Session #2 – IT and Competitive Strategies
Class Slides – Session #2
Class Recordings – March 28
Reading Brief Qs for Session #2 – Otis Elevator
Read Otis Elevator case from the Harvard Business School coursepack and explain the following three points in no more than 200 words.
- What is the direction of Otis’ strategic move?
- Why is Otis trying to shift its strategic focus?
- How does e*Logistics support such a move?
Session #2 – In-Class Discussion Questions
- What is a competitive strategy? What is a sustainable competitive advantage?
- What does it mean by a bargaining power of buyers?
- If there are so many competitors in your industry or your market, what would you do to better compete with them?
- According to the case, which business is more profitable? Elevator manufacturing or service? Why?
- How often do you change your doctor? Why?
- Can you think of an example of bundle around us? Why do firms sell a bundle?
- What are the improvements in customer service from OTISLINE?
- What is BHAG (p. 5)? Why is this “quantum leap improvement” (p. 5) necessary?
- How were things going before e*Logistics? How now are things going after e*Logistics? What are the improvements from e*Logistics?
- What do they mean by “the management of information flows” (p. 8)? Why is it important?