A batch of the best highlights from what Felicity's read, .
To determine how to win, an organization must decide what will enable it to create unique value and sustainably deliver that value to customers in a way that is distinct from the firm’s competitors. Michael Porter called it competitive advantage—the specific way a firm utilizes its advantages to create superior value for a consumer or a customer and in turn, superior returns for the firm.
Playing to Win
A. G. Lafley, Roger Martin, A.G. Lafley, Roger L. Martin
The modern world is completely ga-ga over data. Data is everything — it will sing magical songs to you. No, it won’t. Data analysis without hypothesis is just data mining. But if you use data — and the ever-increasing capacity to collect and process data faster — to refine, deepen, and enhance your understanding of your current room, you will be able to answer questions and frame new questions that will get you into the next room, and get there earlier. ... When these companies refer to *data* advantage, it is really a *questions* advantage. Only if you have a great question can you get a great answer.
What Strategy Questions Are You Asking?
Roger Martin
The North Star Metric:
Delivering high value to your market is not just a matter of altruism; it’s genuinely the best thing you can do for your business. It’s far easier to acquire and retain customers with high-value products, you can charge more for them, and they keep competitors at bay. Many modern product companies understand this and consider growing value-to-customer their most important goal. That’s where the North Star Metric comes in. A North Star Metric (NSM) is a number that sums up the core value we deliver to the market. In the words of growth expert Sean Ellis, it’s your value footprint.