3. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES
Low cost leadership strategy
It is also known as low cost provide strategy, cost
leadership strategy or low cost strategy
When a company adopts a strategy of selling its
products at a price lower than its competitors, this
strategy is known as low-cost strategy.
4. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: LOW COST
LEADERSHIP STRATEGY
A company may achieve cost advantage by-
Doing a better job than competitors recognizing internal
value chain activities
Taking initiative to cut down costs of value chain
activities
Recognizing the value chain to avoid some cost
producing activities.
5. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: LOW COST
LEADERSHIP STRATEGY
Benefits to business organization
Overcoming threats from competitors
Effective dealing with powerful suppliers
Facing powerful buyers effectively
Overcoming threats from the entry of potential
competitors
6. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: LOW COST
LEADERSHIP STRATEGY
Market situations favorable for low cost strategy
The brand differences is minor
A large number of price sensitive buyers
Few ways to achieve product differentiation
Switching cost is low
Large number of buyers with significant bargaining
power
Price competition is tough
Favorableness of company’s position
7. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: LOW COST
LEADERSHIP STRATEGY
Reasons for failure of low cost strategy-
May invite aggressive price cutting by
competitors.
Competitors can easily imitate the strategy
If low cost product does not contain enough
attributes
The emergence of technological breakthrough
8. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: LOW COST
LEADERSHIP STRATEGY
Strategic choices of low cost provider
Low level of product differentiation
Mainly target the average customers
Developing distinctive competence in
manufacturing
Developing skills in flexible manufacturing, just in
time (JIT), TQM etc.
Emphasizing on strict production control and
rigorously use budget controls
9. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: BROAD
DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY
Differentiation strategy
It is concerned with product differentiation
It is the act of designing a set of meaningful
differences to distinguish the company’s offerings
form competitors’ offerings.
The goal of this strategy is to achieve competitive
advantage.
It may be either broad or focused differentiation
strategy.
10. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: BROAD
DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY
The ways to achieve product differentiation
Differences in quality
Innovation
Responsiveness to customers
Responding to customers’ psychological desires
Wide choice of customers
11. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: BROAD
DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY (MAJOR THEMES FOR
DIFFERENTIATING)
Themes Examples of applicability
Unique taste Foods products (Bread, chocolate etc)
Multiple features BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft
office 2000
Wide selection/one stop
shopping
Agora and Meena Bazaar etc.
Special features Transparent ball pen or soap
Full range of service Apollo Hospital; Lab Aid
12. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: BROAD
DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY
Sustainability of differentiation strategy:
Hard or expensive for competitors to copy
Has to be linked to core competencies
Basing differentiation on new products,
technological superiority, comprehensive customer
service
Differentiation must be value to the customers
13. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: BROAD
DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY
Suitability of differentiation strategy-
Ways for differentiation
Buyers’ perception
Diversity in needs
Various differentiation approaches
Rapid technological changes and innovation
Competition around rapidly evolving product
features
14. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: BROAD
DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY
Shortcomings of differentiation strategy-
Attributes with little value
Easy to copy
Inability to benefit buyers
Over-differentiation
Failure to understand buyers
Buyers’ satisfaction with basic product
15. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: FOCUS
STRATEGY/ MARKET-NICHE STRATEGY
The concept of focus strategy
It concerns with the identification of a niche market
A niche market is a narrow segment of a total
market
A company usually follows focus strategy when it is
able to serve a narrow piece of the market better
than competitors.
16. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: FOCUS
STRATEGY/ MARKET-NICHE STRATEGY
Examples of niche strategies
organizations Market niches
E-bay Online auctions
Porsche Sports car
Nissan motor company Mid-sized cars
Toyota motor company Small-sized cars: CAMRY
Hallmark Greetings card with
distinctive looks
Amazon.com Online books
18. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: FOCUS
STRATEGY/ MARKET-NICHE STRATEGY
Focused low cost strategy
It is the strategy of entering into a niche
market at a low cost with a unique type of
product that has a special need among the
customers in the niche market.
A company can concentrates on small-
volume custom-built products for which it has
a cost advantage.
19. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: FOCUS
STRATEGY/ MARKET-NICHE STRATEGY
Focused differentiation strategy-
It is the strategy of operating business with a
differentiated product in a chosen niche
market.
The focuser company competes against
competitors not based on low-cost, rather
based on product differentiation.
20. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: FOCUS
STRATEGY/ MARKET-NICHE STRATEGY
Requirements for effective implementation of focus
strategy-
Developing a well defined but narrow market
Clearer identification of competitors
Ability to, provide adequate capital
Designing a low cost distribution system
Strong marketing ability and creative flair
21. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: FOCUS
STRATEGY/ MARKET-NICHE STRATEGY
Favorable market situations for focus strategy-
Consumers’ distinctive preferences
Competitors’ apathy
Profitable niche
High growth potential
Availability of different niches in the industry
Inability or unwillingness of competitors to serve
niche market
No risk of segment overcrowding
Focuser’s competitive ability
Company’s farsightedness
22. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: FOCUS
STRATEGY/ MARKET-NICHE STRATEGY
Risks associated with focused strategy-
Risks from more appealing products
Shifting of customers’ preferences
High attractiveness of the niche market
Universality of customers’ needs
Price-war
Withering cost advantages
Fear of low attractiveness
23. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: BEST COST
PROVIDER STRATEGY
Best cost provider strategy-
Best cost strategy is the strategy of increasing
quality of products while reducing costs.
It is hybrid in nature
It balances a strategic emphasis on low cost
against a strategic emphasis on differentiation.
It presupposes relentlessly striving to become a
lower and lower cost provider of a higher and
higher caliber product.
24. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: BEST COST
PROVIDER STRATEGY
Preconditions for becoming a best-cost provider-
Availability of resources and competitive
capabilities
Ability to incorporate appealing features
Ability to give good-to-excellent customer
service
25. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: BEST COST
PROVIDER STRATEGY
Market situations where best cost strategy works
best-
Buyer diversity
Positioning advantage
Resources and capabilities