Chapter 5

Strategies in Action
Learning Objectives (1 of 2)
5.1 Identify and discuss eight characteristics of objectives and
ten benefits of having clear objectives.
5.2 Define and give an example of eleven types of strategies.
5.3 Identify and discuss the three types of “Integration
Strategies.”
5.4 Give specific guidelines when market penetration, market
development, and product development are especially
effective strategies.
5.6 Explain when diversification is an effective business
strategy.
Learning Objectives (2 of 2)
5.6 List guidelines for when retrenchment, divestiture, and
liquidation are especially effective strategies.
5.7 Identify and discuss Porter’s five generic strategies.
5.8 Compare (a) cooperation among competitors, (b) joint
venture and partnering, and (c) merger/acquisition as key
means for achieving strategies.
5.9 Discuss tactics to facilitate strategies, such as (a) being
a first mover, (b) outsourcing, and (c) reshoring.
5.10 Explain how strategic planning differs in for-profit,
not-for-profit, and small firms.
Long-Term Objectives
• The results expected from pursuing certain strategies
• 2-to-5 year timeframe
Table 5-1 Varying Performance Measures by
Organizational Level

Organizational Level Basis for Annual Bonus or Merit

Pay
Corporate 75% based on long-term objectives
25% based on annual objectives
Division 50% based on long-term objectives
50% based on annual objectives
Function 25% based on long-term objectives
75% based on annual objectives
Table 5-2 The Desired Characteristics of
Objectives

1. Quantitative
2. Measurable
3. Realistic
4. Understandable
5. Challenging
6. Hierarchical
7. Obtainable
8. Congruent across departments
The Nature of Long-Term Objectives
• Objectives
– provide direction
– allow synergy
– assist in evaluation
– establish priorities
– reduce uncertainty
– minimize conflicts
– stimulate exertion
– aid in both the allocation of resources and the design of
jobs
Financial Versus Strategic Objectives
• Financial objectives include growth in revenues, growth
in earnings, higher dividends, larger profit margins, greater
return on investment, higher earnings per share, a rising
stock price, improved cash flow, and so on.
• Strategic objectives include a larger market share,
quicker on-time delivery than rivals, shorter
design-to-market times than rivals, lower costs than rivals,
higher product quality than rivals, wider geographic
coverage than rivals, achieving technological leadership,
consistently getting new or improved products to market
ahead of rivals, and so on.
Not Managing by Objectives
• Managing by Extrapolation
• Managing by Crisis
• Managing by Subjectives
• Managing by Hope
Figure 5-1 A Comprehensive
Strategic-Management Model

Source: Fred R. David, “How Companies Define Their Mission,” Long Range Planning 22, no. 3 (June 1988): 40. See
also Anik Ratnaningsih, Nadjadji Anwar, Patdono Suwignjo, and Putu Artama Wiguna, “Balance Scorecard of David’s
Strategic Modeling at Industrial Business for National Construction Contractor of Indonesia,” Journal of Mathematics
and Technology, no. 4 (October 2010): 20.
Types of Strategies
• Most organizations simultaneously pursue a combination
of two or more strategies, but a combination strategy can
be exceptionally risky if carried too far.
• No organization can afford to pursue all the strategies that
might benefit the firm.
• Difficult decisions must be made and priorities must be
established.
Table 5-4 Alternative Strategies Defined and
Exemplified (1 of 2)
Strategy Definition Example
Forward Integration Gaining ownership or increased control Amazon began rapid delivery
over distributors or retailers services in some U.S. cities.
Backward Seeking ownership or increased Starbucks purchased a coffee
control of a firm’s suppliers farm.
Horizontal Integration Seeking ownership or increased BB&T acquired Susquehanna
control over competitors Bancshares.
Market Penetration Seeking increased market share for Under Armour signed tennis
present products or services in present champion Andy Murray to a
markets through greater marketing 4-year, $23 million marketing
efforts deal.
Market Development Introducing present products or Gap opened its first five stores
services into new geographic area in China.
Product Development Seeking increased sales by improving Amazon just began offering its
present products or own line of baby diapers and
services or developing new ones wipes.

Alternative Strategies Defined and Recent Examples Given

Table 5-4 Alternative Strategies Defined and
Exemplified (2 of 2)
Strategy Definition Example
Related Diversification Adding new but relate Facebook acquired the
text-messaging firm WhatsApp
for $19 billion.
Unrelated Diversification Adding new, unrelated products Kroger and Whole Foods Market
or services are cooking meals, becoming
restaurants.
Staples closed 250 stores and
reduced by 50% the size of
other stores.
Divestiture Selling a division or part of an Sears Holdings divested its
organization Land’s End division to Sears’
shareholders.
Liquidation Selling all of a company’s The Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic
assets, in parts, for their City, New Jersey, faces
tangible worth liquidation.
Figure 5-2 Levels of Strategies with Persons
Most Responsible
Integration Strategies
• Forward Integration
– involves gaining ownership or increased control over
distributors or retailers
• Backward Integration
– strategy of seeking ownership or increased control of a
firm's suppliers
• Horizontal Integration
– a strategy of seeking ownership of or increased control
over a firm's competitors
Forward Integration Guidelines
• When an organization’s present distributors are especially
expensive
• When the availability of quality distributors is so limited as to
offer a competitive advantage
• When an organization competes in an industry that is growing
• When an organization has both capital and human resources to
manage distributing their own products
• When the advantages of stable production are particularly high
• When present distributors or retailers have high profit margins
Backward Integration Guidelines
• When an organization’s present suppliers are especially
expensive or unreliable
• When the number of suppliers is small and the number of
competitors is large
• When the organization competes in a growing industry
• When an organization has both capital and human resources
• When the advantages of stable prices are particularly important
• When present suppliers have high profit margins
• When an organization needs to quickly acquire a needed
resource
Horizontal Integration Guidelines
• When an organization can gain monopolistic
characteristics in a particular area or region without being
challenged by the federal government
• When an organization competes in a growing industry
• When increased economies of scale provide major
competitive advantages
• When an organization has both the capital and human
talent needed
• When competitors are faltering due to a lack of managerial
expertise
Intensive Strategies
• Market Penetration Strategy
– seeks to increase market share for present products or
services in present markets through greater marketing
efforts
• Market Development
– involves introducing present products or services into
new geographic areas
• Product Development Strategy
– seeks increased sales by improving or modifying
present products or services
Market Penetration Guidelines
• When current markets are not saturated with a particular
product or service
• When the usage rate of present customers could be
increased significantly
• When the market shares of major competitors have been
declining while total industry sales have been increasing
• When the correlation between dollar sales and dollar
marketing expenditures historically has been high
• When increased economies of scale provide major
competitive advantages
Market Development Guidelines
• When new channels of distribution are available that are
reliable, inexpensive, and of good quality
• When an organization is very successful at what it does
• When new untapped or unsaturated markets exist
• When an organization has the needed capital and human
resources to manage expanded operations
• When an organization has excess production capacity
• When an organization’s basic industry is rapidly becoming
global in scope
Product Development Guidelines
• When an organization has successful products that are in
the maturity stage of the product life cycle
• When an organization competes in an industry
characterized by rapid technological developments
• When major competitors offer better-quality products at
comparable prices
• When an organization competes in a high-growth industry
• When an organization has strong research and
development capabilities
Diversification Strategies
• Related Diversification
– value chains possess competitively valuable
cross-business strategic fits
• Unrelated Diversification
– value chains are so dissimilar that no competitively
valuable cross-business relationships exist
Synergies of Related Diversification
• Transferring competitively valuable expertise, technological
know-how, or other capabilities from one business to
another
• Combining the related activities of separate businesses
into a single operation to achieve lower costs
• Exploiting common use of a known brand name
• Using cross-business collaboration to create strengths
Related Diversification Guidelines
• When an organization competes in a no-growth or a
slow-growth industry
• When adding new, but related, products would significantly
enhance the sales of current products
• When new, but related, products could be offered at highly
competitive prices
• When new, but related, products have seasonal sales levels that
counterbalance an organization’s existing peaks and valleys
• When an organization’s products are currently in the declining
stage of the product’s life cycle
• When an organization has a strong management team
Unrelated Diversification Guidelines (1 of 2)
• When revenues derived from an organization’s current products
would increase significantly by adding the new, unrelated
products
• When an organization competes in a highly competitive or a
no-growth industry, as indicated by low industry profit margins
and returns
• When an organization’s present channels of distribution can be
used to market the new products to current customers
• When the new products have countercyclical sales patterns
compared to present products
• When an organization’s basic industry is experiencing declining
annual sales and profits
Unrelated Diversification Guidelines (2 of 2)
• When an organization has the capital and managerial
talent needed to compete successfully in a new industry
• When an organization has the opportunity to purchase an
unrelated business that is an attractive investment
opportunity
• When there exists financial synergy
• When existing markets for an organization’s present
products are saturated
• When antitrust action could be charged against an
organization that historically has concentrated on a single
industry
Defensive Strategies (1 of 3)
• Retrenchment
– Regroups through cost and asset reduction to reverse
declining sales and profits
• Divestiture
– Selling a division or part of an organization
– Often used to raise capital for further strategic
acquisitions or investments
• Liquidation
– Selling all of a company’s assets, in parts, for their
tangible worth
Defensive Strategies (2 of 3)
• Retrenchment
– occurs when an organization regroups through cost
and asset reduction to reverse declining sales and
profits
– also called a turnaround or reorganizational strategy
– designed to fortify an organization’s basic distinctive
competence
Retrenchment Guidelines
• When an organization has a distinctive competence but
has failed consistently to meet its goals
• When an organization is one of the weaker competitors in
a given industry
• When an organization is plagued by inefficiency, low
profitability, and poor employee morale
• When an organization fails to capitalize on external
opportunities and minimize external threats
• When an organization has grown so large so quickly that
major internal reorganization is needed
Divestiture Guidelines
• When an organization has pursued a retrenchment
strategy and failed to accomplish improvements
• When a division needs more resources to be competitive
than the company can provide
• When a division is responsible for an organization's overall
poor performance
• When a division is a misfit with the rest of an organization
• When a large amount of cash is needed quickly
• When government antitrust action threatens a firm
Defensive Strategies (3 of 3)
• Liquidation
– selling all of a company’s assets, in parts, for their
tangible worth
– can be an emotionally difficult strategy
Liquidation Guidelines
• When an organization has pursued both a retrenchment
strategy and a divestiture strategy, and neither has been
successful
• When an organization’s only alternative is bankruptcy
• When the stockholders of a firm can minimize their losses
by selling the organization’s assets
Figure 5-3 Porter’s Five Generic Strategies

Source: Based on Michael E. Porter, Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors
(New York: Free Press, 1980), 35-40.
Michael Porter's Five Generic Strategies (1 of 3)
Cost Leadership emphasizes producing standardized
products at a very low per-unit cost for consumers who are
price-sensitive
• Type 1
– low-cost strategy that offers products or services to a
wide range of customers at the lowest price available
on the market
• Type 2
– best-value strategy that offers products or services to
a wide range of customers at the best price-value
available on the market
Michael Porter's Five Generic Strategies (2 of 3)
• Type 3
– Differentiation is a strategy aimed at producing
products and services considered unique industry-wide
and directed at consumers who are relatively
price-insensitive
Michael Porter's Five Generic Strategies (3 of 3)
• Type 4
– low-cost focus strategy that offers products or
services to a niche group of customers at the lowest
price available on the market
• Type 5
– best-value focus strategy that offers products or
services to a small range of customers at the best
price-value available on the market
Means for Achieving Strategies
• Cooperation Among Competitors
• Joint Venture/Partnering
• Merger/Acquisition
• Private-Equity Acquisitions
• First Mover Advantages
• Outsourcing/Reshoring
Table 5-5 Nine Reasons Why Many Mergers
and Acquisitions Fail

1. Integration difficulties
2. Inadequate evaluation of target
3. Large or extraordinary debt
4. Inability to achieve synergy
5. Too much diversification
6. Managers overly focused on acquisitions
7. Too large an acquisition
8. Difficult to integrate different organizational cultures
9. Reduced employee morale due to layoffs and relocations
Table 5-6 Eleven Potential Benefits of
Merging With or Acquiring Another Firm
1. To provide improved capacity utilization
2. To make better use of the existing sales force
3. To reduce managerial staff
4. To gain economies of scale
5. To smooth out seasonal trends in sales
6. To gain access to new suppliers, distributors,
customers, products, and creditors
7. To gain new technology
8. To gain market share
9. To enter global markets
10. To gain pricing power
11. To reduce tax obligations
Table 5-7 Five Benefits of a Firm Being the
First Mover

Secure access and commitments to rare resources.

Gain new knowledge of critical success factors and issues.
Gain market share and position in the best locations.
Establish and secure long-term relationships with customers, suppliers,
distributors, and investors.
Gain customer loyalty and commitments.