Business Intelligence

40 Strategic Moves that Drive Exceptional Business Growth

by Rita McGrath and Ian MacMillan (14400)

A “Market Buster” is a game changer in the world of business. It is defined as a powerful strategic move that alters the competitive landscape in such a way that it puts your company firmly on the road to high growth.

There are five overall strategic themes and forty strategic moves within those themes that all marketbusters use:

1. Change the customer experience: Make it simpler, faster or better for customers
2. Reconfigure products, services: Make your offerings appreciably better
3. Redefine business and metrics: Change how customers do business with you
4. Anticipate future industry shifts: Exploit changes before competitors can react
5. Create a new market space: Trigger the emergence of a new market

To trigger rapid growth for your own organization, don’t try and reinvent the wheel. Instead, decide which strategic theme and which strategic move within that theme you want to use, and focus on executing that strategic move exceptionally well.

Market Busters

Marketing without Marketing

by Alex Wipperfurth (14200)

Companies like Starbucks, eBay, Palm and Red Bull have built multi-billion-dollar valuations without using any conventional advertising campaigns. Far from being lucky breaks, the success of these and other companies demonstrate the smart approach to building a business and a brand in the 21st century is to do what can be termed “marketing without marketing.”

More specifically, these brands create the illusion that success is happening serendipitously as driven by the users rather than as dictated by the corporation. This is good, because it means the user base feels like they’re in control of the brand. Consumers who instantly and automatically reject traditional marketing as being too intrusive respond well to the invitation to help shape what their favorite brand will mean in the future. This is the essence of marketing without marketing.

The key to building a brand nowadays is to let the market hijack your brand. The more marketplace involvement you have, the better — even if that takes your brand off in unanticipated directions. What you’ll ultimately end up with is a brand experience that is richer, better, more genuine and therefore more sustainable than anything you would have consciously developed yourself. Have the confidence to let the market decide how your brand evolves.

Brand Hijack

Practical Ideas From The Best Brains in Business
Joel Kurtzman (09100)

At one level, business isn’t as difficult to master as the business schools and other sellers of educational courses would have you believe. To be successful in business, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist. In fact, if you want to be well rounded and successful, there are ten key areas you’ll need to have some knowledge and expertise in:

1. Innovation
Always keep refininig and improving the product or service you sell.

2. Sustainability
Businesses must do more than make money — thye must contribute.

3. Accounting
For capital markets to exist, accurate financial information is required.

4. Strategy
For companies, strategy is all about direction and thinking clearly.

5. Managing
Good managers learn more from the people they manage than they teach.

6. Human Resources
Smart businesses stay that way by sharing knowledge between people.

7. Leadership
Self-improvement is the foundation on which successful leadership is built.

8. Marketing
Marketing and advertising are long-term investments, not expenses.

9. Communication
Communication can mean the difference between success and failure.

10. Execution
The best way to learn is to study the slip-ups of others and avoid them.

I have asked some of the best minds in business to put down some of their best thoughts. I have asked them to be candid, open, and opinionated. I have asked them to tackle the subjects they love from perspectives that they know work. I have asked them to give readers a glimpse of how they think about what they do. My goal is to help readers shift their vantage points, shake up their thinking, and stretch their minds.

–Joel Kurtzman

MBA in a Box

(13900)

Outsell, Outmanage, Outmotivate and Outnegotiate Your Competition
Harvey Mackay

This is the magic formula for success. It’s easy to explain but difficult to execute. You can add your own extra dimension with vision, backing your own judgment or a host of other personal factors.

No one has the only game in town–there’s a never-ending a cycle of change and destruction inherent in the capitalist society. New opportunities are continually being created for those with determination, goals and concentration.

You don’t learn to swim with the sharks in a single outing. High-stakes challenges demand practice and perseverance.

Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive