Top 6 – April 2013

“Selling a product at a loss for market share is not a good business decision.” Jeff Fettig, Chief Executive, Whirlpool Costs and market share are easily measured. What about value? Creative Destruction Continues to Avoid Itself Businesses fail, businesses succeed.  Should you flippantly accept this reality or actively participate in creating the future in which…

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Procter & Gamble Trumps Church & Dwight: An Example of the Customer Orientation Overtaking a Medieval Business Strategy

CEOs Robert McDonald of P&G and James Craigie of Church & Dwight are facing off in the laundry soap business, and one of them is slinging mud. Recent executive comments and division performance reports highlight that the battle in the soap aisle isn’t just about soap, it’s about the fundamental purpose of businesses in competitive markets.

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Why J.C. Penney’s New Strategy Won’t Work

A few months ago I reported on a visit to J.C. Penney and commented on my disappointment with the look and feel of the store. What I saw was CEO Ron Johnson’s new strategy. The basis of this strategy is a return to the roots of the company through its “Fair and Square Every Day” philosophy. The problem with this strategy is that it is, in the words of Wharton Professor George S. Day, an “inside-out” strategy instead of an “outside-in” approach.

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J.C. Penney – Love the Vision But You Chose the Rocky Path

JC Penney’s CEO Ron Johnson has had a tough go at it. Stock valuation is down roughly 40% since the time Johnson took over. Customer sales are down 20% from last year. Some are calling for his resignation. But before we chant “off with his head” with the Twitterati, let’s see if we can’t help him find a way out of his quandary.

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Realizing Dramatic ROI Using Greenfield Analysis

To achieve results in business transformation, it is imperative to bring together subject-matter experts (SMEs) from different parts of your company who become your change leaders. Challenge them to use a clean-sheet-of-paper approach, or a so-called ‘green field’ approach, to develop a ‘genius’ solution. Read case studies of how.

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Top 6 – March 2013

“If there is a Volkswagen Way, it is to be determined, diligent and attentive to detail, with a glint of ruthlessness.” VW conquers the world, The Economist (July 7, 2012). Every firm has different goals and needs.  Don’t try to emulate Google’s strategy; create a better one. There is no one silver-bullet fix for every…

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