Strategy and Antistrategy
A quick note. Many discussions I've been having recently with corporate clients go something like this.
Me: Nice to meet you. So, what's your big picture, long-run strategy?
Boardroom Guys: Uhh...we're gonna penetrate emerging markets!!!
Me: Let me guess, India, China, and then the rest?
BG: Yup!! Isn't that cool!!?? Don't tell anyone!�!!!%%%
Me: Well...yes...no...see, it's not really a strategy...
The point is that simply choosing to somehow target "growth" by investing in, well, growing markets is not exactly a strategy - especially when everyone else is doing it.
Too many firms these days are looking hungrily east, without thinking about the very basic who, what, how, why that should guide the firm.
Hi Umair,
If this post your was meant to be teaser to let people put on their thikning hats then from my PoV it was if the teaser was wearing a quarter pant nickers.
And If it was a rant then just a deep bought of air was sucked in but breathing out did not happen.
Rajan
Hey Rajan,
You're missing the point, which is really that firms are seeing emerging markets as a means to the ends of growing revenues, possibly profits - but not rediscovering long-term advantage. Which is a big mistake.
Thx for the comment.
