Introduction

The Kellogg Consulting Club Case Workbook is designed to provide students with the tools they need to succeed at
case interviews. It describes the case interview process and details many of the major models and concepts students
should be familiar with in approaching cases. While such concepts do not provide case solutions, they do help in
developing lines of questioning and probing the major points of the case in a comprehensive manner.
Most consulting firms utilize cases at some point in their interview process. When conducted properly, case interviews
can give the interviewer great insight into the student's ability to organize his or her thoughts, pursue a well-reasoned
line of inquiry, and assemble theories on possible solutions to the problems presented in the case. It is important to keep
in mind that the method is as important as the "answer." In many cases, especially the short type ("How many boxes of
Cocoa Puffs were sold in the US. last year?"), the method is all that matters. Knowing the concepts in this workbook
will give the student a strong start in understanding and applying various methods in this process.
So, lets start with a sample case:
A Japanese company and an American company had a boat race; the Japanese won by a mile.
The Americans hired a management consultant to figure out what went wrong. After careful analysis, she
reported that the Japanese had one person managing and seven rowing, while the Americans had seven
managing and one rowing. She then recommended some structural changes. Following her advice, the
American company immediately restructured its team. The new team had one senior manager, six
management consultants, and one rower.
In the rematch, the Japanese won by two miles. So the American company fired the rower.
Just kidding. Cases in real interviews may not be as amusing. Part l provides an overview of both long and short
cases, including interviewer styles, a suggested structure, and several insightful tips. Part 2 gives basic definitions of
many of the major concepts with which the business school student should be familiar. Part 3, Thought Models, lays out
most of the schema which can be used in analyzing the case situations and framing lines of questioning. The fourth and
final section is a set of sample long and short cases with key points indicated.

PART 1: OVERVIEW OF CASE INTERVIEW PROCESS

Long Cases
Most cases can be classified as long cases (e.g. "We have a client in the cosmetics industry. The client has experienced
declining profitability over the last two years. How would you go about assessing the situation?"). These cases will
generally last between 15 and 30 minutes and are intended to allow you a chance to show how you would structure and
conduct an industry/profitability/marketing analysis. The interviewer will be looking for analytical ability, structure,
interpersonal skills, intellectual curiosity, and enthusiasm.
It is important to understand that the case will usually proceed in one of three ways, depending on the style of the
interviewer. Most common is the interactive case, in which the interviewer will first present the situation and provide
additional client/industry information as the interview progresses. The information will usually be either in response to
a question from you or as a means to redirect your focus. Another style of case is best described as one-sided, in which
the interviewer will present the situation and leave you to walk through your approach to analyzing/"solving" the case.
It is particularly important to have a well structured approach in this style of case, as there is less chance to redirect
your efforts based on responses from the interviewer. The third style of case is named after the interviewer style: hardass. In such cases, the interviewer often challenges your points or assumptions in an effort to see how you might hold
up in a difficult client situation. It is important to recognize this style and make every effort to remain calm and be able
to support your logic to show conviction. Fortunately, this last style of interviewer does not come around very often!
While every case is different and no one approach will work for all cases, it is critical to have a well-structured analysis.
The following five-step process will help to achieve a desired level of structure.

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l.

Stop and think. After the interviewer has presented the case, take a moment to think about the
relevant issues, the way in which you will structure your approach, and what thought models (e.g.
Five Forces, Cost/revenue) might apply.

2.

Ask Questions. If you missed any information or if you are unclear about a term or technology, ask
for clarification. It is imperative to start your analysis with a clear understanding of the problem.

3.

Outline Your Analysis. Decide the way in which you are going to structure your analysis and
communicate this to the interviewer. It will help the interviewer to understand the way in which you
are approaching the problem.

4.

Deep Drill. Based on your assessment of the relevant issues and your approach, pick the appropriate
avenue for in-depth analysis (e.g. if the problem is declining profitability, you should thoroughly
examine potential cost drivers and understand how they might have changed over time). Proceed to
deep drill each appropriate area, paying attention to the time provided and seeking additional
information along the way.

5.

Summarize. Where possible, draw preliminary conclusions based on facts or stated assumptions.
Summarize your analysis and the approach you used. If appropriate, indicate the likely next steps in
further assessing the situation.

The following is a short list of tips for the case interview process. Add to this list when you discover new tips that
work..
1.

If it helps you to structure your analysis or if the case is quantitative, take notes.

2.

Feel free to pause and collect your thoughts at any time (the pause won't seem as long as you think to
the interviewer and the time might help you communicate your thoughts more clearly).

3.

Think out loud. The main purpose of the case interviews is to show the way in which you analyze a
problem, so let the interviewer hear your thought process and any assumptions you make.

4.

Have fun. Nervous tension will come across in an interview. Try to relax and think of it as an
opportunity to explore the drivers of success for a company or industry. If the interviewer lobs a
detailed micro-economics question at you, then you can get nervous!

5.

Think about the type of consulting projects the firm does. This might give you insight into the type of
case you are likely to get and the way in which you might structure your analysis.

6.

Pay close attention to any hints (subtle or not) that the interviewer gives you, particularly if they are
trying to steer you back on course.

Short Cases
Occasionally, consulting firms will give short cases, also called "goofy" cases (e.g. How many boxes of Count Chocula
were sold in the US last year? How many rats are there in Manhattan?). These cases generally take only 1-3 minutes to
address and are intended to see how you approach an abstract quantitative question. The interviewer is not as much
interested in the final answer as the way in which it is derived. It is particularly important to communicate your thought
process to the interviewer and state the assumptions you make. Typically, you will want to take a while to think about
the question and the approach you will take, communicate this approach to the interviewer, discuss the components of
an equation to arrive at a solution, state your assumptions for each component, and calculate your answer. Depending
on the nature of the question, these short cases usually provide an opportunity to show the interviewer your sense of
humor, so try to relax and have fun with it.

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PART 2: DEFINITIONS
Economies of Scale
Economies of scale are said to exist when the average cost (AC) declines as output increases, over a range of
output. In AC declines as output increases, so must the marginal cost (MC) (the cost of the last incremental
unit of output). The relationship between AC and MC can be summarized as follows:
MC<AC = Economies of scale
MC=AC = Constant returns to scale
MC>AC = Diseconomies of scale
The paradigm shape of the cost curve is U shaped. The generally accepted explanation for this is that AC
initially declines because fixed costs are being spread over increasing output and then eventually increase as
variable costs increase. The minimum efficient scale (MES)
is the minimum level on the average cost curve. Economies of scale are not limited to manufacturing;
marketing, R& D, and other functions can realize economies of scale as well.
Economies of Scope
Economies of scope exist if the firm reduces costs by increasing the variety of activities it performs. Whereas
economies of scale are usually defined in terms of declining average cost functions, it is more customary to
define economies of scope in terms of the relative total cost of producing a variety of goods together in one
firm versus separately in two or more firms. Economies of scope may be achieved by "leveraging core
competencies." For example, it may make economic sense for a manufacturer of tape to get into the business
of manufacturing note pads with adhesive backings as there are commonalties in the two businesses at many
points along the value chain.
Learning Curve
The learning curve refers to cost advantages that flow from accumulated experience and know-how, often
through lower costs, higher quality and more effective pricing and marketing. The magnitude of learning
benefits is expressed in terms of a "progress ratio" calculated as the unit cost after doubling cumulative
production divided by the previous cost (C2/C1). A ratio of less than 1 suggests that some cost savings due to
learning is taking place. The median appears to be approximately .80, implying that for the typical firm, a
doubling of cumulative output is associated with a 20% reduction in unit costs.
Reengineering
Popularized as Business Process Reengineering (BPR), reengineering refers to breaking down business
processes and reinventing them to work more efficiently, cutting out wasted steps and enhancing
communication. Business processes are often replete with implicit rules which hamper the way in which work
should truly be done. Further, processes are often viewed as discrete tasks, a habit that prevents management
from making frame breaking, cohesive change. Reengineering is defined by Michael Hammer and James
Champy in Reengineering the Coloration as "the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business
processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical contemporary measures of performance such as cost,
quality, service, and speed."

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Total Quality Management (TQM)

TQM refers to the practice of placing an overriding management objective on improving quality. Whereas
TQM is more of a philosophy than a specific strategy, the stated objective is often "zero defects". A higher
level of quality is linked to increased customer satisfaction and thus leads to the ability to charge a higher
price at what is often a lower cost. It is important to ensure that the added benefit from incrementally
increasing quality outweighs the added cost associated with the quality improvement effort. TQM was initially
limited to the manufacturing sector but has more recently been applied effectively to service businesses as
well.
Key Success Factors
Key success factors are those factors which are most critical in determining a firm's ability to survive and
prosper. Attributes of key success factors are the following:
management can influence them;
they impact the overall competitive position of the firm in the industry;
they are an interaction of characteristics of an industry and each firm's strategies.
A firm must supply what customers want and survive competition from other firms. Therefore, management
should ask:
What do customers want?
What does the firm need to do to survive competition?
Key success factors are those factors which lead to the answers to the above questions. For example, for wood
products key success factors are owning large forests and maximizing the yield.
Core Competencies1
A concept popularized by Professors Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad, core competencies are those competencies which
provide a potential access to a wide variety of markets, make a significant contribution to the perceived customer
benefits of the end product, and are difficult for competitors to imitate. The classic example of a company which has
effectively leveraged its core competencies is Honda, which has gained a competitive advantage in numerous product
markets through its focus on leveraging its skill at making engines.
Vertical Integration
In some industries, companies find it advantageous to integrate backward (towards their suppliers) or forward (towards
their customers). Vertical integration makes the most sense from a management and economic perspective when a
company wants greater control of a channel that has major impact to its product cost or quality or when the existing
relationship involves a high level of asset specificity (assets that are specific to the relationship the company has with its
supplier or customer).
Just-In-Time (JIT)2
The goal of JIT' production is zero inventory with 100% quality. It means that materials arrive at the customer's factory
exactly when needed. It calls for a synchronization between supplier and customer production schedules so that
inventory buffers are unnecessary. Effective implementation of JIT should result in reduced inventory and increased
quality, productivity, and adaptability to changes.

1
2

Kotler, Philip, Marketing Management

This section taken from Philip Kotler, Marketing Management

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Fixed vs. Variable Costs3

Variable Costs (VC): The costs of production that vary directly with the quantity (Q) produced; these costs generally
include direct materials and direct labor costs.
Semivariable Costs:
The costs of production that vary with the quantity (Q) produced, but not directly (typically, these are discrete
costs, such as the cost of adding new production capacity when Q reaches
certain levels).
Fixed Costs (FC):
The costs of production that do not vary with the quantity (Q) produced.
Break-even Point4
Break-even analysis is a managerial planning technique using fixed costs, variable costs, and the price of a product to
determine the minimum units of sales necessary to break even, or to pay the total costs involved. The necessary sales
are called the BEQ, or break-even quantity. This technique is also useful to make go/no-go decisions regarding the
purchase of new equipment. The BEQ is calculated by dividing the fixed costs (FC) by- the. price minus the variable
cost per unit (P-VC):
BEQ = (FC)/(P-VC)
The price minus the variable cost per unit is called the contribution margin. It represents the amount left after the sale
of each unit and the paying of the variable costs in that unit that "contributes" to the paying of the fixed costs. To
determine profit, multiply the quantity sold times the contribution margin and subtract the total fixed cost:.
Profit = Q(P-VC) - FC
Net Present Value (NPV)
The NPV is a project's net contribution to wealth: present value (PV) minus initial investment. The present value is
calculated by discounting future cash flows by an appropriate rate (r), usually called the opportunity cost of capital, or
hurdle rate. If Ct represents the cash flow at time t , (Ct can be negative, as in the initial investment, Co), the NPV is
calculated as follows:
NPV = C0 + C1/(1+r) + C2/(1+r) 2 + ... + Ct/(1+r) t
Pareto Principle (80/20)
The pareto principle refers to the situation in which a large amount of the total output comes from a small amount of
the total input. This is typified by the "80/20 rule" which states that 80% of the output comes from 20% of the input.
Typically, a pareto analysis is conducted to determine the areas on which management should focus its efforts. For
example, 80% of total downtime on a production line is attributed to 2 out of 10 manufacturing steps. Alternatively,
80% of a company's profits may be generated by 20% of its products.

3
4

This section taken from Patrick Montana and Bruce Charnov, Management
This section taken from Patrick Montana and Bruce Charnov, Management

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PART 3: THOUGHT MODELS

4 Cs
Stands for customer, competition, cost, capabilities. Intended to ask the critical questions in understanding the core
business of an organization. It is really more of a back-of-the-envelope sketch than a detailed analysis. Filling in these
categories can be a first, cursory step in understanding a given company or industry. Although this model is unlikely to
produce revolutionary insights, it may help in defining a business by breaking it down into the very basics and looking
for conflicting elements. Difficult to use with diversified companies and interests.
Economics
Students should review the basics of economic theory. Many cases, especially the more strategic ones, have a strong
backing in basic economics so knowing the fundamentals will give the student a strong base from which to work. Some
of the more relevant concepts include:
Supply & Demand
Supply
Price

Demand

Quantity
The Supply Curve - The higher the price of a product or service, the greater the quantity of the item that producers will
be willing to make available (i.e., supply). Conversely, the lower the price of a product or service, the smaller the
quantity producers will be willing to make available.
The Demand Curve-The lower the price of a product or service, the greater the quantity of the item
that consumers will be willing to buy (i.e., demand). Conversely, the higher the price of a product or
service, the smaller the quantity consumers will be willing to buy.5
Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility6
This concept or economic "law" posits that the level of demand or "satisfaction" derived from a product or service
diminishes with each additional unit consumed until no further benefit is perceived, within a given time frame.
Law of Diminishing Returns7
This concept suggests that although additional units of labor may contribute to increased productivity in absolute
numbers, each such additional unit contributes relatively less than the preceding unit to this productivity. Why? Because
there are fewer machines, tools, or other inputs per productive worker.

Sobel, Milo, The 12-Hour MBA Program

Sobel, Milo, The 12-Hour MBA Program
7
Casler, Stehpen, Introduction to Economics
5
6

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Comparative Advantage8
It is in the interest of a nation to import an item from another nation when it cannot produce the item as inexpensively.
The concept of comparative advantage goes a step farther, contending that it may be to a country's advantage to import
goods from other nations even though they may be able to produce the goods less expensively at home. This is based
upon the premise that not producing the item in favor of producing another item which offers better production
efficiencies will ultimately benefit both countries (see also economies of scale).
Elasticity of Demand9
The degree to which demand for a product or service can be altered by a change in price indicates the extent of the
elasticity of such demand. For example, a person who seeks to purchase a particular brand and model of automobile
may decide to shop competitively from dealer to dealer for the lowest price. This would characterize demand that is
elastic. However, there are circumstances where the level of demand is not altered by a change in price. For example, a
person who is diabetic will probably be willing to pay as much money as he or she has to buy insulin, the medication
that would sustain that individual's life. In this case, the demand is inelastic.
4 Ps
This model was developed by Kellogg's Philip Kotler. It stands for product, price, placement (i.e., distribution
channels), and promotion. These are the four key dimensions in marketing any product (or service).
Value Disciplines
Fred Wiersema and Michael Tracy of CSC Index, Inc. have developed a set of strategic foci called the value disciplines
(Harvard Business Review, January-February 1993, pp 84-93). The disciplines are:

8
9

Operational excellence - Provide customers with reliable products or services at competitive prices
and delivered with minimal difficulty or inconvenience, with the goal of leading the
industry in price and convenience (e.g., Dell Computer).
Customer intimacy - Segment and target markets precisely and then tailor offerings to match exactly
the demands of those niches, combining customer knowledge with operational flexibility to
respond quickly to almost any need (e.g., Home Depot).
Product leadership - Offer customers leading-edge products and services that consistently enhance
the customer's use or application of the product, thereby making rivals' goods obsolete (e.g.,
Nike).
Companies which push the boundaries of one value discipline while meeting industry standards in
the other two gain such a lead that competitors find it hard to catch up.

Baumol, William and Blinder, Alan, Economics: Principles and Policy

Sobel, Milo, The 12-Hour MBA Program

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Five Forces10

Potential
Entrants
Threat of
New Entrants
Bargaining Power of Suppliers

Suppliers

Bargaining Power of Buyers

Industry
Competitors
Rivalry Among
Existing Firms

Buyers

Threat of Substitute
Products or Services

Substitutes
Michael Porter's Five Forces model is utilized in analyzing the various competitive pressures at work in a given
industry. The results indicate overall industry attractiveness (i.e., ease of making a profit), as well as the strength and
influence each of the competitive pressures have on the firms participating in the industry.
Industry Competitors (Internal Rivalry) - Often, the most powerful of the five forces is the competitive battle among
rival firms which are already present in the industry. The intensity with which the competitors are jockeying for
position and competitive advantages indicates the strength of this force's influence.
Potential Entrants - The competitive threat that outsiders will enter a market is stronger when entry barriers are low,
when incumbents are not inclined to fight vigorously to prevent a newcomer from gaining a market foothold, and when
a newcomer can expect to earn attractive profits.
Threat of substitutes - The competitive threat posed by substitute products is strong when prices of substitutes are
attractive, buyers' switching costs are low, and buyers believe substitutes have equal or better features.
Supplier Power - Suppliers to an industry are a strong competitive force whenever they have sufficient bargaining
power to command a price premium for their materials or components and whenever they can affect the competitive
well-being of industry rivals by the reliability of their deliveries or by the quality and performance of the items they
supply.
Buyer Power - Buyers become a stronger competitive force the more they are able to exercise bargaining leverage over
price, quality, service, or other terms or conditions of sale. Buyers gain strength through size and when the objects they
are purchasing are critical to their success (particularly when they could source these items elsewhere with low
switching costs).

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Parts of this section are taken from Thompson & Strickland, Strategy Formulation and Implementation.

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Industry and Competitive Analysis Summary Profile11

1. Dominant Economic Characteristics of the Industry Environment
Market growth, geographic scope, industry structure, scale economies, experience curve effects, capital
requirements, and so on.
2. Driving Forces
3. Competition Analysis
Rivalry among competing sellers (a strong, moderate, or weak force/weapons of competition)
Threat of potential entry (a strong, moderate, or weak force/assessment of entry barriers)
Competition from substitutes (a strong, moderate, or weak force/why)
Power of suppliers (a strong, moderate, or weak force/why)".Power of customers (a strong, moderate, or
weak force/why)
4. Competitive Position of Major Companies/Strategic Groups
Favorably positioned/why
Unfavorably positioned/why
5. Competitor Analysis
Strategic approach in predicted moves of key competitors
Who to watch-and why
6. Key Success Factors
Factors that are most critical to success within the industry
7. Industry Prospects and Overall Attractiveness
Factors making the industry attractive
Factors making the industry unattractive
Special industry issues/problems
Profit outlook (favorable/unfavorable)

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Thompson and Strickland, Strategy, Formulation and Implementation

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BCG's Growth-Share Matrix12

MARKET
SHARE
HI

LOW

STAR

PROBLEM
CHILD

CASH COW

DOG

HI
MARKET
GROWTH
LOW

From The Experience Curve: The Growth-Share Matrix or

the Product Portfolio (Boston Consulting Group, 1973)
The BCG Growth-Share Matrix provides a framework that enables us to identify and evaluate the companys products
relative to market share and the extent to which the market, as a whole, is expanding or contracting. It can also be
utilized to analyze a portfolio of companies held by a single organization by classifying each of the held businesses.
Products or businesses may be:

Star: product with high market share in a high-growth market; every mother's prayer.

Problem Child: (also called "Question Marks")-product with low market share in a high-growth market;
mother is concerned because her child is not growing as anticipated. Another perspective is that
mother shouldn't be quite so concerned if the child has carved out a little niche that is impervious to
the competition; maybe slow yet consistent growth isn't so bad.

Cash Cow: product with high market share in a low-growth market. Since the cow is generating milk (i.e.,
cash), the marketer may elect to "milk the cow dry," so to speak, accelerating cash flow and, not
coincidentally, the product life cycle.

Dog: product with low market share in a low-growth market. In this sense, "dog" is certainly not "man's best
friend." Rather, it is analogous to "bomb?' (i.e., something that falls miserably) or to "lemon" (i.e.,
something that is defective or undesirable). So it would seem that one would want to drop the dog
from the product line.
Value Chain13
It is important to understand the internal relatedness of the many activities involved in the production of a product or
service. Every business unit is a collection of discrete activities ranging from sales to accounting that allow it to
compete. Michael Porter calls these value activities. It is at this level, not the company as a whole, that the unit achieves
competitive advantage.

Sobel, Milo, The 12-Hour MBA Program, which takes it from Aaker, David. Developing Business Strategies
Porter, Michael, From Competitive Advantage to Corporate Strategy, Harvard Business Review, May-June,
1986 pp. 43-59.
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13

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Value Chain
Support
Activities
Primary
Activities

Company Infrastructure
Human Resources Management
Information Systems
Procurement
Inbound
Logistics

Operations

Outbound
Logistics

Marketing
and Sales

Services

The value activities are grouped into nine categories, as indicated in the exhibit above. Primary activities create the
product or service, deliver and market it, and provide after-sale support. The categories of primary activities are
inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and service. Support activities provide the input
and infrastructure that allow the primary activities to take place. The categories are company infrastructure, human
resource management, information systems, and procurement.
Value chain analysis is useful in discerning possible synergies among various units of an organization (e.g., shared
procurement), determining which value activities are best outsourced and which are best developed internally, and
developing greater insight into the flow of activities in the creation and distribution of a particular product or service
(e.g., what value is added to the manufacture and sale of gasoline. at each point in the value chain, and by whom?).
Strategic Types (Miles & Snow)
Miles and Snow have divided strategic options into four categories (in contrast to Porter's three Generic Strategies). A
company can only pursue one of these strategies at a time, but it is common for a company to shift from one to another
as its situation, and its industry, changes.
Defender: Those firms which have a leadership share of the market will often concentrate on staving off the
competition, moving to erect as may barriers to entry as possible. They are closely related to Porter's low Cost
Producers, leveraging their advanced position along the learning curve and their name recognition to maintain a
superior market position.
Reactor: Such companies are second-movers, letting the others show them the way to success. They react to the
changes in the market and the moves of their competitors and so must maintain flexibility. While this strategy may be
profitable in the short run, its long-term value is questionable.
Analyzers: Analyzers pick apart the market very carefully looking for niches and demand and supply gaps. Akin to
Porter's Focused companies, these firms are not necessarily

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Generic Strategies (Porter)14

Michael Porter suggests that business strategies can be classified as pursuing cost leadership, differentiation, or focus.
Each of these strategies is described as follows:
Overall Cost Leadership: Here the business works hard to achieve the lowest production and distribution costs so that
it can price lower than its competitors and win a large market share. Firms pursuing this strategy must be good at
engineering, purchasing, manufacturing, and physical distribution and need less skill in marketing. Texas Instruments
is a leading practitioner of this strategy. The problem with this strategy is that other firms will usually emerge with still
lower costs (from the Far East, for example) and hurt the firm that rested its whole future on being low cost. The real
key is for the firm to achieve the lowest costs among those competitors adopting a similar differentiation of focus
strategy.
Differentiation: Here the business concentrates in achieving superior performance in an important customer benefit are
valued by a large part of the market. It can strive to be the service leader, the quality leader, the style leader, the
technology leader, and so on; but it is hardly possible to be all of these things. The firm cultivates those strengths that
will give it a competitive advantage in one or more benefits. Thus the firm seeking quality leadership must make or
buy the best components, put them together expertly, inspect them carefully, and so on. This has been Canons strategy
in the copy-machine field.
Focus: Here the business focuses on one or more narrow market segments rather than going after a large market. The
firm gets to know the needs of these segments and pursues either cost leadership or a form of differentiation within the
target segment. Thus Armstrong Rubber has specialized in making superior tires for farm-equipment vehicles and
recreational vehicles and keeps looking for new niches to serve.
According to Porter, those firms pursuing the same strategy direct to the same market or market segment constitute a
strategic group. The firm that carries off that strategy best will make the most profits. Thus the lowest-cost firm
among those pursuing a low-cost strategy will do the best. Porter suggests that firms that do not pursue a clear strategy
--middle of the roaders -- do the worst.

14

This section taken from Philip Kotler, Marketing Management

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