Designing strategy
Posted by Grant Brewer
That approach to strategy epitomised by Gary Hamel and CK Prahalad has often been referred to in this column. Their approach encourages organisations to reinvent their future rather than build their strategy purely as a response to the industry circumstances that they find themselves in. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but an interesting trend has emerged over recent years that links innovative strategy with innovative product or service design.
Apple Computer, Inc is one company that demonstrates this trend more than most: its innovative product design has assisted it to carve out a new set of markets for portable music players, computers and software. And they did this from a position of weakness since although Apple has always enjoyed a strong brand, they have very low market share. Sony is another example. They pioneered a design oriented strategy when they launched the Walkman in the early eighties, creating a new market that has grown significantly since then. In the service industry Virgin has embedded the design and position of their brand into every service they deliver. Boutique hotel chains provide another example of design oriented service delivery.
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strategy (8) | design (3) | apple, (1)
Why are products so complex?
Posted by Grant Brewer
Technology and progress were meant to make us more productive and make life easier. We were meant to be enjoying more leisure time, whilst technology helped us get the job done. We know that this idea was far from the truth, but there is still a nagging doubt that life (and the products and services we consume whilst living) have become more complex to deal with rather than less complex. One of the keys to overcoming the challenge is to stop trying to please everyone -- accept that some potential customers won't buy your product or service, and this takes courage. Good strategy often requires the courage to take such a stand. If you get your product portfolio right and get customers to understand your products you might be on the road to creating value through product leadership. And that might help you lower the cost of sales and lower support costs as you get the right product to the right consumer, just when they want it.
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Essays | Strategy | Intelligence Strategym
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design (3) | product strategy (2) | mtn (2) | apple (2) | telkom (1) | simplicity (1) | compexity (1) | bmw (1)
The Independent’s Rugby World Cup front page
Posted by Grant Brewer
Justin Hartman got it right when he praised the cover of The Independent newspaper in the UK on the eve of the Rugby World Cup final between South Africa and England. It takes a very smart copywriter to think come up with the idea, and brave editor to put something without a picture on the cover!
In case you haven't realised, the headline is about England not South Africa! And the “slave song” is Swing Low.
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world cup (3) | design (3) | newspaper (1) | layout (1) | inspiration (1)