In November 1996, the most prominent strategy
academic, Michael Porter of Harvard, published
a Harvard Business Review article grandly
entitled “What is strategy?” (Harvard Business
Review, Nov-Dec 1996).This was followed only a
few months later by another famous academic,
Gary Hamel of London Business School, with an
equally impressively titled article, “The search
for strategy”(London Business School working
paper, 1997). That after 40 years of academic
research on the subject, two of the most
prominent academics in the field felt the need to
go out of their way and start searching for
strategy goes to show how much confusion we
have managed to create regarding such a crucial
business decision.
Although part of the confusion is undoubtedly
self-inflicted, a major portion of it also stems
from an honest lack of understanding as to the
content of strategy. I would like to propose a view
of strategy that is based on my research on
companies that have strategically innovated in
their industries. These are companies that not
only developed strategies that are fundamentally
different from the strategies of their competitors
but whose strategies also turned out to be
tremendously successful.
Based on my research on these successful
strategists, I’d like to propose that there are
certain simple but fundamental principles
underlying every successful strategy. When one
goes beyond the visible differences among
strategies and probes deeper into the roots of
these strategies, one cannot fail but notice that
all successful strategies share the same
underlying principles or building blocks. Thus,
the building blocks of Microsoft’s successful
strategy are the same as the building blocks of
the strategy that propelled Sears to industry
leadership 100 years ago. My argument is that
by understanding what these building blocks are,
an organisation can use them to develop its own
successful strategy. The building blocks are:
In November 1996, the most prominent strategyacademic, Michael Porter of Harvard, publisheda Harvard Business Review article grandlyentitled “What is strategy?” (Harvard BusinessReview, Nov-Dec 1996).This was followed only afew months later by another famous academic,Gary Hamel of London Business School, with anequally impressively titled article, “The searchfor strategy”(London Business School workingpaper, 1997). That after 40 years of academicresearch on the subject, two of the mostprominent academics in the field felt the need togo out of their way and start searching forstrategy goes to show how much confusion wehave managed to create regarding such a crucialbusiness decision.Although part of the confusion is undoubtedlyself-inflicted, a major portion of it also stemsfrom an honest lack of understanding as to thecontent of strategy. I would like to propose a viewof strategy that is based on my research oncompanies that have strategically innovated intheir industries. These are companies that notonly developed strategies that are fundamentallydifferent from the strategies of their competitorsbut whose strategies also turned out to betremendously successful.Based on my research on these successfulstrategists, I’d like to propose that there arecertain simple but fundamental principlesunderlying every successful strategy. When onegoes beyond the visible differences amongstrategies and probes deeper into the roots ofthese strategies, one cannot fail but notice thatall successful strategies share the sameunderlying principles or building blocks. Thus,the building blocks of Microsoft’s successfulstrategy are the same as the building blocks ofthe strategy that propelled Sears to industryleadership 100 years ago. My argument is thatby understanding what these building blocks are,an organisation can use them to develop its ownsuccessful strategy. The building blocks are:
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