Functional & Competitive strategies

9 important questions on Functional & Competitive strategies

Swot analysis, what is it?

In a Swot analysis decision makers have information about strengths and weaknesses of bot internal and external environment; threats in internal or external area and functional strategies to counteract them

3 functional strategies (Framework Input Org cap Output)


  1. Product strategies -  refers to goods and services, how product produced and where: R&D, production operations, marketing
  2. People strategies - HR strategy contributes to competitive advantage and performance
  3. Support strategies: Information system and F&A, to help the org. work effectively, efficiently and contribute to competitive advantage

Competitive strategies, describe it

Competitive strategies designed to exploit competitive advantage; what sets the org. apart, the org. does better than others or others don't have
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Competitive advantage, describe it

Using competitive strategy bases on competitive advantage to build sustainable competitive advantage   (Netflix based competitive strategy on competitive advantage DVD rental and distribution

Miles and Snow adaptive strategy, define it

  • Prospector strategy: innovate and develop new products, one step ahead competition
  • Defender strategy: defend market share and product lines, full product line (Apple)
  • Analyser strategy: analyse and imitate successful ideas prospectors  (Copy - paste Ritual to Etos)
  • Reactor strategy: no consistent strategy, only react when forced by environmental pressures  (Blokker)

Integrated low cost - Differentiation strategy

It is hard to pursue, have to be good at everything; the answer is technology, establishing differentiation is expensive, marketing of wide range of products & services. Technological advance help as just-in-time production, integrated information systems (low-cost and being Unique)

Mintzberg Generic Competitive strategies

Differentiation by price, marketing images, design, quality product support
Undifferentiated; copy-cat strategy

Implementing Competitive strategies, How?

Through functional strategies develop capabilities that can become distinctive.
Implementing functional strategies depends on functional strategies,  resources developed by functional strategies and org. capabilities

Examples of implementing competitive strategies

Cost-leadership: lean operation, low-cost production, engineering skills (Toyota)
Differentiation: product design, marketing techniques, understanding customers, marketing research and capabilities, excel in customer services
Focuser: combination of both cost-leadership technical advancements and differentiation

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