Os especialistas versus os generalistas

Este postal de Seth Godin, "What’s at the front of the line?" é muito sugestivo:

"A study of behavior at breakfast buffets showed that the first item in the buffet was taken by 75% of the diners (even when the order of the items was reversed) and that two-thirds of all the food taken came from the first three items, regardless of how long the buffet is.

.

This means that optimizing marketers usually put the things they most want to sell first.

.

And that smart consumers benefit from adopting patience as they consider what’s on offer.

.

Of course, this game theory applies to a lot more than food."

Dá que pensar... faz-me lembrar os especialistas versus os generalistas do one-stop-shop.

 

Um dia destes começa a falar na metáfora de Mongo

Parece que o Presidente da República anda a ler este blogue:
.
"Não generalizarás!!!"
.
"Especialistas versus generalistas (parte III)"
.
"Cavaco Silva defendeu que «a reduzida dimensão das empresas que constituem o tecido empresarial, sempre apontada como óbice à sua internacionalização, pode ser uma vantagem competitiva, pela flexibilidade operacional que proporciona, pela criatividade e inovação que estimula e pela maior capacidade de adaptação a mercados globais em permanente mutação»."

.

Só falta começar a usar a metáfora de Mongo.

.

Trecho retirado de "Empresas pequenas podem ser uma vantagem"

.

BTW, não partilho da treta sobre o Porto capital, matriz e isso... prefiro um Norte forte porque diverso e não centralizado, Braga, Guimarães, Famalicão, Barcelos, Póvoa, Vila do Conde, Maia, Felgueiras, Penafiel, Amarante, Gaia, Esmoriz, Aveiro, Porto, ...

Especialistas versus generalistas (parte IV)

"wanting too much (Moi ici: Crescer, crescer, crescer, servir todos os tipos de clientes, ganhar escala. Recordar Alberto da Ponte) can be bad for your business. Well, here’s the flip side: Giving up something can be good for your business. (Moi ici: Escolher os clientes-alvo e concentrar toda a atenção neles em vez de desperdiçar recursos em guerras inúteis)
.
Once upon a time, there was a company called Emery AirFreight. They were the biggest freight forwarders and their strategy was to offer overnight delivery, two-day delayed delivery, small-package delivery, and large-package delivery. (Whatever you want delivered, we’ll deliver it.) Then along came Federal Express. They sacrificed a lot of business and offered only small packages overnight. (Moi ici: Se deixassem de existir transportes públicos generalistas suportados pelo Estado e altamente deficitários, aposto que surgiriam transportes públicos especialistas, dedicados a segmentos de clientes-alvo, suportados por privados e lucrativos, uns mais e outros menos. Truque? Ser privado? Não, ser especialista!)
Their difference: overnight.
FedEx became a well-differentiated success. Emery went bankrupt.
...
The more you add, the more you risk undermining your basic differentiating idea.
...
Over the years, we’ve seen three different kinds of sacrifice that are required in the game of differentiation:

• Product sacrifice: Staying focused on one kind of product is far superior to the everything-for-everyone approach (unless you use multiple brands):

...

• Attribute sacrifice: Staying focused on one kind of product attribute is superior to telling a multiple attribute story. It enables you to be different by taking ownership of a perceived benefit.

...

• Target market sacrifice: Staying focused on one target segment in a category enables you to be different by becoming the preferred product by the segment: ... When you chase after another target segment, chances are you’ll chase away your original customer.

Whatever you do, you should not get greedy but stay true to your product type, your attribute, or your segment. (Moi ici: Uma lição para quem, em tempo de crise vê a procura diminuir e tem a tentação de reduzir preços, de fazer mais coisas, de servir mais gente... talvez a solução passe por um redimensionamento e um re-foco num conjunto específico de clientes-alvo, produtos/serviços e atributos/experiências)
...
In many cases, the sacrifice is found primarily in how you communicate or craft your message to the marketplace as to why you’re different. Once you capture those prospects, you’re free to sell them whatever."
.
Trechos retirados de "Differentiate or die : survival in our era of killer competition" de Jack Trout, com Steve Rivkin.

Especialistas versus generalistas

"People are impressed with those who concentrate on a specific activity or product. They perceive them as experts. And as experts, they tend to give them more knowledge and experience then they sometimes deserve. This isn’t surprising when you consider the definition of expert: One having much training and knowledge in some special field.
.
Conversely, the generalist is rarely given expertise in many fields of endeavor no matter how good he or she may be. Common sense tells the prospect that a single person or company cannot be expert in everything. (Moi ici: Quantas vezes já ouvi gestores advogarem uma capacidade produtiva com um leque enorme de produtos, só porque podem jogar a cartada da one-stop shop)
...
Many years ago at General Electric we learned the power of the specialist over the generalist. At the time, General Electric was launching a concept called the ‘‘turnkey power plant.’’ The concept was simple. General Electric would go to an electric utility with their ability to put all the pieces together. At the end of the process, they would give the utility the keys to the completed plant. (A one-stop shopping concept.)
.
Nice idea, right? Wrong. The utility said, ‘‘Thank you very much. We’ll give you the turbine generators; other specialists will get the controls, switch gear, et cetera.’’
.
Even though it was General Electric, the inventor of electricity, the utilities wanted the best of the breed: the specialists.
...
Well, General Electric figured, those utility guys think they know everything. Let’s go to the lady of the house and offer her a ‘‘GE kitchen.’’
.
It was no different. The lady of the house said, ‘‘Thank you very much. We’ll give you the refrigerator; KitchenAid gets the dishwasher, Maytag the washing machine, et cetera.’’
.
Even though it was General Electric, the big kahuna in appliances, the lady of the house wanted the best of the breed: the specialists."
...
Como é que os generalistas são conhecidos? Em que campeonato estão? Qual a sua dimensão?

.

Em que campeonato estão os especialistas? Qual a sua dimensão?

.

Quem é mais flexível? Quem tem mais custos estruturais? Quem tem mais a perder?

.

Qual é a lição da biologia?
.

Trecho retirado de "Differentiate or die : survival in our era of killer competition" de Jack Trout e Steve Rivkin