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Unit 5: Identifying Strategic Opportunities
In this unit, we will consider strategic issues which follow from the Unified Services Theory and which give companies strategic advantage. There are two ways to view strategic advantages. The traditional perspective is to gain “competitive advantage”–or the ability to excel above the other companies who serve the same customer needs. A new perspective is to gain “contributive advantage”–which is an ability to contribute in a way that you were not able to previously. These two perspectives are related, but different. For example, the “competitive advantage” paradigm requires the presence of competition, and breaks down in monopolistic situations such as governments. This is because competitive advantage focuses on besting the competitor–and no impending competitor means no need for advantage. The “contributive advantage” focuses on increasing one's ability to serve, recognizing that both the service provider and the customer benefit from better serviceability. (For example, employees are generally happier and more conscientious when they feel they are contributing more.)
The Service Business Principles outlined in this unit have application under either a contributive advantage or a contributive advantage objective, and thus are not limited to competitive situations.
Service Business Principles
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