Rowing harder doesn't help if the boat is headed in the wrong direction.
Kenichi OhmaeRead
What business strategy is all about-what distinguishes it from all other kinds of business planning-is, in a word, competitive advantage. Without competitors there would be no need for strategy, for the sole purpose of strategic planning is to enable the company to gain, as efficiently as possible, a sustainable edge over its competitors.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Competitive advantage is essential in business strategy, allowing companies to outperform their rivals.
In the realm of business, a successful strategy hinges on the pursuit of competitive advantage, which distinguishes it from mere planning. This quote by Kenichi Ohmae emphasizes that without competitors, there is no necessity for strategic initiatives, as the primary objective of such planning is to help a company create and maintain an enduring advantage over other market players.
Themes
BusinessStrategyCompetitive AdvantagePlanningMarket
In practice
Example use cases
In a business presentation discussing market entry strategies.
More from Kenichi Ohmae
All quotes →It is hard to let old beliefs go. They are familiar. We are comfortable with them and have spent years building systems and developing habits that depend on them. Like a man who has worn eyeglasses so long that he forgets he has them on, we forget that the world looks to us the way it does because we have become used to seeing it that way through a particular set of lenses. Today, however, we need new lenses. And we need to throw the old ones away.
Kenichi OhmaeRead
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