In 1960, marketing legend Ted Levitt provided perhaps his seminal contribution to the Harvard Business Review: “Marketing Myopia.” The article castigated companies for losing sight of the essence of their business, setting themselves up for challenges from competitors and, ultimately, for obsolescence. To avoid that, Levitt exhorted leaders to ask themselves the seemingly obvious question – “What business are you really in?” Posing that question continues to be a powerful way to catalyze important strategic conversations.
In 2014, Resolve to Make Your Business Human Again
And focus on what your company should really be doing.
January 13, 2014
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New!
HBR Learning
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Strategy Planning and Execution Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Strategy Planning and Execution. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to develop a winning strategy—and put it to work.
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