2. What is Strategy?
Strategy is the overall plan for
deploying resources to establish a
favorable position.
Tactic is a scheme for a specific
maneuver.
3. Characteristics of strategic decisions…
– Important
– Involve a significant commitment of resources
– Not easily reversible
5. Definitions
Strategic Management Process
The full set of commitments, decisions, and
actions required for a firm to create value and
earn above-average returns
Value Creation
What is achieved when a firm successfully
formulates and implements a strategy that
other companies are unable to duplicate or
find too costly to imitate.
6. Definitions
Returns that are in excess of what an investor
expects to earn from other investments with a similar
amount of risk
Above-Average Returns
Returns that are equal to those an investor
expects to earn from other investments with a
similar amount of risk
Average Returns
8. Fundamental nature of
competition is changing
Competitive Landscape
Hypercompetitive
environments
Dynamics of strategic
maneuvering among global
and innovative combatants
Price-quality positioning,
new know-how, first
mover
Protect or invade
established product or
geographic markets
9. Fundamental nature of
competition is changing
Hypercompetitive
environments
Competitive Landscape
Emergence of global
economy
Goods, services, people,
skills, and ideas move
freely across geographic
borders
Spread of economic
innovations around the
world
Political and cultural
adjustments are required
10. Hypercompetitive
environments
Competitive Landscape
Emergence of global
economy
Rapid technological
change
Increasing rate of
technological change and
diffusion
The information age
Increasing knowledge
intensity
Fundamental nature of
competition is changing
11. Strategic Flexibility
A set of capabilities used to respond to
various demands and opportunities existing
in a dynamic and uncertain competitive
environment
It involves coping with uncertainty and the
accompanying risks
13. Strategy dictated by theStrategy dictated by the
external environment ofexternal environment of
the firm (whatthe firm (what
opportunities exist inopportunities exist in
these environments?)these environments?)
Firm develops internalFirm develops internal
skills required by externalskills required by external
environment (what canenvironment (what can
the firm do about thethe firm do about the
opportunities?)opportunities?)
GeneralGeneral
EnvironmentEnvironment
GlobalGlobal
TechnologicalTechnological
Economic
Economic
Sociocultural
Sociocultural
Political/Legal
Political/Legal
Demographic
Demographic
1. External Environments
Industry
Environment
Competitor
Environment
I/O Model of Above-Average Returns
14. Four Assumptions of the I/O Model
The external environment is assumed to possess
pressures and constraints that determine the
strategies that would result in above-average returns
Most firms competing within a particular industry or
within a certain segment of it are assumed to control
similar strategically relevant resources and to pursue
similar strategies in light of those resources
15. Four Assumptions of the I/O Model
Resources used to implement strategies are highly
mobile across firms
Organizational decision makers are assumed to be
rational and committed to acting in the firm’s best
interests, as shown by their profit-maximizing
behaviors
16. Industrial OrganizationIndustrial Organization
ModelModel
I/O Model of Above-Average Returns
Study the external
environment, especially
the industry environment
economies of scale
barriers to market entry
diversification
product differentiation
degree of concentration of
firms in the industry
The External EnvironmentThe External Environment
17. I/O Model of Above-Average Returns
Locate an attractive
industry with a high
potential for above-
average returns
Attractive industry: one
whose structural
characteristics suggest
above-average returns
Industrial OrganizationIndustrial Organization
ModelModel
The External EnvironmentThe External Environment
An Attractive IndustryAn Attractive Industry
18. I/O Model of Above-Average Returns
Identify the strategy called
for by the attractive
industry to earn above-
average returns
Strategy formulation:
selection of a strategy linked
with above-average returns
in a particular industry
Industrial OrganizationIndustrial Organization
ModelModel
The External EnvironmentThe External Environment
An Attractive IndustryAn Attractive Industry
Strategy FormulationStrategy Formulation
19. I/O Model of Above-Average Returns
Develop or acquire assets
and skills needed to
implement the strategy
Assets and skills: those
assets and skills required to
implement a chosen
strategy
Industrial OrganizationIndustrial Organization
ModelModel
The External EnvironmentThe External Environment
An Attractive IndustryAn Attractive Industry
Strategy FormulationStrategy Formulation
Assets and SkillsAssets and Skills
20. I/O Model of Above-Average Returns
Use the firm’s strengths (its
developed or acquired assets
and skills) to implement the
strategy
Strategy implementation:
select strategic actions
linked with effective
implementation of the
chosen strategy
Industrial OrganizationIndustrial Organization
ModelModel
The External EnvironmentThe External Environment
An Attractive IndustryAn Attractive Industry
Strategy FormulationStrategy Formulation
Assets and SkillsAssets and Skills
Strategy ImplementationStrategy Implementation
21. I/O Model of Above-Average Returns
Industrial Organization
Model
The External EnvironmentThe External Environment
An Attractive IndustryAn Attractive Industry
Strategy FormulationStrategy Formulation
Assets and SkillsAssets and Skills
Strategy ImplementationStrategy Implementation
Superior ReturnsSuperior Returns
Superior returns: earning of
above-average returns
22. Strategy dictated by the
firm’s unique resources and
capabilities
Find an environment in
which to exploit these
assets (where are the best
opportunities?)
Resource-based Model of Above Average
Returns
1. Firm’s Resources1. Firm’s Resources
23. Identify the firm’s
resources-- strengths and
weaknesses compared
with competitors
Resources: inputs into a
firm’s production process
Resource-based Model of Above Average Returns
Resource-basedResource-based
ModelModel
ResourcesResources
24. Determine the firm’s
capabilities--what it can do
better than its competitors
Capability: capacity of an
integrated set of resources
to integratively perform a
task or activity
Resource-based Model of Above Average Returns
Resource-basedResource-based
ModelModel
ResourcesResources
CapabilityCapability
25. Determine the potential of
the firm’s resources and
capabilities in terms of a
competitive advantage
Competitive advantage:
ability of a firm to
outperform its rivals
Resource-based Model of Above Average Returns
Resource-basedResource-based
ModelModel
ResourcesResources
CapabilityCapability
Competitive AdvantageCompetitive Advantage
26. Locate an attractive industry
An attractive industry: an
industry with opportunities
that can be exploited by the
firm’s resources and
capabilities
Resource-based Model of Above Average Returns
Resource-basedResource-based
ModelModel
ResourcesResources
CapabilityCapability
Competitive AdvantageCompetitive Advantage
An Attractive IndustryAn Attractive Industry
27. Select a strategy that best
allows the firm to utilize its
resources and capabilities
relative to opportunities in
the external environment
Strategy formulation and
implementation: strategic
actions taken to earn above
average returns
Resource-based Model of Above Average Returns
Resource-basedResource-based
ModelModel
ResourcesResources
CapabilityCapability
Competitive AdvantageCompetitive Advantage
An Attractive IndustryAn Attractive Industry
Strategy Form/ImplStrategy Form/Impl
28. Resource-based Model of Above Average Returns
Resource-basedResource-based
ModelModel
ResourcesResources
CapabilityCapability
Competitive AdvantageCompetitive Advantage
An Attractive IndustryAn Attractive Industry
Strategy Form/ImplStrategy Form/Impl
Superior ReturnsSuperior Returns
Superior returns: earning
of above-average returns
29. Strategic Intent & Mission
Strategic Intent
Winning competitive battles by leveraging the firm’s
resources, capabilities, and core competencies
Strategic Mission
An application of strategic intent in terms of products to be
offered and markets to be served
31. Strategic Management Process for Intended
Strategies
Missions
and Goals
Missions
and Goals
Strategic
Choice
Strategic
Choice
Organizing for
Implementation
Organizing for
Implementation
Internal
Analysis
Internal
Analysis
External
Analysis
External
Analysis
INTENDED STRATEGY
32. Strategic Management Process for Emergent
Strategies
Missions
and Goals
Missions
and Goals
Internal
Analysis
Internal
Analysis
External
Analysis
External
Analysis
EMERGENT STRATEGY
Strategic Choice
Does It Fit?
Strategic Choice
Does It Fit?
Organizational
Grassroots
Organizational
Grassroots
33. Groups who are affected by aGroups who are affected by a
firm’s performance and whofirm’s performance and who
have claims on its wealthhave claims on its wealth
The firm must maintain
performance at an adequate
level in order to retain the
participation of key
stakeholders
The Firm and Its Stakeholders
StakeholdersStakeholders
34. Capital Market StakeholdersCapital Market Stakeholders
The Firm and Its Stakeholders
ShareholdersShareholders
Major suppliers of capitalMajor suppliers of capital
•BanksBanks
•Private lendersPrivate lenders
•Venture capitalistsVenture capitalists
StakeholdersStakeholders
35. Capital Market StakeholdersCapital Market Stakeholders
Product Market StakeholdersProduct Market Stakeholders
The Firm and Its Stakeholders
Primary customersPrimary customers
SuppliersSuppliers
Host communitiesHost communities
UnionsUnions
StakeholdersStakeholders
36. Capital Market StakeholdersCapital Market Stakeholders
Product Market StakeholdersProduct Market Stakeholders
Organizational StakeholdersOrganizational Stakeholders
The Firm and Its Stakeholders
EmployeesEmployees
ManagersManagers
NonmanagersNonmanagers
StakeholdersStakeholders
37. Values
Johnson & Johnson’s credo
sets its responsibilities to:
1. J&J product users.
2. J&J employees.
3. Communities in which J&J
employees live and work.
4. J&J stockholders.
Source: Courtesy of Johnson & Johnson.
38. Johnson & Johnson Credo*
First Responsibility Is to Those Who
Use J&J Products
Next Come Its Employees
Next, the Communities in Which the
Employees Live and Work
Its Final Responsibility Is
to Its Stockholders
I/O Model: McDonalds and Starbucks
Respectively, in both cases the CEOs Ray Crock and Howard Schultz were examining
the industry in which they worked. Crock was a sales rep for a firm that built malted
milkshake machines. Schultz was a sales rep for a company that made home espresso
machine accessories. Both noticed that there was a customer that was purchasing a large
volume of these machines. They made trips to the locations of these stores and noticed
that each was in an emerging industry that had high-growth potential and higher-than-average
profit margins. McDonalds is in fast-food and drive-thru restaurants and Starbucks
is in specialty coffee retail.
Four Assumptions of the I/O Model
Both Crock and Schultz identified the strategy that allowed their companies to achieve
high profits: McDonalds through the “assembly line” of their burgers and Starbucks with
product marketing that created ambiance and consistency, a value perception that allowed
them to charge high premium for their coffee.
Four Assumptions of the I/O Model (cont.)
Both McDonalds and Starbucks then spent time and capital to acquire and develop the
skills needed to implement the business strategy. Crock became a business partner of the
McDonald brothers and sold franchise agreements for them. Schultz took a position in the
marketing department of Starbucks. Each later purchased the firm and used what they had
learned to rapidly expand the company. Crock was able to use McDonalds quality, consistency,
rapid assembly system, and drive-thru concepts to continue to realize high profits.
Schultz was able to use the Starbucks image, ambiance concept, and marketing
strengths to rapidly expand.
One interesting note: Initially, Schultz started a Seattle coffeehouse chain (Il Giorande)
that competed with Starbucks. His marketing manager was so adamant that Starbucks
was a better concept capable of “going global” that Schultz sold his original
coffeehouse chain and purchased Starbucks.
Resource-based model: Patents and Inventions
The resource-based view (RBV) of the firm is hedged on two axiomatic assumptions. First,
resources are distributed heterogeneously across firms, and second, these resources cannot
be transferred between firms without cost. These axioms lend themselves to two additional
tenets (cf., Barney, 1991): (a) Resources that simultaneously enhance a firm’s market
effectiveness (valuable) and are not widely dispersed (rare) can produce competitive
advantage; and (b) when such resources are concurrently expensive to imitate (inimitable)
and costly to substitute (nonsubstitutable), the competitive advantage is sustainable.
Thus, value and rarity are each necessary before inimitability and nonsubstitutability
might yield a sustainable competitive advantage (Priem & Butler, 2001).
Resource-based model: Patents and Inventions (cont.)
Despite its face validity and rapid diffusion throughout the management literature, there
have only been limited empirical tests of RBV’s tenets (cf., Priem & Butler, 2001). To
echo Miller and Shamsie (1996, p. 519), “the concept of resources remains an amorphous
one that is rarely operationally defined or tested for its performance implications in different
competitive environments.” Many managers use RBV’s terms with little specificity
or attention to causal relationships. Researchers have identified several types of valuable
and rare resources that could generate rents. Some examples include information technology
(Powell, 1997), strategic planning (Powell, 1992), organizational alignment
(Powell, 1992a), human resources management (Lado & Wilson, 1994; Wright &
McMahan, 1992), trust (Barney & Hansen, 1994), organizational culture (Oliver, 1997),
administrative skills (Powell, 1993), expertise of top management (Castanias & Helfat,
1991), and even Guanxicomplex networks (Tsang, 1998).
Resource-based model: Patents and Inventions (cont.)
The degree to which RBV is likely to help managers depends on the extent to which it
can be used to achieve competitive advantage. Hence, recently, Markman and his colleagues
have attempted to clarify three basic questions: (1) Can a single resource be simultaneously
valuable, rare, inimitable, and nonsubstitutable? (2) Can an inimitable and
nonsubstitutable resource be measured? And (3) To what extent is an inimitable and nonsubstitutable
resource associated with competitive advantage?
Using five-year data from 85 large, publicly traded pharmaceutical companies,
Markman and his colleagues advance the view that a single resource-patented invention
could qualify as simultaneously valuable, rare, hard to imitate, and difficult to substitute.
In other words, the answer to the first question is yes; some patents are valuable, rare,
inimitable, and nonsubstitutable resources. The answers to the second and third questions
are “yes” as well. That is, controlling for assets, sales, and investment in R&D, they
found that a patent’s quality and scope are significantly related to competitive advantage
as captured by new products and, to some extent, to profitability.