Harvard Business Review

JUNE 8, 2012

Their success is a reminder that the conventional wisdom that basketball is a game for young people doesn't always apply. Fair or not, Microsoft has long had a reputation for being a fast follower. The same phenomenon has been quietly playing out in the world of social media.

Media 13

Media Company IPO Business Model 13

Harvard Business Review

APRIL 3, 2017

Despite what many think, there are not generically great ways to win — e.g., being a first mover or a fast follower or a branded player or a cost leader. For the great success stories of our time, the tight match of Where to Play and How to Win is immediately obvious.

First-mover Advantage 14

First-mover Advantage Retail Strategy Pharmaceuticals 14

Harvard Business Review

JANUARY 10, 2011

That's one of my favorite guideposts for sustainable business success, and Verizon is my latest poster child for this truth of business strategy (and life). Whether in business competitions or sports matches, those that sustain success over the long term are not flawless. They make mistakes. They fumble.

Wireless 15

Wireless Suri Power Long-term 15

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 1, 2015

What defines success for a business? Profitability as the key measure of business success was akin to a law of physics – like gravity – a foundational assumption which we all take as given: you have to deliver profits to create long term shareholder value. For most of the last century, it was profits.

Company 8

Company Software Long-term Disruptive Innovation 8

Harvard Business Review

DECEMBER 6, 2018

They are planning to be “fast followers” — a strategy that has worked with most information technologies. While some companies — most large banks, Ford and GM, Pfizer, and virtually all tech firms — are aggressively adopting artificial intelligence, many are not. We think this is a bad idea.

Company 8

Company Maturity System Engineering 8

Harvard Business Review

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

GE's Jack Welch was inordinately fond of emphasizing that his biggest leadership regret was that he didn't move fast enough to make fundamental changes. By stark contrast, IBM's Lou Gerstner practiced a cultivated deliberateness in his successful turnaround: Slow and steady won his leadership race. Lafley's "game-changing" stewardship.

Consensus 8

Consensus Welch Retail CEO 8

Harvard Business Review

SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

Samsung has built its name over the past two decades on being the world's greatest Fast Follower. Now we can add to these challenges a legal precedent that makes it even more difficult to build success out of high-quality imitation. Until recently, this wasn't such a big deal. In the near term, Samsung is going to be fine.

Innovation 15

Innovation Supply Chain Short-term Long-term 15

Harvard Business Review

JANUARY 23, 2014

For example, new product development may be the lifeblood of a consumer products company—and thus need to be cultivated and resourced carefully—while in a low-cost producer, or fast follower company, product development may be only a nice-to-have activity. Are you competing on the basis of on-going product or technological innovation?

Ulrich 8

Ulrich Cost Efficiency Consultative 8

Harvard Business Review

MARCH 12, 2012

Success can require experimenting with new ways to market, distribute, offer post-sales support, and more. He described P&G's Gillette Guard product as a success story — a low-cost razor that is driving growth in India and related markets. Reaching this vast middle won't be easy, I said. The full Webinar is available here.

Marketing 12

Marketing Hedge Chief Technology Officer Supply Chain 12