BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY

AUTHOR(S): W. CHAM KIM & RENEE MAUBORGNE
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

A book that focuses on how we can create markets by disrupting the prevailing markets and have our own space.

For me, it was a good read with many insights. I was actually amazed that if I were a marketing or sales head of a company how much valuable this book would be. This should be a must-read book for many entrepreneurs and marketing managers. There are so many case studies and each is derived from a strategy. If the strategies are understood, applied to the organization, and executed using analytical data then I am sure more often than not, a blue ocean (a disruptive market space) can be created.

The book is divided into two parts with the chapters as mentioned below.
Part One : Blue Ocean Strategy

Creating Blue Oceans
Analytical Tools and Frameworks

Part Two : Formulating Blue Ocean Strategy

Reconstructing Market Boundaries
Focus on the Big Picture, Not the Numbers
Reach Beyond Existing Demand
Get the Strategic Sequence Right
Overcome Key Organizational Hurdles
Build Execution Into Strategy
Align Value, Profit and People Propositions
Renew Blue Oceans
Avoid Red Ocean Traps

All through the book, there are tons case studies and many types of industries are covered. Example, from Circus Industry which is disrupted by the formation of Cirque De Soleil to the Computer Industry, disrupted by Apple. From the evolution of Automobiles from Ford to Mercedes-Benz to Southwest Airlines Tagline changed the Airlines Industry, there are overwhelming examples.

This is one of the most relevant business books now and there is no doubt it is one of the best sellers too. Of the plethora of concepts given, I loved the Reduce, Raise, Eliminate, Create concept. Also, the path of creating a strategy and implementing at strategy level in an organization is superbly documented.  I would refrain to explain concepts in detail here, as that would be like giving away some insights which are worth knowing by reading the book itself. The way the concepts are presented in the book is commendable.

Though I found some disconnect in few aspects as I was not well versed with certain examples, yet I could understand the thought process behind the need of expressing the same. The logical flow of chapters is nice and so the English. In this book, I expected a language that would be tough to comprehend. For my surprise, it was in a professional's language (a person who has some kind of work experience to understand his own work sphere) and I could thus understand without any assistance.

Also, there are diagrams and some of which are graphs. It took some time for me to get the vision of graphs and how to read them. If looked at in isolation, they did not mean mush, but in the context, those were well done.

I thank the Harvard Business Review Press and the Authors. They published this book so that public at large, especially entrepreneurs are benefitted.