Blue Ocean Strategy

Through some great business strategists, I was recently introduced to this book and concept. In many ways, I find it to be "thinking outside the box" lite. They remind us that all the sharks battle over the same feeding areas creating a "red ocean" and too often forget that there is a larger "blue ocean" with many more uncontested fish that can be had, all of your own.

It was apparent that the authors shoehorned their examples from a rear view mirror perspective to fit the hypothesis. Cirque de Soleil is a good example. The book infers that the founder went through an analytical strategy process to uncover the blue ocean with a new form of entertainment. In actual fact, we used to watch him and his fellow buskers collaborate on the streets of Old Montreal in what looked more like a theatrical jam session. The new offering emerged from trial and error honed to audience feedback and voluntary donations. What led them from coins to billions was simply being very talented and their willingness to pay their dues. There was no instant strategy or Eureka.

The Blue Ocean Strategy analytical premise and tools are very good ones. What we can't forget is that you do not create new winning categories of your own in a vacuum. It is an iterative process of testing reactions and evolving until the market declares you a winner. You have to pay your dues working with and learning from those who can choose you or not.