Marketing Myopia Reading Notes
Marketing Myopia : Reading Notes
Harvard Business Review often became references.
“What business are you really in?”
Mr Levitt explains that if we are not in the game anymore, it’s because of a failure in our management, not because of the lack of opportunities.
We have to create these opportunities.
The examples given show that lots of industries died because they “defined their business incorrectly”. You may have to define again your business, because a stagnant industry will not survive. What Mr Levitt is saying is that if the railroad industry had defined again its business and considers all the new opportunities, it would not have been decimated. (In France, the national railroad company seems to have learn this lesson because they are totally about transportation: since a couple of years now, they are the principal shareholder of “covoiturage.fr”, which is the equivalent of your “Pink Moustache”. They earn about 2€ per drive!
We have to anticipate our guests/clients needs, to reveal those to them.
New businesses are not threats but opportunities.
You can be product-oriented but you always have to be guest-oriented.
“You must be inventive to always satisfy the guest” (Jacques Barzun).
Example of DryCleaning : They were not bitten because their competitors made better, but because they find a way not to use drycleaning!
Do not ”sit on your throne” or you will soon be out of the Game.
“They may be monopolies today, they will maybe die tomorrow”
Example of Groceries: at the beginning they thought it was a flash in the pan, but it was definitely not!
Today in France groceries re-defined their business. As supermarkets are closing early and are not open on Sunday, they are still there for “emergency purchases”. They also totally change their clientele, and they’re now attracting the young and working people.
Another lesson that Mr Levitt is teaching us is that you cannot just assume that your business will continue growing because the
Harvard Business Review often became references.
“What business are you really in?”
Mr Levitt explains that if we are not in the game anymore, it’s because of a failure in our management, not because of the lack of opportunities.
We have to create these opportunities.
The examples given show that lots of industries died because they “defined their business incorrectly”. You may have to define again your business, because a stagnant industry will not survive. What Mr Levitt is saying is that if the railroad industry had defined again its business and considers all the new opportunities, it would not have been decimated. (In France, the national railroad company seems to have learn this lesson because they are totally about transportation: since a couple of years now, they are the principal shareholder of “covoiturage.fr”, which is the equivalent of your “Pink Moustache”. They earn about 2€ per drive!
We have to anticipate our guests/clients needs, to reveal those to them.
New businesses are not threats but opportunities.
You can be product-oriented but you always have to be guest-oriented.
“You must be inventive to always satisfy the guest” (Jacques Barzun).
Example of DryCleaning : They were not bitten because their competitors made better, but because they find a way not to use drycleaning!
Do not ”sit on your throne” or you will soon be out of the Game.
“They may be monopolies today, they will maybe die tomorrow”
Example of Groceries: at the beginning they thought it was a flash in the pan, but it was definitely not!
Today in France groceries re-defined their business. As supermarkets are closing early and are not open on Sunday, they are still there for “emergency purchases”. They also totally change their clientele, and they’re now attracting the young and working people.
Another lesson that Mr Levitt is teaching us is that you cannot just assume that your business will continue growing because the