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Sustaining Competitve Advantage - Strategic Issues
Posted By: mathew_britton* on 2/9/2005 5:51 AM (CST) 250 Points
Good morning everyone - i was hoping for some assistance.

The question:
Identify the key strategic issues facing an organisation as it seeks to generate and sustain its competitve advantage.

I have done in depth research into two possible organisations, Dyson and smart, as i beleive they are both companies that will provide interesting reading.

I was thinking of a general layout being;
Background of org.
Strategy to achieve SCA
Strategic issues facing org (internal and external)
Conclude - is orgs CA sustainable.

2500 words.

Please could you give me advice in the type of relevent theories and concepts to use, and which company would be the most viable in answering the question.

Regards

Tom

Posted by: ASVP/ChrisB Accepted Answer
2/9/2005 6:34 AM (CST)
Which theories do you think you should use?

Why?
 
Posted by: mathew_britton* Author Response
2/9/2005 6:48 AM (CST)
Porters Generic strategies - in asserting the core strategic focus in obtaining SCA.

Ansoff matrix - identifying existing/potential growth strategy for the organisation, is achieving SCA.

Concept map - in identifying the relationship between one or more of the organisations core competencies.

Obviously the theories relevence shall alter according to the organisation i choose to study. Another company i am considering is Ryanair, looking at the sustainability of the low price advantage.

I beleive that the selection of orgaisation is a fundamental aspect, in order to produce a 1st class response.

Your help therefore will be gratefully recieved!
 
Posted by: Roxana Accepted Answer
3/12/2005 11:32 AM (CST)
What I did in a real marketing department:
1. Macro analysis - PEST
2. Micro medium analysis - Porter 5 forces (Competion analysis especially)
3. Internal analysis
4. From 1,2, 3 - SWOT analysis and Strategic alternatives
5. Discussion with top management on alternatives for marketing strategy
6. Marketing plan - incorporating top management decisions

However, strategy is not only about marketing - consider also what they do in merger and aquisitions, finance, operations....
 
Posted by: koen.h.pauwels Accepted Answer
3/19/2005 8:04 PM (CST)
Hi,

I would definitely take a look at Richard D'Aveni's arguments on 'hypercompetition' (eg his book with the same title), which argues that 'sustainable' CA is fictional in most markets: the company should continue to 'outrun' competitors, even while they are trying to catch up. Dell's quality is a good case in point: Michael's initial obsession paid off, but competitors could quickly imitate and catch up, unless Dell continues to get further down the learning curve..
 
Posted by: laurenceainsworth* Member Response
3/23/2005 2:36 PM (CST)
Matthew,

I think you have covered a lot of the ground however 4 things come to mind

1. Product Market Maturity: In your market analysis some understanding of market maturity is important in assessing where you have sytrategic leverage.

2 Strategic Leverage: Identifying those attributes where the company can identify where it has most strategic leverage and how that can be exploited.

3 Positioning: what differentiates a successful company from the rest is how it sets its market positioning to its own advantage but to the detriment of its competitors.

4 Longevity: How it continues to modify it strategy to maintain its advantage in responses to changes in its competitors behaviour as a result of their first move.
 
Posted by: bobhogg Member Response
3/24/2005 5:35 AM (CST)
Mathew...

You've had some sound advice already , but let me add my ten-penny-worth!

First, on your choice of companies - Dyson and smart sound like good choices to me; Ryanair could be interesting in that their somewhat cavalier approach to customers might well cause them problems in a truly open market - however, they do have a competitive advantage in the exclusivity they have negotiated on many of their routes!

As far as your choice of theories is concerned, again I think your suggestions are sound, but you may also find it worthwhile to read Peter Doyle's approach to "building a competitive advantage" in Chapter 3 of his (excellent) book "Value-based Marketing" (ISBN 0471877271). You might find that you can relate some of Doyle's approach to Porter's Generic Strategies.

Good luck with the project!
Bob
 
Posted by: Shelley, MProfs Moderator Response
4/3/2005 10:09 PM (CST)
Everyone, thanks for participating. I am closing this question since it's gathered a considerable amount of dust.

Tom or Matthew (or whomever he is) abandoned this, like so many students usually do, right after he posted it. I'm not inclined to award points to responses posted six weeks later! Sorry.
 


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