1. Chapter 4 Crafting a Strategy Screen graphics created by:
Jana F. Kuzmicki, PhD
Troy University - Florida and Western Region

2. Adam M. Brandenburger and Barry J. Nalebuff
Quote . . .
“Successful business strategy is about actively shaping the game you play, not just playing the game you find.”
Adam M. Brandenburger and Barry J. Nalebuff

3. Chapter Outline Five Generic Competitive Strategies
Collaborative Strategies: Strategic Alliances and Partnerships
Merger and Acquisition Strategies
Vertical Integration Strategies
Outsourcing Strategies
Offensive Strategies
Defensive Strategies
Web Site Strategies
Choosing Appropriate Functional-Area Strategies
First-Mover Advantages and Disadvantages

4. Fig. 4.2: The Five Generic Competitive Strategies

5. Collaborative Strategies: Strategic Alliances and Partnerships
Companies sometimes use collaborative partnerships to complement their own strategic initiatives and strengthen their competitiveness. Such cooperative strategies go beyond normal company-to-company dealings but fall short of merger or formal joint venture.

6. Merger and Acquisition Strategies
Merger – Involves a pooling of equals, with newly created firm often taking on a new name
Acquisition – One firm, the acquirer, purchases and absorbs operations of another, the acquired
Characteristics of mergers and acquisitions
Much-used strategic option
Especially suited for situations where alliances do not provide a firm with needed capabilities or cost-reducing opportunities
Ownership allows for tightly integrated operations, creating more control and autonomy than alliances

7. Vertical Integration Strategies
Extend a firm’s competitive scope within same industry
Backward into sources of supply
Forward toward end-users of final product
Can aim at either full or partial integration
Internally
Performed
Activities,
Costs, &
Margins
Margins of
Suppliers
Buyer/User
Value
Chains
Activities, Costs,
& Margins of
Forward Channel
Allies &
Strategic Partners

8. Outsourcing Strategies
Concept
Involves withdrawing from certain value chain activities and relying on outsiders to supply needed products, support services, or functional activities
Internally
Performed
Activities
Suppliers
Support Services
Functional Activities
Distributors or Retailers

9. Offensive Strategies Purposes of offensive strategies
Improve market position
Build a competitive advantage or widen an existing one
Whittle away at a strong rival’s competitive advantage
Gain profitable market share at the expense of rivals despite their resource strengths and capabilities

10. Defensive Strategies Purposes of defensive strategies
Lesson risk of being attacked
Blunt impact of any attack that occurs
Influence challengers to aim attacks at other rivals
Defend a firm’s competitive position / advantage
Protect valuable resources and capabilities from imitation
Types of defensive strategies
Block avenues open to challengers
Signal challengers vigorous retaliation is likely

11. Web Site Strategies: Which One to Employ?
Strategic Issue – What role should a firm’s Web site play in its competitive strategy?
Approaches to using the Internet
Solely as a vehicle to disseminate product information
Minor distribution channel
One of several important distribution channels
Primary distribution channel
Exclusive distribution channel

12. Choosing Appropriate Functional-Area Strategies
Involves strategic choices about how functional areas are managed to support competitive strategy and additional strategic moves
Functional strategies include
Research and development
Production
Human resources
Sales and marketing
Finance
Tailoring functional-area strategies to support key business-level strategies is critical!

13. First-Mover Advantages
When to make a strategic move is often as crucial as what move to make
First-mover advantages arise when
Pioneering helps build firm’s image and reputation
Early commitments to new technologies, new-style components, and distribution channels can produce cost advantage
Loyalty of first time buyers is high
Moving first can be a preemptive strike

14. First-Mover Disadvantages
Moving early can be a disadvantage (or fail to produce an advantage) when
Costs of pioneering are sizable and loyalty of first time buyers is weak
Innovator’s products are primitive, not living up to buyer expectations
Rapid technological change allows followers to leapfrog pioneers