Different management experts create different lists of “utility” and try to convince you that their list is better than the one their colleagues have created. They also – frequently – come up with different names for “utility.” In the case of Treacey & Weiresema, they replace “utility” with the word “discipline.” But regardless of what names they use and what lists they develop, they are all focusing on the same topic,… What is it that you do that creates value for your customer. What is it – that your company does – that customers find of value?
Remember that different customers want different things.
But this assignment is not about what customers want. It is more about what kind of utility you should provide to develop a comparative advantage that sustains your business.
After sketching out the theory, explain which discipline is most likely – in the Relationship Era – to put you in a sweet spot.
Why is that the case?
Which discipline is fraught with the greatest potential for problems? Give examples of both.