What is the Blue Ocean Strategy?
This renowned circus had to get creative during a period of crisis in the fiercely competitive circus industry. Examine why they don’t buy from anyone in the current market and consider how to attract them to your business. Once you’ve addressed each section, a value curve can help you measure business success by planning individual product features according to their intensity (more on this below). MSP is a multifaceted process that involves key steps and tasks as outlined in the UNESCO-IOC global guide on MSP6. India and Norway share common principles in MSP, such as an ecosystem-based approach, multi-sectoral integration and stakeholder-driven governance. Both countries aim to balance economic growth with marine conservation, ensuring sustainable ocean resource management. For Startups Entering Saturated Markets With the research and analysis out of the way, you need to act quickly and rapidly test the new strategy for commercial viability. Irrespective of whether you run a small or large business, you need to also ensure that you align your whole system (organisationally) to execute the strategy effectively. Whether you’re selling a product or a service, it’s now time to redesign your offering based on unique value propositions. Step two involves identifying pain points and opportunities that you can tap into that no one has explored as yet. In order to do this, focus on spotting inefficiencies, frustrations or unmet needs in the current market. Considering the proven markets that NVIDIA could continue to invest in, Huang decided to allocate time and resources to setting up the infrastructure for a market that could not even be sized. By nurturing a work environment based around innovation, NVIDIA ensures that it will continue to remain at the forefront of technological advancements and can quickly adapt to new market opportunities. Once demand surged, NVIDIA managed to capture an estimated 80% to 95% market share in data center AI chips. Huang’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that by investing in these markets in the earlier stages of development, NVIDIA can position itself as a leader once these markets (and the underlying technologies) mature. Blue oceans will inevitably attract imitators, turning the competitive landscape into red oceans. A car, on the other hand, can provide comfort during muddy patches or bumpy roads. Blue ocean strategy can be difficult to implement because it requires significant investments in market research and product development. For this reason, the term ‘red’ has also been assigned to such an overall strategy. This framework helps businesses innovate and pursue untapped opportunities that differentiate them from competitors. Instead, it proposes creating an entirely new market space (blue oceans) where competition is irrelevant and demand is created. This framework helps businesses innovate and pursue untapped opportunities that differentiate them from competitors. The Blue Ocean Strategy is a business methodology that advocates the creation of new market spaces, or “blue oceans,” rather than competing in overcrowded existing markets or “red oceans.” Developed by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, professors at INSEAD, the concept was introduced in their groundbreaking book “Blue Ocean Strategy,” published in 2005. The Four Actions Framework Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne proposed the concept of the blue ocean strategy. It helps discover new markets with high growth potential for firms, but it also carries a high level of risk. These new markets are typically unknown areas and fields existing businesses have not yet explored. In blue oceans, competition is minimal or nonexistent, allowing companies to enjoy the benefits of a newly created market space. The focus on value innovation ensures that companies continue to offer superior value, maintaining their competitive edge over time. Book layout and concepts By developing a SaaS model, Salesforce solved this problem, made businesses more efficient, and made CRM accessible to small businesses through inexpensive subscriptions. When there isn’t a specific product to solve a customer’s problem, they’re unaware of their specific pain points (or they know but can’t articulate it). A blue ocean seller identifies unspoken problems and creates a product to address them. With a collection of over two hundred thousand songs, consumers could download an individual song for as low as 99 cents or an entire album for $9.99. But in most industries, rivals tend to stay within the bounds of their industry’s product and service offerings. Challenging an industry’s conventional wisdom about which buyer group to target can lead to the discovery of a new blue ocean. For example, Southwest pioneered point-to-point travel between midsize cities in an industry that mainly operated through hub-and-spoke model. A strategy formulated using the tools discussed thus far should exhibit three characteristics – Focus, Divergence, and a Compelling Tagline. Examples of Blue Ocean Strategy Yellow Tail, an Australian wine brand, successfully implemented a blue ocean strategy by simplifying the wine selection process and targeting casual wine drinkers. Instead of competing with established wineries in the premium wine market, Yellow Tail positioned itself as a fun, easy-to-choose, and easy-to-drink wine. This approach resonated with non-traditional wine consumers and allowed Yellow Tail to become one of the fastest-growing wine brands in the world. Introducing a new product or service in a blue ocean requires convincing customers to adopt a novel approach or solution. Customers may be hesitant to switch from familiar offerings or require extensive education and persuasion to understand the benefits of the new value proposition. Step 6: Build Execution into Strategy By tapping into these overlooked audiences, organizations can generate revenue streams that competitors have neither identified nor positioned themselves to capture. This research became the foundation for the bestselling book Blue Ocean Strategy, published in 2005. The book equipped leaders with practical tools, like the Strategy Canvas and the Four Actions Framework, to systematically discover and capture new market space. For senior leaders, this approach isn’t just a creative exercise—it’s a strategic blueprint. Brand and communication are taken for granted and do not represent a key for success. This created a market without direct competition and with higher ticket revenues. In the UK, businesses can break free from
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