We are often told that many product markets are more saturated than ever. Customer expectations are evolving rapidly, and digital innovation is transforming entire industries.
In this environment, according to common management wisdom, traditional strategy playbooks are outdated. They no longer reflect the pace of change if they do not evolve and challenge the foundations of strategy formulation. This is because they stem from a bygone management era and have become too rigid to keep up, so the argument goes.
This blog explores how rethinking your approach to market strategy can unlock and sustain competitive advantage, even in the most dynamic and crowded markets, by revisiting first principles of strategy and returning to the classic basics.
Why staying competitive requires first-principles thinking
It has become common to read that market strategies that worked five or even one year ago may no longer be effective. Technological disruption, evolving customer behaviour, and unexpected global shocks have rendered yesterday’s winning approaches obsolete we are told.
The fundamentals of how to achieve enduring strategic dominance are fading in the collective memory of many businesses.
To arrest this development and remain competitive, senior leadership teams must shift from a mindset of constant reaction and change to one grounded in classic, enduring strategic principles.
High-performance companies today treat market strategy not as an exercise in agility, but as an exercise in dropping anchor. They ask whether their strategic decisions to maximise shareholder value are drifting the business away from a core strategic stance.
They question whether management’s strategic focus has been diluted, like a flag chasing every gust of wind in the form of trendy management frameworks and the latest consumer/client report sent across by the insights team.
Classic strategy formulation tools like SWOT analysis, gap analysis, strategy canvases, competitor benchmarking, and market trend analysis remain invaluable.
And more so than ever, because they have been modernised, expanded, and refined, as demonstrated in our short business course, Unlocking Strategic Competitive Advantage, here at Alliance Manchester Business School.
These are not ancient frameworks. They are now truly first-principle tools that have stood the test of time and need to be used with priority.
And when your core strategic capabilities meet external demand in a way that is focused and your competitors can’t easily match, you move beyond being a market competitor and become a market leader. This is first-principle strategic logic; it is conclusive.
Lessons from history
In truth, effective strategies do not change with every market trend. As Napoleon Bonaparte reportedly said late in life: “I fought my last battle like my first.”
Of course, Napoleon lost his last battle, as many will keenly point out.
But the fact is that he is considered by many military strategists to be one of the most formidable battlefield generals of all time. He won the majority of his pivotal battles, often against the odds.
And it is no coincidence that Napoleon was highly principled in his approach to battlefield strategy.
In business, this is precisely what firms like Aldi and Apple are doing. They are sticking to enduring strategic foundations and a clear, unwavering classic strategic logic, even as competition intensifies and market trends shift.
Strategic learning as a competitive advantage
In a world of continual change, the ability to stay grounded in core strategic principles is itself a competitive edge.
And continuous learning especially among leadership is essential. That’s where executive education plays a critical role.
Over four intensive days, the Unlocking Strategic Competitive Advantage course gives professionals the space, tools, and peer dialogue needed to step back, reassess, and re-anchor their strategies in what truly matters and quash the competition.
This is our focus: helping you unlock lasting competitive advantage, not simply redesign your strategy deck. At the end of this course, delegates will receive a Manchester Professional Certificate.
Supercharge your learning
You might also be interested in our range of Professional Certificate short business courses. Completion of any four leads to a Professional Diploma in Leadership, an investment of 16 days in intervals and sequences of your choice.
