Sometimes, admitting to your biggest weaknesses can be a source of strength.
Classic example: Avis, the number two car-rental firm in the US, saying “We’re number two, so we try harder.” This became a strong selling point for Avis because it gave credibility to their claim of having better service.
And then there’s the classic Volkswagen ads […]

What’s the difference between research and intelligence?
Technically, market intelligence is still part of the domain of market research. But there’s a very important distinction between the two.
Market research is scientific and purposive. It seeks to discover something about the market, and the researcher then devices scientific ways to arrive at this information. You know what […]

A decade or so ago, a new local foods company began a big advertising campaign, promising that “Coming soon, a whole new range of products” would be seen in the grocery shelves. They wanted to be everywhere, selling all things from catsup and condiments to canned fruits and packaged foods.
And then silence. Nothing came out […]

In our January/February issue, we talked about creativity as a strategy. This becomes a particularly essential tool if you happen to be in the manufacturing sector.
Let’s face it, almost all manufacturing is now being done in China (and soon, Vietnam) because of their cost and logistical advantages. China is aggressively attracting producers from all over […]