Strategic Balancing Using Factual Data

Businesses often embark on initiatives that require huge investments and projects with prolonged time frames. If not closely grounded to reality and integrated with dynamic changes consistently shifting the marketplace, where customer and end consumer of the product or service is at the center stage of it all, unexpected surprises and disruptions can render those initiatives worthless or outdated. A perception-driven view to keep on increasing production in view of past forecasts may leave a photographic paper manufacturer stuck with tons of inventory with no demand, as the digital image innovation sneaks in as a disruptor. A taxicab fleet operator planning aggressive operations may face huge losses after investing in licenses, vehicles, and drivers, as Uber and Lyft capture the market. Concrete and mortar stores, grocery and retail outlets, banks, and restaurants can be upset by new players offering online services and delivery at lower costs as they operate with no overhead costs. An online-only bank can afford to offer higher interest rates. An AirBnB model capitalizes on available housing capacity surplus to offer affordable accommodations. Creativity in thought and implementation will keep rewriting business models to make everything better while eliminating redundancy. Though business leaders start off with a diligently worked-out and well-defined strategy, as disruptions hit or unexpected happens, they need to balance the current situation and keep on rebalancing throughout the course of execution. Detaching emotions to take a view of the practicality and changing customer preferences, the balancing act at every stage is the key to success and growth. This book lays down a practical, easy-to-follow framework to balance and rebalance the strategy, redefine actions to achieve positive results by leveraging factual data, enabling redesign for disruption, growth, and toward an emerging collaboration business model. Interactive workshops to engage in solving real business problems following the approach outlined in this book are available.