The dustbin of business failures is full of once sharply focused companies that lost their way because they diversified across too many markets. Market focus wasn’t all that was lost. So were positive cash flow and a customer who, instead of seeing clear choices and remaining loyal, became confused and bought a competitor’s product. This Ivey professor describes why market focus is imperative today and how managers can create and sustain it.

Source: Ivey Business Journal

Date: March/April 2009

Keys: Marketing, strategies, technology

Link: http://www.iveybusinessjournal.ca/article.asp?intPrintable=1&intArticle_ID=749

Questions for discussion:

• Do you agree with the arguments presented by this author? Why or why not?
• What other explanation might help explain the loss of business by these firms?