Corporate & Business Unit Strategy

Don’t Forget "How"

Recently, I worked with a client that was implementing a new “customer partnering” initiative that provided…

Read More...

Where’s The Beef?

Many years ago, in a course on information theory, I learned that one way to measure…

Read More...

Whatever Happened To Growth?

Earlier this year, one of our clients invited us to participate in an off-site meeting involving…

Read More...

Mistakes That Could Have Been Avoided

As we begin to climb slowly out of the deepest, darkest recession on recent record, it’s…

Read More...

Using Service Strategies To Avoid Price Pressures

At a recent workshop, we distributed a “quiz” with 10 quotes which we said were from…

Read More...

Out Of Crisis Comes Opportunity

Our title for this article emerged from a recent client project.  We were working with a…

Read More...

Offices in Chicago And Chengdu: Managing the Complexity of the China Market

One of our clients is the executive responsible for the Global Accounts served by her company,…

Read More...

Rules Of Three: Managing Major Customer Relationships Involving China

Several years ago, we published an article[1] titled “The Unwritten Rules of China”, addressing the complexities…

Read More...

Implementation Competencies: Creating Long-Term Growth Foundations

A global industrial systems company found that its business environment was shifting rapidly.  The firm had…

Read More...

In-Career Education and Implementation Competencies

Rudy Giuliani once noted that “Change is not a destination, just as hope is not a…

Read More...

You Might Be A Real Chinese Company…

We have recently written that at the top of U.S. firms’ agendas must be bringing some…

Read More...

Second Mouse Opportunities For Distributors

We have used the saying “The second mouse gets the cheese” as an analogy for what…

Read More...

If Speaking Is Silver, Then Listening Is Gold

A recent project provided an opportunity to examine the relationships between a machinery manufacturer and the…

Read More...

Identifying Acquisition Opportunities For Growth In China

The Challenge: Our client had a limited footprint in China and was looking to expand its…

Read More...

Second Mouse Tales From China

While new global market participants are emerging from several countries, the Chinese are our primary example…

Read More...

If You Have Too Many Priorities, You Have None

The wisdom inherent in the frequently heard statement “If you have too many priorities, you have…

Read More...

Entering the Agriculture Equipment Market in China

Challenge: Blue Canyon’s client wanted a plan for successful entry into China’s agricultural and construction equipment…

Read More...

Building A Bric Growth Strategy

The Challenge: Our chemical manufacturing client primarily operated in a mature, developed world marketplace and needed…

Read More...

Learning from the Fast Learners

In previous articles[1], we’ve written about the emerging competitors from China, firms that are beginning to…

Read More...

Your 2012 Plans: Preparing for the Uncertainty of the New Year

What is the outlook for next year’s economic growth? It’s the $64,000 question. In the United…

Read More...

We Aren’t The Champions: Achieving Success As A Second Mouse

When, if ever, will the Chinese competitors graduate from being ‘fast followers’ to become true innovators?…

Read More...

Turn Your Customer Into A Partner

Most companies invest a significant level of resources in activities designed to identify business partners and…

Read More...

They Aren’t Who We Thought They Were

It is as close to a sure thing as exists in business to assume that the…

Read More...

The Second Mouse Gets the Cheese

Driving into Tampa recently, we saw a sign that read “The early bird gets the worm,…

Read More...

Ready, Fire, Aim!

George F. Brown, Jr. identifies four themes for business growth in 2012, and offers his unique…

Read More...

My Customer’s Competitor Is My…

An Arabian proverb says, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” While the logic is…

Read More...

Known Unknowns And Unknown Unknowns

A client in the medical equipment industry recently shared the following experience with me: “You might…

Read More...
Adjacent Markets

Discovering Your Next Growth Opportunity: Adjacent Markets

Adjacent markets are often the best answer when a business is faced with the question of…

Read More...
Create Value through Acquisitions

Creating – Rather than Destroying – Value through Acquisitions

Acquisitions can make important contributions to a company’s growth strategy. The strategic due diligence process described…

Read More...
Global Market Growth

The Mandate of Global Presence

In 2010, as the global economy began its rebound from the Great Recession, Blue Canyon Partners…

Read More...