The big strategic efforts that require internal change almost always fail to achieve the original objectives. Whether it’s an acquisition and subsequent integration, a needed change in the ability to innovate, implementation of a major ERP system or software platform, a new supply chain program or approach, or any number of other major initiatives, CEO’s are […]
How old is your business? No, really. How old? As we get older, inevitably we get a little less flexible, slower in response, a little more risk-averse, and we tend to look back in time more often than forward. Unfortunately, this aging process happens in businesses too. But it doesn’t have to. Businesses can self-renew. […]
Strategy isn’t just about being better than the competition. It’s about being different; something that eludes most consumer products businesses. I’ll come right out and say it so you can decide if you want to read on: It’s high time for IT and CIOs to play a major strategic role in differentiating consumer products companies […]
After 30+ years working with some of the best and brightest business leaders in the consumer products industry and now after 5 years consulting to businesses large and small in consumer products and other industries as well, I can truthfully say I’ve never met a CEO or senior leader that wasn’t smart. But I have […]
It was the 14th revision of a global operations strategy for a very large company that will remain nameless (but makes very tasty food). We had done all the situation analysis, set preliminary objectives, walked around preliminary strategies to all the functional heads and their strategy staff, collected valuable input and made modifications. We had […]
Most business leaders subscribe to the theory of first mover advantage: being first to market results in competitive advantages in sales and market share (#2 loses 25% of sales to #1), earnings (late to market cuts 5-year profitability by a third) and others. Just ask Samsung how it feels to be #2 behind the iPad […]
Businesses need to grow and when it comes to growth, new products are essential. Campbell Soup is hoping their new product portfolio will help them turn around a sagging soup category. However, as P&G is finding out, it takes more than line extensions or product reformulations. Most consumers don’t want more product features. It takes […]
“What’s our consumer path to purchase? Did we win the Moment of Truth? Oh, wait, which moment was that: first or second? What about the new Zero Moment of Truth? Where on the Path did that occur? Do we have a strategy for winning those moments? By the way, do we need a different strategy […]
Long before farmers and ranchers had the machinery to make today’s small rectangular or large round bales of hay, they made haystacks. The principles farmers employed to work together and make a good haystack also apply to organizational alignment. Strong organizational alignment in these four key areas is a matter of strategy and design and can drive better business results.
