In Michael Porter’s highly regarded strategy model, companies gain
competitive advantage by lowering costs or differentiating products. But today the traditional points of competitive differentiation had being squeezed on all sides. Third part contribution and the reasonable labor costs are available in almost any business, big or small. Other that, unassailable sources of advantage, such as access to capital or reasonable raw materials, are disappearing as markets go global. Companies that compete in advantages of environment are becoming ever more and more hard to establish and maintain.
This renovation of landscape requires refined business strategy. The capacity for innovation bringing imagination to bear to solve problems and respond to human needs. It all lies at the heart of success and Companies must find new and better ways to break out of the pack. Those that don’t will struggle to keep up in the marketplace. Read more
Every business faces countless decisions about how to invest the next dollar.
Should we spend more money on R&D, on new equipment, or on a new marketing campaign? Every business has some process, either formal or informal, for making these cost-benefit calculations and coming to a conclusion. For most companies, the decision hinges on out-of-pocket costs and potential financial returns.
WaveRiders operate like all other companies, but they think differently. They include more than the obvious dollar payoff in their decision making. When considering the return on an investment, they factor in benefits such as enhanced brand image and corporate reputation, improved employee morale, community support, reduced governmental red tape, increased speed to market, and competitive differentiation. These intangibles are hard to measure, but smart companies include them in their strategic planning, despite the difficulty. Leading-edge managers have taught themselves to fold intangibles into their calculations at every turn because they know that immeasurable sometimes produce the greatest value. Read more
We studies dozens of companies during our four years of research. A few
have not evolved in their thinking since the 1970s. They are still grousing about legislation and complying with it grudgingly. Others have begun to see the business opportunities in going “beyond compliance.” A few have embarked on bold new initiatives to provide solutions to the world’s environmental ills—like GE’s plan to sell renewable energy, efficient power generation, water purification, and much more.
The companies who “get” the interface between environmentalism and business—the ones that are on their way to reducing their environmental impacts, or “footprints,” while generating significant profits and sustained Eco-Advantage—have no single profile. They range from global conglomerates to niche textile makers. However, we found certain patterns. The leading-edge companies go beyond the basics of complying with the law, cutting waste, and operating efficiently. They fold environmental considerations into all aspects of operations. Specifically, they: Read more