Dear Mr. Kaihan,
The marketing strategy course involved learning about marketing paradigms, marketing mix, orientations to marketplace, dimensions to the business environment, market proposition, competency, competitive advantage, sustainable competitive advantage among others. Paradigms are the systems of thought that inform the conventional ideas of how industry and competition should work (Smith, Session 2, slide 17). The course considered the following paradigms; Krippendorf: outthinkers’ habits that are based on frame shifting, disrupting the mindset and shaping perceptions. The second paradigm is the Rapaille paradigm, which deals with the science of selling (market researches and codes) and pricing approaches (dwells on the psychology of consumption and the basic methods and objectives of certain pricing methods (Smith, session 4, slide 2).
The thought leaders considered in this course are Yin and Yang (polarity), Brent Smith (Five Creatures Lesson), Sun Tzu’s Five Things, and your very thoughts Mr. Kaihan Krippendorf about “hide a dagger behind a smile” (Smith, session 2, slide 10). In the course, we learnt about competition and marketing from the viewpoint of industries in technology (Samsung, Apple) financial services (Visa and MasterCard) coffee (Gourmet coffee, Starbucks) among others. Each of the industries showed the uniqueness of competition therein and the suitable marketing strategies that would work for that industry.
I have finished reading part one of the book, and I am now reading part two. Part one taught me about the erosion of economies of scale and how competition and monopoly had been eroded thereby raising the competition and accelerating growth of businesses. I concur with your assertions about the increment in business space through the free flow of information, the death of the intermediaries and the self-organization of citizens and customers. All the issues in the first part of the book are insightful and inspiring. The mentioning that there has been a shift of global powers towards the developing world coupled with the demand for talents should be issues that encourage outthinking. In general, the realization that competition has intensified should be the first step towards making someone a proactive thinker.
As I read part two of the book, I continue to appreciate its invaluable nature. I agree with the four issues over which companies have traditionally built their business strategies. Achieving customer captivity, securing preferential access to resources, building economies of scale, and adopting best practices are certainly the commonest business strategies. While reading this part, I appreciate that in order for one to move to a level higher that than the competition in their field, they have to do these four things differently so much so that they reinvent them.
I like the way you turn around the traditional and seemingly conventional strategies and suggest new ones for “outthinkers”. These five ones are; moving to the next battleground, coordinating the uncoordinated, forcing two-front battles, being good and creating something out of nothing. Initially, I wondered what you meant by these issues. I found them vague and being too general. However, the more I delve into the book, the more I see what you mean by exploring new grounds.
Americans and many people in the western world have become conscious of their health more than any other issue. In response to the massive demand for quality medical services, many Americans have invested in the provision of medical services. Technology and intensive research and collaborations with research institutions and between hospitals have intensified. The US medical services field exemplifies the application of the five modern issues that set businesspeople apart as “outthinkers”. Using the illustrations of the US medical services industry, I will seek to match the strategies of medical service providers to the different outthinker aspects.
I get it that the first of the strategies you suggest for business people to start moving to tomorrow’s business battleground. Business people need to transition to the future. The American medical services sector is moving to tomorrow’s battleground. Medical service providers in collaboration with the insurance companies have increased their cooperation to increase the scope of healthcare by venturing into preventive care while still offering services in curative care.
Second, outthinkers need to coordinate the uncoordinated. Since power depends on one’s ability to coordinate things, people who wish to excel need to learn how to coordinate things that are beyond their walls. Since new opportunities exist beyond the confines of the structure of the organization, it is advisable for organizations seeking to seek opportunities beyond them. Medical service providers are now seeking collaborations with research institutions that help them with employees and new ways of handling diseases, technologies, and other ways of improving care.
Third, outthinkers need to force two battlefronts. They need to use their expertise across different fields if it so suits. In this case, they force their competitors on two battlefronts thereby gaining some advantage and competitive advantage over different fields. Medical service providers have taken advantage of this approach by coming up with different departments and specialties for which they are well known. For instance, a hospital that is outstanding as an excellent eye-care centre as well as a pediatric centre has presented two pertinent health care issues to the public for which they are bound to attract hordes of clients.
Fourth, it is vital for outthinkers to be good. Corporations and the medical service providers have come up with many corporate social responsibilities. The providers give free tips to the public on healthcare. They also organize free medical camps to serve the underprivileged. These issues of being good help to gain trust and friendliness to the public. Being good, therefore, helps organizations to beat the competition in their field.
Fifth, organizations can create something out of nothing. For instance, medical service providers can start to specialize in medical services that were previously not thought of as specialties, for instance, special orthopedic hospitals. While many hospitals offer the orthopedic services as part of general care, the establishment of such a hospital would set it apart from many other general hospitals.
The advent of technology has demystified the starting and operation of businesses (Dembour, 12; Miller, 23). Many people can now access capital, knowledge, and labor, among other resources for starting businesses. This has prompted stiff competition in business. While many people can start businesses, few people survive to beat the competition in their industries and become the best. As such, your book sir, as well as the issues learnt in this course are a great insight into how someone can outthink the competition in their industry and become the best. The provision of medical services in the US has certainly responded to the massive demand by outthinking and offering services that are in accordance with the expectations of millions of Americans.
Works cited
Smith, Brent marketing strategies. Sessions
Dembour, C.. "Competition for Business Location: A Survey." Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade 8.2 (2008): 89-111. Print.
Krippendorff, Kaihan. Outthink the competition how a new generation of strategists sees options others ignore. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, 2013. Print.
Miller, Russell R.. Doing business in newly privatized markets global opportunities and challenges. Westport, Conn.: Quorum, 2000. Print.
