Commoditization And The Strategic Response
by Andrew Holmes /
2008 / English / PDF
1.1 MB Download
Organizations and those who work within them are under attack from
the increasingly pervasive impacts of commoditization. With little
to distinguish one company's products and services from another or
one person's skills and capabilities from the next, organizations
and workers alike are finding themselves trapped in the me-too hell
of commoditization. For many this means the survival of the
cheapest, as price becomes the principal basis for decision making.
For others it requires them to think creatively to avoid the trap
of commoditization, even though this may only provide a temporary
respite. In this groundbreaking book, Andrew Holmes sets out why
commoditization represents such a clear and present danger to every
corporation and all white-collar workers. Starting with the nature
of the commodities we are familiar with such as coal and cotton,
Holmes moves on to describe how commoditization is affecting entire
industries and is increasingly touching the work of the
professional classes. The evidence is both fascinating and
compelling and it is clear that the impacts of commoditization are
far reaching. The author also outlines the impact of
commoditization on an organization's strategy towards brand, supply
chain, value chain, innovation, pricing and competition. He
explores the implications for skills, attitudes and behaviours in
the workplace before describing a series of strategies for avoiding
the risk and exploiting the opportunities offered by a new
commoditized world, such as outsourcing, innovation, offshoring,
mergers and acquisitions, divestments and first mover advantage.
Holmes offers organizations and white-collar workers a range of
strategic responses which can be used to combat its worst impacts.
And as commoditization continues to make inroads into the corporate
and working worlds, this book will be an invaluable companion to
addressing the challenges which it presents.
Organizations and those who work within them are under attack from
the increasingly pervasive impacts of commoditization. With little
to distinguish one company's products and services from another or
one person's skills and capabilities from the next, organizations
and workers alike are finding themselves trapped in the me-too hell
of commoditization. For many this means the survival of the
cheapest, as price becomes the principal basis for decision making.
For others it requires them to think creatively to avoid the trap
of commoditization, even though this may only provide a temporary
respite. In this groundbreaking book, Andrew Holmes sets out why
commoditization represents such a clear and present danger to every
corporation and all white-collar workers. Starting with the nature
of the commodities we are familiar with such as coal and cotton,
Holmes moves on to describe how commoditization is affecting entire
industries and is increasingly touching the work of the
professional classes. The evidence is both fascinating and
compelling and it is clear that the impacts of commoditization are
far reaching. The author also outlines the impact of
commoditization on an organization's strategy towards brand, supply
chain, value chain, innovation, pricing and competition. He
explores the implications for skills, attitudes and behaviours in
the workplace before describing a series of strategies for avoiding
the risk and exploiting the opportunities offered by a new
commoditized world, such as outsourcing, innovation, offshoring,
mergers and acquisitions, divestments and first mover advantage.
Holmes offers organizations and white-collar workers a range of
strategic responses which can be used to combat its worst impacts.
And as commoditization continues to make inroads into the corporate
and working worlds, this book will be an invaluable companion to
addressing the challenges which it presents.
