The strategic intent of a large company may be to exercise industry leadership on a national or global scale. The strategic intent of a small company may be to dominate a market niche and gain recognition as an up-and-coming enterprise. The time horizon underlying the concept of strategic intent is long term. Companies that rise to prominence in their markets almost invariably begin with strategic intents that are out of proportion to their immediate capabilities and market positions. But they set ambitious long-term strategic objectives and then pursue them relentlessly, sometimes even obsessively, over a 10- to 20-year period.