critical to the growth of human capital. FedEx
develops its homegrown talent through a commitment to continuous
learning. The company puts 3 percent of its total expenses into train-
ing—six times the proportion of the average company. All line and staff
managers attend 11 weeks of mandatory training in their first year. More
than 10,000 employees have been to the “Leadership Institute” and have
attended weeklong courses on the company’s culture and operations.7
Many other companies are adopting similar strategies and reaping the
benefits. ­Motorola executives report that their company receives $33 for
every $1 invested in employee education.

Organizational Strategic Resources

A firm’s organizational resources include its knowledge and intellectual capital

base; reputation with customers, partners, suppliers, and the financial com-
munity; specific competencies, processes, and skill sets; and corporate culture.
98 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Knowledge and intellectual capital are the major drivers of competitive

advantage. A firm’s competitive advantage comes from the value it deliv-
ers to customers. Competitive advantage is created and sustained when
a company continues to mobilize new knowledge faster and more effi-
ciently than its competitors. Recognizing the importance of knowledge as
a strategic asset, Skandia, NASDAQ, Chevron, and Dow Chemical have
established director-level positions in charge of intellectual capital.
Additional evidence of the growing importance of knowledge and
intellectual capital as strategic resources is provided by the financial
markets. Although intellectual capital is difficult to measure and not
formally represented on the balance sheet, a company’s market capitaliza-
tion increasingly reflects the value of such resources and the effectiveness
with which they are managed. Netscape, before being acquired, had a
$4 ­billion market capitalization based on its stock price, even though the
company’s sales were only a few million dollars per year. Investors based
the high stock price on their assessment of the company’s intangibles—its
knowledge base and quality of management.
The number of patents issued in the United States each year has
doubled in the last decade. Increasingly, patents are global. Through a
new international patent system organized by the United Nations World
Intellectual Property Organization, through the World Trade Organiza-
tion, and through growing demand from inventors for patents that are
protected throughout the world, patenting systems are converging. Land-
mark court decisions have also made new areas of technology patentable
in the United States. A 1980 case opened biotechnology- and gene-related
findings for patenting, a 1981 case allowed the patenting of software, and
a 1998 case spawned more business method patents.
Strong patent protection can be of great strategic value.8 For example,
to protect its intellectual property and preserve its competitive advantage
in the manufacturing and testing processes involved in its build-to-order
system, Dell secured 77 patents protecting different parts of the building
and testing process. Such protection pays. IBM collected $30 million in a
patent infringement suit from Microsoft.
Increasingly, patents are exploited strategically to generate additional
revenue. Licensing patents has helped build the market for IBM technol-
ogy and boosted its licensing revenues. An increasing number of firms
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 99

practice “strategic patenting”—using patent applications to colonize en-

tire new areas of technology even before tangible products are created.
The largest part of a company’s intellectual capital base, however, is
not patentable. It represents the total knowledge accumulated by individu-
als, groups, and units within an organization about customers, suppliers,
products, and processes, and is made up of a mixture of past experiences,
values, education, and insights. As an organization learns, it makes better
decisions. Better decisions, in turn, improve performance and enhance
learning.
Knowledge becomes an asset when it is managed and transferred.
­Explicit knowledge is formal and objective and can be codified and stored
in books, archives, and databases. An intriguing story of how revealing
proprietary knowledge resulted in a major strategic blunder is based on
Xerox’s sale of insider information to Apple.9 In the early 1970s, Xerox
developed world-changing computer technology, including the mouse
and the graphical user interface. One of the devices was called the Xerox
Alto, a desktop personal computer that Xerox never bothered to market.
A decade later, several Apple employees, including Steve Jobs, visited the
Xerox PARC research and development facility for 3 days in exchange
for $1 million in Apple’s still-privately held stock. That educational field
trip was well worth the price of admission, given that it helped Jobs build
a company worth $110 billion in 2008, using Xerox technology in its
Macintosh computers.
Implicit or tacit knowledge is informal and subjective. It is gained
through experience and transferred through personal interaction and
collaboration.
A study about how Xerox repair technicians refined their knowledge
illustrates the difference.10 The company’s assumption had been that the
technicians serviced companies’ copying machines by following the docu-
mented diagnostic road maps that Xerox provided. Research, however,
revealed that technicians often went to breakfast together and, while eat-
ing, talked about their work. They exchanged stories, posed problems, of-
fered solutions, constructed answers, and discussed the machines, thereby
keeping one another up-to-date about what they had learned. Thus, the
approaches that the technicians used to repair the Xerox machines were
actually based as much on their informal exchanges as on their formal
100 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

training. What was thought to be a process based on explicit knowledge

was, in fact, based on tacit knowledge, experience, and collaboration.11

The Importance of Brands

A brand is a name, sign, or logo that is identified with the character-

istics of a particular good or service. A brand can add value to goods
and services and create goodwill through positive associations. Brands
are visual shorthand for shoppers that can provide the company with a
competitive advantage, simplify and accelerate the customer’s buying
decision, and reassure the consumer after the purchase.12 Brand names
are a primary cue to consistency and quality for a consumer. Once a
brand becomes recognized and trusted by consumers, it becomes a pow-
erful asset that can help build revenues and allow firms to pursue growth
opportunities.
A firm’s reputation with customers, partners, suppliers, and regulatory
agencies can be a powerful strategic asset. Physical distance between cus-
tomers, distributors, and manufacturers created the need for brands. They
provided a guarantee of reliability and quality. In a global and Internet-
based economy, they build trust and reinforce value. Consumers might be
reluctant to use their credit cards to purchase products over the Internet
if it were not for the trust they accord to companies such as Amazon,
Dell, and eBay. Because consumer trust is the basis of all brand values,
companies that own the brands have an immense incentive to work to
retain that trust.
Thus, brands are strategic assets that assist companies in building and
retaining customer loyalty. A strong brand can help maintain profit mar-
gins and erect barriers to entry. Because a brand is so valuable to a com-
pany, it must constantly be nourished, sustained, and protected. Doing
so is becoming harder and more expensive. Consumers are busier, more
distracted, and have more media options than ever before. Coca-Cola,
Gillette, and Nike struggle to increase volumes, raise prices, and boost
margins. In addition, failure in support of a brand can be catastrophic.
A mistargeted advertising campaign, a drop-off in quality, or a corporate
scandal can quickly reduce the value of a brand and the reputation of the
company that owns it.
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 101

The Nestlé Corporation relies on its company name and logo to gen-
erate sales for many of their new product offerings. Nestlé produces a
wide variety of products and many of their new offerings are branded
with the recognized Nestlé name. However, using the company name may
not always be the most effective branding tactic. Field research provided
evidence that products carrying the Nestlé brand name generate higher
sales volumes than the company’s non-Nestle branded products. Many
of Nestlé’s products with substantially lower comparative sales were less
recognizable as Nestlé products.13 This survey suggested that in Nestlé’s
case, utilizing a brand name and/or logo to boost sales would be a feasible
strategy. The downside of this approach, however, is that a company name
can also deteriorate the value of this same wide variety of products if their
brand image is damaged.
Using a single company brand can also enable a firm to combine of-
ferings under the same umbrella and project the image of a global firm,
which adds a status and prestige to the brand.14 This survey of consumers
worldwide measured the esteem in which consumers hold a particular
brand. The results showed that global brands received a higher mean aver-
age esteem score than domestic only brands. The study further suggests
that global branding creates familiarity and differentiation.
An opposing philosophy is held by global firms with multiple prod-
ucts that choose to market their products under a variety of brand names.
To gain market share, these firms apply a tactic of multibranding, which
assumes that greater market share can be obtained from multiple offer-
ings that appear to be in competition with one another. This tactic can
be effective. Research on consumer behavior shows that few consumers
are completely loyal to a specific brand name within a product category.
Rather, they choose to select from a variety of select trusted brands.15
Brand extension is another tactic for a firm that wants to extend its
reach and stimulate new sources of revenue. MK Restaurants, a Southeast
Asian company, uses brand extension to provide a separate product of-
fering that is aimed at a different market segment than its existing MK
Classic restaurants. Its MK Gold restaurants are targeted at a wealthier
demographic that desires an upscale dining setting.16
The corporation utilized the same brand extension strategy to reach
a younger demographic when they opened MK Trendy. This new line of
102 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

restaurants was decorated differently, and offered unique aspects that were
geared toward a younger demographic, such as a station for downloading
free music. Through the Trendy and Gold brand extensions, MK was able
to tap into different demographics and broaden their opportunities for
revenue growth.
A branding strategy that is gaining popularity is private branding.
When a retailer manufactures its own goods rather than relying on out-
side vendors, it can sell them under a store brand, usually for an increased
profit. For example, Wal-Mart sold McCormick brand spices for many
years before switching out McCormick’s spices for their own lower priced
private label spices.17 The move to private brands is not isolated to this
one case. Private-brand labeled sales made up 17 percent of a basket of
U.S. groceries in 2009, up from 13.4 percent in 1994.

Core Competencies

Core competencies represent world-class capabilities that enable a company to

build a competitive advantage. 3M has developed a core competency in coat-
ings. Canon has core competencies in optics, imaging, and microprocessor
controls. Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) marketing prowess allows it to adapt
more quickly than its rivals to changing opportunities. The development of
core competencies has become a key element in building a long-term stra-
tegic advantage. An evaluation of strategic resources and capabilities, there-
fore, must include assessments of the core competencies a company has or is
developing, how they are nurtured, and how they can be leveraged.
Core competencies evolve as a firm develops its business processes and
incorporates its intellectual assets. Core competencies are not just things
a company does particularly well; rather, they are sets of skills or systems
that create a uniquely high value for customers at best-in-class levels. To
qualify, such skills or systems should contribute to perceived customer
benefits, be difficult for competitors to imitate, and allow for leverage
across markets. Honda’s use of small-engine technology in a variety of
products—including motorcycles, jet skis, and lawn mowers—is a good
example.
Core competencies should be focused on creating value and be
adapted as customer requirements change. Targeting a carefully selected
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 103

set of core competencies also benefits innovation. Charles Schwab, for

example, successfully leveraged its core competency in brokerage services
by expanding its client communication methods to include the Internet,
the telephone, branch offices, and financial advisors.
There are three tests for identifying core competencies according to
researchers Hamel and Prahalad. First, core competencies should provide
access to a broad array of markets. Second, they should help differentiate
core products and services. Third, they should be hard to imitate because
they represent multiple skills, technologies, and organizational elements.18
Experience shows that only a few companies have the resources to de-
velop more than a handful of core competencies. Picking the right ones,
therefore, is the key. “Which resources or capabilities should we keep in-
house and develop into core competencies and which ones should we
outsource?” is a main question to ask. Pharmaceutical companies, for ex-
ample, increasingly outsource clinical testing in an effort to focus their
resource base on drug development. Generally, the development of core
competencies should focus on long-term platforms capable of adapting
to new market circumstances; on unique sources of leverage in the value
chain where the firm thinks it can dominate; on elements that are impor-
tant to customers in the long run; and on key skills and knowledge, not
on products.

Global Supply-Chain Management

In the global economy, a firm’s sourcing approach must be an integral part
of its overall corporate strategy. Global competition forces a company to
abandon the simplistic approach of developing and producing a product
in one country and then taking a country-by-country approach to mar-
keting the product over time. If it took such an approach, global competi-
tors would launch a competing product and with their global reach would
be quicker to reach the markets.
Global sourcing captures the benefits of a worldwide integration of
engineering, operations, procurement, and logistics into the upstream
portion of a firm’s supply chain. It involves decisions that determine
locations, facilities, capacities, technologies, transportation modes, pro-
duction planning, the company’s response to trade regulations, local
104 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

government requirements, transfer pricing, taxes, and financial issues.

The benefits include improved inventory control, delivery service, qual-
ity, and development cycles.

The Importance of Global Supply-Chain Management

The process of supply-chain management involves a company’s coordina-

tion of the operations of the suppliers that contribute to the creation and
delivery of its product or service. These suppliers can be the providers,
distributors, transporters, warehouses, and retailers of a manufactured
good, product, or service. The globalization of supply chains, defined
as the ratio of a company’s value creation outside the home county, is
accelerating.
The development and management of an integrated global supply
chain is a formidable challenge. An Accenture survey in 2009 found
that 95 percent of senior executives doubt that their companies have a
global operating model that is fully capable of supporting their interna-
tional strategy.19 The most common causes of supply-chain failures are
stock-outs, excessive inventories, new product failures, increased product
markdowns, and wasted time in engineering and R&D.20 Reasons for
supply-chain dysfunction include poor communication, latent functional
silos, short-term perspectives, lack of resources, and ill-defined organiza-
tional boundaries. Compounding factors, such as fluctuating materials
and logistic costs, increased supply-chain security and quality-control re-
quirements, and dramatic changes in demand patterns add to the com-
plexity of managing a global supply chain.
The market leaders in many industries are companies that have lean
and flexible supply chains, end-to end visibility across those supply chains,
fair-but-flexible contracts with service providers, and an understanding of
how best to monitor and manage supply-chain risks.

Challenges of a Complex Global Supply-Chain Management

The traditional role of a supply chain was essentially purchasing and

inbound logistics to serve manufacturing, shipping, and outbound lo-
gistics to fill orders. However, in the new global competitive landscape,
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 105

supply-chain professionals view the ability to effectively plan for demand,

sourcing, production, and delivery requirements as core components of a
core competence in supply-chain management. The role of supply-chain
management in strategy formulation is evidenced by the results of a sur-
vey of leading supply-chain professionals21:

• 53 percent indicated that they have an executive officer, such

as a chief supply-chain officer, in charge of all supply-chain
functions.
• 64 percent have an official supply-chain management group
that is responsible for strategy and change management.

To address competitive pressures, market instability, and increased

­complexity of globalization, companies develop agile supply-chain prac-
tices to respond, in real time, to the unique needs of customers and markets.
These practices address the top challenges facing supply-chain profession-
als: cost containment, visibility, risk management, and globalization.22
The focus on controlling costs results from rising logistics, labor, and
commodity costs. For instance, between 2006 and 2010, transportation
costs increased by more than 50 percent. In turn, inventory-holding costs
increased by more than 60 percent as companies tried to take advantage
of economies of scale by shipping large quantities. During the same years,
labor costs in China increased 20 percent year by year on average, causing
companies that made production–sourcing decisions 5 years ago based on
labor costs to revisit their decisions.23
Visibility is another significant challenge to competency in supply-
chain management. Although connectivity is easier than ever and more
information is available, in many organizations proportionally less in-
formation is being effectively captured, managed, analyzed, and made
available to people who need it. The most effective initiatives focus on
leveraging technology to develop and enhance the extended supply chain.
To achieve this goal, companies are deploying advanced modeling tools
that consider all costs and provide optimized strategies across a compre-
hensive supply-chain network of distribution centers, plants, contract
manufacturing partners, sourcing options, logistical lanes, and consumer
demand.
106 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

The use of the reverse logistics process has become an important way
for companies to improve visibility and lower costs across the supply
chain. Reverse logistics is the process that involves the return/exchange,
repair, refurbishment, remarketing, and disposition of products. The pro-
cess of moving product back through the supply chain to accommodate
overstocks, returns, defects, and recalls can cost up to four to five times
more than forward logistics.24 Companies can also leverage the intelli-
gence they gain through reverse logistics to detect or prevent product
quality and design problems and to better understand their customers’
buying patterns.
The third challenge facing executives is risk management and risk mit-
igation. As supply chains have grown more global and interconnected,
they have increased their complexities and exposure to shocks and dis-
ruptions. Dealing effectively with these challenges requires a robust risk
monitoring and mitigation process.
The criticality and vulnerability of a core competency in a global
supply chain was revealed by the impact of the 2007 to 2009 global
recession. The negative impacts included decreased sales volumes, in-
creased supply volatility, elevated risk of supplier defaults, and major
strains on cash flow involving difficulty in both inventory manage-
ment and collections. To mitigate the impact of the resulting instability,
­supply-chain managers moved to reduce the complexity of global sup-
ply chains by simplifying their sales and operations planning, shrinking
their global physical footprints, and reducing their product complex-
ity.25 Additionally, their increased utilization of risk analysis tools helped
to refine their assessment of supplier financial viability, through inclu-
sion of bank ratings, liquidity analysis, and business volume. The result
was reduced exposure to losses caused by the bankruptcy of key custom-
ers and suppliers.

Strategic Supply-Chain Models

The most commonly used models for organizing and standardizing sup-
ply-chain processes are the Supply-Chain Operational Reference (SCOR)
model and the Global Supply-Chain Forum (GSCF) model.
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 107

The SCOR model prescribes a set of process templates that managers

can decompose into a more detailed set of tasks. At the first level of detail,
managers classify processes within the supply-chain domain as source,
make, deliver, return, plan, or enable processes. The second level gives a
list of configurable process templates (e.g., “make-to-order”) for modeling
a specific supply-chain instance. Level three processes specify task inputs
and outputs (process interdependencies), business metrics, and best prac-
tices for task implementation.
The GSCF model focuses on collaboration techniques and illustrates
the relationships among member firms so they can integrate activities.
The relationships outlined include customer-relationship management,
customer-service management, demand management, order fulfillment,
manufacturing flow management, supplier-relationship management,
product development, commercialization, and returns management.
The focus of the SCOR model is to propose efficient management
of product flows, whereas the focus of the GSCF model is to provide
a structure for stable relationships across the supply chain. Although
the underlying process structures are similar, the SCOR model includes
an integrated metrics framework while the GSCF model does not. The
advantages of the metrics include providing a benchmarking tool that
provides a process map and best practices as well as enabling the decom-
position of strategic objectives in order to lay a foundation for causal
analysis. The main disadvantage is that the complexity required in collect-
ing data might cause an error that would lead to significant differences in
the analytical results.

Supply-Chain Technology Hosting

Outsourced-technology hosting is gaining acceptance globally based on

On-demand and Software as a Service (SaaS) or on-demand models. Also
called cloud computing, these platforms use supply-chain analytics and
Business Intelligence (BI) to help managers make better decisions faster.
Specifically, they are able to improve externally oriented processes such
as transportation management, supply-chain visibility, collaborative fore-
casting, inventory optimization, and demand–supply synchronization.
108 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

BI refers to computer-based software applications that analyze raw

business data that will help companies make decisions. The analytics ap-
plications focus on uncovering hidden relationships, identifying the root
cause of a problem, and understanding relationships in the data. The re-
sult of the analysis leads to knowledge about why a particular business
condition occurs.
BI-as-a-service offerings typically import business data in a common
format, put a structure around them, apply the appropriate data mod-
els, and generate a web-based user interface that allows for the creation
and distribution of standardized reports and dashboards across the supply
chain. The result enables end-to-end supply-chain visibility and improves
the ability to take action with close to real-time access to information.

Strategic Alliances to Build a Core Competence

With development of global industries and the demands of global sourc-

ing, strategic alliances have become an essential element of many corpo-
rate global strategies. Strategic alliances are partnerships of two or more
companies that work together to achieve mutually beneficial strategic
objectives. They are generally intended to establish and maintain a long-
term contractual relationship between the firms and allow them to com-
pete more effectively with external competitors. Alliances are established
to allow the alliance partners to share risk and resources, gain knowledge,
and obtain access to markets.
There are four principal motivations for companies to form strategic
alliances. The first is to combine resources to develop new business or re-
duce investment. To engage in the global market, a firm needs strategic al-
liances to help defray the high local fixed costs. In practice, this may mean
that rather than investing in an overseas sales force, a firm may utilize an
alliance partner’s sales force and in exchange use its own sales force to
market their partner’s products in countries where it has an existing sales
force. The second motivation is to eliminate or minimize risks by sharing
costs with a partner who possesses a valuable competitive advantage. The
third reason is to learn from other members of the alliance, and the fourth
motivation is to change the competitive landscape through the alliance of
important competitors.
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 109

Forces for Change

Internal Forces for Change

In Chapter 3, we discussed change forces that emanate from a company’s

external strategic environment. A second set of drivers for strategic change
comes from within the organization or from its immediate stakeholders.
Disappointing financial performance, new owners or executives, limitations
on growth with current strategies, scarcity of critical resources, and internal
cultural changes are examples of drivers that give rise to pressures for change.
Because internal resistance can reduce a company’s capacity to adapt
and chart a new course, it deserves a strategist’s careful attention. Organi-
zational resistance to change can take four basic forms: (1) structural, or-
ganizational rigidities; (2) closed mind-sets reflecting support for obsolete
business beliefs and strategies; (3) entrenched cultures reflecting values,
behaviors, and skills that are not conducive to change; and (4) counter-
productive change momentum that is not in tune with current strategic
requirements.26
The four forms of resistance represent very different strategic chal-
lenges. Internal structures and systems, including technology, can be
changed relatively quickly in most companies. Converting closed minds
to the need for change, or changing a corporate culture, is considerably
harder. Counterproductive change is especially difficult to remedy be-
cause it typically involves altering all three forms of resistance—structures
and systems have to be rethought, mind-sets must change, and new be-
haviors and skills have to be learned.

Company Life-Cycle Forces for Change

The forms and strengths of organizational resistance that develop highly

depend on a company’s history, performance, and culture. Nevertheless,
some patterns can be anticipated. Companies go through life cycles. A
cycle begins when a founder or founding team organizes a start-up. At
this time, a vision or purpose is established, the initial direction for the
company is set, and the necessary resources are marshaled to transform
this vision into reality. In these early stages, the identities of the founders
and that of their company are difficult to separate.
110 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

As companies grow, formal systems are needed to handle a widening

variety of functions. The transition from informality to a more formal
organizational structure can stimulate or hinder strategic change. This
passage to organizational maturity, often described as the “entrepreneur-
ial–managerial” transition, poses a dilemma familiar to many companies:
How to maintain an entrepreneurial spirit while moving toward an orga-
nizational structure increasingly focused on control.
Growth makes organizational learning a requirement for continued
success. The evolution of management processes, such as delegation of
authority, coordination of effort, and collaboration among organizational
units, can have an increasing influence on a company’s effectiveness in
responding to environmental and internal challenges. In younger com-
panies, the internal operating environment is frequently characterized by
greater ambiguity than in established organizations. Often, the ambiguity
that encouraged entrepreneurship and innovation also results in a lack of
control in a rapidly growing company, which can cause the firm to lose
its strategic focus.
Evolving and established companies share the pervasive challenge of
finding strategies to manage growth. For some evolving companies, un-
controlled growth is a major concern. As they try to cope with rapid
growth, they find that success masks a host of development problems.
Dilemmas of leadership can develop, loss of focus becomes an issue, com-
munication becomes harder, skill development falls behind, and stress be-
comes evident. In established companies, the pressure to grow faster can
skew strategic thinking. Ill-considered acquisitions or market expansions,
forays into unproven technologies, deviations from developing core skills,
and frequent exhortations for more entrepreneurial thinking are indica-
tives of the challenges experienced in more mature companies.

Strategic Forces for Change

The increased importance of a firm’s capacity to effectively deal with

change has made a strategic perspective on this issue essential. As we have
seen, a host of internal factors can reduce a company’s capacity for change.
Sometimes change is inhibited by structural rigidities, a lack of adequate
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 111

resources, or an adherence to dysfunctional processes. Most often, how-

ever, resistance to change can be traced to cultural factors.
One of the early arguments in favor of analyzing the interactive nature
of organizational factors such as structure, systems, and style with strategy
is the so-called 7-S model, developed at McKinsey & Company.27 Its cen-
tral idea is that the organizational effectiveness stems from the interaction
of a number of factors, of which strategy is just one.
The model includes seven different variables: strategy, structure, sys-
tems, shared values, skills, staff, and style. Intentionally, its design is not
hierarchical; it depicts a situation in which it is not clear which factor is
the driving force for change or the biggest obstacle to change. The dif-
ferent variables are interconnected—change in one will force change in
another, or, put differently, progress in one area must be accompanied
by progress in another to effect meaningful change. Consequently, the
model holds that solutions to organizational problems that invoke just
one or a few of these variables are doomed to fail. Therefore, an emphasis
on “structural” solutions (“Let’s reorganize”) without attention to strat-
egy, systems, and all the other variables can be counterproductive. Style,
skills, and superordinate goals—the main values around which a business
is built—are observable and even measurable, and can be at least as im-
portant as strategy and structure in bringing about a fundamental change
in an organization. The key to orchestrating change, therefore, is to assess
the potential impact of each factor, align the different variables in the
model in the desired direction, and then act decisively on all dimensions.

Stakeholder Analysis
In assessing a company’s strategic position, it is important to identify the
key stakeholders inside and outside the organization, the roles they play
in fulfilling the organization’s mission, and the values they bring to the
process. External stakeholders—key customers, suppliers, alliance part-
ners, and regulatory agencies—have a major influence on a firm’s strategic
options. A firm’s internal stakeholders—its owners, board of directors,
CEO, executives, managers, and employees—are the shapers and imple-
menters of strategy.
112 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

In determining the company’s objectives and strategies, executives

must recognize the legitimate rights of the firm’s stakeholders. Each
of these interested parties has justifiable reasons for expecting—and
often for demanding—that the company satisfies its claim. In general,
stockholders claim competitive returns on their investment; employ-
ees seek job satisfaction; customers want what they pay for; suppliers
seek dependable buyers; governments want adherence to legislation;
unions seek member benefits; competitors want fair competition; local
communities want the firm to be a responsible citizen; and the general
public expects the firm’s existence to improve their nation’s quality
of life.
The general claims of stakeholders are reflected in thousands of spe-
cific demands on every firm—high wages, pure air, job security, product
quality, community service, taxes, occupational health and safety regula-
tions, equal employment opportunity regulations, product variety, wide
markets, career opportunities, company growth, investment security, high
ROI, and so on. Although most, perhaps all, of these claims represent de-
sirable ends, they cannot be pursued with equal emphasis. They must be
assigned priorities in accordance with the relative emphasis that the firm
will give them. That emphasis results from the criteria that the firm uses
in its strategic decision making.

Creating a Green Corporate Strategy

Seldom do the diverse stakeholders of a corporation coalesce around a
mandate as energetically as they have in encouraging companies to im-
prove their action to protect the ecology and provide environmentally
friendly products through pollution-reduced processes. Corporate re-
sponse has been directly forthcoming. Forrester Research found that
84 percent of companies were actively pursuing a “green” strategy, in-
volving environmentally and socially responsible projects. The key drivers
for the companies to join the green movement were energy efficiencies,
government regulations, and rising consumer demand.
Popular approaches to becoming a green company include adopt-
ing sustainability as a core component of the business strategy, embed-
ding green principles in innovation efforts, including green principles
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 113

in making major decisions, and integrating sustainability into corporate

brand marketing.
Many companies have chosen to elevate environmental sustainability
to the level of a core component of its strategic plan. In 2005, General
Electric (GE) created a green initiative to promote green technologies.
By 2006, GE’s “Ecomagination” program included a portfolio of 80 new
products and services and delivered $100 million in cost savings to GE
bottom line.
In 2007, Michael Dell announced his commitment to leading the
company to become the “greenest technology company on the planet.”
By 2008, the carbon intensity of the company was the lowest among For-
tune 500 companies and was less than half of that of closest competitor.
HP demonstrated its commitment to a green company with carefully
developed goals, such as reducing combined energy consumption and the
greenhouse gas emissions of its products and services to 25 percent below
2005 levels by 2010, improving energy efficiency of servers by 50 percent,
and improving recycling and reuse of its electronic products.

Investors Appreciate Internal Green Initiatives

Companies in diverse areas of operation are making efforts to improve

sustainability and reduce adverse effects on environment that results from
corporate operations.28 The purpose of this effort is twofold: Reducing en-
vironmental footprint improves the company image and appeals to green
consumers; and higher sustainability in operations saves resources. Since
the application of green ideas differs greatly within companies, there re-
sults are also different. However, as examples illustrate, the outs are often
very beneficial for the company.
A company committed to implementing eco-efficient operations is
Aetna. Aetna is controlling its carbon footprint by instituting the “tele-
work” program, which involves asking its employees to work at home.
Aetna believes that the program will reduce the combined driving of its
employees by 65 million miles, save over 2 million gallons of gasoline,
and prevent 23,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
FedEx approach to green is to implement services that are more ef-
ficient. The company is investing in renewable energy technology for its
114 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

operations and shipping facilities. More than 50 percent of the vehicles in

FedEx’s delivery fleet are powered by hybrid-electric engines. These trucks
reduce FedEx’s annual fuel usage by 150,000 gallons and its carbon diox-
ide emissions by 1,521 metric tons.
The efforts of Wal-Mart to eliminate waste by reducing, recycling, or
reusing everything that comes into its 4,100 American stores are a good
example. Wal-Mart is introducing recyclable and biodegradable packag-
ing and sends its compostable goods to rot in boxes that are turned into
mulch. Other efforts include the exclusive use of LED lights and improv-
ing the efficiency of heating and air-conditioning units used in all stores.
Roofs of all Wal-Mart stores are now painted white to reflect sun light
better, since it is more costly to cool buildings in the summer than to heat
during winter.
In 2007, Cadbury Schweppes PLC launched its “Purple goes Green”
initiative and specified its green targets on its website. The targets in-
cluded a 50 percent reduction of net absolute carbon emissions by 2020
with a minimum of 30 percent from in-company actions, a 10 percent
reduction in packaging used per ton of product, conversion of 60 percent
of packaging to biodegradable and environmentally sustainable sources,
a 100 percent of secondary packaging being recyclable, and requirement
of all “water scarce” sites to have water reduction programs. By 2010,
­Cadbury was making headway on its goals. For example, its Eco Easter
Eggs used 75 percent less plastic than previously, thereby reducing its an-
nual plastic use by 202 tons.
Toyota created a new product with its 2010 Prius car model. It offered
carbon dioxide emissions that were 37 percent less than that of a compa-
rable diesel or gasoline vehicle. To achieve the improvement, Toyota eval-
uated every step of its product design and devised an array of innovative
and environmentally friendly features, like a new vehicle design featuring
20 percent lighter drive components, and recycled plastics.
Companies can also become “greener” without incurring the costs
of altering their supply chain by making changes internal to their or-
ganizations. Common steps include paper recycling or conservation,
refurbishing and recycling old equipment, consolidating servers, server
virtualization, instituting a lights-out policy, and replacing old equipment
with more energy-efficient models.29
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 115

Many companies enjoy financial benefits of this approach. For

example:

• By re-routing their trucks to avoid left turns, which keep

trucks idling that wastes time, money, and fuel, UPS reduced
routes by 28 million miles.
• By turning off their computers when they are not in use
during evenings and weekends (43 percent of the time),
various companies save $150 per system per year.
• USEC, a $1.6 billion nuclear fuel company, reduced its power
consumption by 40 percent by running its servers on an
energy-efficient virtualized environment.
• McDonald’s Corp saves 3,200 tons of paper and cardboard
annually ever since it eliminated clamshell sandwich
containers and replaced them with single-layer flexible
sandwich wraps.

Governments Mandate Adherence to Green Regulations

Regulations in several countries require some companies to adhere to spe-

cific green mandates. For example:

• The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation

and Liability Act of 1980, also known as the EPA
“Superfund,” holds companies in the United States
accountable for solid and liquid waste disposal, sometimes
decades after the disposal occurred.
• Executive Order 12780, issued in 1991, uses the buying
power of the U.S. government to force suppliers into greener
behavior. The order requires all federal agencies to buy
products made from recycled materials when possible and
to support suppliers that participate in recovery programs,
thereby forcing government suppliers to recognize the long-
term environmental effects of both inputs and end products.
• China enacted the first stage of its Restriction of Hazardous
Substances in 2007. This regulation is designed to reduce
116 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

the use of toxic and hazardous substances in electronic and

electric products. Exporters are prohibited from shipping
items that contain lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent
chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), and
polybrominated diphenylether (PBDE). Companies that
export to China must engineer their supply chains to meet
these regulations or face heavy penalties for noncompliance.

Customers Endorse External Green Initiatives

Adopting an external green strategy involves analyzing the company’s

entire value chain to go beyond complying with regulations, reducing
their energy use, or marketing ecologically safe products. The goal is
to engage their stakeholders in a coordinated program to benefit the
environment.
Once a company has defined what it means by the term green means,
it has to build processes and products around that vision, it is important
to have a marketing strategy to attract consumers’ attention. A survey of
6,000 global consumers found that 87 percent believed it was their “duty”
to contribute to a better environment, and that 55 percent would pay
more for a brand if it supported a cause in which they believed.30 In turn,
retailers and manufacturers are demanding greener products and supply
chains. Therefore, marketing strategies are structured and communicated
in ways that bolster the corporation’s green credibility.31
Using its external green strategy, P&G found that 80 percent of the
energy used to wash clothes comes from heating the water. P&G cal-
culated that U.S. consumers could save an estimated $63 per year by
washing in cold water rather than in warm water. They then created Tide
Coldwater, an extension of the Tide brand, which they positioned as a
product that would enable customers to save on energy bills. Marketing
efforts also reassured consumers of the product’s efficacy. P&G designed
a dedicated website on which consumers could calculate the amount of
energy they could save by using the product. As evidence of the suc-
cess of the approach, Tide Coldwater generated $2 billion in sales in its
first year.
 Analyzing a Company’s Strategic Resource Base 117

Society Learns of Sustainability Efforts through Marketing

Companies incorporate their environmental position into communica-

tion messages to improve organizational reputation and to attract and
inform customers, partners, and investors.
Coca-Cola makes stakeholders aware of its environmental position
by issuing news release to the public of its efforts to support of recycling
and launch of “Give it back” marketing effort to support recycling. In
2009, Coca-Cola opened the world’s largest bottle-to-bottle recycling
plant, pledging to recycle 100 percent of its bottles and cans and to ensure
sustainability in packaging. The plant produces 100 million pounds of
food-grade recycled PET plastic each year, which is equivalent to 2 billion
20-ounce plastic bottles. Additionally, over 10 years, the plant will reduce
its emissions of carbon dioxide by 1 million metric tons.
Sustainability reports are used to discuss green activities and highlight
strategies and progress. For example, Johnson & Johnson sustainability
report has a separate section devoted to environment. The environment
section covers how design solutions are used to minimize the size and
weight of product packaging and increase the recycled content in packag-
ing. The company also highlights its water management strategy, com-
pliance issues, carbon emissions, waste reduction, and ozone-depletion
plans.
 CHAPTER 6

Formulating Business
Unit Strategy

Introduction
Business unit strategy involves creating a profitable competitive position
for a business within a specific industry or market segment. Sometimes
called competitive strategy, its principal focus is on how a firm (or profit
center) should compete in a given competitive setting. In contrast, an
overarching corporate strategy is concerned with the identification of
market arenas where a corporation can compete successfully and how, as
a parent company, it can add value to its strategic business units (SBUs).
Deciding how to compete in a specific market is a complex issue for
a business. Optimal strategies depend on many factors, including the na-
ture of the industry; the company’s mission, goals, and objectives; its current
position and core competencies; and major competitors’ strategic choices.
We begin our discussion by examining the logic behind strategic
thinking at the business unit level. We first address the basic question:
What determines relative profitability at the business unit level? We look
at the relative importance of the industry in which a company competes
and the competitive position of the firm within its industry, and we iden-
tify the drivers that determine sustainable competitive advantage. This
logic naturally suggests a number of generic strategy choices—broad strat-
egy prescriptions that define the principal dimensions of competition at
the business unit level. The generic strategy that is most attractive, and the
form that it should take, depends on the specific opportunities and chal-
lenges. The chapter next deals with the question of how to assess a strate-
gic challenge. A variety of useful techniques is introduced for generating
120 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

and evaluating strategic alternatives. The final section addresses the issue
of designing a profitable business model.

SBU Disruptions Come from Myriad Sources

When a group of CIOs was asked to predict the ways that technology
would disrupt industries by 2525, they gave the following responses:1

• The self-driving car will be commonplace.

• There will be a shift to health-record openness.
• Higher education institutions will undergo a massive
consolidation.
• Merchants will transition to cashless retailing.
• Home appliances will be remotely controlled.
• Custom-fit clothing will be mainstream.
• Virtual and telemedicine will keep more patients out of the
hospital.

Each of these likely changes will disrupt the business plan of countless
numbers of corporate SBUs and independent businesses. Each business
will need to formulate a revised plan for attracting and serving customers.

Foundations
Strategic Logic at the Business Unit Level

What are the principal factors behind a business unit’s relative profitabil-
ity? How important are product superiority, cost, marketing and distribu-
tion effectiveness, and other factors? How important is the nature of the
industry?
Although there are no simple answers to such questions, and the at-
tractiveness of different strategic options depends on the competitive
situation analyzed, much has been learned about what drives competitive
success at the business unit level.
We begin with the observation that, at the broadest level, firm success
is explained by two factors: the attractiveness of the industry in which a
 Formulating Business Unit Strategy 121

firm competes and its relative position within that industry. For example,
the seemingly insatiable demand for new products in the early days of
the software industry guaranteed big profits for the industry leaders and
for many of their smaller rivals. In the fiercely competitive beer industry,
however, relative positioning is a far more important determinant of prof-
itability, as Budweiser’s unprecedented performance has shown.

How Much Does Industry Matter?

In a comprehensive study of business performance in four-digit Stan-

dard Industrial Classification (SIC) code categories, academic research
provides an answer to the question: How much does industry matter?
Researchers have found that industry, industry segment, and corporate
parent accounted for 32 percent, 4 percent, and 19 percent, respectively,
of the aggregate variance in business profits, with the remaining variance
spread among many other less consequential influences. These results
support the conclusion that industry characteristics are an important de-
terminant of profit potential. Industry directly accounted for 36 percent
of the explained total variation in profitability.2

Relative Position

The relative profitability of rival firms depends on the nature of their com-
petitive position (i.e., on their ability to create a sustainable competitive
advantage vis-à-vis their competitors). The two generic forms of sustain-
able competitive positioning are a competitive advantage based on lower
delivered cost and one based on the ability to differentiate products or ser-
vices from those of competitors and command a price premium relative
to the cost incurred.
Whether lowest cost or differentiation is most effective depends,
among other factors, on a firm’s choice of competitive scope. The scope of
a competitive strategy includes elements such as the number of product
and buyer segments served, the number of different geographic locations
in which the firm competes, the extent to which it is vertically integrated,
and the degree to which it must coordinate its positioning with related
businesses in which the firm is invested.
122 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Decisions about scope and competitive advantage are based on a de-

tailed understanding of customers’ values and a company’s capabilities
and opportunities relative to its competitors. In this sense, strategy re-
flects a firm’s configuration of different elements. Competitive advantage
results when a company has a better understanding of what customers’
desire, when it learns to meet those customer needs at a lower cost than
its rivals, or when it creates buyer value in unique ways that allow it to
charge a premium.

The Importance of Market Share

The relative importance of market share as a strategic goal at the business

unit level has been the subject of considerable controversy. Arguing that
profitability should be the primary goal of strategy, some analysts believe
that executives have been led astray by the principal pursuit of market
share.3 Many failed companies have achieved high market shares, includ-
ing Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P) in grocery sales, Intel
in memory products, and WordPerfect in word processors. Thus, execu-
tives must ask themselves: Are we managing for volume growth or value
growth?

Formulating a Competitive Strategy

Key Challenges

Managers face four key challenges in formulating competitive strategy at

the business unit level: (1) analyzing the competitive environment, (2)
anticipating key competitors’ actions, (3) generating strategic options,
and (4) choosing among alternatives.
The first challenge, “analyzing the competitive environment,” deals
with two questions: With whom will we compete, now and in the future?
What relative strengths will we have as a basis for creating a sustainable
competitive advantage? Answering these questions requires an analysis of
the remote external environment, the industry environment, and internal
capabilities.
The second challenge, “anticipating key competitors’ actions,” focuses
on understanding how competitors are likely to react to different strategic
 Formulating Business Unit Strategy 123

moves. Industry leaders tend to behave differently from challengers or

followers. A detailed competitor analysis is helpful in gaining an under-
standing of how competitors are likely to respond and why.
The third challenge, “identifying strategic options,” requires a balanc-
ing of opportunities and constraints to craft a diverse array of strategic op-
tions ranging from defensive to preemptive moves. The fourth challenge,
“choosing among alternatives,” requires an analysis of the long-term im-
pact of different strategy options as a basis for a final choice.

What Is Competitive Advantage?

A firm has a competitive advantage when it is successful in designing and

implementing a value-creating strategy that competitors are not currently
using. The competitive advantage is sustainable when current or new
competitors are not able to imitate or supplant it.
A competitive advantage is often created by combining strengths.
Firms look for ways to exploit competencies and advantages at differ-
ent points in the value chain to add value in different ways. Southwest
Airlines’ industry-best 15-minute turnaround time for getting airplanes
back into the air, for example, is a competitive advantage that saves the
firm $175 million annually in capital expenditures and differentiates the
firm by allowing it to offer more flights per plane per day. The use of
value analysis helps a firm to focus on areas in which it enjoys competitive
advantages and to outsource functions in which it does not. To enhance
its cost leadership position, Taco Bell outsources many food preparation
functions, thereby allowing it to cut prices, reduce employees, and free up
40 percent of its kitchen space.
It is important for executives to understand the nature and sources of
a firm’s competitive advantages. They should also make sure that middle
managers understand the competitive advantages, because the managers’
awareness allows for a more effective exploitation of such advantages and
leads to increased firm performance. Therefore, building a competitive
advantage is rooted in identifying, practicing, strengthening, and instill-
ing throughout the organization those leadership traits that improve
the firm’s reputation among its stakeholders. As a consequence, a focus
on organizational learning and on creating, retaining, and motivating
124 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

a skilled and knowledgeable workforce may be the best way for execu-
tives to foster competitive advantages in a rapidly changing business
environment.

Competitive Advantage in Three Circles

There is considerable appeal and anecdotal evidence that a company must

build a distinct competitive advantage to grow and be profitable over
the long term. However, it is difficult for many strategists to articulate
clearly what their company’s competitive advantage is and how it differs
from those of competitors. Joel Urbany and James Davis have developed
a clever, useful, and simple tool to help in this assessment called “three
circle analysis.” 4
The strategizing team of executives should begin their analysis by
thinking deeply about what customers of their type of product or service
value and why. For example, they might value speedy service because
they want to minimize inventory costs with a just-in-time inventory
system.
Next, the strategists should draw three circles as shown in Figure 6.1.
The first circle (seen on the top right) is to represent the team’s consensus
of what the most important customers or customer segments needs or
wants from the product or service.
Urbany and Davis observe that even in very mature industries cus-
tomers do not articulate all their wants conversations with companies.
For example, there was no consumer demand on Procter & Gamble
(P&G) to invent the Swiffer, whose category contributes significantly to
the company’s recent double-digit sales growth in home care products.
Instead, the Swiffer emerged from P&G’s careful observation of the chal-
lenges of household cleaning. Therefore, in conducting this initial phase
of competitive advantage analysis, the consumers’ unexpressed needs can
often become a growth opportunities.
The second circle represents the team’s view of how customers per-
ceive the company’s offerings (seen on the top left). The extent to which
the two circles overlap indicates how well the company’s offerings are
fulfilling customers’ needs. The third circle represents the strategists’ view
of how customers perceive the offerings of the company’s competitors.
 Formulating Business Unit Strategy 125

Figure 6.1  Competitive advantage analysis

Each area within the circles is important, but areas A, B, and C are
critical to building competitive advantage. The planning team should ask
questions about each:

• For A: How big and sustainable are our advantages? Are they
based on distinctive capabilities?
• For B: Are we delivering effectively in the area of parity?
• For C: How can we counter our competitors’ advantages?

As Urbany and Davis explain, the team should form hypotheses

about the company’s competitive advantages and test them by asking
customers. The process can yield surprising insights, such as how much
opportunity for growth exists in space G. Another insight might be
what value the company or its competitors create that customers do
not need (D, F, or F). For example, Zeneca Ag Products discovered that
one of its most important distributors would be willing to do more
business with the firm only if Zeneca eliminated the time-­consuming
promotional programs that its managers thought were an essential part
of their value proposition. However, the big surprise is often that area
A, envisioned as huge by the company, is often quite small in the eyes
of the customer.
126 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Value Chain Analysis

In competitive terms, value is the perceived benefit that a buyer is will-

ing to pay a firm for what a firm provides. Customers derive value from
product differentiation, product cost, and the ability of the firm to meet
their needs. Value-creating activities are, therefore, the discrete building
blocks of competitive advantage.
A value chain is a model of a business process. It depicts the value cre-
ation process as a series of activities, beginning with processing raw ma-
terials and ending with sales and service to end users. Value chain analysis
involves the study of costs and elements of product or service differentia-
tion throughout the chain of activities and linkages to determine present
and potential sources of competitive advantage.
The value chain divides a firm’s business process into component ac-
tivities that add value: primary activities that contribute to the physical
creation of the product and support activities that assist the primary ac-
tivities and each other. Charles Schwab successfully used its expertise in
a support activity to create value in a primary activity. The firm offers a
broad range of distribution channels (primary activity) for its brokerage
services and holds extensive expertise in information technology and bro-
kerage systems (support activities). Schwab uses its IT knowledge to cre-
ate two new distribution channels for brokerage services—E-Schwab on
the Internet and the Telebroker touch-tone telephone brokering s­ ervice—
both of which provide value by delivering low-cost services.5
Once a firm’s primary, support, and activity types are defined, value
chain analysis assigns assets and operating costs to all value-creating ac-
tivities. Activity-based cost accounting is often used to determine whether
a competitive advantage exists.
A firm differentiates itself from its competitors when it provides some-
thing unique that is valuable to buyers beyond a low price. Dell’s ability
to sell, build to order, and ship a computer to the customer within a few
days is a unique differentiator of its value chain. Benetton, the Italian
casual wear company, reconfigured its traditional outsourced manufac-
turing and distribution network to achieve differentiation.6 Its execu-
tives reasoned that the company could improve its flexibility by directly
overseeing key business processes throughout the supply chain. If specific
 Formulating Business Unit Strategy 127

activities reduce a buyer’s cost or provide a higher level of buyer satisfac-

tion, customers are willing to pay a premium price. Sources of differentia-
tion of primary activities that provide a higher level of buyer satisfaction
include build-to-order manufacturing, efficient and on-time delivery of
goods, promptness in responding to customer service requests, and high
quality.
It is important to identify the value that individual primary and sup-
port activities contribute beyond their costs. Different segments of the
value chain represent potential sources of profit and, therefore, define
profit pools.7 Value chain analysis showed Nike and Reebok how their
core competencies in product design (a support activity) and marketing
and sales (primary activities) created value for customers. This conclu-
sion led Nike to outsource almost all other activities. In a second case,
after completing a detailed value chain analysis, Millennium Pharmaceu-
ticals opted to shift from drug research in the upstream portion of the
industry to drug manufacturing downstream, to improve its profitability.
This strategy was derived from the firm’s clear understanding of the entire
pharmaceutical value chain and its newly recognized ability to exploit
different profit pools.8
Analyzing the value chains of competitors, customers, and suppli-
ers can help a firm add value by focusing on the needs of downstream
customers or the weaknesses of upstream suppliers.9 Dow Chemical cap-
tures value from downstream rubber glove producers, to whom it used
to sell chemicals, by making the gloves themselves. BASF adds value by
leveraging its core competencies in the paint-coating process by painting
car doors for automobile manufacturers, instead of just selling them the
paint.
Value chain analysis can also be used to shape responses to changing
upstream and downstream market conditions through collaboration with
customers and suppliers to improve speed, cut costs, and enhance the end
customer’s perception of value. This is especially true as intercompany
links such as electronic data integration systems, strategic alliances, just-
in-time manufacturing, electronic markets, and networked companies
blur the boundaries of many organizations.
Approaching value chain analysis as a shared process involving the
different members of the chain can optimize a firm’s value creation by
128 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

minimizing collective costs. Dell, for example, shares information about

its customers with its suppliers. This improves its suppliers’ ability to
forecast demand, which results in reduced inventory and logistics costs
for Dell and the suppliers. Home Depot and General Electric (GE) es-
tablished an alliance between their value chains that reduces direct and
indirect costs for each firm. A web-based application links Home De-
pot’s point-of-purchase data to GE’s e-business system and enables Home
Depot to ship directly to its customers from GE. The value chain to value
chain connection enables Home Depot to sell more GE products and to
reduce the inventory in its own warehouses. In addition, GE can use the
real-time demand information from Home Depot to adjust the produc-
tion rate of appliances.
With advances in information technology and the Internet, compa-
nies can monitor value creation across many activities and linkages. For
purposes of monitoring, it is useful to distinguish between the physical
and virtual components of the value chain. The physical value chain rep-
resents the use of raw materials and labor to deliver a tangible product.
The virtual value chain represents the information flows underlying the
physical activities evident within a firm. Engineering teams at Ford Motor
Company optimize the physical design process of a vehicle using real-
time collaboration in a virtual workplace. Oracle Corporation is a front-
runner in adding virtual value for the customer by using the Internet to
directly test and distribute their software products.

Porter’s Generic Business Unit Strategies

Differentiation or Low Cost?

Earlier, we distinguished between two generic competitive strategic pos-

tures: low cost and differentiation. They are called generic because in prin-
ciple they apply to any business and any industry. However, the relative
attractiveness of different generic strategies is related to choices about
competitive scope. If a company chooses a relatively broad target market
(e.g., Walmart), a low-cost strategy is aimed at cost leadership. Such a strat-
egy aggressively exploits opportunities for cost reduction through econo-
mies of scale and cumulative learning (experience effects) in purchasing
 Formulating Business Unit Strategy 129

and manufacturing and generally calls for proportionately low expendi-

tures on R&D, marketing, and overhead. Cost leaders generally charge
less for their products and services than rivals and aim for a substantial
share of the market by appealing primarily to budget-sensitive customers.
Their low prices serve as an entry barrier to potential competitors. As long
as they maintain their relative cost advantage, cost leaders can maintain a
defensible position in the marketplace.
With a more narrow scope, a low-cost strategy is based on focus with
low cost. As with any focus strategy, a small, well-defined market niche—
a particular group of customers or geographic region—is selected to the
exclusion of others. Then, in the case of cost focus, only activities di-
rectly relevant to serving that niche are undertaken, at the lowest pos-
sible cost.
Southwest Airlines is renowned for its cost-focus strategy. A low-fare
carrier that has the highest-profit margins in the airline industry, South-
west Airlines grew 4,048 percent in the 1990s. Its low-cost, no-frills strat-
egy has been highly successful in the U.S. domestic market.
The cost-focus strategy is based on a narrow scope, with a small, well-
defined market niche. Southwest concentrates on short-haul routes with
high traffic densities and offers frequent flights throughout the day. Ef-
ficiency has been improved by eliminating costs associated with “hub”
routes involving large major U.S. airports. Southwest limits the number
of U.S. states and cities of operation, and it targets secondary airports
because of their lower cost structures.
Southwest’s fundamentally different operating structure allows it to
charge lower fares than more established airlines. A typical flight, which
lasts 1 hour on average, has no assigned seats; in-flight service consists of
drinks and snacks only, and the company does not offer transfer of lug-
gage to other airlines.
Southwest’s fleet consists of 284 Boeing 737s, which make more than
3,510 flights per day. Having one type of aircraft allows for greater ef-
ficiency and easier turnarounds. All Southwest 737s use the same equip-
ment, thereby keeping training and maintenance costs down. Finally,
high-asset use, reflected in a turnaround time averaging 20 minutes,
which is less than half the industry average, reduces its operating expenses
by 25 percent.
130 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

The recession of 2007–2009 caused many companies to abandon

their growth strategies in favor of a multiyear cost reduction strategy that
could improve their survival odds. Because of successful cost cutting at
Gap, its shares increased 27 percent in 2008 because of increased profits
on declining revenues. Gap’s cost savings were achieved through reduced
inventory levels and the sell-off of noncore assets such as selected real
estate holdings.
Similarly, in the face of sharply declining revenues, Dell undertook
cost cutting in 2008, including massive layoffs that totaled 11,000 em-
ployees for the year and an aggressive plan to sell its manufacturing facili-
ties worldwide.
Although many firms find it possible to maintain some level of profit
by cost cutting for as long as one full year, aggressive cost-cutters must
eventually find ways to increase their revenues. Circuit City and Radio
Shack cut costs and increased profit margins in 2008, but were undone
by sharp declines in their revenues. Circuit City filed for bankruptcy in
November 2008, the day after it announced that it would close 155 retail
stores, and Radio Shack lost 50 percent of its market value in that year.
Differentiation postures can also be tied to decisions of scope. A dif-
ferentiation strategy aimed at a broad, mass market seeks to create unique-
ness on an industry-wide basis. Walt Disney Productions and Nike are
examples. Broad-scale differentiation can be achieved through product
design, brand image, technology, distribution, service, or a combination
of these elements. Finally, like cost focus, a focus with differentiated strat-
egy is aimed at a well-defined segment of the market and target customers
willing to pay for value added.

Requirements for Success

The two generic routes—low cost and differentiation—are fundamen-

tally different. Achieving cost leadership requires a ruthless devotion to
minimizing costs through continuous improvement in manufacturing,
process engineering, and other cost-reducing strategies. Scale and scope
effects must be leveraged in all aspects of the value creation process—in
the design of products and services, purchasing practices, and distribu-
tion. In addition, achieving and sustaining cost leadership require tight
 Formulating Business Unit Strategy 131

control and an organizational structure and incentive system supportive

of a cost-focused discipline.
Differentiation requires an altogether different approach. Here, the
concern is for value added. Differentiation has multiple objectives. The
primary objective is to redefine the rules by which customers arrive at
their purchase decisions by offering something unique that is valuable.
In doing so, companies also seek to erect barriers to imitation. Differen-
tiation strategies are often misunderstood; “spray painting the product
green” is not differentiation. Differentiation is a strategic choice to provide
something of value to the customer other than a low price. One way to
differentiate a product or service is to add functionality. However, many
other, sometimes more effective, ways to differentiate are possible. R&D
aimed at enhancing product quality and durability (Maytag) is a viable el-
ement of a differentiation strategy. Investing in brand equity (Coca-Cola)
and pioneering new ways of distribution (Avon Cosmetics) are others.
Considerable evidence suggests that the most successful differentia-
tion strategies involve multiple sources of differentiation. Higher-quality
raw materials, unique product design, manufacturing that is more reliable,
superior marketing and distribution programs, and quicker service all con-
tribute to set a company’s offering apart from rival products. The use of
more than one source of differentiation makes it harder for competitors to
imitate a company’s competitive advantage effectively. In addition to using
multiple sources, integrating the different dimensions of value added—
functionality, and economic and psychological values—is critical. Effec-
tive differentiation thus requires explicit decisions about how much value
to add, where to add such value, and how to communicate such added
value to the customer. Critically for the firm, customers must be will-
ing to pay a premium relative to the cost of achieving the differentiation.
Therefore, successful differentiation requires the thorough understanding
of what customers value, the relative importance they attach to the satis-
faction of their needs and wants, and how much they are willing to pay.

Risks

Each generic posture carries unique risks. Cost leaders must concern
themselves with technological change that can nullify past investments in
132 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

scale economics or accumulated learning. In an increasingly global econ-

omy, firms that rely on cost leadership are particularly vulnerable to new
entrants from other parts of the world that can take advantage of even
lower factor costs. The biggest challenge to differentiators is imitation.
Imitation narrows actual and perceived differentiation. If this occurs,
buyers might change their minds about what constitutes differentiation
and then change their loyalties and preferences.
The goal of each strategic generic posture is to create sustainability.
For cost leaders, sustainability requires continually improving efficiency,
looking for less expensive sources of supply, and seeking ways to reduce
manufacturing and distribution costs. For differentiators, sustainabil-
ity requires the firm to erect barriers to entry around their dimensions
of uniqueness, to use multiple sources of differentiation, and to create
switching costs for customers. Organizationally, a differentiation strat-
egy calls for strong coordination among R&D, product development and
marketing, and incentives aimed at value creation and creativity.

Critique of Porter’s Generic Strategies

Generic strategies are not always viable. Low-cost strategies are less ef-
fective when low cost is the industry norm, and most executives reject
Porter’s generic strategies in favor of strategies that combine elements of
cost leadership, differentiation, and flexibility to meet customer needs.10
The most common arguments against Porter’s generic strategies are
that low-cost production and differentiation are not mutually exclusive
and that when they can exist together in a firm’s strategy, they result in
sustained profitability.11 The preconditions for a cost leadership strategy
stem from the industry’s structure, whereas the preconditions for differ-
entiation stem from customer tastes. Because these two factors are inde-
pendent, the opportunity for a firm to pursue both cost leadership and
differentiation strategies should always be considered.
In fact, differentiation can permit a firm to attain a low-cost posi-
tion. For example, expenditures to differentiate a product can increase
demand by creating loyalty, which decreases the price elasticity for the
product. Such actions can also broaden product appeal, enabling the firm
to increase market share at a given price, and increases its volume sold.
 Formulating Business Unit Strategy 133

Differentiation initially increases unit cost. However, the firm can reduce
unit cost in the long run if costs fall due to learning economies, economies
of scale, and economies of scope. Conversely, the savings generated from
low-cost production permit a firm to increase spending on marketing,
service, and product enhancement, thereby producing differentiation.
Finally, the possibility of providing both improved quality and lower
costs exists within the total quality management framework. High quality
and high productivity are complementary, and low quality is associated
with higher costs.

Value Disciplines
“Value disciplines” is a term coined by Michael Treacy and Fred Wiersema
to describe different ways companies can create value for customers. Spe-
cifically, they are three strategic priorities: product leadership, operational
excellence, and customer intimacy.12

Product Leadership

Companies pursuing product leadership produce a continuous stream of

state-of-the-art products and services. Such companies are innovation
driven, and they constantly raise the bar for competitors by offering more
value and better solutions.
The product leadership discipline is based on the following four
principles:

1. The encouragement of innovation through small ad hoc working

groups, an “experimentation is good” mind-set, and compensa-
tion systems that reward success, constant product innovation is
encouraged.
2. A risk-oriented management style that recognized that product lead-
ership companies are necessarily innovators, which requires a rec-
ognition that there are risks (as well as rewards) inherent in new
ventures.
3. Recognition that the company’s current success and future prospects
lie in its talented product design people and those who support them.
134 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

4. Recognition of the need to educate and lead the market regarding

the use and benefits of new products.

Examples of companies that use product leadership as a cornerstone

of their strategies include Intel, Apple, and Nike.

Operational Excellence

Operational excellence—the second value discipline—describes a strategic

approach aimed at better production and delivery mechanisms. Walmart,
American Airlines, FedEx, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide all
pursue operational excellence.
Starwood is one of the largest hotel chains in the world with 742 es-
tablishments in 80 countries, including famous brands such as Sheraton,
Westin, Four Points, and St. Regis. Following an extended period of sub-
par performance, the company decided to stylishly renovate its underper-
forming hotels and focus on doing and presenting everything it already
did, much better.
The firm’s biggest changes were made to the Sheraton hotel chain,
which underwent a $750 million makeover. This renovation was under-
taken to restore a reputation for reliability, value, and consistency. The
revamping did away with flowered bedspreads in favor of a Ralph Lauren
style. Amenities such as ergonomic desk chairs and two-line telephones
became standard.
Much of Starwood’s Four Points brand underwent renovations with
as much as 80 percent of the original hotel structure torn down. Every
room was redesigned and redecorated. Twenty-four-hour fitness facili-
ties were opened. Olympic-sized heated swimming pools with outdoor
reception areas became standard. Business centers were expanded to in-
clude ballrooms and meeting rooms to accommodate groups of all sizes.
Management expanded dining options to range from restaurants to
pubs. Guestroom hallways and lobbies were brightened and dramatically
­redesigned in a subtle, Mediterranean style. Wallpaper borders, sconce
lighting, and artful signage were added to present the hotel with a bright
fresh look.
 Formulating Business Unit Strategy 135

Starwood’s focus on operational excellence was immediately success-

ful. For the four straight quarters following the activation of the changes,
Starwood led Marriott and Hilton in North American revenue per avail-
able room. Operating income increased 26 percent.

Customer Intimacy

A strategy based on customer intimacy concentrates on building customer

loyalty. Nordstrom and Home Depot continually tailor their products
and services to changing customer needs. Pursuing customer intimacy
can be expensive, but the long-term benefits of a loyal clientele can pay
off handsomely.
Because the vast majority of companies worldwide now claim to give
top priority to customer concerns, it might be hard to imagine how a
firm distinguishes itself through customer intimacy. Home Depot pro-
vides an excellent example of a firm that succeeds. It uses customer inti-
macy initiatives to marginalize competitors. The company’s plan began
with the creation of its “Service Performance Initiative,” which em-
phasizes changing daily operations to provide a more shopper-friendly
store atmosphere. Home Depot added off-hour stocking, which moves
merchandise in and out of inventory during late evening hours or after
closing for those stores that have not expanded their operating hours to
24 hours per day.
The main benefit of the new stocking method is the ability of employ-
ees to focus on customer service and sales. Before the implementation of
the initiative, salespeople spent 40 percent of their time with customers
and 60 percent on other work-related duties. After the customer intimacy
initiatives, salespeople were able to spend 70 percent of their time with
customers on sales-oriented tasks and 30 percent on other duties.
Home Depot undertook two additional customer intimacy initia-
tives. The first was the installation of Linux Info for point-of-sale support
systems. With the new system, customers can place orders from home
over the Internet and have the purchase processed at the store’s register.
This process allows customers to enter the store simply for pickup, having
already purchased their merchandise. The second initiative involves home
136 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

improvement classes taught at its stores. Customer intimacy is enhanced

when professionals teach customers how to buy and install the proper
materials and construction equipment. Home Depot sells products and
receives customer feedback as outcomes of the courses.
Most companies try to excel in one of the three value disciplines and
be competitive in the others. Explicitly choosing a value discipline and
focusing available resources on creating a gap between the company and
its immediate competitors with regard to the discipline sharpens a com-
pany’s strategic focus.

Designing a Profitable Business Model

Designing a profitable business model is a critical part of formulating a
business unit strategy. Creating an effective model requires a clear under-
standing of how the firm will generate profits and the strategic actions it
must take to succeed over the long term.
Adrian Slywotzky and David Morrison have identified 22 business
models—designs that generate profits in a unique way. 13 They present
these models as examples, believing that others do or can exist. The au-
thors also confirm that in some instances profitability depends on the
interplay of two or more business models.
What is our business model? How do we make a profit? Slywotzky and
Morrison suggest that these are the two most productive questions asked
of executives. The classic strategy rule suggested that, “Gain market share
and profits will follow.” This approach once worked for most industries.
However, because of competitive turbulence caused by globalization and
rapid technological advancements, the once popular belief in a strong
correlation between market share and profitability has collapsed in many
industries.
How can businesses earn sustainable profits? The answer is found by
analyzing the following questions: Where will the firm be able to make
a profit in this industry? How should the business model be designed so
that the firm will be profitable?
Slywotzky and Morrison describe the following profitability business
models as ways to answer these questions:
 Formulating Business Unit Strategy 137

1. Customer Development/Customer Solutions Profit model. Companies

that use this business model make money by finding ways to im-
prove their customers’ economics and investing in ways for custom-
ers to improve their processes.
2. Product Pyramid Profit model. This model is effective in markets
where customers have strong preferences for product characteris-
tics, including variety, style, color, and price. By offering a number
of variations, companies can build so-called product pyramids. At
the base are low-priced, high-volume products, and at the top are
high-priced, low-volume products. Profit is concentrated at the top
of the pyramid, but the base is the strategic firewall (i.e., a strong,
low-priced brand that deters competitor entry), thereby protecting
the margins at the top. Consumer goods companies and automobile
companies use this model.
3. Multicomponent System Profit model. Some businesses are character-
ized by a production/marketing system that consists of components
that generate substantially different levels of profitability. In hotels,
for example, there is a substantial difference between the profitability
of room rentals and that of bar operations. In such instances, it is
often useful to maximize the use of the highest-profit components
to maximize the profitability of the whole system.
4. Switchboard Profit model. Some markets function by connecting
multiple sellers to multiple buyers. The switchboard profit model
creates a high-value intermediary that concentrates these multiple
communication pathways through one point, or “switchboard,” and
thereby reduces costs for both parties in exchange for a fee. As vol-
ume increases, so, too, do profits.
5. Time Profit model. Sometimes, speed is the key to profitability. This
business model takes advantage of first-mover advantage. To sustain
this model, constant innovation is essential.
6. Blockbuster Profit model. In some industries, profitability is driven
by a few great product successes. This business model is representa-
tive of movie studios, pharmaceutical firms, and software compa-
nies, which have high R&D and launch costs and finite product
cycles. In this type of environment, it pays to concentrate resource
138 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

investments in a few projects rather than to take positions in a vari-

ety of products.
7. Profit Multiplier model. This business model reaps gains, again and
again, from the same product, character, trademark capability, or
service. Think of the value that Michael Jordan, Inc. creates with the
image of the great basketball legend. This model can be a powerful
engine for businesses with strong consumer brands.
8. Entrepreneurial Profit model. Small can be beautiful. This business
model stresses that diseconomies of scale can exist in companies.
They attack companies that have become comfortable with their
profit levels, with formal, bureaucratic systems that are remote from
customers. As their expenses grow and customer relevance declines,
such companies are vulnerable to entrepreneurs who are in direct
contact with their customers.
9. Specialization Profit model. This business model stresses growth
through sequenced specialization. Consulting companies have used
this design successfully.
10. Installed Base Profit model. A company that pursues this model prof-
its because its established user base subsequently buys the company’s
brand of consumables or follow-on products. Installed base profits
provide a protected annuity stream. Examples include razors and
blades, software and upgrades, copiers and toner cartridges, and
cameras and film.
11. De Facto Standard Profit model. A variant of the Installed Base Profit
model, this model is appropriate when the Installed Base model be-
comes the de facto standard that governs competitive behavior in the
industry, as is the case with Oracle.
 CHAPTER 7

Business Unit Strategy:

Contexts and Special
Dimensions

Introduction
Generic strategies are useful for identifying broad frameworks within
which a competitive advantage can be developed and exploited. However,
to forecast the relative effectiveness of different options, strategists con-
sider the context in which a strategy is to be implemented. To see how such
analysis is done, in this chapter we examine six types of industry settings.
First, we look at three contexts that relate to the various evolutionary
stages of an industry: emerging, growth, mature, and declining. Next, we
discuss four industry environments that pose unique strategic challenges:
fragmented, deregulating, hypercompetitive, and Internet-based industries.
Because hyper-competition is increasingly characteristic of business-level
competition in many industries, we then discuss two critical attributes of
successful firms in dynamic industries: speed and innovation.

One Cause to Reconsider an SBU Strategy

As we discussed in the introduction of Chapter 4, the ongoing imple-
mentation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), has immersed the health-
care industry in widespread, disruptive changes. These changes provide
growth opportunities for some firms, but they also threaten established
firms that may be unseated by competitors who adapt to market changes
more quickly or who find innovative new ways to deliver services.
140 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Consequently, every competitor in the disrupted industry must con-

sider the strategic consequences of the ACA at its SBU levels. McKinsey&
Company has identified three basic strategies that companies in other
industries have used effectively to adjust to disruptions that they faced.1
The hope is that modeling SBU strategies on the success of companies in
similar situation in other industries will be instructive to healthcare firms.
The first basic strategy to consider is for the company to refocus its
business portfolio, shifting its attention to those business activities that
will benefit from industry changes or will be unaffected by them. Proc-
tor & Gamble (P&G) used this strategy successfully to shift its focus
from food products, where profit margins were falling, to branded home,
health and beauty products where margins were more attractive. It sold
Jif and Crisco in 2002, and Sunny Delight and Punica in 2004, and it
continued selling off its remaining food and beverage brands, includ-
ing Pringles and Folgers. Almost simultaneously, it re-launched its Oil
of Olay skincare brand, expanded the product lines under its Mr. Clean
brand, launched Swiffer, expanded its fragrance offerings, and acquired
Gillette.
A second SBU strategy requires the company to transform its core
business model. Charles Schwab, which had made its name as a low-
cost stockbroker, undertook such a transformation when online brokers
undercut its price. Schwab responded with cut prices and a new online
trading platform, but kept its existing offices and customer service staff as
competitive advantages against the new online brokers.2
The final strategy for dealing with a disruptive industry is to build a
new SBU in a different market to make up for losses in the disrupted one.
In the early 1990s, IBM, a force in the PC industry that sold end-to-end
computing systems to businesses, found itself threatened by low-cost PC
manufacturers. The corporation responded by using its connections with
clients and its knowledge of company computer systems to develop a ser-
vices division whose success counterbalanced the declining earnings from
IBM’s hardware business. It created the IBM Consulting Group, which
over the succeeding decade, grew to make up half of IBM’s revenue.
Growth in the division, known as IBM Global Services, was sparked by
its acquisition of PricewaterhouseCoopers management consulting and
technical services businesses in 2002.
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 141

Emerging, Growth, Mature, and Declining Industries

Strategy in Emerging Industries

New industries or industry segments emerge in a variety of ways. Tech-

nological breakthroughs can launch entirely new industries or reform old
ones, as in the case of changes to the telephone industry with the advent
of cellular technology. Sometimes changes in the macro environment
spawn new industries. Examples are solar energy and Internet technology.
From a strategic perspective, new industries present new opportuni-
ties. Their technologies are typically immature. This means that competi-
tors will actively try to improve existing designs and processes or leapfrog
them altogether with next-generation technology. A battle for standards
might ensue. Costs are typically high and unpredictable, entry barriers
low, supplier relationships underdeveloped, and distribution channels
just emerging.
Timing can be critical in determining strategic success in an emerging
market. The first company to come out with a new product or service
often has a first mover advantage. First movers have the opportunity to
shape customer expectations and define the competitive rules of the game.
In high-technology industries, first movers can sometimes set standards
for all subsequent products. Microsoft was able to accomplish this with
its Windows operating system. In general, first movers have a relatively
brief window of opportunity to establish themselves as industry leaders in
technology, cost, or service.
Exercising strategic leadership in the emerging market can be an ef-
fective way to reduce risk. In addition to the ability to shape the industry
structure based on timing, method of entry, and experience in similar
situations, leadership opportunities include the ability to control prod-
uct and process development through superior technology, quality, or
customer knowledge; leverage existing relationships with suppliers and
distributors; and leverage access to a core group of early, loyal customers.

Strategy in Growth Industries

Growth presents a host of challenges. Competitors tend to focus on ex-

panding their market shares. Over time, buyers become knowledgeable
142 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

and can better distinguish between competitive offerings. As a result,

increased segmentation often accompanies the transition to market ma-
turity. Cost control becomes an important element of strategy as unit
margins shrink and new products and applications are harder to find. In
industries with global potential, international markets become more im-
portant. The globalization of competition also introduces new uncertain-
ties as a second wave of global competitors enters the race.
During the early-growth phase, companies tend to add more products,
models, sizes, and flavors to appeal to an increasingly segmented market.
Toward the end of the growth phase, cost considerations become a prior-
ity. In addition, process innovation becomes an important dimension of
cost control, as do the redefinitions of supplier and distributor relations.
Finally, horizontal integration becomes attractive as a way of consolidating
a company’s market position or increasing a firm’s international presence.
Competing companies that enter the market at this time, often la-
beled as followers, have different advantages than early market leaders.
Later entrants have the opportunity to evaluate alternative technologies,
delay investment in risky projects or plant capacity, and imitate or leap-
frog superior product and technology offerings. Followers also tap into
proven market segments rather than take the risks associated with trying
to develop latent market demand into ongoing revenue streams.
Firms that consider entry into a growing industry must also face the
strategic decision of whether to enter through internal development or
acquisition. Entry into a new segment or industry through internal devel-
opment involves creating a new business, often in a somewhat unfamiliar
competitive environment. It is also likely to be slow and expensive. Devel-
oping new products, processes, partnerships, and systems takes time and
requires substantial learning. For these reasons, companies increasingly
are turning to joint ventures, alliances, and acquisitions of existing players
as strategies for invading new product–market segments.
Two major issues must be analyzed as part of the decision process to
enter a new market: (1) What are the structural barriers to entry? (2) How
will incumbent firms react to the intrusion? Some of the most important
structural impediments are the level of investment required, access to pro-
duction or distribution facilities, and the threat of overcapacity.
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 143

Potential retaliation is more difficult to analyze. Incumbents will op-

pose a new player if resistance is likely to pay off. This is more likely to
occur in mature markets if growth is low, products or services are not
highly differentiated, fixed costs are high, capacity is ample, and the mar-
ket is of great strategic importance to incumbents. However, the likeli-
hood of competitor resistance at any stage of the life cycle suggests the
important issues in the search for new markets. What industries are expe-
riencing disequilibria, where incumbents are likely to be slow to react? In
what industries could the firm influence the industry structure? Where do
the benefits of entry exceed the costs, including the costs of dealing with
retaliation by incumbents?

Strategy in Mature and Declining Industries

Carefully choosing a balance between differentiation and low-cost pos-

tures and deciding whether to compete in multiple- or single-industry
segments are critically important issues as maturity sets in and decline
threatens. Growth tends to mask strategic errors and let companies sur-
vive; a low- or no-growth environment is far less benevolent.
Firms earn attractive profits during the long maturity stage of an in-
dustry lifecycle when they do the following:

1. Concentrate on segments that offer chances for higher growth or

higher return;
2. Manage product and process innovation aimed at further differen-
tiation, cost reduction, or rejuvenating segment growth;
3. Streamline production and delivery to cut costs; and
4. Gradually “harvest” the business in preparation for a strategic shift
to more promising products or industries.

Counterbalancing these opportunities, mature and declining indus-

tries contain a number of strategic pitfalls that companies should avoid:

1. An overly optimistic view of the industry or the company’s position

within it,
144 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

2. A lack of strategic clarity shown by a failure to choose between a

broad-based and a focused competitive approach,
3. Investing too much for too little return—the so-called “cash trap,”
4. Trading market share for profitability in response to short-term per-
formance pressures,
5. Being unwillingness to compete on price,
6. Resisting industry structural changes or new practices,
7. Placing too much emphasis on new product development compared
with improving existing ones, and
8. Retaining excess capacity.3

Exit decisions are often extremely difficult, in part because exiting

might be actively opposed in the marketplace. Possible exit barriers in-
clude government restrictions, labor and pension obligations, and con-
tractual obligations to other parties. Even if a business can be sold, in part
or as a whole, a host of issues must be addressed. The negative effects of
an exit on customer, supplier, and distributor relations, for example, can
ripple throughout the entire corporate structure if the firm is an SBU of
a larger corporation. In this case, shared cost arrangements can produce
cost increases in other parts of the business, and labor relations can be-
come strained, thereby diminishing the strategic outlook for the corpora-
tion as a whole.

Fragmented, Deregulating, Hypercompetitive,

and Internet-Based Industries
Strategy in Fragmented Industries

Fragmented industries are those in which no single company or small

group of firms has a large enough market share to have a strong effect
on the industry structure or outcomes. Many areas of the economy share
this trait, including retail sectors, distribution businesses, professional ser-
vices, and small manufacturing. Fragmentation seems to be most preva-
lent when entry and exit barriers are low; there are few economies of
scale or scope; cost structures make consolidation unattractive; products
or services are highly diverse or need to be customized; and close, local
control is essential.
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 145

Thriving in fragmented markets requires creative strategizing. Focus

strategies that creatively segment the market based on product, customer,
type of order/service, or geographic area, combined with a “no frills” pos-
ture, can be effective. Sometimes, scale and scope economies are unrec-
ognized or await new technological breakthroughs. In such instances, a
creative strategy can unlock these hidden sources of advantage and dra-
matically change the dynamics of the industry.

Strategy in Deregulating Industries

Deregulation has reshaped a number of industries. Some interesting com-

petitive dynamics take place when artificial constraints are lifted and new
players are allowed to enter. Perhaps the most important dynamic has to
do with the timing of strategic moves. U.S. experience shows that deregu-
lating environments tend to undergo considerable change twice: Once
when the market is opened and again about five years later.4
Deregulation in the United States became a major issue in 1975 when
the Securities and Exchange Commission abolished the brokerage indus-
try and eliminated fixed commissions, which profoundly affected several
industries, including airlines, trucking, railroads, banking, and telecom-
munications. In each instance, a more or less similar pattern developed:

1. Immediately following the opening of the market, a large number of

new entrants rushed in—most failing within a relatively short period.
2. Industry profitability deteriorated rapidly as new entrants, often op-
erating from a lower cost basis, destroyed industry pricing for all
competitors.
3. The pattern of segment profitability altered significantly. Segments
that once were attractive became unattractive because too many
competitors entered, whereas previously unattractive segments sud-
denly became more interesting from a strategic perspective.
4. The variance in profitability between the best and worst players in-
creased substantially, reflecting a wider quality range of competitors.
5. Two waves of merger and acquisition activity ensued. A first wave
focused on consolidating weaker players, and a second wave among
larger players aimed at market dominance.
146 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

6. After consolidation, only a few players remained as broad-based

competitors; most were forced to narrow their focus to specific seg-
ments or products in a much more segmented industry.

Strategy in Hypercompetitive Industries

Hypercompetitive industries are characterized by intense rivalry. Success-

ful strategies are often based on taking the competitor by surprise (e.g.,
by introducing a product when least expected) and then moving on as
the competition tries to recover. Hypercompetitive strategies, therefore, are
designed to enable the company to gain an advantage over competitors
by disrupting the market with quick and innovative change. The goal is
to neutralize previous competitive advantages and create an unbalanced
industry segment.5
The intense rivalry in a hypercompetitive environment often results
in short product life cycles, the emergence of new technologies, competi-
tion from unexpected players, repositioning by current players, and major
shifts in market boundaries. Personal computers, microprocessors, and
software all frequently experience the effects of hypercompetition. The
telecommunications industry also provides many examples. Commonly,
hypercompetitive strategies involve the bundling of services (e.g., local
calling, long-distance calling, Internet access, and even television trans-
mission) to retain current customers and acquire new ones.
In a hypercompetitive market, successful companies are able to ma-
nipulate competitive conditions to create advantage for themselves and
destroy the advantages enjoyed by others. Within their dynamic and ever-
changing environment, firms that stand to benefit are those possessing
three major qualities: rapid innovation and speed, superior short-term
strategic focus, and market awareness.
Speed and innovation are the foremost requirements for success in
a hypercompetitive environment. The focus of companies is on gaining
temporary advantage, achieving short-term profitability, and then quickly
shifting their strategic focus before competition can react effectively. It is
crucial that hypercompetitive companies be able to innovate rapidly and
then follow up on that innovation with equally quick manufacturing,
marketing, and distribution of their products. In this manner, they are
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 147

able to rapidly shift the industry dynamics and gain market share at a pace
that exceeds that of the competition. Without speed, a company is at a
severe disadvantage because its competitors will be first to market, costing
it valuable market share.
The second characteristic of successful firms in hypercompetition is
superior short-term strategic focus. Firms that have the ability to manipu-
late the competition into making long-term commitments will find the
hypercompetitive marketplace beneficial.
The final requirement for success in a hypercompetitive environment
is strong market awareness. Firms must be able to understand consumer
markets to deliver high-impact products and provide superior standards
of customer support. Having strong customer focus allows firms to iden-
tify a customer’s needs while uncovering new and previously untapped
markets for their products. Once the needs of the customer are identified,
firms win temporary market share through a redefinition of quality.
The traditional concept of sustainable competitive advantage centers
on the belief that long-term profitability can be achieved through seg-
mented markets and low to moderate levels of competition. However,
strategists now recognize another requirement: Over the long term, sus-
tainable profits are possible only when entry barriers restrict competition.
Continuous erosion and re-creation of competitive advantage character-
ize many industries with companies seeking to disrupt the status quo and
gain a temporary profitable advantage over larger competitors.

Competitive Reactions Under Extreme Competition

The pace of competitive change continues to quicken with increasing glo-

balization, technological advancement, and economic liberalization. The
consequences include high rivalry in mature undifferentiated industries
that results in shrinking profits; shaky dominance by dominant market
share firms that are pressured by smaller, more flexible and often more
innovative competitors; and shrinking industries with endangered leaders
and struggling niche players.
This characterization of extreme competition led Huyett and Viguerie
to suggest six actions that established companies could consider to coun-
ter the innovative moves of competitors:6
148 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

1. Retool strategy and restore its importance. Strategic planning can be

given short shrift when daily pressures for performance are high
and the pace of change is great. Therefore, corporate executives
are advised to challenge SBU managers to adopt a portfolio view
in strategic planning to increase their responsiveness to radical
opportunities.
2. Manage transition economics. In trying to strike a balance between
profit margins and market share, planners should be aware of the
importance of building low-cost positions to free funds for innova-
tion efforts that will help fend off aggressive competitors.
3. Fight aggregation with disaggregation. Although scale advantages will
make some large firms inclined toward aggregation of markets, oth-
ers will find small, high-profit opportunities by creating differenti-
ated value propositions through disaggregation.
4. Seek new demand and new growth. Hypercompetition does not pre-
clude the use of traditional strategies. Particularly when competing
with firms that rely on organic growth, external growth through
mergers and acquisitions, licensing, joint ventures, and strategic al-
liances can be successful, even as late entrants work to accelerate the
pace of innovation and organizational change.
5. Use a portfolio of initiatives to increase speed and flexibility. Strategic
managers and planners are encouraged to think of organizational
assets as resources that enable the company to launch new prod-
ucts and services, innovate to reduce costs, and provide the basis for
price competitiveness in varied markets worldwide. Such a resource-
based view is superior to a fixed-commitment approach in extreme
competition that places a premium on market responsiveness and
innovation.
6. Assess strategic risk. Strategists need to be mindful that extreme com-
petition is characterized by volatile corporate earnings and stock
prices. Huyett and Viguerie specifically warn of negative conse-
quences if competitors introduce lower-priced products or services,
are able to become the low-cost provider, introduce bad-conduct
risks (which warn of negative consequences if a price war occurs), or
make overly optimistic assumptions.
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 149

Strategic Planning for Internet-Based Industries

Businesses approach Internet-based industries in one of two ways: as pure

players that conduct all business online or as click-and-mortar operations
that have a physical facility and use the Internet to expand their reach and
supplement their activities.
Pure play businesses confront the obstacle of the inability of the cus-
tomer to examine their product prior to making a decision. This problem
can be somewhat offset by a virtual storefront and often counterbalanced
by the Internet firm’s convenience of being “open” 24/7. Pure play compa-
nies are able to interact directly with their customers through the Internet
and benefit from the ability to gather information easily about customers
and competitors as a means to keeping their prices competitive.
There are special start-up costs that must be considered when launch-
ing a company in an Internet-based industry. Most significantly, there are
extremely high marketing costs in building a customer base, and most
Internet companies do not have an established distribution system to get
their products to consumers.
Without a retail presence, pure play companies typically look to build
a competitive advantage by becoming “efficiency machines” serving broad
markets or “niche leaders” targeting narrow markets.7 Efficiency machines
are characterized by high marketing costs, innovative Web sites, and a
highly efficient sourcing and fulfillment process. This set-up creates ex-
tremely high fixed costs. Therefore, they must generate very high revenue
streams from the very beginning of operations. This model is most com-
petitive in low-margin/high-volume industries.
A good example of an “efficiency machine” is Amazon, which began
as a virtual bookstore that generated about $5 million in revenues in their
first year of operations. For its first few years, Amazon’s focus was on rein-
vesting to grow sales rapidly. The company then worked to become more
efficient, and, in 2003, it had its first profitable year.
Niche players, by contrast, are more limited in number because their
business model is built around selling high-priced products or services,
including high-end jewelry and travel services. The most successful niche
players adapt the traditional direct marketing model into one that can
successfully leverage the Internet’s advantages. Because most niche leaders
150 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

are too small to afford large marketing campaigns, they need to rely on
targeted online and direct mail campaigns to drive customers to their
Web site or catalog.

Strategic Planning for Click-and-Mortar Businesses

The click-and-mortar model is a hybrid of a pure play online model,

where all business activity is conducted online, and a traditional brick-
and-mortar model, where all business is done through a physical store. It
is estimated that the click-and-mortar model is responsible for 52 percent
of all online revenues.8 The advantage of this strategy is that the physical
side of the company has strategic resources that provide a basis for com-
petitive advantage, such as established brands, traditional distribution
channels, and vendor relationships.
In the pure play model, technology is the primary driver of growth,
forcing many firms to invest heavily in this area to stay ahead of the
curve. Click-and-mortar firms are less dependent on technology for
competitive position, allowing them to spread their investments to de-
velop a number of strengths. They are also able to allocate their re-
sources more efficiently by choosing to have a product available online
and in the store, or through just one option, as is commonly done in
disposing of clearance items. Customers also benefit by gaining the
ability to choose how they are most comfortable interacting with the
company. Examples include the ability to return products in the store
versus having to ship them back, and the opportunity to view products
in the store and then order the item online if a size or color they like is
not available.

Customer Service

Customer service has applications to the three business models in an

Internet-based industry. Pure play firms like Expedia.com, the world’s
largest leisure-travel agency, can use the Internet as a differentiator or as
their core competency. Because there are no inventories to manage and no
physical locations to maintain, firms are able to operate efficiently.
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 151

Future e-commerce strategies are expected to move from the current

focus of online sales to increased engagement with customers. Such a
shifting of the focus from sales driven to service driven will allow com-
panies that are not typically users of the Internet to leverage their capa-
bilities to meet the customers’ needs. In new customer service-centered
e-commerce models, strategies include marketing, selling, customer deci-
sion support, and retail partnership components.9 Dell has developed a
system that breaks customers down into subsets such as home and small
business customers to match them with the appropriate product line.
Once customers are in the correct subset, Dell is able to direct them to
an appropriate product line based on their computer use in areas such as
multimedia or basic word processor functions.
Other companies are also finding ways to leverage their online capa-
bilities to help support their customers and improve efficiency. Metalco,
a manufacturer of specialty metal products, uses the Internet to enable
customers to make inquiries and requests, receive quotations, place or-
ders, and manage the ongoing manufacturing and billing process. The
system was designed to automate the process between Metalco and their
customers, thereby improving efficiency, reducing errors, and increasing
customer loyalty. This system is consistent with a marketing-driven ap-
proach designed to focus on a niche market. Metalco differentiates its
product offerings through improved customer service.

Competitive Superiority

While the evidence available indicates there is little difference between

the profit performance of click-and-mortar and brick-and-mortar mod-
els, there does appear to be an advantage of click-and-mortar firms over
pure play firms in an Internet-based industry. Customers favor the click-
and-mortar model since it provides them with options in where they
conduct business—on the Internet or at a physical store.10 Research has
shown that mere presence of an Internet alternative to traditional stores
is a significant marketing advantage. An e-commerce element of a com-
pany strategy is necessary because of the accessibility benefit the Internet
provides to customers.11
152 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Internet-Based Business Models

Supply Chains of Internet Business Models.  Internet businesses can be

distinguished by the way they sell through the supply chain, including
direct sales channels, intermediary channels, or marketplace channels.
In direct sales channels, product and service providers deal directly with
their customers during Internet business transactions. In intermediary
channels, portals serve to build a community of consumers and play a role
in driving traffic to the Web sites for product and service providers. In a
marketplace channel, market makers build a community of customers or
suppliers of products and service and facilitate secure business transac-
tions between the buyer and the supplier.

Revenue Business Models.  Revenue business models generate sales

through the direct transaction of goods or services, where a business adds
value by acquiring products and reselling them to consumers, or through
production-based methods where companies manufacture, customize,
and sell products to consumers. Companies can also provide free content
or services to visitors and earn revenue by selling advertising to businesses
that want to reach those visitors.

Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer Models.  Internet busi-

nesses can be distinguished through the markets they serve, whether the
markets are business-to-consumer (B2C) or business-to-business (B2B)
models. B2C involves the marketing and delivery of a service directly to
a customer, while B2B involves the marketing and delivery of goods and
services to other businesses.

Internet-Based Firm Inventory and Fulfillment

The Internet has enabled firms to separate the sales process from inven-
tory management and fulfillment through drop shipping. Internet drop
shipping is the method where Internet firms receive customer orders and
send the customer orders to the supplier over the Internet using vendor
software, and the supplier packages and ships the orders to the customers
using the Internet firm’s logo and label. Internet firms benefit by saving
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 153

warehouse space, reducing inventory carrying costs, and gaining time to

spend on other business functions.
A drop-shipping method is most appropriate for younger firms with
larger, low-margin products, higher levels of variety, and higher levels of
demand uncertainty.12 The study also found that firms making inventory
and fulfillment decisions within these guidelines were less likely to go
bankrupt, suggesting that the firm’s inventory and fulfillment decisions
are related to its economic performance.
eBags.com is an Internet firm that uses drop shipping due to its great
variety of products and low demand certainty. The company sells 8,000
different bags, including backpacks, purses, and suitcases. Offering a large
variety of bags is important to the business, but holding all of the items
in physical inventory would result in unacceptably high inventory hold-
ing and handling costs. Therefore, the company adopted drop shipping.
eBags advertises the bags, but its suppliers actually keep them in their pos-
session until orders are placed by eBags to have them shipped to custom-
ers. This tactic enables eBags to be almost free of inventory while offering
a larger selection of bags than the small specialty bag stores with whom
they compete.

Business Unit Strategy: Special Dimensions

Speed

Speed in innovation, manufacturing, distribution, and a host of other

areas is emerging as a key success factor in a growing number of indus-
tries, especially those characterized by transitional or habitual hypercom-
petition.13 Coupled with trends toward globalization, the multiplying
business applications of the Internet have led to the elevation of speed as
a strategic priority. The unprecedented growth in B2C and B2B Internet
connections made speed almost as important as quality and a customer
orientation in some markets. Yet, it is the newest and least understood of
the critical success factors.
In a competitive context, speed is the pace of progress that a com-
pany displays in responding to current or anticipated business needs. It
is gauged by a firm’s response times in meeting customer expectations,
154 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

innovating and commercializing new products and services, changing

strategy to benefit from emerging market and technological realities, and
continuously upgrading its transformation processes to improve customer
satisfaction and financial returns.
Responding to industry challenges to increase their customer respon-
siveness are speed merchants who built their strategies on the rapid pace
of their operations. Their accelerated change activities become a hallmark
for the progress of the industry. Speed merchants modify their environ-
ments to convert their core competencies into competitive advantages.
Therefore, competitive landscapes are altered in their favor. The public
images of a growing number of firms are synonymous with the speed
that they exhibit: AAA with fast emergency road service, Dell with fast
computer assembly, Domino’s with fast pizza delivery, and CyberGate
with fast Internet access. A critical assessment of the strategies of these
high-profile companies provides three important insights: (1) distinct and
identifiable sources of pressure that create the demand on a company to
accelerate its speed; (2) an emphasis on speed places new cost, cultural,
and change process requirements on a company; and (3) several imple-
mentation methods to accelerate a firm’s speed of operations.
There are four elements of a model to guide executives in the accel-
eration of their companies’ speed. They are the (1) pressures to increase
speed, (2) requirements of speed, (3) methods to increase speed, and the
(4) consequences of speed. Taken together, these elements remind us that
pressures to increase company speed can be generated both externally and
internally. Firms can assume a reactive posture and await an increase in
speed by competitors before making their own investment, or they can
gamble on a payoff from a proactive “move to improve.”

Pressures to Increase Speed.  Speed is almost universally popular. Cus-

tomers in nearly every product–market segment seek immediate need
satisfaction, and they reward quick-acting companies with market share
growth. Because employees of speed-oriented companies enjoy the job
flexibility and heightened individual responsibility that are required
to maintain the strategy, they reward their employers with the loyalty
and commitment that is so highly prized in competitive environments.
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 155

Suppliers to fast-moving companies are willing to bear extra costs and

responsibilities to earn partnerships with firms that seem destined to over-
take competitors that conduct business in time-tested rather than time-
conscious ways.
Pressures for speed come from customers’ expectations, from com-
petitors who accelerate their own pace, from the company itself when it
seeks to establish a new competitive advantage, and from the adjusting
priorities of a changing industry.

Requirements of Speed.  As a strategic weapon, a speed initiative requires

that every aspect of an organization be focused on the pace at which work
is accomplished. Executives must foster a “fast” culture within their orga-
nizations. The agility that comes from a speed orientation and carefully
tailored resource investments provides the prerequisite competitive means
to change and accelerate a firm’s strategic course. Specifically, action must
be taken on the following issues: refocusing the business mission, creating
a speed-compatible culture, upgrading communications within the busi-
ness, focusing business process reengineering (BPR), and committing to
new performance metrics.

Methods to Increase Speed.  The development of speed as a competitive

advantage begins with an internal analysis by a firm to determine where
speed exists and where it does not. Companies then look to eliminate
any “speed gaps.” Three categories of methods dominate corporate op-
tion lists: streamlining operations, upgrading technology, and forming
partnerships.

Streamlining Operations.  Many companies enter new markets with a

level of competitive information that would have traditionally been la-
beled as insufficient to support investment. However, most of these firms
are not marginalizing quality; they have adopted a new strategic schema.
With a speed-enhanced ability to obtain quick post-implementation
feedback from the marketplace and respond with unparalleled speed in
making adjustments, successful innovations no longer need to be flawless
at introduction.
156 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Upgrading Technology.  Using the latest informational technologies to

create speed, companies are able to roll out new product information
faster. The common goal of speed-focused IT is to connect manufacturers
with retailers to enhance information sharing and streamline, and accel-
erate product distribution. In turn, shortening pipelines speeds products
to shelves and satisfies customers with less costly inventories. Doubling
back, technology enables companies to learn customers’ buying patterns
to better anticipate their preferences.

Forming Partnerships.  Sharing business burdens is a proven way to

shorten the time needed to improve market responsiveness (i.e., “part-
ners collapse time”). Ford Motor Company’s partnership with General
Motors and DaimlerChrysler provides a front-page example. The three
major auto manufacturers joined to develop an Internet portal that links
their purchasing organizations with 30,000 raw material suppliers. These
Web-based exchanges also increase the speed with which the automobile
companies respond to customer inquiries at every stage along the supply
chain.
The evidence from business practice supports the emergence of speed
as a critical success factor as a primary element in business unit strategy.
The company goal of accelerating speed to satisfy consumer needs is be-
coming less of an option and more of a mandate for financial survival.
Fortunately, businesses can be systematic in evaluating the pressures and
requirements for change that they face in accelerating their speed. Meth-
ods available for implementing upgrades are gaining widespread accep-
tance and are backed by the records of success that faster firms enjoy.

Consequences of Speed.  In planning to increase the company’s speed,

executives need to consider the consequences of a successful implementa-
tion. The firm’s pre-emotive capability will improve, but demands on the
firm to innovate will simultaneously increase—since innovation both cre-
ates and justifies the need to invest in speed.
The firm’s response time will improve, with a result that its competi-
tive defensive capability will be strengthen, but to be able to produce and
maintain the new level of speed, executives will need to enlist fast-moving
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 157

and responsive suppliers and distributors. Furthermore, when the benefits

of speed are essential but not distinguishing characteristics of a company
in hypercompetitive arenas that are characterized by rapid and diversified
change, executives need to view increased speed as essential benefit, but
not necessarily as an advantage.
With consumer expectations in many industries constantly on the
rise, a company’s ability to increase rates and forms of speed in the future
is critical. However, no challenge should be more appealing to executives
that use speed to leverage a firm’s core competencies than to operate in a
competitive arena where success is based on a high rate of change.

Innovating to Gain or Retain an Advantage

Innovation is the initial commercialization of invention that is achieved

by producing and selling a new product, service, or process. Because every
product has a lifespan that flattens out and eventually declines, creating
new products that are able to backfill a company’s revenue streams is vital
to sustaining a successful business model.
Innovation can come in the form of a breakthrough that revolution-
izes and creates new industries. Sony’s Bravia LCD TVs, Blu-ray Disc
products, and Playstation 3 gaming consoles allowed consumers to expe-
rience 3D in their homes.
The goal of companies that pursue a breakthrough innovation is to
create a disruptive product that revolutionizes an industry or creates a new
one. In 2010, Microsoft Office offered a free Web-based version of their
software. The software was stored on Microsoft’s servers and delivered
to end users online. This concept is “cloud computing” and goes against
Microsoft’s historical business model. Cloud computing is the concept
of assigning computing tasks to a remote location rather than a desktop
computer, handheld machine, or a company’s own servers. Traditionally,
Microsoft sold their software programs to consumers and the software
was stored directly on the consumer’s computer. This new business model
required Microsoft to provide a higher level of support to their customers
after the initial sale of the software package. This innovation can be seen
as self-destructive, but Microsoft chose to treat it as an opportunity to
tackle the next big innovation in software.
158 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Breakthrough innovations can require substantial investment in R&D

and patience. As an alternative, many companies pursue cost-saving ap-
proaches to developing innovations that attempt to minimize the risks
involved. For example, joint ventures can be utilized as a means of cost
savings when two or more companies are looking to share the costs of an
investment that may yield an innovation. Hulu.com, which is a joint ven-
ture between GE’s NBC and News Corp., provides an online, streaming
Web television service that is supported by advertising. It allows consum-
ers to watch television shows from a variety of networks on their comput-
ers.14 Hulu.com dramatically increased its revenues and gave its partner
companies a chance to share in a product that could be an innovation in
the way consumers watch television shows, while only bearing partial risk
of the investment.
Outsourcing innovation can also be used to reduce the risk of failure
of innovation. U.S. firms have pursued this strategy in the electronics and
retail markets, and a 2009 survey found that 90 percent of all innovations
in the service industry were generated by outsourcing.15 For example, half
of Proctor & Gamble’s (P&G) new product ideas are generated from out-
side resources.16

Creating Value Through Innovation

Value creation greatly depends on innovation. Sustained profitable

growth requires more than judicious acquisitions or careful “subtraction”
by shedding unprofitable operations or downsizing. Many companies rec-
ognize their need to generate more value from core businesses and lever-
age their core competencies more effectively. These strategic initiatives, in
turn, increase the demand for innovation.17
Innovation is a major strategic challenge for most companies. Clayton
Christensen coined the concepts of disruptive and sustaining innovation to
describe what he calls the “Innovators’ Dilemma”—how successful com-
panies with established products can keep from being pushed aside by
competitors with newer, cheaper products that will, over time, get better
and become a serious threat.18
He notes that incumbent industry leaders and competitors mostly
engage in sustaining innovation—innovation that focuses on improving
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 159

their existing products. Some sustaining advancements are simple, incre-

mental, year-to-year improvements; others are dramatic, breakthrough
technologies, such as the transition from analog to digital and from digi-
tal to optical. The effect of these technological advances was to bring a
better product into the market that could be sold for higher margins to
the best customers served by the industry leaders.
New entrants and challengers have greater freedom to launch products
that may have all of the attributes of the existing products and, therefore,
not attractive to current customers, but that are simple, and often more
affordable. These new entrants find acceptance in undemanding and un-
derserved segments of the market and create a beachhead for competition
for mainstream customers with improved products later. Christensen calls
this disruptive innovation not because it defines a technological break-
through, but because it disrupts the established basis of competition.
The computer hardware industry offers many examples of disrup-
tive innovation. The introduction of the minicomputer disrupted the
mainframe industry. The personal computer disrupted minicomputer
sales. Wireless handheld devices, such as Blackberries and Palm Pilots,
disrupted notebook computers.
Sustaining innovation can keep a company viable for many years; tar-
geting current customers exclusively can be damaging in the long run. To
start a new growth business, noncustomers often are the most important
customers to understand. Discovering why they are not customers en-
courages innovation and stimulates growth.
A focus by incumbents firms on profit rather than growth can impede
innovation, thereby inhibiting growth.19 Public companies, under pres-
sure from Wall Street to produce steady returns, face a particularly strong
challenge. Investors and industry analysts are likely to expect the com-
pany to generate more of its earnings growth from profitability, whereas
company executives tend to prefer earnings to come from increasing rev-
enue. However, there is empirical evidence that the more a company’s
earnings come from either profitability improvement or revenue growth
at the expense of the other, the more likely it is that the company’s strat-
egy is inherently flawed.20 The differing emphases between investors and
executives suggest why private companies often have better opportuni-
ties to invest for the long term and pursue disruptive innovations, which
160 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

require a long time to develop and mature and might produce short-term
losses in the early stages of development.
Creating a culture of innovation eludes many companies because it
transcends traditional strategic planning practices. Strategic planning too
often centers on existing or closely related products and services rather
than on opportunities to drive future demand. In contrast, innovation
is a product of anticipating, assessing, and fulfilling potential customer
needs in a creative manner. Sometimes innovation is technology based,
but often it springs from the firm’s recognition of explicit or latent cus-
tomer needs. Innovation can be directed at any point in the customer or
company value chain, from sourcing raw materials to value-added, after-
sale services.
Although many businesses pursue innovation, for almost 100 years
Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing (3M) has succeeded because its
business model is based on a culture that is geared to producing innova-
tive products. Best known for Post-it Notes, Scotch Guard, and Scotch
Tape, 3M’s business segments include industrial, transportation, graphics
and safety, health care, consumer and office, electronics and communica-
tions, and specialty materials.
Because of the company’s unparalleled success as an innovator, its
approach deserves broader consideration. Fundamentally, six mandates
drive innovation at 3M:

1. Support innovation from R&D to customer sales and support.

2. Understand the future by trying to anticipate and analyze future
trends. 3M has developed a program called “Foresight” in which
industry experts survey the remote and external environments for
changes in technology and other trends to identify new market op-
portunities, called “Greenfields.”
3. Establish stretch goals. This driver is important to 3M because it is
a measure that encourages growth. One example of a stretch goal is
the new product sales target. This target is that 40 percent of sales
will be from products introduced in the past four years. In addition,
10 ­percent of sales will be from products introduced in the current year.
4. Empower employees to meet goals. At 3M, this is accomplished
through its 40-year-old “15 percent rule.” This gives 3M researchers
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 161

the opportunity to devote 15 percent of their time to any creative

idea or project, and management approval is not required.
5. Support broad networking across the company. This driving force
calls for the sharing of discoveries within the company. A 3M cor-
porate policy states that technologies belong to the company, which
signals that research results are to be shared across all of its six busi-
ness segments.
6. Recognize and reward innovative people. An innovative program at
3M rewards innovative people through peer-nominated award pro-
grams and a corporate “hall of fame.”

Fostering a culture of innovation takes time and effort. Although

there is no universal model for creating an innovating environment, a
look at successful companies reveals certain common characteristics.
First, a business needs a top-level commitment to innovation. Commitment
to innovation is evident in the attitudes of top executives, through their
communication of their belief to all levels of the organization in the ben-
efits of innovation, and in their willingness to sponsor and guide new
product activity.
Second, a business needs a long-term focus. “Quarteritis,” the preoc-
cupation with the next quarter’s results, is one of the most common stum-
bling blocks to innovation. Innovation is an investment in the future, not
a rescue mission for current top- or bottom-line problems.
Third, a business needs a flexible organization structure. Innovation
rarely flourishes in a rigid structure, with complicated approval processes
or with bureaucratic delays and bottlenecks.
Fourth, a business needs a combination of loose and tight planning
and control. Allocating all direct, indirect, overhead, and other costs to a
development project virtually guarantees its demise. Few innovative ideas
immediately translate into commercial ventures that cover all of their own
costs or meet conventional payback requirements.
Finally, to create an environment for innovation a business needs a
system of appropriate incentives. Reward systems in many companies are
oriented toward existing businesses, with short-term considerations out-
weighing longer-term innovation and market development objectives.
Innovation can flourish only when risk taking is encouraged, occasional
162 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

failure is accepted, and managers are accountable for missing opportuni-

ties as well as exploiting them.

Framework for Innovation

A company’s approach to innovation differs depending upon its product–

market strategy. Low-cost leaders often focus their innovation efforts on
new production and delivery processes and procedures, while differentia-
tors primarily work on product innovations.
The “first movers” in an industry also benefit from product and tech-
nology efforts, while industry “followers” are best served by innovation in
services and supply chain upgrades, and industry “laggards” need to focus
on operational process innovation to help assure low costs.
A firm that emphasizes innovation usually takes a portfolio approach
in which it undertakes an array of R&D projects that promote the com-
pany’s strategic objectives. The firm will mix projects that focus on core
improvements, logical extensions of current brands, and new growth ini-
tiatives in a way that will meet its risk and growth targets. Both incre-
mental innovations and breakthroughs are important to the firm because
incremental innovations extend the current revenue streams from prior
innovations and breakthroughs create a new product life cycle that will
provide a strong competitive advantage.21

Leveraging External Partners as a Part of Overall

Innovation Strategy

Historically, a company that emphasizes innovation maintained large pat-

ent portfolios to bolster growth and discourage competitors. However,
adopting a more selective approach, Hitachi will only file for a patent if it
can clearly define the value that the patent will provide for the firm. One
result is that the number of patent applications Hitachi has submitted has
declined steadily over the past two decades, while its income from licens-
ing patents has more than doubled.22
Another way for innovating firms to derive value from their R&D
investments is to give away free access to patented technology. IBM earns
more than $1 billion per year from licensing a select subset of its patents,
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 163

but it allows free access to most of the technology that it has patented, so
that other technology companies can build systems that are compatible
with IBM’s products and thus create a user environment that is readily
adaptable to IBM’s core products.
A third way for businesses to optimize their R&D investment is to
partner with companies that are interested in sharing a high-risk, high-
reward undertaking. For example, Apple benefited from a joint venture
with AT&T, which became the sole service provider of the iPhone. The
terms of the agreement provided that both companies would share the
cost and risk of the innovation. Because of this JV, Apple could focus on
providing a world-class phone, and AT&T could focus on using their
expertise as a service provider to handle customers’ service requirements.

Proctor & Gamble

P&G began a strategic intent program called “Connect and Develop” in

2002. It was designed to transform a company that had been highly se-
cretive and protective of its technologies into a company that was openly
looking for partners to develop cutting edge solutions to business prob-
lems. P&G doubled its revenue in the eight years following this initiative
by committing to this new strategy that aimed to develop 50 percent of
all innovations from collaborative efforts with external firms.23
In addition, P&G has a group called FutureWorks that is dedicated
to investing in breakthrough technologies, a fund to provide supplemen-
tal capital above the budget for investment in innovation, and a train-
ing group that works with engineers to focus on disruptive technologies.
P&G makes and commits 4 percent sales to innovation projects.24 The
company attempts to spend two times as much on innovation as its com-
petitors, which has helped it build a product portfolio of 23 brands, each
with a value of at least $1 billion, and another 20 brands that are each
worth at least $500 million. These brands drive approximately 90 percent
of P&G’s profit, which was in excess of $4.6 billion in 2009.25
Over 50 percent of P&G’s products utilize at least one component
that was developed in conjunction with an external partner. This col-
laboration drives profits because most all of its organic sales growth comes
from new brands or improved products. P&G uses only 10 percent of
164 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

its patents, but spends millions of dollars each year to renew the other
90 percent in hopes that the technology will be of later use or will block
to progress of its competitors.26 In 2004, the company partnered with
Clorox on Glad Press’n Seal bags to maximize the revenue from a then
unused patent that P&G held for a plastic wrap. Since Clorox’s Glad
brand was too strong to make a new product launch worthwhile, the two
companies formed a joint venture that allowed each to profit handsomely
by making full use of its strengths.27
By 2010, P&G was promoting efforts to make its products more envi-
ronmentally sustainable through innovation. It targeted products for the
“sustainable mainstream,” which consists of consumers that are interested
in improvements to sustainability but are not willing to sacrifice value or
features. The company estimates this segment makes up 75 percent of
the global marketplace, in comparison to 15 percent of “niche” consumer
who are willing to give up one of those two factors for improved sustain-
ability, and the 10 percent of “basic living” consumers who do not make
any decisions based upon sustainability factors.

Innovation and Profitability

Innovating is difficult, as evidenced by the 50 percent of executives who

say that they are not pleased with their companies’ return on investment
from innovation initiatives due to long development times, a risk adverse
corporate culture, difficulty in choosing the right products to commer-
cialize, and lack of coordination within the company.28
Research suggests that executives lack confidence in their companies’
ability to use innovation to drive profits. In a Forrester Research study,
67 percent of respondents from manufacturing firms considered themselves
more innovative than competitors, but only 7 percent identified them-
selves as very successful in meeting their innovation performance goals.29
Respondents in the BCG Innovation survey questioned the effectiveness of
their R&D spending; 48 percent of those surveyed were unsatisfied with
the financial returns on their companies’ investments in innovation.
The reason for the lack of success in translating innovation into profit-
able performance surfaced in a study of the growth records of the Fortune
 Business Unit Strategy: Contexts and Special Dimensions 165

50 sponsored by HP and the Corporate Executive Board. The study con-

cluded that the single biggest growth inhibitor for large companies was
“mismanagement of the innovation process.”30
When R&D investments fail to generate successful products and
financial gains it is attributed to one of three main reasons: failure to
develop truly innovative products, failure to commercialize innovative
products successfully, and failure to market innovative products in a
timely manner. Statistics differ but research indicates that the probability
of success with innovations is small:

• It takes 125 to 150 new initiatives to generate one

marketplace success.31
• Eighty-five percent of new product ideas never make it to
market, and of those that do, 50 to 70 percent fail.32
• In a global study of 360 industrial firms launching 576 new
industrial products, the overall success rate was 60 percent
from launch.33
• Newly launched products suffering from failure rates often
reach 50 percent or greater.34
• Delays in getting a product to market can be extremely costly.
McKinsey & Co. found that a product that is six months late
to market misses 33 percent of the potential profits over the
product’s lifetime.35

Recommendations for Improving Performance Through Innovation. An

overall evaluation of the research on the impact of innovation investments
on company financial performance leads to six recommendations for stra-
tegic managers:

1. Link strategy and innovation. Firms that innovate toward achieving a

specific strategic goal improve their chances of success.36
2. Areas where new opportunities and competitive advantage exist provide
a firm’s best chances to profit from innovation. Product and service of-
ferings, customers served, processes employed, and core competen-
cies must be considered in innovation decisions.37
166 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

3. Profits from innovation in business systems can match those from product
development.38 Firms relying on new products alone might exclude
the investments required to strengthen business systems, which
will leave them vulnerable to competitors who strengthen business
processes in the areas of marketing, and information and financial
systems. Benefits of broad-based innovation include a system wide
supporting infrastructure for product innovation, the development
of an entry barrier to would-be competitors, and other opportunities
for innovation in the functions and processes.
4. Look outside of the company’s internal environment to increase the like-
lihood of success and reduce the risks of innovation. Open-business
models enable organizations to be more effective in creating value
by leveraging many more ideas via the inclusion of external con-
cepts and capture greater value through more effective utilization of
firm assets in the organization’s operations and in other companies’
businesses.39
5. Alliances and corporate venture capital programs allow a firm to share
the risks associated with exploration investments.40 Corporate venturing
has the potential to furnish reliable, practical, near-term solutions to
the innovation challenge by providing the opportunity for sourcing
complementary and strategic intellectual property, additional finan-
cial resources, and skills.41
6. Involve customers early and often in the innovation process. Through
co-development, the customer takes an active role in the innovation
process by helping to define product requirements, components,
and materials.42 It can help companies avoid costly product failures
by soliciting new product concepts from existing customers, pursu-
ing the most popular of those ideas, and asking for commitments
from customers to purchase a new product before commencing
final development and production.43 The use of co-development is
particularly effective in testing innovative products and developing
products for relatively small and heterogeneous market segments.
 CHAPTER 8

Global Strategy:
Fundamentals

Introduction
To create a global vision, a company must carefully define what globaliza-
tion means for its particular businesses. This depends on the industry, the
products or services, and the requirements for global success. For Coca-
Cola, it meant duplicating a substantial part of its value creation ­process—
from product formulation to marketing and delivery—throughout the
world. Intel’s global competitive advantage is based on attaining techno-
logical leadership and preferred component supplier status on a global
basis. For a midsize company, it may mean setting up a host of small
foreign subsidiaries and forging numerous alliances. For others, it may
mean something entirely different. Thus, although it is tempting to think
of global strategy in universal terms, globalization is a highly company-
and industry-specific issue. It forces a company to rethink its strategic
intent, global architecture, core competencies, and entire current product
and service mix. For many companies, the outcome demands dramatic
changes in the way they do business—with whom, how, and why.

Global Strategy as Business Model Change

To craft a global strategy, a company therefore must take its business model
apart and consider the impact of global expansion on every single com-
ponent of the model. For example, with respect to its value proposition a
company must decide whether or not to modify its company’s core strat-
egy as it moves into new markets? This decision is intimately linked to a
choice of what markets and/or regions to enter and why? Once decisions
168 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Business Model Strategy

Globalization Components Decision
Strategies --------------------------------- ---------------
------------------------- •Customer Intimacy
•Value
•Adaptation •Product Superiority
Proposition
•Global Efficiency

•Segments/Geography
•Market
•Positioning/Branding
Participation
•Distribution/Service
• Aggregation
•Core Competencies
•Value Chain
•Activity Configuration
Infrastructure
•Partnerships/Ecosystem

•Arbitrage •Mind-set
•Management
•Organizational Structure
Model
•Centralization vs.
Decentralization

Figure 8.1  Array of globalization decisions

have been made about the what (the value proposition) and where (mar-
ket coverage) of global expansion, choices need to be made about the
how—whether or not to adapt products and services to local needs
and preferences or standardize them for global competitive advantage,
whether or not to adopt a uniform market positioning worldwide, which
value-adding activities to keep in-house, which to outsource, which to
relocate to other parts of the world, and so on. Finally, decisions need to
be made about how to organize and manage these efforts on a global basis.
Together, these decisions define a company’s global strategic focus on a
continuum from a truly global orientation to a more local one. Figure 8.1
shows the full array of globalization decisions a company needs to make
when it expands globally.

Crafting a global strategy therefore is about deciding how a company

should change or adapt its core (domestic) business model to achieve a
competitive advantage as the firm globalizes its operations.

Ghemawat’s Generic “AAA” Global Strategy Framework

Ghemawat offers three generic approaches to global value creation.
­Adaptation strategies generate revenues and market share by tailoring one
 Global Strategy: Fundamentals 169

or more components of a company’s business model to suit local require-

ments or preferences. Aggregation strategies focus on achieving economies
of scale or scope by creating regional or global efficiencies; they typically
involve standardizing a significant portion of the value proposition and
grouping together development and production processes. Arbitrage is
about exploiting economic or other differences between national or re-
gional markets, usually by locating separate parts of the supply chain in
different places.

Adaptation

Adaptation—creating global value by changing one or more elements of

a company’s offer to meet local requirements or preferences—is probably
the most widely used global strategy. The reason for this will be read-
ily apparent; some degree of adaptation is essential or unavoidable for
virtually all products in all parts of the world. The taste of Coca-Cola in
Europe is different from that in the United States reflecting differences in
water quality and the kind and amount of sugar added. The packaging of
construction adhesive in the United States informs customers how many
square feet it will cover; the same package in Europe must do so in square
meters. Even commodities, such as cement, are not immune; their pricing
in different geographies reflects local energy and transportation costs and
what percentage is bought in bulk.
Adaptation strategies typically fall into one of five categories: varia-
tion, focus, externalization, design, and focus (Figure 8.2).
Variation strategies not only include decisions to make changes in prod-
ucts and services but also adjustments to policies, business positioning, and
even redefine expectations for success. The product dimension will be obvi-
ous: Whirlpool, for example, offers smaller washers and dryers in ­Europe
than those in the United States reflecting the space constraints prevalent
in many European homes. The need to consider adapting policies is less
obvious. An example is Google’s dilemma in China to conform to local
censorship rules. Changing a company’s overall positioning in a country
goes well beyond changing products or even policies. Initially, Coke did
little more than “skim the cream” off big emerging markets, such as India
and China. To boost volume and market share, it had to reposition itself
170 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Adaptation Aggregation Arbitrage

Variation

Focus: Reduce Need for Economies of Scale Performance Enhancement

Adaptation

Externalization: Reduce Economies of Scope Cost Reduction

Burden of Adaptation

Design: Reduce Cost of Risk Reduction

Adaptation

Innovation: Improve on
Existing Adaptation

Figure 8.2  Adaptation, aggregation, and arbitrage

to a “lower margin–higher volume” strategy that involved lowering price

points, reducing costs, and expanding distribution. Changing expectations
for say, the rate of return on investment in a country, while a company is
trying to create a presence, is also a prevalent form of variation.
A second type of adaptation strategy uses a focus on particular prod-
ucts, geographies, vertical stages of the value chain or market segments as
a way of reducing the impact of differences across regions. A product
focus takes advantage of the fact that wide differences can exist within
broad product categories in the degree of variation required to compete
effectively in local markets—action films need far less adaptation than
local newscasts. Restriction of geographic scope can permit a focus on
countries where relatively little adaptation of the domestic value propo-
sition is required. A vertical focus strategy involves limiting a company’s
direct involvement to specific steps in the supply chain while outsourc-
ing others. Finally, a segment focus involves targeting a more limited
customer base: Rather than adapting a product or service, a company
using this strategy accepts that without modification its products will
appeal to a smaller market segment or different distributor network
from those in the domestic market. Many luxury goods manufacturers
use this approach.
Whereas focus strategies overcome regional differences by narrowing
scope, externalization strategies transfer—through strategic alliances, fran-
chising, user adaptation, or networking—responsibility for specific parts of
 Global Strategy: Fundamentals 171

a company’s business model to partner companies to accommodate local

requirements, lower cost, or reduce risk. For example, Eli Lilly extensively
uses strategic alliances abroad for drug development and testing. McDon-
ald’s growth strategy abroad uses franchising as well as company-owned
stores. And software companies depend heavily on both user adaptation
and networking for the development of applications for their basic soft-
ware platforms.
A fourth type of adaptation focuses on design to reduce the cost of,
rather than the need for, variation. Manufacturing costs can often be
achieved by introducing design flexibility so as to overcome supply differ-
ences. Introducing standard production platforms and modularity in com-
ponents also helps to reduce cost. A good example of a company focused
on design is Tata Motors, which has successfully introduced a car in India
that is affordable to a significant number of citizens.
A fifth approach to adaptation is innovation, which, given its crosscut-
ting effects, can be characterized as improving the effectiveness of adapta-
tion efforts. For instance, IKEA’s flat-pack design, which has reduced the
impact of geographic distance by cutting transportation costs, has helped
that retailer expand into three dozen countries.

Aggregation

Aggregation is about creating economies of scale or scope as a way of deal-

ing with differences (Figure 8.1). The objective is to exploit similarities
among geographies rather than adapt to differences but stop short of
complete standardization that would destroy concurrent adaptation ap-
proaches. The key is to identify ways to introduce economies of scale
and scope into the global business model without compromising local
responsiveness.
Adopting a regional approach to globalizing the business model—as
Toyota has done effectively—is probably the most widely used aggrega-
tion strategy. Regionalization or semiglobalization applies to many aspects
of globalization—from investment and communication patterns to trade.
And even when companies do have a significant presence in more than
one region, competitive interactions are often regionally focused.
172 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Examples of different geographic aggregation approaches are not hard

to find. Xerox centralized its purchasing, first regionally, later globally, to
create a substantial cost advantage. Dutch electronics giant Philips cre-
ated a global competitive advantage for its Norelco shaver product line by
centralizing global production in a few strategically located plants. And
the increased use of global (corporate) branding over product branding
is a powerful example of creating economies of scale and scope. As these
examples show, geographic aggregation strategies have potential applica-
tion to every major business model component.
Geographic aggregation is not the only avenue for generating econo-
mies of scale or scope, however. The other, nongeographic dimensions of
the CAGE framework introduced in Chapter 3—cultural, administrative
or political, and economic—also lend themselves to aggregation strategies.
Major book publishers, for example, publish their best sellers in but a few
languages, counting on the fact that readers are willing to accept a book
in their second language (cultural aggregation). Pharmaceutical compa-
nies seeking to market new drugs in Europe must satisfy the regulatory
requirements of a few, selected countries to qualify for a license to distrib-
ute throughout the European Union (administrative aggregation). As for
economic aggregation, the most obvious examples are provided by compa-
nies that distinguish between developed and emerging markets and, at the
extreme, focus on one or the other.

Arbitrage

A third generic strategy for creating a global advantage is arbitrage

(­Figure  8.1). Arbitrage is based on exploiting differences rather than adapt-
ing to them or bridging them and defines the original global s­trategy:
buying low in one market and selling high in another. Outsourcing and
offshoring are modern day equivalents; Wal-Mart saves billions of dollars
a year by buying goods from developing countries. Other economies can
be created through greater differentiation with customers and partners,
improved corporate bargaining power with suppliers or local authori-
ties, reduced supply chain and other market and nonmarket risks, and
through the local creation and sharing of knowledge.
 Global Strategy: Fundamentals 173

Since arbitrage focuses on exploiting differences between regions, the

CAGE framework described in Chapter 3 is of particular relevance and
helps define a set of substrategies for this generic approach to global value
creation.
Favorable effects related to country or place of origin have long sup-
plied a basis for cultural arbitrage. For example, an association with French
culture has long been an international success factor for fashion items,
perfumes, wines, and foods. Similarly, fast-food products and drive-
through restaurants are mainly associated with U.S. culture. Another ex-
ample of cultural arbitrage—real or perceived—is provided by Benihana
of Tokyo, the “Japanese steakhouse.” Although heavily American—the
company has only one outlet in Japan, out of more than one hundred
worldwide—it serves up a theatrical version of teppanyaki cooking that
the company describes as “Japanese” and “eatertainment.”
Legal, institutional, and political differences between countries or re-
gions create opportunities for administrative arbitrage. One well-known
version of this strategy consists of creating a holding company in the Cay-
man Islands, which allows a company to deduct interest payments on the
debt used to finance acquisitions from profits generated elsewhere in the
world. Through this and other, similar actions, companies can signifi-
cantly lower their tax liabilities.
With steep drops in transportation and communication costs in the
last 25 years, the scope for geographic arbitrage—the leveraging of geo-
graphic differences—has been diminished but not fully eliminated. Con-
sider what is happening in medicine, for example. It is quite common
today, for doctors in the United States to take x-rays during the day, send
them electronically to radiologists in India for interpretation overnight,
and for the report to be available the next morning in the United States
again. In fact, reduced transportation costs sometimes create new oppor-
tunities for geographic arbitrage. Every day, for instance, at the interna-
tional flower market in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands, more than 20 million
flowers and 2 million plants are auctioned off and flown to customers in
the United States.
Although all arbitrage strategies that add value are “economic” in some
sense, the term economic arbitrage is primarily used to describe strategies
174 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

that do not directly exploit cultural, administrative, or geographic differ-

ences. Rather, they are focused on leveraging differences in the costs of
labor and capital, as well as variations in more industry-specific inputs
(such as knowledge) or in the availability of complementary products.

Which ”A” Strategy Should a Company Choose?

A company’s financial statements can be a useful guide to signaling which
of the “A” strategies will have the greatest potential to create global value.
Firms that rely heavily on branding and do a lot of advertising, such as
food companies, often need to engage in considerable adaptation to local
markets. Those that do a lot of R&D—think pharmaceutical firms—may
want to aggregate to improve economies of scale, since many R&D out-
lays are fixed costs. For firms whose operations are labor intensive, such
as apparel manufacturers, arbitrage will be of particular concern because
labor costs vary greatly from country to country.
Which “A” strategy a company emphasizes also depends on its glo-
balization history. Companies that start on the path of globalization on
the supply side of their business model, that is, seeking to lower cost or
access new knowledge, typically first focus on aggregation and arbitrage
approaches to creating global value, whereas companies that start their
globalization history by taking their value propositions to foreign mar-
kets are immediately faced with adaptation challenges. Regardless of their
starting point, most companies will need to consider all “A” strategies
at different points in their global evolution, sequentially or sometimes
simultaneously.
Nestlé’s globalization path, for example, started with the company
making small related acquisitions outside its domestic market and there-
fore had early exposure to adaptation challenges. For most of their history
IBM also pursued an adaptation strategy, serving overseas markets by set-
ting up a mini-IBM in each target country. Every one of these companies
operated a largely local business model, which allowed it to adapt to local
differences as necessary. Inevitably, in the 1980s and 1990s, dissatisfac-
tion with the extent to which country-by-country adaptation curtailed
opportunities to gain international scale economies led to the overlay of
a regional structure on the mini-IBMs. IBM aggregated the countries
 Global Strategy: Fundamentals 175

into regions in order to improve coordination and thus generate more

scale economies at the regional and global levels. More recently, however,
IBM has also begun to exploit differences across countries (arbitrage). For
example, it has increased its workforce in India while reducing its head-
count in the United States.
Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) early history parallels that of IBM, with
the establishment of mini-P&Gs in local markets, but it has evolved dif-
ferently. Today company’s global business units now sell through mar-
ket development organizations that are aggregated up to the regional
level. P&G has successfully evolved to a company that uses all three
“A” strategies in a coordinated manner. It adapts its value proposition
to important markets, but ultimately competes—through global brand-
ing, R&D, and sourcing—on the basis of aggregation. Arbitrage, while
­important—mostly through outsourcing activities that are invisible to the
final ­consumer—is less important to P&G’s global competitive advantage
because of its relentless customer focus.

From “A” to “AA” to “AAA”1

Although most companies will focus on just one “A” at any given time,
leading-edge companies—GE, P&G, IBM, Nestlé, to name a few—have
embarked on implementing two, or even all three of the As. Doing so
presents special challenges because there are inherent tensions between
all three foci. As a result, the pursuit of “AA” strategies or even an “AAA”
approach requires considerable organizational and managerial flexibility.
There are serious constraints on the ability of any one company to use
all three As simultaneously with great effectiveness. Such attempts stretch
a firm’s managerial bandwidth, force a company to operate with mul-
tiple corporate cultures, and can present competitors with opportunities
to undercut a company’s overall competitiveness. Thus, to even contem-
plate an “AAA” strategy, a company must be operating in an environment
in which the tensions among adaptation, aggregation, and arbitrage are
weak or can be overridden by large-scale economies or structural advan-
tages, or in which competitors are otherwise constrained. Ghemawat cites
the case of GE Healthcare (GEH). The diagnostic imaging industry has
been growing rapidly and has concentrated globally in the hands of three
176 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

large firms, which together command an estimated 75 percent of reve-

nues in the business worldwide: GEH, with 30 percent; Siemens Medical
Solutions (SMS), with 25 percent; and Philips Medical Systems (PMS),
with 20 percent. This high degree of concentration is probably related to
the fact that the industry ranks in the 90th percentile in terms of R&D
intensity.
Research shows that the aggregation-related challenge of building
global scale has proven particularly important in the industry in recent
years. GEH, the largest of the three firms in the earlier example, has
consistently been the most profitable, reflecting its success at aggrega-
tion, through (1) economies of scale (for example, GEH has higher total
R&D spending than its competitors but its R&D-to-sales ratio is lower),
(2) ­acquisition prowess (GEH has made nearly 100 acquisitions under
Jeffrey Immelt before he became GE’s CEO), and (3) economies of scope
(the company strives to integrate its biochemistry skills with its tradi-
tional base of physics and engineering skills; it finances equipment pur-
chases through GE Capital).
GEH has even more clearly outpaced its competitors through arbi-
trage. It has become a global product company by migrating rapidly to
low-cost production bases. Today, GEH purchases more than 50 percent
of its materials directly from low-cost countries and has significant manu-
facturing capacity in such countries.
In terms of adaptation, GEH has invested heavily in country-focused
marketing organizations. It also has increased customer appeal with its
emphasis on providing services as well as equipment—for example, by
training radiologists and providing consulting advice on post–image pro-
cessing. Such customer intimacy obviously has to be tailored by country.
And recently, GEH has cautiously engaged in some “in China, for China”
manufacture of stripped-down, cheaper equipment aimed at increasing
penetration there.

Pitfalls and Lessons in Applying the “AAA” Framework

Most companies would be wise to (1) Focus on one or two of the As. While
it is possible to make progress on all three As—especially for a firm that is
coming from behind—companies (or, often more to the point, businesses
 Global Strategy: Fundamentals 177

or divisions) usually have to focus on one or at most two As in trying to

build competitive advantage; (2) Make sure the new elements of a strategy
are a good fit organizationally. If a strategy does embody nontrivially new
elements, companies should pay particular attention to how well they
work with other things the organization is doing. IBM has grown its staff
in India much faster than other international competitors (such as Ac-
centure) that have begun to emphasize India-based arbitrage. But quickly
molding this workforce into an efficient organization with high delivery
standards and a sense of connection to the parent company is a critical
challenge: Failure in this regard might even be fatal to the arbitrage initia-
tive; (3) Employ multiple integration mechanisms. Pursuit of more than one
of the As requires creativity and breadth in thinking about integration
mechanisms. Given the stakes, these factors cannot be left to chance. Es-
sential to making such integration work is an adequate supply of leaders;
(4) Think about externalizing integration. Not all the integration that is
required to add value across borders needs to occur within a single orga-
nization. IBM and other firms illustrate that some externalization is a key
part of most ambitious global strategies. It takes a diversity of forms: joint
ventures in advanced semiconductor research, development, and manu-
facturing; links to and support of Linux and other efforts at open inno-
vation; (some) outsourcing of hardware to contract manufacturers and
services to business partners; IBM’s relationship with Lenovo in personal
computers; and customer relationships governed by memoranda of un-
derstanding rather than detailed contracts; (5) Know when not to integrate.
Some integration is always a good idea, but that is not to say that more
integration is always better.

The Need for Global Strategic Management

The judicious globalization of a company’s management model is critical to
unlocking the potential for global competitive advantage. But globalizing
a company’s management model can be ruinous if conditions are not
right or the process for doing so is flawed. Key questions include: When
and to what extent should a company globalize its decision-making pro-
cesses and its organizational and control structure, what are some of the
key implementation challenges, and how does a company get started?
178 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

As firms increase their revenue by expanding into more countries

and by extending the lives of existing products by bringing them into
emerging markets, costs can often be reduced through global sourcing
and better asset utilization. But capitalizing on such profit opportunities
is hard, because every opportunity for increased globalization has a cost
and ­carries a danger of actually reducing profit. For example, the com-
pany’s customer focus may blur, as excessive standardization makes prod-
ucts ­appeal to the lowest common denominator, alienating key customer
segments and causing market share to fall. Or a wrong globalization move
makes innovation slow down, and causes price competition to sharpen.
The best executives in a worldwide firm often are country manag-
ers who are protective of “their” markets and value delivery networks.
Globalization shrinks their power. Some rise to new heights within the
organization by taking extra global responsibilities. Some leave. Many
fight globalization, making it tough for the CEO. Sometimes they win
and the CEO loses. Overcoming organizational resistance is therefore key
to success.

The Importance of a Global Mind-set

A common challenge that many corporations encounter as they move to

globalize their operations can be summed up in one word: mind-set. Suc-
cessful global expansion requires corporate leaders who think proactively,
sense and foresee emerging trends and act upon them in a deliberate,
timely manner. To accomplish this, they need a global mind-set and an
enthusiasm to embrace new challenges, diversity, and a measure of ambi-
guity. Simply having the right product and technology is not sufficient; it
is the caliber of a company’s global leadership that makes the difference.
Herbert Paul defines a mind-set as “a set of deeply held internal men-
tal images and assumptions, which individuals develop through a con-
tinuous process of learning from experience.”2 These images exist in the
subconscious and determine how an individual perceives a specific situa-
tion, and his or her reaction to it. In a global context, a global mind-set is
“the ability to avoid the simplicity of assuming all cultures are the same,
and at the same time, not being paralyzed by the complexity of the dif-
ferences.”3 Thus, rather than being frustrated and intimidated by cultural
 Global Strategy: Fundamentals 179

differences, an individual with a global mind-set enjoys them and seeks

them out because they are fascinated by them and understand they pres-
ent unique business opportunities.
The concept of a mind-set does not just apply to individuals; it can be
logically extended to organizations as the aggregated mind-set of all of its
members. Naturally, at the organizational level mind-set also reflects how
its members interact and such issues as the distribution of power within
the organization. Certain individuals, depending on their position in the
organizational hierarchy, will have a stronger impact on the company’s
mind-set than others. In fact, the personal mind-set of the CEO some-
times is the single most important factor in shaping the organization’s
mind-set.
A corporate mind-set shapes the perceptions of individual and corpo-
rate challenges, opportunities, capabilities, and limitations. It also frames
how goals and expectations are set and therefore has a significant im-
pact on what strategies are considered and ultimately selected and how
they are implemented. Recognizing the diversity of local markets and
seeing them as a source of opportunity and strength, while at the same
time pushing for strategic consistency across countries lies at the heart of
global strategy development. To become truly global, therefore, requires
a company to develop two key capabilities: (1) the capability to enter
any market in the world it wishes to compete in. This requires that the
company constantly looks for market opportunities worldwide, processes
information on a global basis and is respected as a real or potential threat
by competitors even in countries/markets it has not yet entered; (2) the
capability to leverage its worldwide resources. Making a switch to a lower
cost position by globalizing the supply chain is a good example. Leverag-
ing a company’s global know-how is another.
To understand the importance of a corporate mind-set to the devel-
opment of these capabilities, consider two often quoted corporate man-
tras: “Think global and act local” and its opposite: “Think local and act
global.” The “think global and act local” mind-set is indicative of a global
approach in which management operates under the assumption that a
powerful brand name with a standard product, package, and advertising
concept serves as a platform to conquer global markets. The starting point
is a globalization strategy focused on standard products, optimal global
180 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

sourcing, and the ability to react globally to competitors’ moves. While

sometimes effective, this approach can discourage diversity and puts a
lot of emphasis on uniformity. Contrast this with a “think local and act
global” mind-set that is based on the assumption that global expansion
is best served by adaptation to local needs and preferences. In this mind-
set, diversity is looked upon as a source of opportunity, whereas strategic
cohesion plays a secondary role. Such a “bottom-up” approach can offer
greater possibilities for revenue generation, particularly for companies
wanting to grow rapidly abroad. However, it may require greater invest-
ment in infrastructure necessary to serve each market and can produce
global strategic inconsistency and inefficiencies.
C.K. Prahalad and Kenneth Lieberthal first exposed the Western
(which they refer to as “imperialist”) bias that many multinationals have
brought to their global strategies, particularly in developing countries and
note that they would perform better—and learn more—if they tailored
their operations more effectively to the unique conditions of emerging
markets. Arguing that literally hundreds of millions of people in China,
India, Indonesia, and Brazil are ready to enter the marketplace they ob-
serve that multinational companies typically target only a tiny segment
of affluent buyers in these emerging markets—those who most resemble
Westerners. This kind of myopia—thinking of developing countries sim-
ply as new places to sell old products—is not only shortsighted and the
direct result of a Western “imperialist” mind-set; it causes these compa-
nies to miss out on much larger market opportunities further down the
socioeconomic pyramid, which are often seized by local competitors.4
Companies with a genuine global mind-set do not assume that they
can be successful by simply exporting their current business models
around the globe. Citicorp, for example, knew it could not profitably
serve a client in Beijing or Delhi whose net wealth is less than $5,000 with
its U.S. business model and attendant cost structure. It therefore had to
create a new business model—which meant rethinking every element of
its cost structure—to serve average citizens in China and India.
To become truly global, multinational companies will also increas-
ingly have to look to emerging markets for talent. India is already recog-
nized as a source of technical talent in engineering, sciences, and software,
as well as in some aspects of management. High-tech companies recruit
 Global Strategy: Fundamentals 181

in India not only for the Indian market but also for the global market.
China, Brazil, and Russia will surely be next. Philips, the Dutch electron-
ics giant, is downsizing in Europe and already employs more Chinese
than Dutch workers. Nearly half of the revenues for companies, such as
Coca-Cola, P&G, Lucent, Boeing, and GE, come from Asia, or will do
so shortly.
As corporate globalization advances, the composition of senior man-
agement will also begin to reflect the importance of the BRIC and other
emerging markets. At present, with a few exceptions, such as Citicorp
and Unilever, C-suites are still filled with nationals from the company’s
home country. As the senior managements for multinationals become
more diverse, however, decision-making criteria and processes, attitudes
toward ethics and corporate responsibility, risk taking, and team building
all will likely change, reflecting the slow but persistent shift in the center
of gravity in many multinational companies toward Asia. This will make
the clear articulation of a company’s core values and expected behaviors
even more important than it is today. It will also increase the need for a
single company culture as more and more people from different cultures
have to work together.

Organization as Global Strategy5

Organizational design should be about developing and implementing

corporate strategy. In a global context, the balance between local and cen-
tral authority for key decisions is one of the most important parameters in
a company’s organizational design. Companies that have partially or fully
globalized their operations typically have migrated to one of four organi-
zational structures: (1) an international, (2) a multidomestic, (3) a global,
or (4) a so-called transnational structure. Each occupies a well-defined
position in the global aggregation/local adaptation matrix first developed
by Bartlett and Ghoshal and usefully describes the most salient charac-
teristics of each of these different organizational structures (Figure 8.3).6
The international model characterizes companies that are strongly de-
pendent on their domestic sales and that export opportunistically. Interna-
tional companies typically have a well-developed domestic infrastructure
and additional capacity to sell internationally. As their globalization
182 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

High Global Transnational

Modern
Degree of Global
Global
Aggregation
Modern
Multi-domestic

Low
International Multi-domestic

Low High
Extent of Local Adaptation

Figure 8.3  Global aggregation/local adaptation matrix

develops further, they are destined to evolving into multidomestic, global,

or transnational companies. The international model is fairly unsophisti-
cated, unsustainable if the company further globalizes and therefore usu-
ally transitory in nature. In the short-term, this organizational form may
be viable in certain situations where the need for localization and local
responsiveness is very low (i.e., the domestic value proposition can be
marketed internationally with very minor adaptations), and the econo-
mies of aggregation (i.e., global standardization) are also low.
The multidomestic organizational model describes companies with
a portfolio of independent subsidiaries operating in different countries
as a decentralized federation of assets and responsibilities under a com-
mon corporate name.7 Companies operating with a multidomestic model
typically employ adopt country-specific strategies with little international
coordination or knowledge transfer from the center headquarters. Key
decisions about strategy, resource allocation, decision making, knowledge
generation and transfer, and procurement reside with each country sub-
sidiary with little value added from the center (headquarters). The pure
multidomestic organizational structure is positioned as high on local ad-
aptation and low on global aggregation (integration). Like the interna-
tional model, the traditional multidomestic organizational structure is not
well suited to a global competitive environment in which standardization,
global integration, and economies of scale and scope are critical. However,
this model is still viable in situations where local responsiveness, local
 Global Strategy: Fundamentals 183

differentiation, and local adaptation are critical while the opportunities

for efficient production, global knowledge transfer, economies of scale,
and economies of scope are minimal. As with the international model, the
pure multidomestic company often represents a transitory organizational
structure. An example of this structure and its limitations is provided by
Philips during the last 25 years of the last century; in head-to-head com-
petition with its principal rival, Matsushita, Philips’ multidomestic orga-
nizational model became a competitive disadvantage against Matsushita’s
centralized (global) organizational structure.
The traditional global company is the antithesis of the traditional
multidomestic company. It describes companies with globally integrated
operations designed to take maximum advantage of economies of scale
and scope by following a strategy of standardization and efficient produc-
tion.8 By globalizing operations and competing in global markets these
companies seek to reduce cost of R&D, manufacturing, production,
procurement, and inventory, improve quality by reducing variance, en-
hance customer preference through global products and brands, and ob-
tain competitive leverage. Most, if not all, key strategic decisions—about
corporate strategy, resource allocation, and knowledge generation and
transfer—are made at corporate headquarters. In the global ­aggregation/
local adaptation matrix, the pure global company occupies the position
of extreme global aggregation (integration) and low local adaptation
(localization). An example of a pure global structure is provided by the
aforementioned Japanese company Matsushita in the latter half of the last
century. Since a pure global structure also represents an (extreme) ideal, it
frequently is also transitory.
The transnational model is used to characterize companies that at-
tempt to simultaneously achieve high global integration and high local
responsiveness. It was conceived as a theoretical construct to mitigate the
limitations of the pure multidomestic and global structures and occupies
the fourth cell in the aggregation/adaptation matrix. This organizational
structure focuses on integration, combination, multiplication of resources
and capabilities, and managing assets and core competencies as a network
of alliances, as opposed to relying on functional or geographical division.
Its essence, therefore, is matrix management: The ultimate objective is
to have access and make effective and efficient use of all the resources
184 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

the company has at its disposal globally, including both global and local
knowledge. As a consequence, it requires management intensive processes
and is extremely hard to implement in its pure form and is as much a
mind-set, idea, or ideal rather than an organization structure found in
many global corporations.9
Given the limitations of each of the above structures in terms of either
their global competitiveness or their implementability, many companies
have settled on matrix-like organizational structures that are more easily
managed than the pure transnational model but still target the simultane-
ous pursuit of global integration and local responsiveness. Two of these
have been labeled the modern multidomestic and modern global models of
global organization.
The modern multidomestic model is an updated version of the tra-
ditional (pure) multidomestic model, which includes a more significant
role for the corporate headquarters. Accordingly, its essence no longer
consists of a loose confederation of assets, but rather a matrix structure
with a strong culture of operational decentralization, local adaptation,
product differentiation, and local responsiveness. The resulting model,
with national subsidiaries with significant autonomy, a strong geographi-
cal dimension, and empowered country managers, allows companies to
maintain their local responsiveness and their ability to differentiate and
adapt to local environments. At the same time, in the modern multi-
domestic model the center is critical to enhancing competitive strength.
Whereas the role of the subsidiary is to be locally responsive, the role of
the center is to enhance global integration by developing global corporate
and competitive strategies, and to play a significant role in resource al-
location, selection of markets, developing strategic analysis, mergers, and
acquisitions, decisions regarding R&D and technology matters, eliminat-
ing duplication of capital intensive assets, and knowledge transfer. An
example of a modern multidomestic company is Nestlé.
The modern global company is rooted in the tradition of the tradi-
tional (pure) global form but gives a more significant role in decision
making to the country subsidiaries. Headquarters targets a high level of
global integration by creating low-cost sourcing opportunities, factor cost
efficiencies, opportunities for global scale and scope, product standardiza-
tion, global technology sharing and IT services, global branding, and an
 Global Strategy: Fundamentals 185

overarching global corporate strategy. But unlike the traditional (pure)

global model, the modern global structure makes more effective use of
the subsidiaries in order to encourage local responsiveness. As traditional
global firms evolve into modern global enterprises, they tend to focus
more on strategic coordination and integration of core competencies
worldwide, and protecting home country control becomes less impor-
tant. Modern global corporations may disperse R&D, manufacture and
production, and marketing around the globe. This helps ensure flexibility
in the face of changing factor costs for labor, raw materials, exchange
rates, as well as hiring talent worldwide. P&G is an example of a modern
global company.

Realigning and Restructuring for Global Competitive Advantage

Creating the right environment for a global mind-set to develop and re-
aligning and restructuring a company’s global operations, at a minimum,
require (1) a strong commitment by the right top management, (2) a clear
statement of vision and a delineation of a well-defined set of global decision-
making processes, (3) anticipating and overcoming organizational resistance
to change, (4) developing and coordinating networks, and (5) a global per-
spective on employee selection and career planning.

A Strong Commitment by the Right Top Management.  Shaping a global

mind-set starts at the top. The composition of the senior management
team and the board of directors should reflect the diversity of markets
in which the company wants to compete. In terms of mind-set, a mul-
ticultural board can help operating managers by providing a broader
perspective and specific knowledge about new trends and changes in the
environment. A good example of a company with a truly global top man-
agement team is the Adidas Group, the German-based sportswear com-
pany. Its executive board consists of two Germans, an American, and a
New Zealander; the CEO is German. The company’s supervisory board
includes German nationals, a Frenchman, and Russians. Adidas is still an
exception. Many other companies operating on a global scale still have a
long way to go to make the composition of their top management and
boards reflects the importance and diversity of their worldwide operations.
186 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

A Clear Statement of Vision and a Delineation of a Well-Defined Set of

Global Decision-Making Processes.  For decades it has been general
management’s primary role to determine corporate strategy and the
organization’s structure. In many global companies, however, top man-
agement’s role has changed from its historical focus on strategy, struc-
ture, and systems to a one on developing purpose and vision, processes,
and people. This new philosophy reflects the growing importance of
developing and nurturing a strong corporate purpose and vision in a di-
verse, global competitive environment. Under this new model, middle
and upper-middle managers are expected to behave more like business
leaders/entrepreneurs rather than administrators/controllers. To facili-
tate this role change, companies must spend more time and effort en-
gaging middle management in developing strategy. This process gives
middle and upper-middle managers an opportunity to make a contri-
bution to the (global) corporate agenda and, at the same time, helps
create a shared understanding and commitment of how to approach
global business issues. Instead of traditional strategic planning in a sep-
arate corporate planning department Nestlé, for example, focuses on a
combination of bottom-up and top-down planning approach involving
markets, regions, and strategic product groups. That process ensures
that local managers play an important part in decisions to pursue a cer-
tain plan and the related vision. In line with this approach headquarters
does not generally force local units to do something they do not be-
lieve in. The new philosophy calls for development of the organization
less through formal structure, and more through effective management
processes.

Anticipating and Overcoming Organizational Resistance to Change. The

globalization of key business processes, such as IT, purchasing, product
design, and R&D, is critical to global competitiveness. Decentralized,
siloed local business processes simply are ineffective and unsustainable in
today’s intense global competitive environment. In this regard, creating
the right “metrics” is important. When all of a company’s metrics are fo-
cused locally or regionally, locally or regionally inspired behaviors can be
expected. Until a consistent set of global metrics is adopted, designed to
 Global Strategy: Fundamentals 187

encourage global behaviors, globalization is unlikely to take hold, much

less succeed. Resistance to such global process initiatives runs deep, how-
ever. As many companies have learned, country managers will likely in-
voke everything from the “not invented here” syndrome to respect for
local culture and business heritage to defend the status quo.

Developing and Coordinating Networks.  Globalization has also brought

greater emphasis on collaboration, not only with units inside the com-
pany but also with outside partners, such as suppliers and customers.
Global managers must now develop and coordinate networks, which give
them access to key resources on a worldwide basis. Network building
helps to replace nationally held views with a collective global mind-set.
Established global companies, such as Unilever or GE, have developed a
networking culture, in which middle managers from various parts of the
organization are constantly put together in working, training, or social
situations. They range from staffing multicultural project teams, sophis-
ticated career path systems encouraging international mobility to various
training courses and internal conferences.

A Global Perspective on Employee Selection and Career Planning. Re-

cruiting from diverse sources worldwide supports the development of a
global mind-set. A multicultural top management, as described previ-
ously, might improve the company’s chances of recruiting and motivating
high-potential candidates from various countries. Many companies now
hire local managers and put them through intensive training programs.
Microsoft, for example, routinely brings foreign talent to the United States
for intensive training. P&G runs local courses in a number of countries
and then sends trainees to its headquarters in Cincinnati or to large for-
eign subsidiaries for a significant period of time. After completion of their
training they are expected to take over local management positions.
Similarly, a career path in a global company must provide for recurring
local and global assignments. Typically, a high-potential candidate will
start in a specific local function, for example, marketing or finance. A suc-
cessful track record in the chosen functional area provides the c­ andidate
with sufficient credibility in the company and, equally important,
188 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

self-confidence to take on more complex and demanding global tasks,

­usually as a team member where he or she gets hands-on knowledge of the
workings of a global team. With each new assignment, managers should
broaden their perspectives and establish informal networks of contact and
relationships. Whereas international assignments in the past were primar-
ily demand-driven to transfer know-how and solve specific problems,
they are now much more learning-oriented and focus on giving the expa-
triate the opportunity to understand and benefit from cultural differences
as well as to develop long-lasting networks and relationships. Exposure
to all major functions, rotation through several businesses, and different
postings in various countries are critical in creating a global mind-set,
both for the individual manager and for the entire management group.
In that sense, global human resource management is probably one of the
most powerful medium- and long-term tools for global success.
 CHAPTER 9

Global Strategy: Adapting

the Business Model

Introduction
Few companies can afford to enter all markets open to them. Even the
world’s largest companies such as General Electric or Nestlé must exercise
strategic discipline in choosing the markets they serve. They must also
decide when to enter them, and weigh the relative advantages of a direct
or indirect presence in different regions of the world. Small and midsize
companies are often constrained to an indirect presence; for them the key
to gaining a global competitive advantage often is creating a worldwide
resource network through alliances with suppliers, customers, and some-
times competitors. What is a good strategy for one company, however,
might have little chance of succeeding for another.
The track record shows that picking the most attractive foreign mar-
kets, the best time to enter them and selecting the right partners and
level of investment has proven difficult for many companies, especially
when it involves large emerging markets such as China. For example, it is
now generally recognized that Western car makers entered China far too
early, and overinvested believing a “first-mover advantage” would pro-
duce superior returns. Reality was very different. Most lost large amounts
of money, had trouble working with local partners, and saw their techno-
logical advantage erode due to “leakage”. None achieved the sales volume
needed to justify their investment.
Even highly successful global companies often first sustain substantial
losses on their overseas ventures, and occasionally have to trim back their
foreign operations or even abandon entire countries or regions in the face
of ill-timed strategic moves or fast-changing competitive circumstances.
190 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Not all of Wal-Mart’s global moves have been successful, for example—
a continuing source of frustration to investors. In 1999 the company
spent $10.8 billion to buy British grocery chain Asda. Not only was Asda
healthy and profitable—it was already positioned as “Wal-Mart lite.”
Today, Asda is lagging well behind its No.1 rival, Tesco. Even though
Wal-Mart’s UK operations are profitable, sales growth has been down in
recent years, and Asda has missed profit targets for several quarters run-
ning, and is in danger of slipping further in the UK market.
This result comes on top of Wal-Mart’s costly exit from the German
market. In 2005, it sold its 85 stores there to rival Metro at a loss of
$1 billion. Eight years after buying into the highly competitive German
market, Wal-Mart executives, accustomed to using Wal-Mart’s massive
market muscle to squeeze suppliers, admitted they had been unable to
attain the economies of scale it needed in Germany to beat rivals’ prices,
prompting an early and expensive exit.

Global Market Selection

What makes global market selection and entry so difficult? Research

shows there is a pervasive “the grass is always greener” effect that infects
global strategic decision making in many, especially globally inexperi-
enced, companies and causes them to overestimate the attractiveness of
foreign markets.1 As noted in Chapter 3 “distance”, broadly defined, un-
less well-understood and compensated for, can be a major impediment
to global success: cultural differences can lead companies to overestimate
the appeal of their products or the strength of their brands; administra-
tive differences can slow expansion plans, reduce the ability to attract the
right talent and increase the cost of doing business; geographic distance
impacts the effectiveness of communication and coordination; and eco-
nomic distance directly influences revenues and costs.
A related issue is that developing a global presence takes time and
requires substantial resources. Ideally, the pace of international expansion
is dictated by customer demand. Sometimes it is necessary, however, to
expand ahead of direct opportunity in order to secure a long-term com-
petitive advantage. But, as many companies that entered China in antici-
pation of its membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) have
 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model 191

learned, early commitment to even the most promising long-term market

makes earning a satisfactory return on invested capital difficult. As a re-
sult, an increasing number of firms, particularly smaller and midsize ones,
favor global expansion strategies that minimize direct investment. Strate-
gic alliances have made vertical or horizontal integration less important
to profitability and shareholder value in many industries. Alliances boost
contribution to fixed cost while expanding a company’s global reach. At
the same time, they can be powerful windows on technology, and greatly
expand opportunities to create the core competencies needed to effec-
tively compete on a worldwide basis.
Finally, a complicating factor is that a global evaluation of market
opportunities requires a multidimensional perspective. In many indus-
tries we can distinguish between “must” markets—markets in which a
company must compete in order to realize its global ambitions—and
“nice-to-be-in” markets—markets in which participation is desirable but
not critical. “Must” markets include those that are critical from a vol-
ume perspective, markets that define technological leadership, and markets
in which key competitive battles are decided. In the cell phone industry,
for example, Motorola looks to Europe as a primary competitive battle-
ground, but it derives much of its technology from Japan and sales vol-
ume from the United States.

Measuring Global Market Attractiveness

Four key factors in selecting global markets are (1) a market’s size and
growth rate, (2) a particular country or region’s institutional contexts, (3) a
region’s competitive environment, and (4) a market’s cultural, administra-
tive, geographic and economic distance from other markets the company
serves.

Market Size and Growth Rate.  A wealth of country-level economic and

demographic data is available from a variety of sources including govern-
ments, multinational organizations such as the United Nations or the
World Bank, and consulting firms specializing in economic intelligence
or risk assessment. However, while valuable from an overall investment
perspective, such data often reveal little about the prospects for selling
192 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

products or services in foreign markets to local partners and end users or

about the challenges associated with overcoming other elements of dis-
tance. Yet, many companies still use this information as their primary
guide to market assessment simply because country-market statistics are
readily available, whereas real product-market information is often dif-
ficult and costly to obtain.
What is more, a country/regional approach to market selection may
not always be the best. Even though Theodore Levitt’s vision of a global
market for uniform products and services has not come to pass and global
strategies exclusively focused on the “economics of simplicity” and the
selling of standardized products all over the world rarely payoff, research
increasingly supports an alternative “global segmentation” approach to
the issue of market selection, especially for branded products. In par-
ticular, surveys show that a growing number of consumers, especially in
emerging markets, base their consumption decisions on attributes beyond
direct product benefits such as their perception of the global brands be-
hind the offerings.
Companies that use a “global segment” approach to market selection
such as Coca-Cola, Sony or Microsoft to name a few, therefore must man-
age two dimensions for their brands. They must strive for superiority on
basics like the brand’s price, performance, features, and imagery and, at
the same time, they must learn to manage brands’ global characteristics,
which often separate winners from losers. A good example is provided by
Samsung, the South Korean electronics maker. In the late 1990s, Samsung
launched a global advertising campaign that showed the South Korean
giant excelling time after time in engineering, design, and aesthetics. By
doing so, Samsung convinced consumers that it could compete successfully
directly with technology leaders like Nokia and Sony across the world. As
a result, Samsung was able to change the perception that it was a down-
market brand, and it became known as a global provider of leading-edge
technologies. This brand strategy, in turn, allowed Samsung to use a global
segmentation approach to making market selection and entry decisions.

Institutional Contexts.  Khanna et al.2 developed a five dimensional

framework to map a particular country or region’s institutional contexts.
 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model 193

Specifically, they suggest careful analysis of a country’s (1) Political and

Social Systems, (2) Openness, (3) Product Markets, (4) Labor Markets, and
(5) Capital Markets.
A country’s political system affects its product, labor, and capital mar-
kets. In socialist societies like China, for instance, workers cannot form
independent trade unions in the labor market, which affects wage levels.
A country’s social environment is also important. In South Africa, for
example, the government’s support for the transfer of assets to the histori-
cally disenfranchised native African community has affected the develop-
ment of the capital market.
Even though developing countries have opened up their product mar-
kets during the past 20 years, multinational companies struggle to get
reliable information about consumers. Market research and advertising
often are less sophisticated and, because there are no well-developed con-
sumer courts and advocacy groups in these countries, people can feel they
are at the mercy of big companies.
Labor markets also present ongoing challenges. Recruiting local man-
agers and other skilled workers in developing countries can be difficult.
The quality of local credentials can be hard to verify, there are relatively
few search firms and recruiting agencies, and the high-quality firms that
do exist focus on top-level searches, so companies scramble to identify
middle-level managers, engineers, or floor supervisors.
Finally, capital and financial markets in developing countries often
lack sophistication. Reliable intermediaries like credit-rating agencies, in-
vestment analysts, merchant bankers, or venture capital firms may not
exist and multinationals cannot count on raising debt or equity capital
locally to finance their operations. Nurturing strong relationships with
government officials often is necessary to succeed. Even then, contracts
may not be well enforced by the legal system.

Competitive Environment.  The number, size, and quality of competi-

tive firms in a particular target market comprise a third set of factors that
affect a company’s ability to successfully enter and compete profitably.
While country-level economic and demographic data are widely available
for most regions of the world, competitive data is much harder to come
194 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

by, especially when the principal players are subsidiaries of multinational

corporations. As a consequence, competitive analysis in foreign countries,
especially in emerging markets, is difficult and costly to perform and its
findings do not always provide the level of insight needed to make good
decisions. Nevertheless, a comprehensive competitive analysis provides
a useful framework for developing strategies for growth, and for ana-
lyzing current and future primary competitors and their strengths and
weaknesses.

Distance.  Explicitly considering the four dimensions of distance intro-

duced in Chapter 3 can dramatically change a company’s assessment of the
relative attractiveness of foreign markets. In his book The Mirage of Global
Markets, David Arnold describes the experience of Mary Kay Cosmetics
(MKC) in entering Asian markets. MKC is a direct marketing company
that distributes its products through independent “beauty consultants”
who buy and resell cosmetics and toiletries to contacts either individually
or at social gatherings. When considering market expansion in Asia, the
company had to choose: Enter Japan or China first? Country-level data
showed Japan to be the most attractive option by far: it had the highest
per capita level of spending of any country in the world on cosmetics and
toiletries, disposable income was high, it already had a thriving direct
marketing industry, and it had a high proportion of women who did not
participate in the workforce. MKC learned, however, after participating
in both markets, that the market opportunity in China was far greater,
mainly because of economic and cultural distance: Chinese women were
far more motivated than their Japanese counterparts to boost their in-
come by becoming beauty consultants. Thus, the entrepreneurial oppor-
tunity represented by what MKC describes as “the career” (i.e., becoming
a beauty consultant) was a far better predictor of the true sales potential
than high-level data on incomes and expenditures. As a result of this ex-
perience, MKC now employs an additional business-specific indicator of
market potential within its market assessment framework: The average
wage for a female secretary in a country.3
MKC’s experience underscores the importance of analyzing distance.
It also highlights the fact that different product-markets have differ-
ent success factors; some are brand-sensitive while in others pricing or
 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model 195

intensive distribution are key to success. Country-level economic or de-

mographic data do not provide much help in analyzing such issues; only
locally gathered marketing intelligence can provide true indications of a
market’s potential size and growth rate and its key success factors.

Entry Strategies: Modes of Entry

What is the best way to enter a new market? Should a company first
establish an export base or license its products to gain experience in a
newly targeted country or region? Or does the potential associated with
first-mover status justify a bolder move such as entering an alliance, mak-
ing an acquisition, or even starting a new subsidiary? Many companies
move from exporting to licensing to a higher investment strategy, in effect
treating these choices as a learning curve. Each has distinct advantages
and disadvantages.
Exporting is the marketing and direct sale of domestically produced
goods in another country. Exporting is a traditional and well-established
method of reaching foreign markets. Since it does not require that the
goods be produced in the target country, no investment in foreign pro-
duction facilities is required. Most of the costs associated with exporting
take the form of marketing expenses.
While relatively low risk, exporting entails substantial costs and lim-
ited control. Exporters typically have little control over the marketing
and distribution of their products, face high transportation charges and
possible tariffs, and must pay distributors for a variety of services. What is
more, exporting does not give a company first-hand experience in staking
out a competitive position abroad, and it makes it difficult to customize
products and services to local tastes and preferences.
Licensing essentially permits a company in the target country to use
the property of the licensor. Such property usually is intangible, such as
trademarks, patents, and production techniques. The licensee pays a fee
in exchange for the rights to use the intangible property and possibly for
technical assistance.
Because little investment on the part of the licensor is required, li-
censing has the potential to provide a very large Return on Investment
(ROI). However, because the licensee produces and markets the product,
196 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

potential returns from manufacturing and marketing activities may be

lost. Thus, licensing reduces cost and involves limited risk. However, it
does not mitigate the substantial disadvantages associated with operating
from a distance. As a rule, licensing strategies inhibit control and produce
only moderate returns.
Strategic alliances and joint ventures have become increasingly popular
in recent years. They allow companies to share the risks and resources
required to enter international markets. And although returns also may
have to be shared, they give a company a degree of flexibility not afforded
by going it alone through direct investment.
There are several motivations for companies to consider a partnership
as they expand globally, including (1) facilitating market entry, (2) risk/
reward sharing, (3) technology sharing, (4) joint product development
(PD), and (5) conforming to government regulations. Other benefits
include political connections and distribution channel access that may
depend on relationships. Such alliances often are favorable when (1) the
partners’ strategic goals converge while their competitive goals diverge;
(2) the partners’ size, market power, and resources are small compared to
the industry leaders; and (3) partners are able to learn from one another
while limiting access to their own proprietary skills.
The key issues to consider in a joint venture are ownership, control,
length of agreement, pricing, technology transfer, local firm capabilities
and resources, and government intentions. Potential problems include (1)
conflict over asymmetric new investments, (2) mistrust over proprietary
knowledge, (3) performance ambiguity—how to split the pie, (4) lack
of parent firm support, (5) cultural clashes, and (6) if, how, and when to
terminate the relationship.
Acquisitions or greenfield start-ups. Ultimately, most companies will
aim at building their own presence through company-owned facilities
in important international markets. Acquisitions or greenfield start-ups
represent this ultimate commitment. Acquisition is faster but starting a
new, wholly owned subsidiary might be the preferred option if no suitable
acquisition candidates can be found.
Also known as Foreign Direct Investment, acquisitions and Greenfield
start-ups involve the direct ownership of facilities in the target country,
and therefore the transfer of resources including capital, technology, and
 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model 197

personnel. Direct ownership provides a high degree of control in the op-

erations and the ability to know better the consumers and competitive
environment. However, it requires a high level of resources and a high
degree of commitment.

Entry Strategies: Timing

In addition to selecting the right mode of entry, timing of entry is criti-

cal. Just as many companies have overestimated market potential abroad
and underestimated the time and effort needed to create a real market
presence, so have they justified their overseas’ expansion on the grounds
of an urgent need to participate in the market early. Arguing that there ex-
isted a limited window of opportunity in which to act that would reward
only those players bold enough to move early, many companies made
sizable commitments to foreign markets even though their own finan-
cial projections showed they would not be profitable for years to come.
This dogmatic belief in the concept of a first-mover advantage (sometimes
referred to as pioneer advantage), became one of the most widely estab-
lished theories of business. It holds that the first entrant in a new market
enjoys a unique advantage that later competitors cannot overcome, that
is, that the competitive advantage so obtained is structural, and therefore
sustainable.
Some companies have found this to be true. Procter & Gamble, for
example, has always trailed rivals such as Unilever in certain large mar-
kets, including India and some Latin American countries, and the most
obvious explanation is that its European rivals were participating in these
countries long before Proctor & Gamble (P&G) entered. Given that his-
tory, it is understandable that Procter & Gamble erred on the side of ur-
gency in reacting to the opening of large markets such as Russia or China.
For many other companies, however, the concept of pioneer advantage
was little more than an article of faith, and applied indiscriminately and
with disastrous results to country-market entry, to product-market entry,
and, in particular, to the “new economy” opportunities created by the
Internet.
The “get in early” philosophy of pioneer advantage remains popular.
And while there clearly are examples of its successful application—the
198 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

advantages gained by European companies from being early in “colonial”

markets provide some evidence of pioneer advantage—first-mover advan-
tage is overrated as a strategic principle. In fact, in many instances there
are disadvantages to being first. First, if there is no real first-mover advan-
tage, being first often results in poor business performance as the large
number of companies that rushed into Russia and China attests. Second,
pioneers may not always be able to recoup their investment in marketing
required to “kick-start” the new market. When that happens, a “fast fol-
lower” can benefit from the market development funded by the pioneer,
and leapfrog into earlier profitability.4
This ability of later entrants to free-ride on the pioneer’s market
development investment is the most common source of first-mover
disadvantage, and suggests two critical conditions necessary for real first-
mover advantage to exist. First, there must be a scarce resource in the
market that the first entrant can acquire. Second, the first-mover must
be able to lock up that scarce resource in such a way that it creates a bar-
rier to entry for potential competitors. A good example is provided by
markets in which it is necessary for foreign firms to obtain a government
permit or license to sell their products. In such cases, the license, and
perhaps government approval more generally, may be a scarce resource
that will not be granted to all comers. The second condition is also nec-
essary for first-mover advantage to develop. Many companies believed
that brand preference created by being first constituted a valid source of
first-mover advantage, only to find later that in most cases consumers
consider the alternatives available at the time of their first purchase, not
which came first.

Globalizing the Value Proposition

Managers sometimes assume that what works in their home country
will work just as well in another part of the world. They take the same
product, the same advertising campaign, even the same brand names and
packaging, and expect instant success. The result in most cases is failure.
Why? Because the assumption that one approach works everywhere fails
to consider the complex mosaic of differences that exists between coun-
tries and cultures.
 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model 199

Of course, marketing a standardized product with the same position-

ing and communications strategy around the globe—the purest form of
aggregation—has considerable attraction because of its cost effectiveness
and simplicity. It is also extremely dangerous, however. Simply assuming
that foreign customers will respond positively to an existing product can
lead to costly failure. Consider the following classic examples of failure:

• Coca-Cola had to withdraw its 2-liter bottle in Spain after

discovering that few Spaniards owned refrigerators with large
enough compartments to accommodate it.
• General Foods squandered millions trying to introduce
packaged cake mixes to Japanese consumers. The company
failed to note that only 3 percent of Japanese homes were
equipped with ovens.
• General Foods’ Tang initially failed in France because it was
positioned as a substitute for orange juice at breakfast. The
French drink little orange juice and almost none at breakfast.

With a few exceptions the idea of an identical, fully standardized

global value proposition is a myth and few industries are truly global.
How to adapt a value proposition in the most effective manner therefore
is a key strategic issue.

Value Proposition Adaptation Decisions

Value proposition adaptation deals with a whole range of issues, rang-

ing from the quality and appearance of products to materials, process-
ing, production equipment, packaging, and style. A product may have
to be adapted to meet the physical, social or mandatory requirements
of a new market. It may have to be modified to conform to government
regulations or to operate effectively in country specific geographic and
climatic conditions. Or it may be redesigned or repackaged to meet the
diverse buyer preferences, or standard of living conditions. A product’s
size and packaging may also have to be modified to facilitate shipment
or to conform to possible differences in engineering or design standards
in a country or regional markets. Other dimensions of value proposition
200 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

adaptation include changes in brand name, color, size, taste, design, style,
features, materials, warranties, after sale service, technological sophistica-
tion, and performance.
The need for some changes such as accommodating different electric-
ity requirements will be obvious. Others may require in-depth analysis of
societal customs and cultures, the local economy, technological sophisti-
cation of people living in the country, and customers’ purchasing power
and purchase behavior. Legal, economic, political, technological, and
climatic requirements of a country market all may dictate some level of
localization or adaptation.
As tariff barriers (tariffs, duties, and quotas) are gradually reduced
around the world in accordance with World Trade Organization rules,
other, nontariff, barriers, such as product standards, are proliferating. Take
regulations for food additives. Many of the U.S. so-called “Generally Rec-
ognized as Safe” additives are banned today in foreign countries. In mar-
keting abroad, documentation is important not only for the amount of
additive, but also its source, and often additives must be listed on the label
of ingredients. As a result, product labeling and packaging must often
be adapted to comply with another country’s legal and environmental
requirement.
Many products must be adapted to local geographic and climatic con-
ditions. Factors such as topography, humidity, and energy costs can affect
the performance of a product or even define its use in a foreign market.
The cost of petroleum products along with a country’s infrastructure, for
example, may mandate the need to develop products with a greater level
of energy efficiency. Hot dusty climates of countries in the Middle East
and other emerging markets may force the automakers to adapt the au-
tomobiles with different types of filters and clutch systems than those
used in North America, Japan, and Europe countries. Even shampoo and
cosmetic product makers have to chemically reformulate their shampoo
and cosmetic products to make them more suited for people living in hot
humid climates.
The availability, performance, and level of sophistication of a commer-
cial infrastructure will also warrant a need for adaptation or localization
of products. For example, a company may decide not to market its fro-
zen line of food items in countries where retailers do not have adequate
 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model 201

freezer space. Instead, it may choose to develop dehydrated products

for such markets. Size of packaging, material used in packaging, before
and after sale service and warranties may have to be adapted in view of
the scope and level of service provided by the distribution structure in
the country markets targeted. In the event post sale servicing facilities
are conspicuous by their absence, companies may need to offer simpler,
more robust products in overseas markets to reduce the need for mainte-
nance and repairs.
Differences in buyer preferences also are a major driver behind value
proposition adaptation. Local customs, such as religion or the use of lei-
sure time, may affect market acceptance. The sensory impact of a product,
such as taste or its visual impression, may also be a critical factor. The
Japanese consumers’ desire for beautiful packaging, for example, has led
many U.S. companies to redesign cartons and packages specifically for
this market. At the same time, to make purchasing mass marketed con-
sumer products more affordable in lesser developed countries, makers of
products such as razor blades, cigarettes, chewing gum, ball point pens
and candy bars repackage them in small single units rather than multiple
units prevalent in the developed and more advanced economies.
Expectations about product guarantees also can vary from country to
country depending on the level of development, competitive practices,
and degree of activism by consumer groups, local standards of produc-
tion quality, and prevalent product usage patterns. Strong warranties may
be required to break into a new market, especially if the company is an
unknown supplier. In other cases warranties similar to those in the home
country market may not be expected.
As a general rule, packaging design should be based on the customer
needs. For industrial products packaging is primarily functional and
should consider needs for storage, transportation, protection, preserva-
tion, reuse, and so on. For consumer products packaging has additional
functionality and should be protective, informative, appealing, conform
to legal requirements, and reflect buying habits (e.g., Americans tend to
shop less frequently than Europeans, so larger sizes are more popular in
the United States).
In analyzing adaptation requirement, careful attention to cultural dif-
ferences between the target customers in home (country of origin) and
202 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

those in the host country is extremely important. The greater the cul-
tural differences between the two target markets the greater the need for
adaptation. Cultural considerations and customs may influence brand-
ing, labeling, and package considerations. Certain colors used on labels
and packages may be found unattractive or offensive. Red, for example,
stands for good luck and fortune in China and parts of Africa; aggression,
danger, or warning in Europe, America and Australia/New Zealand; mas-
culinity in parts of Europe; mourning (dark red) in the Ivory Coast; and
death in Turkey. Blue denotes immortality in Iran while purple denotes
mourning in Brazil and is a symbol of expense in some Asian cultures.
Green is associated with high-tech in Japan, luck in the Middle East,
connotes death in South America and countries with dense jungle areas,
and is a forbidden color in Indonesia. Yellow is associated with femininity
in the United States and many other countries, but denotes mourning in
Mexico and strength and reliability in Saudi Arabia. Finally, black is used
to signal mourning as well as style and elegance in most Western nations
but it stands for trust and quality in China while white is the symbol for
cleanliness and purity in the West and denotes mourning in Japan and
some other Far Eastern nations.
When potential customers have limited purchasing power, companies
may need to develop an entirely new product designed to address the
market opportunity at a price point that is within the reach of a potential
target market. Conversely companies in lesser developed countries that
have achieved local success may find it necessary to adopt an “up-market
strategy” whereby the product may have to be designed to meet world
class standards.

Adaptation or Aggregation: The Value Proposition

Globalization Matrix

A useful construct for analyzing the need to adapt the product/service and
message (positioning) dimensions is the value proposition globalization
matrix shown in Figure 9.1. It illustrates four generic global strategies: (1)
a pure aggregation approach (also sometimes referred to as a “global mar-
keting mix” strategy) under which both the offer and the message are the
same, (2) an approach characterized by an identical offer (product/service
 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model 203

Global Global
Same
“Mix” Message

The Message

Global Global
Different
Offer Change

Same Different
The Offer

Figure 9.1  The value proposition globalization matrix

aggregation) but different positioning (message adaptation) around the

world (also called a “global offer” strategy), (3) an approach under which
the offer might be different in various parts of the world (product adap-
tation) but the message is the same (message aggregation) (also referred
to as a “global message” strategy), and (4) a “global change” strategy
under which both the offer and the message are adapted to local market
circumstances.
Global mix or pure aggregation strategies are relatively rare because
only a few industries are truly global in all respects. They apply (1) when
a product’s usage patterns and brand potential are homogeneous on a
global scale, (2) when scale and scope cost advantages substantially out-
weigh the benefits of partial or full adaptation, and (3) when competitive
circumstances are such that a long-term, sustainable advantage can be
secured using a standardized approach. The best examples are found in
industrial product categories such as basic electronic components or cer-
tain commodity markets.
Global offer strategies are feasible when the same offer can advanta-
geously be positioned differently in different parts of the world. There are
several reasons for considering a differential positioning in different parts
of the world. When fixed costs associated with the offer are high, when
key core benefits offered are identical, and when there are natural market
boundaries, adapting the message for stronger local advantage is tempt-
ing. Although such strategies increase local promotional budgets, they
204 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

give country managers a degree of flexibility in positioning the product

or service for maximum local advantage. The primary disadvantage as-
sociated with this type of strategy is that it could be difficult to sustain or
even dangerous in the long-term as customers become increasingly global
in their outlook and confused by the different messages in different parts
of the world.
Global message strategies use the same message worldwide but allow for
local adaptation of the offer. McDonalds, for example, is positioned virtu-
ally identically worldwide, but it serves vegetarian food in India and wine
in France. The primary motivation behind this type of strategy is the enor-
mous power behind a global brand. In industries in which customers in-
creasingly develop similar expectations, aspirations, and values, in which
customers are highly mobile, and in which the cost of product or service
adaptation is fairly low, leveraging the global brand potential represented
by one message worldwide often outweighs the possible disadvantages as-
sociated with factors such as higher local R&D costs. As with global offer
strategies, however, global message strategies can be risky in the long run;
global customers might not find elsewhere what they expect and regularly
experience at home. This could lead to confusion or even alienation.
Global change strategies define a “best fit” approach and are by far
the most common. As we have seen, for most products, some form of
adaptation of both the offer and the message is necessary. Differences
in a product’s usage patterns, benefits sought, brand image, competitive
structures, distribution channels, and governmental and other regulations
all dictate some form of local adaptation. Corporate factors also play a
role. Companies that have achieved a global reach through acquisition,
for example, often prefer to leverage local brand names, distribution sys-
tems, and suppliers rather than embark on a risky global one-size-fits-all
approach. As the markets they serve and the company itself become more
global, selective standardization of the message and/or the offer itself can
become more attractive.

Combining Aggregation and Adaptation: Global Product Platforms

One way around the trade-off between creating global efficiencies and
adapting to local requirements and preferences is to design a global
 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model 205

product and/or communication platform that can be adapted efficiently

to different markets. This modularized approach to global product design
has become particularly popular in the automobile industry. One of the
first “world car platforms” was introduced by Ford in 1981. The Escort
was assembled simultaneously in three countries—the United States,
Germany, and the UK—with parts produced in 10 countries. The U.S.
and European models were distinctly different but shared standardized
engines, transmissions, and ancillary systems for heating, air condition-
ing, wheels and seats, thereby saving the company millions of dollars in
engineering and development costs.

Combining Adaptation and Arbitrage:

Global Product Development5

Globalization pressures have changed the practice of product develop-

ment in many industries in recent years. Rather than using a central-
ized or local, cross-functional model, companies are moving to a mode
of global collaboration in which skilled development teams dispersed
around the world collaborate to develop new products. Today, a major-
ity of global corporations have engineering and development operations
outside of their home region. China and India offer particularly attractive
opportunities; Microsoft, Cisco, and Intel all have made major invest-
ments there.
The old model was based on the premise that colocation of cross-
functional teams to facilitate close collaboration among engineering,
marketing, manufacturing, and supply-chain functions was critical to
effective PD. Co-located PD teams were thought to be more effective
at concurrently executing the full range of activities involved, from
understanding market and customer needs, through conceptual and
detailed design, testing, analysis, prototyping, manufacturing engi-
neering, and technical product support/engineering. Such co-located
concurrent practices were thought to result in better product designs,
faster time to market, and lower-cost production. They were gener-
ally located in corporate research and development centers, which
maintained linkages to manufacturing sites and sales offices around
the world.
206 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Today, best practice emphasizes a highly distributed, networked, and

digitally supported development process. The resulting global product
development process combines centralized functions with regionally dis-
tributed engineering and other development functions. It often involves
outsourced engineering work as well as captive offshore engineering. The
benefits of this distributed model include greater engineering efficiency
(through utilization of lower-cost resources), access to technical expertise inter-
nationally, more global input to product design and greater strategic flexibility.

Combining Aggregation, Adaptation, and Arbitrage:

Global Innovation6

A core competency in global innovation—the ability to leverage new

ideas all around the world—has become a major source of global compet-
itive advantage, as companies such as Nokia, Airbus, SAP, and Starbucks
demonstrate. They realize that the principal constraint on innovation
“performance” is knowledge. Accessing a diverse set of sources of knowl-
edge is therefore a key challenge, and critical to successful differentiation.
Companies whose knowledge pool is the same as that of its competitors
likely will develop uninspired “me too” products; access to a diversity of
knowledge allows a company to move beyond incremental innovation to
attention grabbing designs and breakthrough solutions.
To reap the benefits of global innovation, companies must do three
things: (1) prospect (find the relevant pockets of knowledge from around
the world), (2) assess (decide on the optimal “footprint” for a particular
innovation), and (3) mobilize (use cost-effective mechanisms to move dis-
tant knowledge without degrading it).7
Prospecting, that is, finding valuable new pockets of knowledge to spur
innovation may well be the most challenging task. The process involves
knowing what to look for, where to look for it, and how to tap into a
promising source. Santos et al. cite the efforts of the cosmetics maker
Shiseido Co. Ltd. in entering the market for fragrance products. Based in
Japan, a country with a very limited tradition of perfume use, S­ hiseido
was initially unsure of the precise knowledge it needed to enter the fra-
grance business. But the company did know where to look for it. So it
bought two exclusive beauty boutique chains in Paris, mainly as a way to
 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model 207

experience, firsthand, the personal-care demands of the most sophisti-

cated customers of such products. It also hired the marketing manager of
Yves Saint Laurent Parfums and built a plant in Gien, a town located in
the French perfume “cluster.” France’s leadership in that industry made
the where fairly obvious to Shiseido. The how had also become painfully
clear because the company had previously flopped in its efforts to develop
perfumes in Japan. Those failures convinced Shiseido executives that, to
access such complex knowledge—deeply rooted in local culture and com-
bining customer information, aesthetics, and technology—the company
had to immerse itself in the French environment and learn by doing.
Having figured out the where and how, Shiseido would gradually learn
what knowledge it needed to succeed in the perfume business.
Assessing new sources of innovation, that is, incorporating new knowl-
edge into and optimizing an existing innovation network, is a second
major challenge. If a semiconductor manufacturer is developing a new
chip set for mobile phones, for example, should it access technical and
market knowledge from Silicon Valley, Austin, Hinschu, Seoul, Banga-
lore, Haifa, Helsinki, and Grenoble? Or should it restrict itself to just
some of those sites? At first glance determining the best footprint for
innovation does not seem fundamentally different from the trade-offs
companies face in optimizing their global supply chains: Adding a new
source might reduce the price or improve the quality of a required com-
ponent, but more locations also may mean additional complexity and
cost. S­ imilarly, every time a company adds a source of knowledge into
the innovation process it might improve its chances of developing a novel
product, but it also increases costs. Determining an optimal innovation
footprint is more complicated, however, because the direct and indirect
cost relationships are far more imprecise.
Mobilizing the footprint, that is, integrating knowledge from different
sources into a virtual melting pot from which new products or technolo-
gies can emerge, is the third challenge. To accomplish this, companies
must bring the various pieces of (technical) knowledge together that are
scattered around the world and provide a suitable organizational form for
innovation efforts to flourish. More important, they would have to add
the more complex, contextual (market) knowledge to integrate the differ-
ent pieces into an overall innovation blueprint.
208 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Globalizing the Sourcing Dimension

To Outsource or Not to Outsource8

Few companies, especially ones with a global presence, are self-sufficient

in all of the activities that make up their value chain. Competitive pres-
sures force companies to focus on those activities that they judge critical
to their success and excel at—core capabilities in which they have a dis-
tinct competitive advantage—and that can be leveraged across geogra-
phies and lines of business. Which activities should be kept in-house and
which ones can effectively be outsourced depends on a host of factors,
most prominently the nature of the company’s core strategy, partner net-
work, and asset base.
Firms tend to concentrate their investments in global value chain ac-
tivities that contribute directly to their competitive advantage and, at the
same time, help the company retain the right amount of strategic flexibil-
ity. Making such decisions is a formidable challenge; capabilities that may
seem unrelated at first glance can turn out to be critical for creating an
essential advantage when they are combined. As an example consider the
case of a leading consumer packaged goods company that created strong
embedded capabilities in sales. Its smaller brands showed up on retailers’
shelves far more regularly than comparable brands from competitors. It
was also known for the efficacy of its short-term R&D in rapidly bring-
ing product variations to market. These capabilities are worth investing
in separately, but together they add up to a substantial advantage over
competitors, especially in introducing new products.
Outsourcing and offshoring of component manufacturing and sup-
port services can offer compelling strategic and financial advantages in-
cluding lower costs, greater flexibility, enhanced expertise, greater discipline,
and the freedom to focus on core business activities.

Lower Costs.  Savings may result from lower inherent, structural, sys-
temic or realized costs. A detailed analysis of each of these cost catego-
ries can identify the potential sources of advantage. For example, larger
suppliers may capture greater scale benefits than the internal organiza-
tion. The risk is that efficiency gains lead to lower quality or reliability.
 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model 209

Offshoring typically offers significant infrastructure and labor cost advan-

tages over traditional outsourcing. In addition, many offshoring providers
have established very large-scale operations not economically possible for
domestic providers.

Greater Flexibility.  Using an outside supplier can sometimes add flex-

ibility to a company such that it can adjust the scale and scope of produc-
tion rapidly at low cost. As we have learned from the Japanese keiretsu
and Korean chaebol conglomerates, networks of organizations can often
adjust to demand more easily than fully integrated organizations.

Enhanced Expertise.  Some suppliers may have proprietary access to

technology or other intellectual property advantages that a firm cannot
access by itself. Such technology may improve operational reliability, pro-
ductivity, efficiency or long-term total costs and production. The signifi-
cant scale of today’s offshore manufacturers, in particular, allows them to
invest in technology that may be cost prohibitive for domestic providers.

Greater Discipline.  Separation of purchasers and providers can assist

with transparency and accountability to identify true costs and benefits of
certain activities. This can enable transactions under market-based con-
tracts where the focus is on output not input. At the same time, competi-
tion among suppliers creates choice for purchasers and encourages the
adoption of innovative work practices.

Focus on Core Activities.  The ability to focus frees up resources inter-

nally to concentrate on those activities where the company has distinctive
capability and scale, experience or differentiation to yield economic ben-
efits. In other words, focus allows a company to concentrate on creating
relative advantage to maximize total value and allow others to produce
supportive goods and services.
While outsourcing is largely about scale and the ability to provide ser-
vices at a more competitive cost, offshoring is primarily driven by the dra-
matic wage-cost differentials that exist between developed and developing
210 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

nations. However, cost should not be the only consideration in making

offshoring decisions; other relevant factors include the quality and reli-
ability of labor continuous process improvements, environment, and in-
frastructure. Political stability and broad economic and legal frameworks
should also be taken into account. In reality, even very significant labor
cost differentials between countries cannot be the sole driver of offshor-
ing decisions. Companies need to be assured of quality and reliability in
the services they are outsourcing. This is the same whether services are
outsourced domestically or offshore.

Risks Associated with Outsourcing9

Outsourcing can have significant benefits but is not without risk. Some
risks, such as potentially higher overall costs due to the eroding value of
the U.S. dollar, can be anticipated and addressed through contracts by
employing financial hedging strategies. Others, however, are harder to
anticipate or deal with.
Risks associated with outsourcing typically fall into four general cat-
egories: loss of control, loss of innovation, loss of organizational trust, and
higher-than-expected transaction costs:

Loss of Control.  Managers often complain about loss of control over

their own process technologies and quality standards when specific pro-
cesses or services are outsourced. The consequences can be severe. When
tasks previously performed by company personnel are given to outsiders
over whom the firm has little or no control, quality may suffer, produc-
tion schedules may be disrupted or contractual disagreements may de-
velop. If outsourcing contracts inappropriately or incorrectly detail work
specifications outsourcers may be tempted to behave opportunistically—
for example, by using subcontractors, or by charging unforeseen or un-
warranted price increases to exploit the company’s dependency. Control
issues can also be exacerbated by geographic distance, particularly when
the vendor is offshore. Monitoring performance and productivity can
be challenging, and coordination and communication maybe difficult
with offshore vendors. The inability to engage in face-to-face discussions,
brainstorm, or explore nuances of obstacles could cripple a project’s flow.
 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model 211

Distance, too, can increase the likelihood of outages disabling the com-
munication infrastructure between the vendor and the outsourcing firm.
Depending on where the outsourced work is performed, there can be
critical cultural or language-related differences between the outsourcing
company and the vendor. Such differences can have important customer
implications. For example, if customer call centers are outsourced, the
manner in which an agent answers, interprets, and reacts to customer
telephone calls (especially complaints) may be affected by local culture
and language.

Loss of Innovation.  Companies pursuing innovation strategies recognize

the need to recruit and hire highly qualified individuals, provide them a
long-term focus and minimal control, and appraise their performance
for positive long-run impact. When certain support services—such as IT,
software development, or materials management—are outsourced, inno-
vation may be impaired. Moreover, when external providers are hired for
the purposes of cutting costs, gaining labor pool flexibility, or adjusting
to market fluctuations, long-standing cooperative work patterns are inter-
rupted which may adversely affect the company’s corporate culture.

Loss of Organizational Trust.  For many firms, a significant nonquantifi-

able risk occurs because outsourcing, especially of services, can be per-
ceived as a breach in the employer–employee relationship. Employees may
wonder which group or what function will be the next to be outsourced.
Workers displaced into an outsourced organization often feel conflicted
as to who their ‘‘real’’ boss is: The new external service contractor, or the
client company by which they were previously employed?

Higher-than-Expected Transaction Costs.  Some outsourcing costs and

benefits are easily identified and quantified because they are captured by
the accounting system. Other costs and benefits are decision-relevant but
not part of the accounting system; such factors cannot be ignored simply
because they are difficult to obtain or require the use of estimates. One of
the most important and least understood considerations in the make-or-
buy decision is the cost of outsourcing risk.
212 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

There are many other factors to consider in selecting the right level
of participation in the value chain and the location for key value-added
activities. Factor conditions, the presence of supporting industrial activ-
ity, the nature and location of the demand for the product, and industry
rivalry all should be considered. In addition, such issues as tax conse-
quences, the ability to repatriate profits, currency, and political risk, the
ability to manage and coordinate in different locations, and synergies with
other elements of the company’s overall strategy should be factored in.

Partnering

Formulating cooperative strategies—joint ventures, strategic alliances, and

other partnering arrangements—is the complement of outsourcing. Glo-
balization is an important factor in the rise of cooperative ventures. In a
global competitive environment, going it alone often means taking ex-
traordinary risks. Escalating fixed costs associated with achieving global
market coverage, keeping up with the latest technology, and increased
exposure to currency and political risk all make risk-sharing a necessity in
many industries. For many companies, a global strategic posture without
alliances would be untenable.
Cooperative strategies take many forms and are considered for many
different reasons. However, the fundamental motivation in every case is
the corporation’s ability to spread its investments over a range of options,
each with a different risk profile. Essentially, the corporation is trading
off the likelihood of a major payoff against the ability to optimize its
investments by betting on multiple options. The key drivers that attract
executives to cooperative strategies include the need for risk-sharing, the
corporation’s funding limitations, and the desire to gain market and technol-
ogy access.

Risk Sharing.  Most companies cannot afford “bet the company” moves
to participate in all product markets of strategic interest. Whether a cor-
poration is considering entry into a global market or investments in new
technologies, the dominant logic dictates that companies prioritize their
strategic interests and balance them according to risk.
 Global Strategy: Adapting the Business Model 213

Funding Limitations.  Historically, many companies focused on building

sustainable advantage by establishing dominance in all of the business’
value creating activities. Through cumulative investment and vertical in-
tegration, they attempted to build barriers to entry that were hard to
penetrate. However, as the globalization of the business environment
accelerated and the technology race intensified, such a strategic posture
became increasingly difficult to sustain. Going it alone is no longer practi-
cal in many industries. To compete in the global arena, companies must
incur immense fixed costs with a shorter payback period and at a higher
level of risk.

Market Access.  Companies usually recognize their lack of prerequi-

site knowledge, infrastructure, or critical relationships necessary for the
distribution of their products to new customers. Cooperative strategies
can help them fill the gaps. For example, Hitachi has an alliance with
Deere & Company in North America and with Fiat Allis in Europe to
distribute its hydraulic excavators. This arrangement makes sense because
Hitachi’s product line is too narrow to justify a separate distribution net-
work. What is more, customers benefit because the gaps in its product
line are filled with quality products such as bulldozers and wheel loaders
from its alliance partners.

Technology Access.  A large number of products rely on so many differ-

ent technologies that few companies can afford to remain at the forefront
of all of them. Carmakers increasingly rely on advances in electronics;
application software developers depend on new features delivered by Mi-
crosoft in its next generation operating platform, and advertising agencies
need more and more sophisticated tracking data to formulate schedules
for clients. At the same time, the pace at which technology is spreading
globally is increasing, making time an even more critical variable in devel-
oping and sustaining competitive advantage. It is usually beyond the ca-
pabilities, resources, and good luck in R&D of any corporation to garner
the technological advantage needed to independently create disruption in
the marketplace. Therefore, partnering with technologically compatible
214 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

companies to achieve the prerequisite level of excellence is often essential.

The implementation of such strategies, in turn, increases the speed at
which technology diffuses around the world.
Other reasons to pursue a cooperative strategy are a lack of particular
management skills; an inability to add value in-house; and a lack of acquisi-
tion opportunities because of size, geographical, or ownership restrictions.
Cooperative strategies cover a wide spectrum of nonequity, cross-
equity, and shared-equity arrangements. Selecting the most-appropriate
arrangement involves analyzing the nature of the opportunity, the mutual
strategic interests in the cooperative venture, and prior experience with
joint ventures of both partners. The essential question is: How can we
structure this opportunity to maximize the benefit(s) to both parties?
 CHAPTER 10

The Board’s Role in

Strategic Management1

Introduction
Twenty years ago, boards of directors might have rubber-stamped their
CEO’s strategic plan without involving itself in significant ways in its for-
mulation. They were often content with rewarding profitability or mop-
ping up after the occurrence of losses—all based on a rear-view mirror
perspective of financial performance. The GM bailout, the global finan-
cial crisis, the BP oil spill and similar debacles clearly demonstrate that a
hindsight view is not good enough to avoid catastrophes from occurring.
That requires more meaningful involvement up front in “strategic plan-
ning.” Only when strategy involved acquisitions and mergers to accom-
plish growth, boards historically were deeply involved along with major
shareholders. But in today’s environment, as shareholders and regulators
alike demand greater accountability, all aspects of a company’s strategy
receive much closer scrutiny by directors. Corporate boards now want
to be assured as much about the planning process itself as the content of
the strategy, to make sure risks are properly addressed in a comprehensive
fashion with a robust strategic planning framework.

What is the Proper Role of the Board

in Strategy Development?
Deloitte reports that in 2012 54 percent of public companies reported
discussing strategy at every board meeting. Moreover, boards spend
some of their time specifically discussing risks associated with the com-
pany’s strategy. Is this number low given that strategy and its continual
216 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

monitoring are key areas of board responsibility? If evaluating the quality

of management’s strategic and business plans, including the likelihood of
realizing the intended results, is a key board responsibility, should it not
determine for itself whether the company has the capacity to implement
and deliver?
It is a good but intricate question. How might a board do this? What,
for example, should a board do if management presents a bold plan for
spinning off or acquiring strategic assets worldwide? Assume that the logic
is consistent, that the plan makes sense, that the numbers look good, and
that management has a convincing answer for every tough question asked
by the board. Has the board met its fiduciary responsibility or should it
seek an independent opinion to “audit” the strategic assumptions made
by management and its consultants? After all, directors do not have the
equivalent time and resources to review the details of strategies presented
to them.
A strong argument can be made that if the board feels compelled to
retain outside experts to review corporate strategy, it probably has lost
confidence in the CEO and should simply fire him or her. Conversely,
one can argue that hiring outside consultants is the most cost-effective
way for the board to prove its independence and positively challenge top
management. What is the right answer?
In attempts to provide guidance on this issue, numerous “codes of
best practice” have been proposed in recent years urging boards to define
their responsibilities with respect to strategy development as “setting the
ultimate direction for the corporation; reviewing, understanding, assess-
ing, and approving specific strategic directions and initiatives; assessing
and understanding the issues, forces, and risks that define and drive the
company’s long-term performance”.
As the simple example above demonstrates, however, reality is consid-
erably more complex. Traditionally, boards have become involved in strat-
egy mainly when there were specific reasons for them to do so. The most
common are the retirement of an incumbent CEO, a major investment
decision or acquisition proposal, a sudden decline in sales or profits, or an
unsolicited takeover bid. In recent years, however, as regulatory and other
pressures increased, many boards have sought to become more deeply in-
volved and create an ongoing strategic role, for example, by participating
 THE BOARD’S ROLE IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 217

in annual strategy retreats or through the CEO performance evaluation

process. Still, in most companies even today boards limit their involve-
ment to approving strategy proposals and to monitoring progress toward
strategic goals; very few participate in shaping and developing the company’s
strategic direction.
There are a number of reasons for this. First, there is a long-standing
concern on the part of both executives and directors regarding where to
draw the line between having directors involved through contributing
ideas about the company’s strategic direction and having directors who
try to manage the company.2 Specifically, there is a widely shared belief
that strategy formulation is fundamentally a management responsibil-
ity and that the role of the board should be confined to making sure
that an appropriate strategic planning process is in place and the actual
­development—and approval—of strategy is left to the CEO. Even those
who do favor greater director involvement in strategy say that the de-
gree of involvement should depend on the specific circumstances at hand.
A ­significant acquisition proposal or a new CEO, for example, may indi-
cate the needs for greater board involvement.
Second, in the aftermath of recent governance scandals, many boards
had to focus on internal issues and on digesting the new accounting com-
pliance rules of the landmark Sarbanes-Oxley Act. In a number of com-
panies, this turning inward has had the undesirable side effect that the
board’s decision making has become so focused on compliance issues that
strategic considerations have taken a backseat.
Third, some CEOs simply do not want their boards involved in strat-
egy discussions; they view the board’s engagement in developing strategy
as interference into their managerial responsibilities and a threat to their
sense of personal power. Of course, the downside of this posture is that
the board may not fully understand or buy into the organization’s strategy
and that board talent is underutilized. Taking this approach sometimes
backfires on CEOs when formerly disengaged boards become overly en-
gaged and then make their CEOs “walk through fire” on tactics.
Fourth, there is the delicate question of how knowledgeable even the
most capable directors are to assist with strategy development. Most are
quite effective in dealing with short-term financial data. Strategy develop-
ment, however, also demands a detailed understanding of more future- and
218 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

long-term-oriented issues, such as changing customer preferences, com-

petitive trends, technological developments, and the firm’s core competen-
cies. A typical board of directors is poorly designed and ill-equipped for
this task. According to a McKinsey survey, more than a quarter of directors
have, at best, a limited understanding of the current strategy of their com-
panies. Only 11 percent claim to have a complete understanding. More
than half say that they have a limited or no clear sense of their companies’
prospects 5 to 10 years down the road. Only 4 percent say that they fully
understand their companies’ long-term position. More than half indicate
that they have little or no understanding of the 5 to 10 key initiatives that
their companies need in order to secure the long-term future.3
Finally, while board meetings are conducive to questioning specific
strategic assumptions and monitoring progress toward strategic goals,
they are not a good forum for the more creative, elaborate, and nonlinear
process of crafting strategy. Board discussions tend to focus on the imple-
mentation and tactics of an ongoing strategic direction. Revealing serious
reservations about the underlying strategic assumptions sometimes not
only is seen as distracting and inappropriate but also may be interpreted
as a vote of no confidence in the current management.
The bottom line is that carving out a significant role for the board in
strategy formulation is extremely difficult. First, as we have seen, there is
the nature of the strategy development process itself. Characterizing a
board’s involvement in strategy on a continuum from “passive” to “active”
is a dangerous oversimplification. A passive posture assumes that strategic
decisions are both separate and sequential, that managers generate op-
tions that boards choose from, and that managers then implement the
chosen option and boards evaluate the outcomes. An active conception
assumes that boards and management formulate strategy in a partnership
approach and that management then implements the strategy and then
both groups evaluate its results. As we have seen, in reality strategic deci-
sions often evolve through complex, nonlinear, and fragmented processes.
What is more, a board can be actively involved in strategy without being
involved in its formulation. For example, a board can “shape” strategy
through a process of influence over management in which it guides stra-
tegic thinking but never actually participates in the development of the
strategies themselves.4
 THE BOARD’S ROLE IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 219

Second, as noted, certain situations dictate a more influential strat-

egy role for the board than others. For example, at times of crisis, such
as a sudden decline in performance, a new CEO, or some other major
organizational change, boards tend to become more actively involved in
strategy. Other determinants of the degree of board engagement in strat-
egy issues include firm size; the nature of the core business; directors’
skills and experience; board size; occupational diversity; board tenure and
board member age; board attention to strategic issues; and board pro-
cesses, such as the use of strategy retreats, prior firm performance, and the
relative power between the board and the CEO, particularly in terms of
board involvement in monitoring and evaluating this position. External
factors include the concentration and level of engagement of the firm’s
ownership and the degree of environmental uncertainty.5
Third, many directors lack the relevant industry expertise to partici-
pate effectively in shaping strategy—much less to reshape it in an in-
creasingly fast-paced business climate. What is more, even as the business
landscape is becoming more complex, many boards continue to give pri-
ority to compliance-oriented appointments rather than visionary ones.6
Finally, there are the ever-present constraints on time and knowledge.
To become meaningfully engaged in strategy formulation, boards must
become much more efficient, particularly since their time has already been
stretched in recent years: The average commitment of a director of a U.S.-
listed company increased from 13 hours a month in 2001 to more than
twice that today, according to Korn/Ferry.7 Directors also need to become
far more knowledgeable and proactive about grasping the company’s cur-
rent strategic position and challenges more clearly. To understand the
long-term health of a company, directors must pay attention not only to
its current financials but also to a broader range of indicators: market per-
formance, network positioning, organizational performance, and opera-
tional performance. Similarly, a broader appreciation of risk—including
credit, market, regulatory, organizational, and operational risk—is vital.
Without this knowledge, directors will have only a partial understanding
of a company. While boards receive and discuss all sorts of “strategic in-
formation,” financial measures—probably the least valuable component
of a board member’s strategic information r­ equirements—still dominate.
Even with better information, time constraints may prevent a broader
220 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

role for the board. Boards typically perform their strategic governance
role in the course of a couple of hours at every third board meeting—­
annually supplemented by a 2-day strategy retreat. A more active role in
strategy development requires much more time.

Creating a Meaningful Role for the Board

Despite these difficulties, Nadler (2004) argues that companies should try
hard to create a meaningful role for their boards in the strategy develop-
ment process. The key is to create a process in which directors participate
in strategic thinking and strategic decision making but do not infringe
on the CEO’s and senior executive team’s fundamental responsibilities.
In such a process, the CEO and management should lead and develop
strategic plans with directors’ input, while the board approves the strat-
egy and the metrics to assess progress. The direct benefits of such an en-
gagement are many, including a deeper understanding by directors of the
company and its strategic environment, a sense of ownership of the process
and the resulting strategy, better decisions reflecting the broader array of
perspectives, greater collaboration between the board and the management
on other initiatives and decisions, increased board satisfaction, and more
effective external advocacy.8
But, as Nadler notes, while the benefits can be significant, broader
board participation in strategy development also comes with its own costs.
First, directors must have a thorough understanding of the c­ ompany—its
capital allocation, debt levels, risks, business unit strategies, and growth
opportunities, among many issues—and that takes time and commit-
ment. Importantly, they must engage management on the major chal-
lenges facing the company and have a firm grasp on the trade-offs that
must be made. A second potential cost is that increased board partici-
pation can result in less management control over outcomes. Real par-
ticipation means influence, and influence means the ability to change
outcomes. A well-designed process yields the benefits of participation
while limiting the amount of time and potential loss of control.9
To create a workable framework for board engagement, Nadler (2004)
distinguishes between four, roughly sequential, types of strategic activity:
 THE BOARD’S ROLE IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 221

1. Strategic thinking. The collection, analysis, and discussion of infor-

mation about the environment of the firm, the nature of competi-
tion, and business models.
2. Strategic decision making. Making a set of core directional decisions
that define fundamental choices concerning the business portfolio
and the dominant business model, which serve as the platform for
the future allocation of limited resources and capabilities.
3. Strategic planning. Identifying priorities, setting objectives, and se-
curing and allocating resources to execute the chosen directional
decisions.
4. Strategy execution. Implementing and monitoring results and ap-
propriate corrective action. This phase of strategy development can
involve the allocation of funds, acquisitions, and divestitures.10

It will be apparent that the board’s role can and should differ dramati-
cally in these four development phases. Early in the process, the board’s
focus should be on providing advice and counsel about issues, such as
the process followed, perspectives taken, the inside–outside balance of
environmental and competitive analyses, and presentation formats.
Later, when key directional choices must be made, the board’s role be-
comes more evaluative and decision focused. Once directional decisions
have been taken, reviewing and monitoring progress should become the
board’s primary focus.
Following this logic, the various discussions and decisions the board
needs to undertake can be organized into a multistep “strategic choice
process”11:

1. Agreeing on the company vision. This step entails restating or con-

firming the company’s vision—a description of its aspirations in
relation to multiple stakeholders, including investors, customers,
suppliers, employees, legislative and regulatory institutions, and
communities. Such a vision statement should be aspirational and
paint a picture of what the company hopes to accomplish in tangible
and measurable terms. Good vision statements talk about measures
of growth, relative positions in markets or industries, or returns to
222 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

shareholders. They provide a benchmark against which to assess stra-

tegic alternatives.
2. Viewing the opportunity space. This second step focuses on an analysis
of the full array of strategic options the company should consider
from different perspectives. For example, the analysis might look at
different emerging markets, the range of available technologies to
meet a customer need, the potential set of customers, or the con-
stellation of competitors. Each of these presents a different set of
“lenses” through which to look at the environment.
3. Assessing the company’s business design and internal capabilities. This
third step looks inward, focusing on an assessment of the company
itself, including its current business design and organization. The
objective is to analyze the relative strengths and weaknesses of the
firm, including its human capital, technologies, financial situation,
and work processes, among others.
4. Determining the company’s future strategic intent. In this fourth step,
the vision, the view of the opportunity space, and the assessment of
the current business or organization are brought together to identify
a future strategic intent. The purpose is to identify the most attrac-
tive opportunities for their vision and their capabilities.
5. Developing a set of business design prototypes. Having identified a stra-
tegic intent, the next step is to develop prototypes for each business
design. It is useful to consider a number of distinct, viable options
to provide the opportunity for real comparison, contrasting ap-
proaches, and true choice. The final decision should be made against
a set of criteria developed in the strategic intent stage. The leading
choices should also be tested against current organizational capabili-
ties to understand the nature of the challenges inherent in executing
each strategy. When this choice is made, initial planning of execu-
tion is complete.

This process unfolds over a period of months, with numerous meet-

ings, work sessions, and rounds of data collection and feedback, and pro-
vides a way of building board engagement. Perhaps more importantly,
management will benefit from the board’s informed point of view.12
 THE BOARD’S ROLE IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 223

Dealing with Special Situations

Two dimensions of strategy formulation merit special attention because
they require substantial board involvement and typically are subject to
detailed scrutiny by investors and other stakeholders—crafting a capital
structure for the corporation and dealing with a takeover, merger, or ac-
quisition proposal.

Deciding on a Capital Structure

Deciding on an appropriate capital structure is a strategic board respon-

sibility. Businesses adopt various capital structures to meet both internal
needs for capital and external requirements for returns on shareholders’
investments. A company’s capitalization shapes its balance sheet and is
constructed from three sources of capital:

1. Long-term debt. Debt consisting mostly of bonds or similar obliga-

tions, including notes, capital lease obligations, and mortgage issues,
with a repayment horizon of more than one year.
2. Preferred stock. Equity (ownership) interest in the corporation with
claims ahead of the common stock and normally with no rights to
share in the increased worth of a company if it grows.
3. Common stockholders’ equity. The firm’s principal ownership is made
up of (a) the nominal par or stated value assigned to the shares of
outstanding stock, (b) the capital surplus or the amount above par
value paid to the company whenever it issues stock, and (c) the
earned surplus (also called retained earnings), which consists of the
portion of earnings a company retains after paying out dividends
and similar distributions. Thus, common stock equity is the net
worth after all the liabilities (including long-term debt), as well as
any preferred stock, are deducted from the total assets shown on the
balance sheet.

Debt versus Equity.  In deciding a company’s financial structure, man-

agement often seeks to minimize the cost of capital, whereas investors
224 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

look for the greatest possible return. While these desires can conflict with
each other, they are not necessarily incompatible, especially with equity
investors. This is because the cost of capital can be kept low and the op-
portunity for return on common stockholders’ equity enhanced through
what is called “leverage”—creating a high percentage of debt relative to
common equity. Doing so, however, increases risk. This is the inescapable
trade-off both management and investors must factor into their respective
decisions.
The leverage provided by debt financing is further enhanced because
the interest that corporations pay is a tax-deductible expense, whereas
dividends to both preferred and common stockholders must be paid with
after-tax dollars. Thus, it is argued, the lower net cost of bond interest
helps accrue more value for the common stock.
Higher debt levels increase a firm’s fixed costs that must be paid in
good times and bad, and can severely limit a company’s flexibility. Specifi-
cally, as leverage is increased, (a) the risk of bankruptcy grows; (b) access
to the capital markets, especially during times of tight credit, may dimin-
ish; (c) management will need to spend more time on finances and raising
additional capital at the expense of focusing on operations; and (d) the
cost of any additional debt or preferred stock capital the company may
have to raise increases.
Because of its tax advantages and stability relative to equity capital
(common stock), some finance experts have argued that higher propor-
tions of debt capital may be advantageous to corporations. Their advice is
not always heeded, however. Although periodically companies use debt to
buy back common shares, a practice that can improve stock performance,
most large companies rely heavily on equity financing.
Companies tend to use debt under certain circumstances more than
others. For example, the decision whether or not to use debt is often re-
lated to the nature and risks of the cash flows associated with the capital
investment. When diversifying into new lines of business, companies that
are moving into related fields tend to use equity capital and those entering
unrelated fields tend to use debt. Ownership structure is another factor.
Firms with a high degree of management ownership, for example, are
less likely to carry high levels of debt, as are corporations with significant
institutional ownership.
 THE BOARD’S ROLE IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 225

Changing Patterns.  In earlier days, a debt-free structure was often con-

sidered a sign of strength, and companies that were able to finance their
growth with an all-common capitalization prided themselves on their
“clean” balance sheet.
The advent of leveraged buyouts (LBOs) of the 1980s brought a new
twist to the capitalization issue. Because of their low degree of leverage,
large corporations with conservative, low-debt capitalizations became vul-
nerable to capture. Corporate raiders with limited financial resources were
successful in raising huge amounts of noninvestment grade (“junk”) debt
to finance the deals. The captured companies often would then be dismem-
bered and stripped of cash holdings so the raiders could pay down their
borrowings. In effect, the prey’s own assets were used to pay for its capture.
As a takeover defense, potential targets began to assume heavy debt them-
selves, often to finance an internal buyout by its own management.
By purposely leveraging their prey so highly (at times with current
income insufficient to meet current interest requirements) that the com-
pany could not continue to conduct business as usual, raiders forced cuts
in low-return growth avenues and the sale of those divisions, which are
more valuable outside the firm. In the process, a significant amount of
intrinsic firm value was distributed to stockholders—especially those who
had bought in for just that purpose—at the expense of other stakeholders
and the company’s long-term needs. They justified their actions by stat-
ing that managers who operated with low leverage were either inept or
feathering their own nest, or both.

Takeovers, Mergers and Acquisitions13

Takeovers, mergers, and acquisitions are an integral part of corporate

strategy and not only provide important external growth opportuni-
ties for companies but also involve considerable risks for the firm and
its shareholders. A merger signifies that two companies have joined to
form one company. An acquisition occurs when one firm buys another.
To outsiders, the difference might seem small and related less to owner-
ship control than to financing. However, the critical difference is often in
management control. In acquisitions, the management team of the buyer
tends to dominate decision making in the combined company.
226 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

The advantages of buying an existing player can be compelling. An

acquisition can quickly position a firm in a new business or market. It also
eliminates a potential competitor and therefore does not contribute to the
development of excess capacity.
Acquisitions, however, are also generally expensive. Premiums of
30 percent or more than the current value of the stock are not uncommon.
This means that, although sellers often pocket handsome profits, acquiring
companies frequently lose shareholder value. The process by which merger
and acquisition (M&A) decisions are made contributes to this problem.
In theory, acquisitions are part of a corporate growth strategy based on the
explicit identification of the most suitable players in the most attractive
industries as targets to be purchased. Acquisition strategies should also
specify a comprehensive framework for the due diligence assessments of
targets, plans for integrating acquired companies into the corporate port-
folio, and a careful determination of “how much is too much” to pay.
In practice, the acquisition process is far more complex. Once the
board has approved plans to expand into new businesses or markets, or
once a potential target company has been identified, the time to act is typ-
ically short. The ensuing pressures to “do a deal” are intense. These pres-
sures emanate from senior executives, directors, and investment bankers
who stand to gain from any deal, shareholder groups, and competitors
bidding against the firm. The environment can become frenzied. Valu-
ations tend to rise as corporations become overconfident in their ability
to add value to the target company and as expectations regarding syner-
gies reach new heights. Due diligence is conducted more quickly than
is desirable and tends to be confined to financial considerations. Inte-
gration planning takes a backseat. Differences in corporate cultures are
discounted. In this climate, even the best designed strategies can fail to
produce a successful outcome, as many companies and their shareholders
have learned.
Most studies carried out in this area show that the probability of a
major acquisition or merger failing (as measured in terms of financial
return) is greater than the probability of success. Empirically, the prob-
ability of failure increases with the size and complexity of the merger and
with the degree of unfamiliarity with the target business. They also show
that the buyer often pays too much for the target company because it
 THE BOARD’S ROLE IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 227

is overoptimistic in terms of its ability to (a) do better than the existing

management, (b) implement the synergies identified, and (c) integrate
the target within its own company in a timely manner.
The application of new international accounting standards (and,
more particularly, International Accounting Standard [IAS] 36 on im-
pairment of assets) forces companies to examine the value of their as-
sets, especially that of their intangible assets, on a recurring basis. As a
result, each overpaid acquisition will inevitably result in impairment of
goodwill, and, sooner or later, the board and management will have to
publicly admit that their decision has destroyed shareholder value. This
new regulation alone is a powerful reason for boards to go beyond merely
approving major transactions and become much more actively involved
in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity than in the past.
The very nature of the M&A process makes the board’s involvement
a particularly sensitive issue, however. An acquisition frequently results
from a long, confidential negotiation process, often involving extremely
technical issues, and its outcome is largely uncertain. These factors lead
management to present the board with only summary and high-level in-
formation on the opportunity and to wait for the outcome of the process
before organizing in-depth discussions with the board.
This is unfortunate because M&A activity represents a unique op-
portunity for a board to add value. Outside directors may have unique
experience with the M&A process, particularly intermediaries, or with all
too often overlooked merger integration challenges. At the very least, the
outside view offered by the board at an early stage may counterbalance the
optimism of the executives driving the deal or the partiality of numerous
experts pushing for its completion, resulting in a more “realistic” attitude
to the opportunity.
Rérolle and Vermeire (2005) identify a number of useful best prac-
tices to assist boards in M&A planning and execution:

1. Validate the strategic benefits of the transaction. Every major acqui-

sition must take place within an established strategic framework.
Many mistakes are attributable to acquisitions that are justified only
after the fact as a “strategic fit.” At a minimum, the board should
ask how the opportunity came about—whether it is something
228 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

the company’s management has been working on for some time,

whether it concerns a business activity or market with which the
company is familiar, and whether it represents geographical or other
diversification.
2. Also, rarely can an acquisition be justified solely on the grounds of
the savings it will generate because they are often illusionary. It must
either meet a need that has been clearly defined up front and which
the company cannot meet using its own resources, or it must en-
hance the company’s competitive position. In order to create value,
the acquisition must make it possible to build a genuine competitive
advantage or to decisively prolong an existing competitive advan-
tage. The directors’ role is to test the solidity of this premise.
3. Verify that the price paid is reasonable. Ultimately, analyzing an op-
portunity culminates in a valuation. Such a valuation should reflect
a realistic assessment of (a) the intrinsic value of the target in accor-
dance with a number of different scenarios, (b) the value of expected
synergies (and the cost of implementing them), (c) the positive and
negative impacts of the transaction on the value of the purchaser’s
company (e.g., management will have to devote considerable time
to integrating the target, which may have an adverse impact on the
purchaser’s business activities), and (d) the price that management
offers to pay and the terms and conditions of payment.
4. Furthermore, when a proposed acquisition is of particular signifi-
cance in light of the company’s size and when there is a possibility
of a conflict of interest or a challenge by the minority shareholders
concerning the price paid, it is advisable to have a fairness opinion
drawn up by an independent expert.14
5. Ensure that a comprehensive due diligence process has been carried out.
Due diligence is of critical importance as it enables the purchaser
to verify the integrity of the seller’s financial statements, representa-
tions, and warranties, and to identify potential problems.
6. The due diligence must be based on broad (but relevant) objectives
concerning the integration of the target. All too often, due diligence
is mainly based on legal and accounting criteria, whereas the com-
pany needs to identify all the areas of major risk and, in particular,
current and future operating risks, or others that may constitute
 THE BOARD’S ROLE IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 229

an obstacle to effective integration. A comprehensive due diligence

process covers items, such as an analysis of the target’s competitive
advantages and their durability, the identification of key people (in
particular those that the company may rely on for the purposes of
integration), and the measurement of the stability of the most sig-
nificant customer relations and the long-term prospects of formal or
informal alliances.
7. Approve a specific integration plan. Experience has shown that inte-
grating the target is the most complex part of the M&A process.
In spite of a broad consensus on this point, this difficulty remains
largely underestimated. The board can play an important role in al-
leviating this major problem by asking management to provide it
with an integration plan prior to concluding the transaction. In par-
ticular, this plan needs to include (a) a timetable for the integration
program, (b) an identification of the main initiatives undertaken by
management to recover a significant portion of the control premium
paid, (c) an assessment of the human resources and expertise to be
earmarked for the integration process, and (d) a detailed business
plan showing all the costs and benefits associated with integration.
8. During mergers and acquisitions, boards tend to focus on the stra-
tegic, financial, and governance aspects of a transaction. They often
neglect one of the greatest sources of value in many M&A transac-
tions: the talent of the management team in the target company.
Exercising due diligence about talent is as important as paying close
attention to the balance sheet, cash flow, and expected synergies of a
deal. By asking management a series of questions about human capi-
tal in a merger or acquisition, boards can contribute to a smoother
transition to a single company, a better merging of cultures, the loss
of fewer “A” players, and a stronger talent bench for the merged
company—all of which should ultimately create more value from
the deal.
9. Organize the board’s work so that it is able to assist management up-
stream. The board’s contribution will be even more useful if it is able
to contribute to management’s thought process as early as possible
in the analytical and decision-making process. If M&A is a corner-
stone of the company’s strategy, creating a special committee may be
230 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

a useful way to deal with issues of efficiency, confidentiality, and the

constraints inherent in a long and uncertain negotiating process.15

Monitoring Strategy Implementation:

Choosing Metrics16
A key determinant of greater board effectiveness in the area of strategy is
the set of metrics the board selects to monitor a company’s performance
and health. The goal should be to identify a manageable number of met-
rics that strike a balance among different areas of the business and are
directly linked to value-creating activities. In addition to the standard
financial metrics, key indicators should cover operations (the quality and
consistency of key value-creating processes), organizational issues (the
company’s depth of talent and ability to motivate and retain employees),
the state of the company’s product markets and its position within them
(including the quality of customer relationships), and the nature of rela-
tionships with external parties, such as suppliers, regulators, and nongov-
ernmental organizations (NGOs).
In selecting an appropriate set of metrics, it is useful to distinguish
between value creation in the short, medium, and long-term. Short-term
health metrics show how a company achieved its recent results and there-
fore indicate its likely performance over the next 1 to 3 years. A consumer
products company, for example, must know whether it increased its prof-
its by raising prices or by launching a new marketing campaign that in-
creased its market share. An auto manufacturer must know whether it met
its profit targets only by encouraging dealers to increase their inventories.
A retailer might want to examine its revenue growth per store and in new
stores or its revenue per square foot compared with that of competitors.
Another set of metrics should highlight a company’s prospects for
maintaining and improving its rate of growth and returns on capital over
the next 1 to 5 years. (The time frame ought to be longer for indus-
tries, such as pharmaceuticals, that have long product cycles and must
obviously focus on the number of profitable new products in the pipe-
line.) Other medium-term metrics should be monitored as well—for ex-
ample, metrics comparing a company’s product launches with those of
 THE BOARD’S ROLE IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 231

competitors (perhaps the amount of time needed to reach peak sales). For
an online retailer, customer satisfaction and brand strength might be the
most important drivers of medium-term health.
For the longer term, boards should develop metrics assessing the
company’s ability to sustain earnings from current activities and to iden-
tify and exploit new areas where it can grow. They must monitor any
threats—new technologies, new customer preferences, new ways of serv-
ing customers—to their current businesses. And to ensure that they have
enough growth opportunities to create value when those businesses inevi-
tably mature, they must monitor the number of new initiatives under way
(as well as estimate the size of the relevant product markets) and develop
metrics that track the initiatives’ progress.
Ultimately, it is people who make strategies work, so a good set of
metrics should also show how well a business retains key employees and
the true depth of its management talent. Again, what is important varies
by industry. Pharmaceutical companies, for example, need scientific inno-
vators but relatively few managers. Companies expanding overseas need
people who can work in new countries and negotiate with governments.

Creating a Strategy Focused Board17

Fostering a strategic mindset on the board is difficult and takes time. It
requires rethinking its composition, how it approaches its responsibili-
ties, and the way it interacts with management to help develop a strategic
vision, although that must originate with the CEO. Progressive CEOs,
for their part, must be able to articulate a clear strategy and have the per-
sonal confidence to build board teams that include experts who may be
far more skilled in certain industry and operational areas than the CEOs
themselves are.18
Rather than immediately seeking a deeper involvement in the strategy
development process, it may be useful to ask boards to first seek a more ef-
fective balance between short- and long-term considerations in their over-
sight. As part of first step, they should identify and agree on a core set of
metrics reflecting a balance that is tailored to the specifics of a company’s
industry, maturity, culture, and current situation. In turn, management
232 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: AN EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

should be asked to draw up a set of long-term strategy options that the

board can test and challenge. Management then can develop a detailed
plan for the board’s final approval.
Ideally, this process unfolds over several board meetings and allows
board members to probe specific strategic issues—does the company re-
ally have the ability to execute in a particular area, for example, and has
it analyzed different options to enter the markets it wants to compete in?
Finally, the board can play an important role in monitoring the progress
of the plan and any changes in risk it involves. While the board can be
selective in its focus on details, management must deal with all aspects of
the strategic plan. Once accepted, the strategy can be expected to evolve
over time, and therefore will require an ongoing dialog between the board
and management.
 Notes
Chapter 1
1. C.A. Bartlett and S. Ghoshal. 2002. “Building Competitive Advantage
Through People,” Sloan Management Review 43, no. 2, pp. 34–41.
2. C.K. Prahalad and G. Hamel. May–June, 1990. “The Core Competence of
the Corporation,” Harvard Business Review 68, no. 3, pp. 79–91.
3. C.A. Bartlett and S. Ghoshal, 2002, p. 35.
4. D.J. Teece. 2010. “Business Models, Business Strategy and Innovation,”
Long Range Planning 43, pp. 172–94.
5. M.E. Porter. November–December, 1996. “What Is Strategy?” Harvard
Business Review 74, no. 6, pp. 61–78.
6. Amazon - Relentless.com, The Economist, Print edition, June 21, 2014.
7. These ideas are based on T.A. Luehrman. September–October, 1998. “Strat-
egy as a Portfolio of Real Options,” Harvard Business Review 76, pp. 89–99.
8. H. Mintzberg. 1985. “Of Strategies, Deliberate and Emergent,” Strategic
Management Journal 6, no. 3, pp. 257–72.
9. R.E. Freeman. 1984. Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach (­Boston,
MA: Pittman), p. 9.
10. G. Hamel and C.K. Prahalad. May–June, 1989. “Strategic Intent,” Harvard
Business Review 67, pp. 63–76.
11. J. Kotter. 1990. A Force for Change (New York: Free Press), p. 47.
12. G. Hamel and C.K. Prahalad, 1989.

Chapter 2
1. A.D. Chandler. March–April, 1990. “The Enduring Logic of Industrial
Success,” Harvard Business Review 90, pp. 130–40.
2. P. Calthrop. November, 2001. “Define the Core: Strategy as Choice,”
­Management Ideas in Action, Bain International.
3. G.S. Day. July–August, 2004. “Which Way Should You Grow?,” Harvard
Business Review, pp. 24–26.
4. J.A. Pearce II and J.W. Harvey. February, 1990. “Concentrated Growth
Strategies,” Academy of Management Executive 4, pp. 61–68.
5. R.P. Rumelt. 1974. Strategy, Structure, and Economic Performance
(­Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press).
234 NOTES

6. M.E. Porter. May–June 1987. “From Competitive Advantage to Corporate

Strategy,” Harvard Business Review, p. 46.
7. J.R. Harbison and P. Pekar, Jr. 1993. A Practical Guide to Alliances: Leapfrog-
ging the Learning Curve (Los Angeles, CA: Booz Allen & Hamilton).
8. J.W. Bennett et al. 2000. “The Organization vs. The Strategy: Solving the
Alignment Paradox,” Strategy + Business, Fourth Quarter.
9. C. Bartlett and S. Goshal. November, 1994. “Changing the Role of Top
Management: From Strategy to Purpose,” Harvard Business Review, p. 79.
10. It is, of course, no coincidence that during this same period the resource-
based view of strategic thinking overtook the industrial economics perspec-
tive. See Chapter 1.
11. G. Neilson, D. Kletter, and J. Jones. 2003. “Treating the Troubled Corpora-
tion,” Strategy + Business, First Quarter.
12. J.P. Kotter. 1988. The Leadership Factor (New York: The Free Press), p. 12.
13. K. Rebello and E.I. Schwartz. April 19, 1999. “Microsoft: Bill Gates’s Baby
Is on Top of the World. Can It Stay There?,” BusinessWeek.
14. L. Soupata. 2001. “Managing Culture for Competitive Advantage at United
Parcel Service,” Journal of Organizational Excellence 20, no. 3, pp. 19–26.
15. J.R. Ross. Spring, 2000. “Does Corporate Culture Contribute to Perfor-
mance?” American International College Journal of Business, pp. 4–9.
16. See, e.g., T. Copeland, T. Koller, and J. Murrin. 1995. Valuation: Measuring
and Managing the Value of Companies (New York: John Wiley & Sons).
17. R.S. Kaplan and D.P. Norton. January–February, 1996. “Using the Bal-
anced Scorecard as a Strategic Management System,” Harvard Business Re-
view, pp. 75–85; and R.S. Kaplan and D.P. Norton. January–February, 1992.
18. R. Kaplan and D.P. Norton. May–June, 2001. “Building a Strategy Focused
Organization,” Ivey Business Journal, pp. 12–17.
19. R. Kaplan and D.P. Norton. September, 2001. “Leading Change with the
Balanced Scorecard,” Financial Executive, pp. 64–66.

Chapter 3
1. P. Ghemawat. March–April, 2007. “Why the World Isn’t Flat,” Foreign
Policy, no. 159, pp. 54–60.
2. K. Moore and A. Rugman. Fall, 2005. “Globalization Is about Region-
alization,” McGill International Review 6, no. 1; see also K. Moore and
A. ­Rugman. Summer, 2005. “The Myth of Global Business,” European
Business Forum.
3. The Toyota, Wal-Mart, and Coca-Cola examples are taken from P. Ghe-
mawat. 2007. Redefining Global Strategy: Crossing Borders in a World Where
Differences Still Matter (Harvard Business School Press), chap. 1.
 NOTES
235

4. P. Ghemawat. September, 2001. “Distance Still Matters: The Hard Reality

of Global Expansion,” Harvard Business Review, pp. 16–26.
5. This framework was first developed in G.S. Yip. 1992. Total Global Strategy:
Managing for Worldwide Competitive Advantage (New Jersey: Prentice Hall),
chaps. 1 and 2.
6. H.L. Sirkin, J.W. Hemerling, and A.K. Bhattacharya. 2008. Globality:
Competing with Everyone from Everywhere for Everything (New York, NY:
Business Plus).
7. A.K. Gupta, V. Govindarajan, and H. Wang. 2008. The Quest for Global
Dominance, 2nd edition (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass), p. 28.
8. This section draws on S. Behrendt and P. Khanna. 2004. “Risky Business:
Geopolitics and the Global Corporation,” Strategy & Business, 32, no.2.
9. P. Anton, R. Silberglitt, and J. Schneider. 2001. The Global Technology Revo-
lution: Bio/Nano/Materials Trends and Their Synergy with Information Tech-
nology by 2015 (RAND Corporation Monograph), 86pp.
10. Y. Bakos and E. Brynjolfsson. 2000. “Bundling and Competition on the In-
ternet,” Marketing Science at the University of Florida 19, no. 1, pp. 37–52.
11. J. Manyika et al. May, 2011. Big Data: The Next Frontier for Innovation,
Competition, and Productivity (New York: McKinsey Global Institute), p. 2.
12. Ibid., p. 91.
13. S. Rochlin. 2006. “The New Laws for Business Success,” Corporate Citizen
(A Publication by the Center for Corporate Citizenship, Carroll School of
Management, Boston College).
14. T. Struyk. 2010. “For Companies, Green Is the New Black,” Investopedia
(A Forbes Digital Company).
15. G. Unruh and R. Ettenson. June, 2010. “Growing Green,” Harvard Business
Review, pp. 94–100.
16. Xerox Corporation. July, 2012. “Smarter Ways to Green: How to Make
Sustainability Succeed in Your Business,” Xerox White Paper.
17. H. Courtney, J. Kirkland, and P. Viguerie. November/December, 1997.
“Strategy under Uncertainty,” Harvard Business Review, pp. 66–79.
18. This description is based on P.J.H. Schoemaker and C.A.J.M. van de
­Heijden. 1992. “Integrating Scenarios into Strategic Planning at Royal
Dutch/Shell,” Planning Review 20, pp. 41–46.

Chapter 4
1. B. Buescher and P. Viguerie. June, 2014. How US Healthcare Companies Can
Thrive Amid Disruption. McKinsey & Company. http://www.mckinsey.com/
Insights/Health_systems_and_services/How_US_healthcare_companies_can_
thrive_amid_disruption?cid=other-eml-alt-mip-mck-oth-1406&p=1
236 NOTES

2. M.E. Porter. 1980. Competitive Strategy (New York, Free Press).

3. A.S. Grove. 1996. Only the Paranoid Survive (New York, Doubleday).
4. M.E. Porter. March, 2001. “Strategy and the Internet,” Harvard Business
Review 79 (3), pp. 63–78.
5. This section is based on A.M. McGahan. October, 2004. “How Industries
Change,” Harvard Business Review 82 (10), pp. 87–94.
6. J.N. Sheth and R.S. Sisodia. 2002. The Rule of Three: Surviving and Thriving
in Competitive Markets (New York: Free Press).
7. Ibid., p. 200.
8. Ibid.
9. M. Zanini. November, 2008. “Using ‘Power Curves’ to Assess Industry
­Dynamics,” McKinsey Quarterly 1, p. 1.
10. C.K. Prahalad. 1995. “Weak Signals Versus Strong Paradigms,” Journal of
Marketing Research 32, pp. iii–ix.

Chapter 5
1. J. Manyika et al. 2011. Big Data: The Next Frontier for Innovation, Com-
petition and Productivity (McKinsey Global Institute), pp. 1–143. http://
www.mckinsey.com/insights/business_technology/big_data_the_next_
frontier_for_innovation.
2. McKinsey & Company. 2013. “Big Data Analytics and the Future of Market-
ing and Sales,” Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/sites/mckinsey/2013/07/22/
big-data-analytics-and-the-future-of-marketing-sales/.
3. Manyika et al. 2011. Big Data. http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/business_
technology/big_data_the_next_frontier_for_innovation.
4. J. Brodkin. 2012. “Bandwidth Explosion: As Internet Use Soars, Can Bottle-
necks Be Averted?” Ars Technica. http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/05/
bandwidth-explosion-as-internet-use-soars-can-bottlenecks-be-averted/.
5. V.A. Rice. 1996. “Why EVA Works for Varity,” Chief Executive 110,
pp. 40–44.
6. S. Tully. 1999. “The EVA Advantage,” Fortune 139, no. 6, p. 210; J.B. White.
April 10, 1997. “Value-Based Pay Systems Are Gaining Popularity,” The
Wall Street Journal, p. B8; J.L. Dodd and J. Johns. 1999. “EVA Reconsid-
ered,” Business and Economic Review 45, no. 3, pp. 13–18.
7. J. Byrne, A. Reinhardt, and R.D. Hof. October 4, 1999. “The Search for the
Young and Gifted: Why Talent Counts,” BusinessWeek 3649, pp108–116.
8. J.A. Pearce II. 2006. “How Companies Can Preserve Market Dominance
after Patents Expire,” Long Range Planning 39, no. 1, pp. 71–87.
 NOTES
237

9. M. Lindner. March 25, 2008. “The 10 Biggest Blunders Ever in Business,”

Forbes. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23677510/.
10. J.S. Brown and P. Duguid. 2000. “Balancing Act: How to Capture Knowl-
edge Without Killing It,” Harvard Business Review 78, pp. 73–80.
11. R. Cross and L. Baird. 2000. “Technology Is Not Enough: Improving Per-
formance by Building Organizational Memory,” Sloan Management ­Review
41, pp. 69–78.
12. D. Haigh. October 6, 2008. “Brand Values on the Line,” Brand Strategy,
pp. 52–53.
13. M. Banutu-Gomez et al. 2009. “International Branding Effectiveness: The
Global Image of Nestlé’s Brand Name and Employee Perceptions of Strate-
gies and Brands,” Journal of Global Business Issues 3, no. 2, pp. 17–24.
14. J.K. Johansson and I.A. Ronkainen. 2005. “The Esteem of Global Brands,”
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15. G.R. Foxall and V.K. James. 2003. “The Behavioral Ecology of Brand
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238 NOTES

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miscommunication in advertising. Known as “greenwashing,” it is the act
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biodegradable. A court case against Mobile forced it to withdraw the claims.

Chapter 6
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what-industries-will-technology-have-disrupted-2025
2. A.M. McGahan and M.E. Porter. 1997. “How Much Does Industry Mat-
ter, Really?” Strategic Management Journal 18, pp. 15–30.
3. A.J. Slywotzky, D.J. Morrison, and B. Andelman. 1997. The Profit Zone;
How Strategic Business Design Will Lead You to Tomorrow’s Profits (New York:
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4. J.E. Urbany and J.H. Davis. 2007. “Strategic Insight in Three Circles,”
­Harvard Business Review 85, no. 11, pp. 28–30.
5. J. Webb and C. Gile. 2001. “Reversing the Value Chain,” The Journal of
Business Strategy 22, no. 2, pp. 13–17.
6. A. Camuffo, P. Romano and A. Vinelli, 2001, “Back to the Future: Benetton
Transforms Its Global Network,” Sloan Management Review 43, pp. 46–52.
7. O. Gadiesh and J.L. Gilbert. 1998. “Profit Pools: A Fresh Look at Strategy,”
Harvard Business Review 76, no. 3, pp. 139–47.
8. D. Champion. 2001. “Mastering the Value Chain,” Harvard Business ­Review
79, no. 6, pp. 109–15.
9. F. Budde et al. 2000. “The Chemistry of Knowledge,” The McKinsey Quar-
terly 4, pp. 98–107.
 NOTES
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10. R.B. Robinson, Jr. and J.A. Pearce II. 1988. “Planned Patterns of Strategic
Behavior and Their Relationship to Business-Unit Performance,” Strategic
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gency View of Porter’s Generic Strategies,” Academy of Management Review
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Low Cost: A Contingency Framework,” Academy of Management Review 13,
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12. M. Treacy and F. Wiersema. January–February, 1993. “Customer Intimacy
and Other Value Disciplines,” Harvard Business Review, pp. 84–93.
13. A.J. Slywotzki et al., 1997.

Chapter 7
1. B. Buescher and P. Viguerie. 2014. How US Healthcare Companies Can
Thrive Amid Disruption (McKinsey & Co). Accessed November 13, 2014
at http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/health_systems_and_services/
how_us_healthcare_companies_can_thrive_amid_disruption
2. Ibid.
3. M.E. Porter. 1980. Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries
and Competitors (New York: Free Press), Chapters 11 and 12.
4. J.E. Bleeke. September–October, 1990. “Strategic Choices for Newly
Opened Markets,” Harvard Business Review 68, no. 5, pp. 158-165.
5. R.A. D’Aveni. 1999. “Strategic Supremacy through Disruption and Domi-
nance,” Sloan Management Review 40, no. 3,pp. 127–35.
6. W.I. Huyett and S.P. Viguerie. 2005. “Extreme Competition,” McKinsey
Quarterly 1, pp 47–57.
7. E. Kim, D. Nam, and J.L. Stimpert. 2004. “Testing the Applicability of
Porter’s Generic Strategies in the Digital Age: A Study of Korean Cyber
Malls,” Journal of Business Strategies 21, no. 1, pp. 19–45.
8. C. Grosso, J. McPherson, and C. Shi. 2005. “Retailing: What’s Working
Online,” McKinsey Quarterly 3, pp. 18–20.
9. R.T. Grenci and C.A. Watts. 2007. “Maximizing Customer Value via Mass
Customized E-consumer Services,” Business Horizons 50, no. 2, pp. 123.
10. M. Koand, and N. Roztocki. 2009. “Investigating the Impact of Firm
Strategy-Click-and-Brick, Brick-and-Mortar, and Pure-Click-on Financial
Performance,” Journal of Information Technology Theory and Application 10,
no. 2, pp. 4–17.
240 NOTES

11. F. Bernstein, J. Song, and X. Zheng. 2008. “‘Bricks-and-Mortar’ vs. ‘Click-

and-Mortar’: An Equilibrium Analysis,” European Journal of Operational
Research 187, no. 3, p. 671.
12. T. Randall, S. Netessine, and N. Rudi. 2006. “An Empirical Examination
of the Decision to Invest in Fulfillment Capabilities: A Study of Internet
Retailers,” Management Science 52, no. 4, pp. 567–80.
13. J.A. Pearce II. 2002. “Speed Merchants,” Organizational Dynamics 30,
no. 3, pp. 1–16.
14. M. Vella. March 14, 2008. “How Hulu’s Design Gets It Right,” Business
Week. (Online). Accessed November 13, 2014 at http://search.proquest.
com/docview/217404001?accountid=14853
15. J.C. Linder, S. Jarvenpaa, and T. H. Davenport. 2003. “Toward an Innova-
tion Sourcing Strategy,” MIT Sloan Management Review 44, no. 4, p. 43.
16. P. Engardio and B. Einhorn. March 20, 2005. “Outsourcing Innovation,”
Business Week (Online). Accessed November 13, 2014 at http://www.busi-
nessweek.com/magazine/content/05_12/b3925601.htm
17. C.A. de Kluyver. “Innovation: The Strategic Thrust of the Nineties,” A Cre-
sap Insight, July 1988.
18. C.M. Christensen and M. Raynor. 1997. The Innovator’s Dilemma: When
New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail (Boston, MA: Harvard Business
School Press).
19. C.M. Christensen and M. Raynor. 2003. The Innovator’s Solution: Creating
and Sustaining Successful Growth (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School
Press).
20. D. Dodd and K. Favaro. 2006. “Managing the Right Tension,” Harvard
Business Review 84, no. 12, pp. 62–74.
21. R. Varadarajan. 2009. “Fortune at the Bottom of the Innovation Pyramid:
The Strategic Logic of Incremental Innovations,” Business Horizons 52,
pp. 21–9.
22. V. Bhatia and G. Carey. 2007. “Patenting for Profits,” MIT Sloan Manage-
ment Review 48, no. 4, pp. 15–16.
23. Ibid.
24. D. Laurie, Y. Doz, and C. Scheer. 2006. “Creating New Growth Platforms,”
Harvard Business Review 84, pp. 80–90.
25. Proctor and Gamble Annual Report, 2009. Accessed November 13, 2014
at http://www.pg.com/annualreport2009/_downloads/PG_2009_Annual-
Report.pdf
26. O. Alexy, P. Criscuolo, and A. Salter. 2009. “Does IP Strategy Have to Crip-
ple Open Innovation?” MIT Sloan Management Review 51, no. 1, pp. 71–7.
 NOTES
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27. H. Chesbrough and A. Garman. 2009. “How Open Innovation Can Help
You Cope in Lean Times,” Harvard Business Review 87, no. 12, pp. 68–76.
28. J.D. Bate. 2010. “How to Explore for Innovation on Your Organization’s
Strategic Frontier,” Strategy and Leadership 38, no. 1, pp. 32–6.
29. N. Radjou. 2005. “Networked Innovation Drives Profits,” Industrial Man-
agement 47, no. 1, pp. 14–21.
30. R. Stringer. 2000. “How to Manage Radical Innovation,” California Man-
agement Review 42, no. 4, pp. 70–88.
31. M. Amram. 2003. “Magnetic Intellectual Property: Accelerating Revenues
from Innovation,” Journal of Business Strategy 24, no. 3, pp. 24–30.
32. P. Koudal and G.C. Coleman. 2005. “Coordinating Operations to Enhance
Innovation in the Global Corporation,” Strategy & Leadership 33, no. 4, pp.
20–32.
33. G. Stevens and J. Burley. 2003. “Piloting the Rocket of Radical Innova-
tion,” Research Technology Management 46, no. 2, pp. 16–25.
34. S. Ogawa and F.P. Piller. 2006. “Reducing the Risks of New Product Devel-
opment,” MIT Sloan Management Review 47, no. 2, pp. 65–71.
35. T. Vesey. 1991. “Speed-To-Market Distinguishes the New Competitors,”
Research Technology Management 34, no. 6, pp. 33–8.
36. C.B. Dobni. 2006. “The Innovation Blueprint,” Business Horizons 49, no. 4,
pp. 329–39.
37. M. Sawhney, R.C. Wolcott, and I. Arroniz. 2006. “The 12 Different Ways
for Companies to Innovate,” MIT Sloan Management Review 47, no. 3, pp.
75–81.
38. T. Shervani and P.C. Zerillo. 1997. “The Albatross of Product Innovation,”
Business Horizons 40, no. 1, pp. 57–62.
39. H.W. Chesbrough. 2007. “Why Companies Should Have Open Business
Models,” MIT Sloan Management Review 40, no. 2, pp. 22–8.
40. R.D. Ireland and J.W. Webb. 2007. “Strategic Entrepreneurship: Creating
Competitive Advantage through Streams of Innovation,” Business Horizons
50, no. 1, 49–59.
41. M. O’Leary-Collins. 2005. “A Powerful Business Model for Capturing
­Innovation,” Management Services 49, no. 2, pp. 37–9.
42. P. Koudal and G.C. Coleman. 2005. “Coordinating Operations to Enhance
Innovation in the Global Corporation,” Strategy & Leadership 33, no. 4, pp.
20–32.
43. S. Ogawa and F.P. Piller. 2006. “Reducing the Risks of New Product Devel-
opment,” MIT Sloan Management Review 47, no. 2, pp. 65–71.
242 NOTES

Chapter 8
1. H. Paul. March/April, 2000. “Creating a Mindset,” Thunderbird Interna-
tional Business Review 42, no. 2, pp. 187–200.
2. Ibid.
3. C.K. Prahalad and K. Lieberthal. 1998. “The End of Corporate Imperial-
ism,” Harvard Business Review 76. pp. 109-117.
4. This section draws substantially on M. Aboy. 2009. “The Organization
of Modern MNEs is More Complicated Than the Old Models of Global,
­Multidomestic, and Transnational,” International Business Strategy—Social
Science Research Network, pp. 1–5.
5. See, e.g., C.A. Bartlett and S. Ghoshal. 1987. “Managing Across Bor-
ders: New Organizational Responses,” International Executive 29, no. 3,
pp. 10–13; C.A. Bartlett and S. Ghoshal. 1987. “Managing across Bor-
ders: New Strategic Requirements,” Sloan Management Review 28, no. 4,
pp. 7–17; C.A. Bartlett and S. Ghoshal. 1988. “Organizing for Worldwide
Effectiveness: The Transnational Solution,” California Management Review
31, no. 1, p. 54; C.A. Bartlett and S. Ghoshal. 1992. “What Is a Global
Manager?” Harvard Business Review 70, no. 5, pp. 124–132; C.A. Bartlett
and S. Ghoshal. 2000. “Going Global,” Harvard Business Review 78, no. 2,
pp. 132–142.
6. Bartlett and Ghoshal. 1987. International Executive, pp. 10–13; Bartlett and
Ghoshal. 1987. Sloan Management Review, pp. 7–17.
7. See, e.g., G.S. Yip. 1981. “Market Selection and Direction: Role of Prod-
uct Portfolio Planning” (Boston. MA: Harvard Business School); G.S.
Yip. 1982. “Diversification Entry: Internal Development versus Acquisi-
tion,” Strategic Management Journal 3, no. 4, pp. 331–345; G.S. Yip. 1982.
“Gateways to ENTRY,” Harvard Business Review 60, no. 5, pp. 85–92;
G.S. Yip. 1989. “Global Strategy a World of Nations?” Sloan Management
­Review 31, no. 1, pp. 29–41; G.S. Yip. 1991. “A Performance Comparison
of Continental and National Businesses in Europe,” International Market-
ing Review 8, no. 2, p. 31; G.S. Yip. 1991. “Strategies in Global Industries:
How U.S. Businesses Compete,” Journal of International Business Studies 22,
no. 4, pp. 749–753; G.S. Yip. 1994. “Industry Drivers of Global Strategy
and ­Organization,” International Executive 36, no. 5, pp. 529–556; G.S.
Yip. 1996. “Global Strategy as a Factor in Japanese Success,” International
Executive 38, no. 1, pp. 145–167; G.S. Yip. 1997. “Patterns and Determi-
nants of Global Marketing,” Journal of Marketing Management 13, no. 1–3,
pp. 153–164; G.S. Yip et al. 2000. “The Role of the Internationalization
Process in the Performance of Newly Internationalizing Firms,” Journal of
International Marketing 8, no. 3, pp. 10–35; G.S. Yip et al. 1997. “Effects of
Nationality on Global Strategy,” Management International Review 37, no. 4,
 NOTES
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pp. 365–385; G.S. Yip et al. 1988. “How to Take Your Company to the
Global Market,” Columbia Journal of World Business 23, no. 4, pp. 37–48;
G.S. Yip and T.L. Madsen. 1996. “Global Account Management: The New
Frontier in Relationship Marketing,” International Marketing Review 13, no.
3, pp. 24; G.S. Yip et al. 1998. “The Use and Performance Effect of Global
Account Management: An Empirical Analysis Using Structural Equations
Modeling.”(Stanford, CA: Stanford Graduate School of Business), Working
Paper No. 1481
8. K. Ohmae. 2006. “Growing in a Global Garden,” Leadership Excellence 23,
no. 9, pp. 14–15.
9. Aboy. 2009. International Business Strategy, pp. 1–5.

Chapter 9
1. P. Ghemawat. September, 2001. “Distance Still Matters: The Hard Reality
of Global Expansion,” Harvard Business Review, pp. 3–11.
2. T. Khanna, K.G. Palepu, and J. Sinha. 2005. “Strategies That Fit Emerging
Markets,” Harvard Business Review 83, No. 6, pp. 63–76.
3. D. Arnold. 2004. The Mirage of Global Markets (FT: Prentice Hall), p. 34.
4. For a more detailed discussion, see G.J. Tellis, P.N. Golder, and C.M.
­Christensen. 2001. Will and Vision: How Latecomers Grow to Dominate
Markets (NY: McGraw Hill), p. 86.
5. S.D. Eppinger and A.R. Chitkara. Summer, 2006. “The New Practice of
Global Product Development,” MIT Sloan Management Review 47, no. 4,
pp. 22–30.
6. J. Santos, Y. Doz, and P. Williamson. Summer, 2004. “Is Your Innovation
Process Global?”, MIT Sloan Management Review 45, no. 4; p. 31.
7. Ibid.
8. Special Report on Outsourcing, Business Week, January 2006.
9. C.A. Raiborn, J.B. Butler, and M.F. Massoud. 2009. Business Horizons, 52.
pp. 347-356

Chapter 10
1. This Chapter is based on C.A. de Kluyver, A Primer On Corporate Gover-
nance, Business Expert Press, 2012, chapter 7.
2. Bart, C. (2004). The governance role of the board in corporate strategy: An
initial progress report. International Journal of Business Governance and
Ethics, 1(2/3), 111–125.
244 NOTES

3. Lorsch, J. (1995, January–February). Empowering the board. Harvard

Business Review, 73(1), 107–117.
4. Felton, R., & Fritz, P. (2005). The view from the boardroom: Value and
performance [Special issue]. McKinsey Quarterly, 48–61.
5. de Kluyver, C.A and J. Pearce II (2009) STRATEGY: A VIEW FROM
THE TOP, (New Jersey: Prentice Hall) Fourth Edition, Chapter 1.
6. Bart, C. (2004). The governance role of the board in corporate strategy: An
initial progress report. International Journal of Business Governance and
Ethics, 1(2/3), 111–125.
7. Carey, D. C., & Patsalos-Fox, M. (2006). Shaping strategy from the board-
room. McKinsey Quarterly, 3, 90–94.
8. Korn/Ferry International. (2007). 33rd annual board of directors study. Los
Angeles: Author.
9. Nadler, D. (2004). What’s the board’s role in strategy development? Engag-
ing the board in corporate strategy. Strategy and Leadership, 32(5), 25–33.
10. Ibid.
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid.
14. This section is based on de Kluyver and Pearce (2009), op. cit., Chapter. 9;
and Rérolle, J.-F., & Vermeire, T. (2005, April 29). M&A best practices for
boards of directors. From Houlihan, Lokey, Howard, & Zukin, Corporate
Board Member Magazine, M&A /Capital Markets.
15. Usually, such opinions are prepared by the company’s financial advisers or
other consultants hired by management (who naturally hope to gain repeat
business). The board must ensure that this expert appraisal is carried out
in a truly independent manner. The board must therefore verify the inde-
pendence and skills of the expert(s), and, when the report is submitted, it
must ensure that the work was carried out properly, in accordance with the
professional standards in force. This assumes that at least one member of
the board has adequate, relevant experience or that the board is assisted by
another expert to help it in this task of supervision.
16. Rérolle and Vermeire,(April 29, 2005), op. cit.
17. This section is based on “What directors know about their companies:
A McKinsey Survey” (March, 2006).
18. This section is based on Nadler (2004), op. cit.
 Index
ACA. See Affordable Care Act (ACA) Apple, 43, 46, 99, 134, 163
Accenture, 104, 177 Arbitrage, 172–174
Acquisitions, 29–30, 142, 196–197, administrative, 173
225–230 combined with adaptation,
Activity ratios, 94 205–206
Adaptation, 169–171, 199–207 cultural, 173
combined with aggregation, economic, 173–174
204–205 geographic, 173
combined with arbitrage, 205–206 pitfalls and lessons in applying,
pitfalls and lessons in applying, 176–177
176–177 value proposition, 205–207
value proposition, 199–202 Artifacts, 40
Adidas, 7, 185 Asda, 190
Administrative aggregation, 172 AT&T, 163
Administrative arbitrage, 173 Attractiveness test, 28
Administrative distance, 49 Avon Cosmetics, 25, 131
Aetna AWS. See Amazon Web
telework program, 113 Services (AWS)
Affordable Care Act (ACA), 71,
139, 140 Backward integration, 25, 26
Aggregation, 171–172 Balanced Scorecard, 42–44
administrative, 172 Banco Colpatria–Red Multibanca
combined with adaptation, Colpatria S.A., 32
204–205 BASF, 127
cultural, 172 BCG. See Boston Consulting
economic, 172 Group (BCG)
geographic, 172 Benetton, 126
pitfalls and lessons in applying, Benihana of Tokyo, 173
176–177 Berkshire Hathaway, 26–27
value proposition, 199, 202–204, Best Buy, 82
206–207 Better-off test, 28
Airbus, 206 Bharti, 48
Alcoa, 62 BI. See Business Intelligence (BI)
Alignment, strategy as, 13 Big data, impact on technology
Allstate, 25 revolution, 56–57
Amazon, 8–9, 22, 24, 56, 57, 58, 149 Blackberries, 159
Amazon Web Services (AWS), 9 Blockbuster profit model,
American Airlines, 134 137–138
America Online, 55 Blu-ray, 157
Amoco, 25 BMW, 46
Anheuser-Busch, 73 ConnectedDrive, 58
246 INDEX

Board’s role, in strategic management, foundations

215–232 industry, 121
acquisitions, 225–230 market share, importance of, 122
deciding on capital structure, relative position, 121–122
223–225 strategic logic at business unit
defined, 215–220 level, 120–121
meaningful role, creating, 220–222 in fragmented industries, 144–145
mergers, 225–230 in growth industries, 141–143
strategy focused board, creating, in hypercompetitive industries,
231–232 146–147
strategy implementation, innovation, 157–166
monitoring, 230–231 Internet-based business models, 152
takeovers, 225–230 Internet-based firm inventory and
Boeing, 181 fulfillment, 152–153
Boston Consulting Group (BCG), 51 in Internet-based industries,
BPR. See Business process 149–150
reengineering (BPR) in mature and declining industries,
Brands, importance of, 100–102 143–144
Breakthrough innovation, 157–158 Porter’s generic business unit
BRIC, 51, 181 strategies
Budweiser, 51 critique of, 132–133
“Build, Buy, or Bond” paradigm, 24 differentiation or low cost,
Business and society, compact 128–130
between, 59–61 risks, 131–132
Business Intelligence (BI), 107, 108 success, requirements for,
Business model, 5–8 130–131
Business process reengineering profitable business model,
(BPR), 155 designing, 136–138
Business-to-business (B2B) speed, 153–157
models, 153 value disciplines
Internet-based, 152 customer intimacy, 135–136
Business-to-consumer (B2C) operational excellence, 134–135
models, 153 product leadership, 133–134
Internet-based, 152 Buyers
Business unit strategy, 14, 139–166 bargaining power of, 74
in click-and-mortar businesses, 150 preferences, 201
competitive reactions under extreme
competition, 147–148 Cadbury Schweppes PLC
competitive superiority, 151 “Purple goes Green” initiative, 114
in customer service, 150–151 CAGE framework, 172, 173
in deregulating industries, 145–146 Canon, 102
disruptions from myriad Capital
sources, 120 cost of, 95
in emerging industries, 141 human, 5, 97
formulating, 119–138 intellectual, 5, 98–99
competitive advantage, 123–125 markets, 193
key challenges, 122–123 structure, 223–225
value chain analysis, 126–128 total, 95
 INDEX
247

Career planning, global perspective green corporate strategy, creation of,

on, 187–188 112–117
Cash trap, 144 external green initiatives, 116
Caterpillar, 25 governments mandate adherence
Chemlawn, 25 to green regulations, 115–116
Chevron, 98 internal green initiatives
China appreciated by investors,
Restriction of Hazardous 113–115
Substances, 115–116 sustainability efforts through
Circuit City, 130 marketing, 117
Cisco, 205 human capital, 97
Citicorp, 180, 181 organizational strategic resources,
Click-and-mortar businesses, strategic 97–100
planning for, 150 physical assets, 93
Clorox, 164 stakeholder analysis, 111–112
Cloud computing, 107, 157 Competition
Coca-Cola, 46, 48, 53, 73, 100, 117, competitive reactions under
131, 167, 169, 181, 192, 199 extreme, 147–148
Coke, 169 globalization impact on, 51
Colgate-Palmolive, 23 Competitive advantage, 123–124
Collaborative filtering, 57 analysis of, 124–125
Commercial infrastructure, 200–201 Competitive drivers, 50
Companies Competitive environment, 193–194
globalization pressures on, 51–53 Competitive reactions under extreme
options and outcomes, industry competition, 147–148
influence on, 71–72 Competitive strategy. See Business
strategic resource base, analysis unit strategy
of. See Company’s strategic Competitive superiority, 151
resource base, analysis of Competitor(s)
Company’s strategic resource base, analysis, 87–89
analysis of, 91–117 globalization of, 53
brands, importance of, 100–102 Complementary products, influence
core competencies, 102–103 of, 75
financial resource base, 94–97 Comprehensive Environmental
forces for change Response, Compensation and
internal, 109 Liability Act of 1980, 115
life-cycle forces, 109–110 Concentrated growth strategies,
strategic forces, 110–111 24–25
global supply-chain management, Cooperative strategies, 30–31
103–108 Core business, definition of, 23
challenges to, 104–106 Core competencies, 102–103
importance of, 104 strategic alliances to build, 108
strategic alliances to build core Corporate Executive Board, 165
competence, 108 Corporate social responsibility (CSR),
strategic supply-chain models, 3, 46, 58–63
106–107 business and society, compact
supply-chain technology hosting, between, 59–61
107–108 green initiatives, 61–63
248 INDEX

Corporate strategy, 14 geographic, 49–50

Cost political, 49
analysis, 96 Diversification, 26–33
benchmarking, 96 cooperative strategies, 30–31
of capital, 95 funding limitations, 31
control, 142 market access, 32
of entry test, 28 mergers and acquisitions, 29–30
globalization drivers, 50 relatedness, 27–28
leadership, 128–129, 131 risk sharing, 31
CSR. See Corporate social technology access, 32
responsibility (CSR) tests, 28
Cultural aggregation, 172 Domino’s, 15, 154
Cultural arbitrage, 173 Dow Chemical, 98, 127
Cultural differences, and value Drop-shipping method, 153
proposition adaptation, Due diligence, 228–229
201–202 Dunkin’ Donuts, 11
Cultural distance, 49 DuPont, 28, 47, 53, 61, 62, 94
Culture, and organizational change,
39–41 Earned surplus, 223
Customer Earnings per share (EPS), 96
development/customer solutions Eastman Kodak, 28
profit model, 137 eBags.com, 153
intimacy, 135–136 eBay, 22, 24, 58
needs and preferences, globalization Economic aggregation, 172
of, 53 Economic arbitrage, 173–174
service, strategic planning for, Economic distance, 50
150–151 Economics of learning, 22
CyberGate, 154 Economic value added (EVA), 42,
95–96
DaimlerChrysler, 156 Economies of scale, 21–22, 52, 171
Debt Economies of scope, 22, 52, 171
versus equity, 223–224 Ecosystem perspective, of
long-term, 223 strategy, 12
preferred, 223 Emerging industries, business unit
Decision-making process, global, 186 strategy in, 141
Deere & Company, 213 Employee selection, global perspective
De facto standard profit model, 138 on, 187–188
Dell, 22, 98, 126, 128, 130, 151, 154 Entrepreneurial profit model, 138
Dell, Michael, 113 Entry strategies
Deregulating industries, business unit modes of entry, 195–197
strategy in, 145–146 timing, 197–198
Design strategy, 171 EPA Superfund. See Comprehensive
Differentiation, 128–130, 131 Environmental Response,
Disinvestments, 33 Compensation and Liability
Disruptive innovation, 159 Act of 1980
Distance, 194–195 EPS. See Earnings per share (EPS)
administrative, 49 Equity
cultural, 49 versus debt, 223–224
economic, 50 stakeholders’, 223–224
 INDEX
249

EVA. See Economic value added (EVA) General Foods, 11, 28, 199
Executive Order 12780, 115 Generally Recognized as Safe, 200
Expedia.com, 150 General Mills, 62
Explicit knowledge, 99 General Motors, 156
Exporting, 195 Geographic aggregation, 172
Externalization strategy, 170–171 Geographical scope decisions, 22
External partners, leveraging, Geographic arbitrage, 173
162–163 Geographic distance, 49–50
External strategic environment, Gillette, 100, 140
analysis of, 45–70 Global change strategy, 204
corporate social responsibility, 58–63 Global competitive advantage,
globalization, 46–54 realigning and restructuring
risk and uncertainty, 63–70 for, 185–188
technology revolution, 54–58 Globalization, 31, 46–54
global strategy and risk, 53–54
FedEx, 97, 113–114, 134 impact on competition, 51
Fiat, 52, 213 industry drivers, 50
Financial markets, 193 persistence of distance, 48–50
Financial ratio analysis, 94 pressures on companies, 51–53
Financial resource base, analysis of, status of, 47–48
94–97 Global market
Financial risk analysis, 97 attractiveness, measuring, 191–195
Focus strategy, 170 selection, 190–191
Folgers, 10 Global message strategy, 204
Followers, 142 Global mind-set, importance of,
Forces for change company’s strategic 178–181
resource base Global mix strategy, 203
internal, 109 Global offer strategy, 203–204
life-cycle forces, 109–110 Global segmentation approach to
strategic forces, 110–111 market selection, 192
Ford, 128, 156, 205 Global strategy, 167–214
Foreign direct investment, 196 AAA framework, 168–177
Forward integration, 25, 26 business model, adapting, 189–214
Fragmented industries, business unit entry strategies, 195–197
strategy in, 144–145 global market attractiveness,
Franchising, 171 measuring, 191–195
Functional strategy, 14 global market selection, 190–191
Funding limitations, 31, 213 sourcing dimension, 208–214
value proposition, 198–207
Gain or excess market power, 27–28 as business model change,
GE. See General Electric (GE) 167–168
GEH. See GE Healthcare (GEH) need for, 177–188
GE Healthcare (GEH), 175–176 global competitive advantage,
GE Money, 32 realigning and restructuring
Genentech, 24 for, 185–188
General Electric (GE), 7, 22, 24, 46, global mind-set, importance of,
53, 61, 128, 158, 175, 181, 178–181
187, 189 organization, as global strategy,
Ecomagination program, 113 181–185
250 INDEX

Global Supply-Chain Forum (GSCF) Horizontal scope decisions, 22

model, 107 HP. See Hewlett-Packard (HP)
Global supply-chain management, HP, 113, 165
103–108 Hubbard Hall, 62
challenges to, 104–106 Hulu.com, 158
importance of, 104 Human capital, 5, 97
strategic alliances to build core Huyett, 147
competence, 108 Hypercompetitive industries, business
strategic supply-chain models, unit strategy in, 146–147
106–107
supply-chain technology hosting, IAS. See International Accounting
107–108 Standard (IAS)
Goizueta, Roberto, 48 IBM, 22, 28, 46, 61, 98, 162–163,
Good to Great: Why Some Companies 174–175, 177
Make the Leap . . . and Others IBM Consulting Group, 140
Don’t, 20 IBM Global Services, 140
Goodyear, 25 IKEA, 171
Google, 169 Implicit knowledge, 99
Government drivers, 50 Industrial economics, 4
Green corporate strategy, creation of, Industry
112–117 buyers, bargaining power of, 74
external green initiatives, 116 complementary products, influence
governments mandate adherence to of, 75
green regulations, 115–116 definition of, 72–73
internal green initiatives appreciated evolution of, 76–86
by investors, 113–115 concentration, 77, 78–79
sustainability efforts through market evolution, common
marketing, 117 elements in, 79–81
Greenfield start-ups, 196–197 new patterns, 85–86
Green initiatives, 61–63 power curves, 82–84
Growth, 52 product differentiation, 77–78
industries, business unit strategy in, product life cycle analysis, 83–85
141–143 structure, 77–78
need for, 23–24 trajectories of change, 76–77
GSCF. See Global Supply-Chain globalization drivers, 50
Forum (GSCF) model influence on company’s options and
outcomes, 71–72
H&R Block, 15 methods of analysis, 86–90
Harrah’s, 57 competitor analysis, 87–89
HBO, 74 segmentation, 87
Heineken, 46 strategic groups, 89–90
Hewlett-Packard (HP), 63 rivalry among participants, 74–75
Hills Brothers, 10 structure of, 73–75
Hitachi, 162, 213 suppliers, bargaining power of, 74
Home Depot, 128, 135–136 threat of entry, 73
Service Performance Initiative, 135 threat of substitute products and
Honda, 102 services, 74
Horizontal integration, 26 Information technology, 3
 INDEX
251

ING DIRECT, 9–10 Leadership, 34–36

Innovation, 157–166, 171 cost, 128–129, 131
breakthrough, 157–158 product, 133–134
characteristics of, 161–162 technological, 191
disruptive, 159 Learning or experience curve, 22
external partners, leveraging, Leverage, 224
162–163 external partners, 162–163
framework for, 162 ratios, 94
global, 206–207 Leveraged buyouts (LBOs), 225
improving performance through, Li and Fung, 58
recommendations for, 165–166 Licensing, 195–196
outsourcing, 158 Liquidations, 33
Procter & Gamble, 163–164 Liquidity ratios, 94
and profitability, 164–166 Long-term debt, 223
sustaining, 158–159 Long-term perspectives, of strategy,
value creation through, 158–162 8–10
Innovators’ Dilemma, 158 Low cost, 128–130
Installed base profit model, 138 Lucent, 181
Intel, 24, 134, 167, 205
Intellectual capital, 5, 98–99 Management model, 5, 6
Interface, 62 Market
Internal development, 142 access, 32, 213
International Accounting Standard drivers, 50
(IAS), 227 evolution, 79–81
Internet, 55–56 participation, 5, 6
Internet-based business models, 152 selection, global, 190–191
Internet-based firm inventory and share, as strategic goal in business
fulfillment, 152–153 unit level, 122
Internet-based industries, strategic Market value added (MVA),
planning for, 149–150 95, 96
Investors, internal green initiatives Mary Kay Cosmetics
appreciated by, 113–115 (MKC), 194
Matsushita, 183
Jobs, Steve, 99 Mature and declining industries,
John Deere, 25 business unit strategy in,
Johnson & Johnson, 117 143–144
Joint ventures, 142, 196, 212, 29, 30. Maytag, 131
See also Partnering; Strategic McCormick, 102
alliances McDonald’s, 11, 22, 82, 115, 204
McKinsey & Company, 71, 91, 111,
KFC, 25 165, 218
Knowledge, 52–53, 98–100 Mergers, 29–30, 225–230
explicit, 99 Metalco, 151
implicit, 99 Metro, 190
tacit, 99 Microsoft, 28, 32, 98, 141, 187, 192,
205, 213
Labor markets, 193 Microsoft Office, 157
LBOs. See Leveraged buyouts (LBOs) Millennium Pharmaceuticals, 127
252 INDEX

Mind-set Organization, as global strategy,

definition of, 178 181–185
global, importance of, 178–181 global, 183
Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing international, 181–182
(3M), 102 modern global, 184–185
15 percent rule, 150–151 modern multidomestic, 184
“Foresight,” 160 multidomestic, 182–183
“Greenfields,” 160 transnational, 183–184
innovation, 160–161 Outsourcing, 172
Pollution Prevention Pays (3P) advantages of, 208–210
program, 63 innovation, 158
Mission statement, 14–16 risks associated with, 210–212
MKC. See Mary Kay Cosmetics
(MKC) Packaging design, 201
MK Restaurants, 101–102 Palm Pilots, 159
Modes of entry, 195–197 Partnering, 212–214. See also
Motorola, 11, 97, 191 Joint ventures; Strategic
Mr. Clean, 140 alliances
Multicomponent system profit Patents, 98–99
model, 137 Pepsi Cola, 73
MVA. See Market value added (MVA) Performance and strategy, link
between, 33–41
NASDAQ, 98 leadership, 34–36
NBC, 158 organizational change, 36–41
Nescafé, 10 purpose, 34–36
Nestlé, 101, 174, 184, 186, 189 strategic options, evaluation of
Netscape, 98 Balanced Scorecard, 42–44
Network(s/ing), 171 criteria, 41
developing and coordinating, 187 shareholder value, 42
News Corp., 158 Philips, 172, 181, 183
Nike, 7, 46, 100, 127, 130, 134 Philips Medical Systems (PMS), 176
Nokia, 192, 206 Physical assets, 93
Nordstrom, 135 Playstation 3, 157
PMS. See Philips Medical Systems
Offshoring, 172, 208, 209, 210 (PMS)
On-demand models, 107 Political distance, 49
Operational excellence, 134–135 Porter’s generic business unit
Oracle Corporation, 128 strategies
Organizational change, 36–41 critique of, 132–133
culture, 39–41 differentiation or low cost,
people, 39 128–130
structure, 37–38 risks, 131–132
systems and processes, 38–39 success, requirements for, 130–131
Organizational resistance to change, Power curves, 82–84
anticipating and overcoming, Pratt & Whitney, 7
186–187 Preferred debt, 223
Organizational strategic resources, Price-comparison services, 57
97–100 PricewaterhouseCoopers, 46, 140
 INDEX
253

Procter & Gamble (P&G), 11, 47, ROA. See Return on assets (ROA)
52, 102, 116, 124, 140, 175, Rockwell International, 28
181, 187, 197 ROE. See Return on equity (ROE)
“Connect and Develop” ROI. See Return on Investment (ROI)
program, 163 Rolls Royce, 7
FutureWorks, 163
innovation, 163–164 SaaS. See Software as a Service (SaaS)
Product Samsung, 46, 192
differentiation, 77–78 SAP, 206
guarantees, 201 Scenario analysis, 68–69
leadership, 133–134 Scenario planning, limitations of,
life cycle analysis, 83–85 69–70
markets, 193 SCOR. See Supply-Chain Operational
pyramid profit model, 137 Reference (SCOR) model
Profitability Securities and Exchange
innovation and, 164–166 Commission, 145
ratios, 94 Segmentation, 87
Profitable business model, designing, Sell-offs, 33
136–138 Semiglobalization, 47–48, 171
Profit multiplier model, 138 7-S model, 111
Shared values, 40
Radio Shack, 130 Shareholder-value analysis, 94
Razor–razor blade model, 6 Shareholder value approach (SVA), 42
Reebok, 7, 127 ShopAlerts, 56
Regionalization, 171 SIC. See Standard Industrial
Relatedness, 27–28 Classification (SIC) code
degree of, 28 Siemens Medical Solutions
gain or excess market power, 27–28 (SMS), 176
intangible resources, 27 Silk Road, 46
strategic, 28 Skandia, 98
tangible resources, 27 SMS. See Siemens Medical Solutions
Resource-based perspective, of (SMS)
strategy, 4–5 Software as a Service (SaaS), 107
Retained earnings. See Earned surplus Sony, 22, 157, 192
Return on assets (ROA), 94, 95, 96 Sourcing dimension, globalizing,
Return on equity (ROE), 95, 96 208–214
Return on Investment (ROI), 26, 41, partnering, 212–214
94, 195 risks associated with outsourcing,
Revenue business models, Internet- 210–212
based, 152 Southwest Airlines, 129
Reverse logistics, 106 Specialization profit model, 138
Risk(s), 63–70 Specialization ratio, 28
business unit strategy, 131–132 Speed merchants, 154
implications for strategy, 66–68 Speed, of business unit strategy,
risk-sharing, 31, 212 153–157
scenario analysis, 68–69 consequences of, 156–157
scenario planning, limitations of, forming partnerships, 156
69–70 methods of, 155
254 INDEX

pressures for, 154–155 stakeholders, role of, 14

requirements of, 155 strategic intent, 16
streamlining operations, 155 strategy as alignment, 13
upgrading technology, 156 stretch, 16
Spin-offs, 33 value, 10–11
Stakeholder(s) vision and mission, 14–16
analysis, 111–112 Stretch, 16
role in strategy formulation, 14 Success, requirements for, 130–131
Standard Industrial Classification Suppliers, bargaining power of, 74
(SIC) code, 121 Supply chain(s)
Starbucks, 10–11, 82, 206 of Internet business models, 152
Starwood Hotels & Resorts technology hosting, 107–108
Worldwide, 134–135 Supply-Chain Operational Reference
Strategic alliances, 142, 171, 196, (SCOR) model, 107
212, 30. See also Joint Sustainability, 3, 132
ventures; Partnering efforts through marketing, 117
to build core competence, 108 Sustaining innovation, 158–159
Strategic choice process, 221–222 SVA. See Shareholder value approach
Strategic decision making, 221 (SVA)
Strategic groups, 89–90 Switchboard profit model, 137
Strategic intent, 16 Synergy, 27
Strategic planning, 221
Strategic relatedness, 28 Tacit knowledge, 99
Strategic supply-chain models, 106–107 Taco Bell, 123
Strategic thinking, 221 Tactics
Strategy distinguished from strategy, 8
as alignment, 13 Takeovers, 225–230
definition of, 1 Tata Motors, 171
distinguished from tactics, 8 Technology access, 32, 213–214
ecosystem perspective of, 12 Technology revolution, 54–58
execution, 221 impact of big data, 56–57
focused board, creating, 231–232 Internet, 55–56
formulation of. See Strategy new business models, 57–58
formulation Tesco, 57, 190
implementation, monitoring, Texas Instruments, 52
230–231 Textron, 28
levels of, 14 Threat of market entry, 73
planning of, 13 Threat of substitute products and
resource-based perspective of, 4–5 services, 74
Strategy formulation, 5–18 Time profit model, 137
business model, 5–8 Timing of entry, 197–198
ecosystem perspective, 12 Top management, strong
levels of strategy, 14 commitment by, 185
long-term perspectives, 8–10 Total capital, 95
options, creating, 11–12 Toyota, 46, 47–48, 114, 171
planning, 13, 18 Trade-offs, 8–10
process, 16–18 Transparency, 37
 INDEX
255

Uncertainty, 63–70 Value-based management (VBM), 42

implications for strategy, 66–68 Variation strategy, 169–170
residual, analysis of, 64–66 VBM. See Value-based management
scenario analysis, 68–69 (VBM)
scenario planning, limitations of, Vertical integration, 25–26
69–70 Vertical scope decisions, 22
Unilever, 181, 187, 197 Viguerie, 147
United Nations, 191 Virgin, 22
United Nations World Intellectual Vision statement, 14–16, 186
Property Organization, 98
United Parcel Service (UPS), 40, Wal-Mart, 8, 9, 12, 24, 48, 50, 57,
61–62, 115 61, 82, 102, 114, 128, 134,
UPS. See United Parcel Service (UPS) 172, 190
Use adaptation, 171 Walt Disney Productions, 130
USEC, 115 Web-based markets, 58
What Really Works: The 4 + 2 Formula
Value, 10–11 for Sustained Business Success,
chain analysis, 126–128 20–21
chain infrastructure, 5, 6 Whirlpool, 22, 169
creation through innovation, Whole Foods Market, 15–16
158–162 World Bank, 191
disciplines World Trade Organization (WTO),
customer intimacy, 135–136 98, 190
operational excellence, 134–135 WTO. See World Trade Organization
product leadership, 133–134 (WTO)
migration, 11
proposition, 5, 10 Xerox, 172
adaptation strategies, 199–202
globalization matrix, 202–204 Zara, 46
globalizing, 198–207 Zeneca, 125
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