segunda-feira, abril 18, 2022

Lições de Hidden Champions (parte VIII)


Os utilizadores da ISO 9001 reconhecerão a cláusula 4.1 sobre a análise do contexto (com as questões internas e externas):


"In assessing the strategic situation, we recommend analyzing external competitive advantages and internal competencies in a similar way.
...
Strategy development usually starts not from scratch, but from point of departure that excludes certain strategy a options.
...
Where should strategy development begin in such a situation? With the market or the company's own competencies? It is often better to start with the question "What can we do?" or "What do we do better than our competitors?" [Moi ici: Talvez uma melhor pergunta seja "O que podemos fazer diferente dos outros?" Isto faz-me recordar e recuar a Outubro de 2015 e a este postal "Do concreto para o abstracto e não o contrário"] That's how we started in this case. Fig. 11.8 shows the matrix of internal competencies for the company's special market and the volume market, with competencies measured in relation to the strongest competitor.  
...
Not surprisingly, it transpired that the company performed extremely well in the special market. By contrast, its position was weak in the volume market, where business had previously only been done opportunistically. In all important competencies the competition was stronger. 

Manufacturing flexibility and financing were the only advantages, both of lesser importance.
The picture was similar with regard to the company's external market position. Fig. 11.9 shows how the customers perceived the company's performance attributes in relation to those of the strongest competitor. A position to the right of 100 signifies performance leadership, and to the left of 100 it means that a competitor is stronger.
In the special market, customers see the company as the clear performance leader. It has very pronounced competitive advantages in the elasticity of the propulsion units, product quality, and closeness to customer. The company fails to beat the competition in price and operating costs only. However, this is not a serious problem in view of the company's superior performance in several important attributes and the relative unimportance of operating costs.

As we have seen, both markets were very attractive to the company, which did not want and could not afford to abandon the special market despite the cuts in defense budgets. What strategic options did the company have?

1. Continue to serve the special market and defend its position there. This basically represents the continuation of the previously successful hidden champion strategy. The risk is considerable that the market remains small or even shrinks. Cost disadvantages could get worse as a result. In addition, some customers in the special market may in the future buy more standard products that were originally intended for the volume market.

2. Develop the competitive competencies required for success in the volume market. Most importantly, this means developing simpler, less sophisticated propulsion units and manufacturing them at cheaper locations. This option was discussed at length, but it ultimately proved to be too time-consuming and risky. The management was unsure whether these competencies could successfully be developed within an acceptable timeframe.

3. Acquire a company that is strong in the volume market but weak in the special market.
Option 3 was chosen. Three candidates were considered in depth, and the most suitable one was taken over in stages."

Trechos retirados de "Hidden Champions of the Twenty-First Century Success Strategies of Unknown World Market Leaders" de Hermann Simon.




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