I’m a huge fan of Blue Ocean Strategy – in fact it has underpinned Qcom’s evolving business model allowing us to remain competitive for decades within fast-changing industry sectors.

It’s taken us on a journey from manufacturing electronic equipment, to our current status as a technical outsourcer.  For those looking at a shrinking order book or margins in 2009, now may be the time to consider BOS as a philosophy to reinvigorate your business.

BOS is not about out-competing others businesses in an existing market, it is about creating new markets or blue oceans, thus making competition irrelevant.

Consider Cirque du Soleil, who successfully married the Big Top experience of the circus, with big theatrical production values. The upshot was the first circus that could charge West End prices, which has become a $5bn international phenomenon.  Competing for a share of a shrinking market is unlikely to be a sustainable business model so to find out more, log onto www.blueoceanstrategy.com

Neil Anderson
qcom, MD

It’s said that when you know someone who has been made redundant, you’re in a recession: when it’s your job that’s gone, it’s a depression!

I think the most constructive view of recession is that it offers opportunities, particularly for good businesses.  It’s a good time, for example, for business leaders to implement changes to their business model, reducing costs and introducing a leaner, more efficient structure.

In times of economic uncertainty, staff are anticipating changes will be made and therefore more likely to be receptive to and/or accepting of them.  Service industry bosses, who are often faced with high fixed costs, could explore reducing these, say, by outsourcing activities, thus turning a fixed cost into a variable one.

Neil Anderson
MD, qcom