The challenge of identifying and crafting effective business strategies remains a significant hurdle for many companies. While strategy frameworks can assess the viability of a plan, they often fall short in guiding the initial creation of innovative strategies. This gap has been succinctly highlighted by strategy expert Gary Hamel, who observed, "The dirty little secret of the strategy industry is that it doesn’t have any theory of strategy creation."
To address this gap, an in-depth analysis of strategy and creativity literature categorizes potential strategies into four groups, ranked by creativity: adaptations within the industry, cross-industry imports, multi-industry combinations, and novel strategies developed from scratch.
Adapting successful strategies within the same industry can be highly effective. Shein, a Chinese fast fashion company, exemplifies this by pushing the boundaries of traditional fast fashion. Shein releases 1,000 new products per day, in contrast to competitors Zara and H&M, who release about 500 new items every week, utilizing artificial intelligence extensively to detect trends and optimize production. This approach has enabled Shein to capture 40% of the U.S. fast fashion market by 2022.
Importing strategies from other industries can also yield impressive results. Rocket Internet, a German company, creatively imitates successful online models. For example, Jumia, an online retailer operating in 11 African countries, tailors Amazon’s strategy to fit the unique challenges of the African market, such as developing its own logistics fleet and using sales agents with tablets in rural areas.
Combining strategies from multiple industries can produce innovative hybrids. Best Buy’s turnaround under CEO Hubert Joly is a case in point. Facing competition from Amazon, Joly implemented a "store-within-a-store" strategy, allowing brands like Samsung and Microsoft to set up shop within Best Buy. This model, common in department stores like Le Bon Marché, provided these brands with a physical retail presence they lacked.
More creative still are strategies developed from scratch, grounded in first principles thinking. Elon Musk's SpaceX and Airbnb are prominent examples. Musk reimagined rocket manufacturing by breaking down costs and building rockets from basic materials, drastically reducing prices. Similarly, Airbnb disrupted the hospitality industry by connecting travelers with homeowners willing to rent their properties, a concept initially met with skepticism.
These diverse approaches illustrate the importance of looking beyond traditional frameworks and industries. By adapting, importing, combining, or inventing new strategies, businesses can navigate competitive landscapes and drive innovation, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth.
