Strategy in a recession - Don’t Panic Mr Mainwaring!

One of the key lessons from the recent recession is a need for firms to take a much closer look at how their business really operates.  Those that really knew their business - their strengths and weaknesses (their competitive position) - have usually been able to respond successfully.  Those that were caught by surprise have been badly hurt, or worse.

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How small businesses can compete - attack is the best form of defence

I like this article, published today on the excellent SMEWeb…

Sainsbury’s and the electric vehicle superhighway

This story seems like a good example of how understanding your customers can help to develop a competitive advantage. Sainsbury’s already claim that they are one of the country’s biggest users of electric vehicles, and are now encouraging their customers to follow their lead by installing vehicle recharging points for customers’ use at eleven of their London stores. They will not charge for the service, which presumably will enable customers to top up their cars for an hour or so while they do their shopping. Neil Sachdev, Sainsbury’s commercial director, said: “This will turn London into an electric vehicle superhighway, giving electric car drivers greater freedom.” According to the company’s press release, almost 70% of harmful particulate emissions in London come from road transport, whereas electric cars have zero emissions when being driven. Electric vehicles result in between 25% and 50 % less CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere and reductions could increase considerably as technology improves. 

Meet a social enterprise with low-priced USP

This business has almost everything for a great business lesson.  The business model?  It buys second-hand books from charities that cant find customers, and sells them on for as little as £0.01 each.  It is yet to make a profit.  But read on…

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Corporate and Functional objectives - how BMW uses the Mini brand

The modern, 21st century Mini may look rather different from the 1950’s original -

- but you can probably see the family resemblance there. There is an interesting article here about how BMW’s designers updated the new model by imagining how it might have looked if redesigned in 1969, 1979, 1989, and finally arriving at the 1999 remodelling which has been so very successful. The brand is being extended and the design features adapted in a range of product developments that range from the two-seater convertible shown at the top of this article to a four-door 4x4 cross-over model which will go into production this winter.