The Market Driven Organization - by George S Day (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

For forty years managers have been exhorted to "stay close to the customer and ahead of the competition." And with good reason Research now shows that market driven organizations outperform their rivals. Given the obvious benefits, why do so many companies fail to become market driven? Because their internal processes, structures, incentives, and controls get in the way, says George Day, one of the world's leading authorities on mar keting Strategy. Building on his pathbreaking book Market Driven Strategy and a decade of experience in coaching firms to deliver superior customer value, Day presents for the first time a battle tested hame work for creating the market-driven organization.

In eminently readable prose, Day argues that in successful market driven organizations, three key elements -- capabilities, culture, and configuration -- are aligned to the market. Day explores the distinctive market sensing and market relating capabilities that are at the heart of the market-driven companies. He draws on examples of such market-driven firms as Intuit, Wal-Mart, Virgin Airlines, Disney, and Gillette to illustrate how intimate knowledge of their customers and markets gives these firms a powerful advantage over rivals. By contrast, Day shows how failure to align the organization to the market can result in such mishaps as IBM's loss of leadership of the computer market or Motorola's stumble in shifting from analog to digital cellular phone systems.

Using case studies of Owens Corning, Sears, and the Eurotunnel, Day provides a concise roadmap to managers who want to strengthen the orientation of their organizations to the market. He concludes with a detailed diagnostic questionnaire to help managers assess their own progress Here at last are all the insights and tools necessary to construct a company with superior skills for understanding, attracting, and keeping valuable customers.

Review Quotes

Charles M. Lillis Chairman and Ceo, MediaOne Group A must read for CEOs, COOs, and major business unit leaders. It is a concise yet thorough articulation of what constitutes truly superior market knowledge and how that knowledge must form the basis of competitive strategy. A remarkable book written for business leaders.

Frederick E. Webster, Jr. Amos Tuck School, Dartmouth College, author of "Market-Driven Management" This thoughtful and practical guidebook to developing a market driven organization, with many fresh examples, is a solid compilation of the best thinking, practice, and research, written by the world's leading authority on the subject.

Philip Kotler S.C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing, Northwestern University, author of "Kotler on Marketing" Becoming market driven is no easy task. Day offers the best advice that I have seen on how to propel your company into sustained market leadership.

Sanjiv Mirchandani Executive Vice President. Customer Segment Management, Fidelity Investments Day's classic writings have influenced and shaped legions of marketing practitioners and academics. In his new book he has done it again. He lays out a compelling blueprint for organizations to follow. The book is full of fascinating insights and practical examples that can be applied immediately Required reading.

Scott Cook Chairman of the Executive Committee, Intuit, Inc. The Internet is ripping away tradition and forcing businesses to become market driven or die. But how? Professor Day shows how.

Stephan H. Haeckel Director of Strategic Studies at IBM's Advanced Business Institute, Chairman of the Marketing Science Institute, and author of "Adaptive Enterprise" George Day has now given us both the first and last word on market-driven strategy from the preeminent thinker on market driven organizations. This exceptional book explains why making decisions from the "marketplace back" has evolved from a powerful idea into a survival imperative.

Vincent P. Barabba General Manager, Corporate Strategy and Knowledge Development, General Motors Corporation Here finally are answers to the challenge of becoming market-driven. George Day raises the fight questions and provides effective answers to a significant business issue.

Charles M. Lillis

Chairman and Ceo, MediaOne Group

A must read for CEOs, COOs, and major business unit leaders. It is a concise yet thorough articulation of what constitutes truly superior market knowledge and how that knowledge must form the basis of competitive strategy. A remarkable book written for business leaders.

Frederick E. Webster, Jr.

Amos Tuck School, Dartmouth College, author of "Market-Driven Management"

This thoughtful and practical guidebook to developing a market driven organization, with many fresh examples, is a solid compilation of the best thinking, practice, and research, written by the world's leading authority on the subject.

Scott Cook

Chairman of the Executive Committee, Intuit, Inc.

The Internet is ripping away tradition and forcing businesses to become market driven or die. But how? Professor Day shows how.

Stephan H. Haeckel

Director of Strategic Studies at IBM's Advanced Business Institute, Chairman of the Marketing Science Institute, and author of "Adaptive Enterprise"

George Day has now given us both the first and last word on market-driven strategy from the preeminent thinker on market driven organizations. This exceptional book explains why making decisions from the "marketplace back" has evolved from a powerful idea into a survival imperative.

Vincent P. Barabba

General Manager, Corporate Strategy and Knowledge Development, General Motors Corporation

Here finally are answers to the challenge of becoming market-driven. George Day raises the fight questions and provides effective answers to a significant business issue.

About the Author

George S. Day holds the Geoffrey T. Boisi Professorship in the Department of Marketing and is Director of the Huntsman Center for Global Competition and Innovation at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Professor Day has written more than 125 articles for leading marketing and management journals and fourteen books including Market Driven Strategy, the companion volume to this book. A consultant to leading corporations worldwide, Day is the recipient of the Charles Coolidge Parlin Award for his leadership in the field of marketing and the Paul D. Converse Award for outstanding contributions to the development of the science of marketing. He lives in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.