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MarketBusting: strategies for exceptional business growth
Rita Gunther McGrath1, Ian C MacMillan
1Columbia University's Graduate School of Business, New York, New York, USA. rdm20@columbia.edu
Harvard Business Review
|March 17, 2005
Summary
Company leaders can achieve reliable business growth by reconfiguring their unit of business or key metrics. This study reveals successful strategies for low-risk growth, even in mature industries.
Area of Science:
- Business Strategy
- Organizational Growth
- Innovation Management
Background:
- Company leaders consistently seek reliable methods for new business growth.
- Organizational growth is a critical factor for business sustainability and success.
- Mature industries often face challenges in identifying new growth avenues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify successful organizational growth strategies.
- To explore how reconfiguring business units and key metrics drive growth.
- To provide actionable insights for low-risk business expansion.
Main Methods:
- A three-year study of organizational growth strategies.
- Analysis of companies that reconfigured their unit of business or key metrics.
- Case study analysis of successful growth initiatives.
Main Results:
- Reconfiguring the unit of business (what is billed) can unlock new revenue streams.
- Improving key metrics, such as productivity and customer engagement, enhances market share.
- Companies in mature industries can achieve significant growth through strategic redefinition.
Conclusions:
- Redefining profit drivers through strategic business unit and metric adjustments leads to low-risk growth.
- Understanding customer segments and internal capabilities is crucial for successful change implementation.
- Effective communication is vital for managing internal and external resistance to strategic changes.