How Disruptive Thinking Creates Demand in a Competitive Marketplace

The strategy column celebrated its second anniversary in September, having started in 2013. As you may by now know, strategy is about continually thinking outside the box. It encourages disruptive approach to the way we do business, think and even behave. Sometimes, that may not always be perceived well, especially in light of the collectivism culture in Kenya. Here, people are generally agreeable, therefore conforming to known behaviors or ways of conducting routine affairs. But will that suffice anymore, especially in a fast changing world?

Dynamic technological advancements, disruptive social cultural behaviors now associated with a borderless world, will certainly prevent us from behaving in the same ways we have always been used to. However, it’s only the readers who can confirm whether the column has lived to that billing of bringing out the good and the bad of disruptive thinking.

The good news though is that I have also lived my writings by penning and publishing the now life changing book titled “Career Dynamics in the 21st Century.” Being a careers and personal development strategy publication, it has also propagated the concept of thinking outside the box, on a chapter by chapter basis.

Most surprisingly, the book has practically lived the ideas propagated through chapter 7, which is titled “Why money should be the last thing on our minds.” Indeed, why worry about money instead of striving to provide value to the marketplace and eventually attracting the monetary rewards? Huge credit goes to mobile money innovation. It has brought unprecedented convenience of doing business for all of us. It’s no wonder then that it has been hailed as a game changer in money management, not only in this part of the world, but across the globe.

Meanwhile, one of the greatest influences in disruptive thinking that has led to continued innovation is a company called Apple Computers.  The same was for many years propelled by the late Steve Jobs. The company’s business model has been to research on what customers need and developing the same, finally inviting them to improve their lives and experiences through the newly developed products. In other words, the company influences the consumption patterns of their customers, through continued innovation.

The influences of this innovation are quite amazing. Recently, I met Gladys who was used to ordinary laptops. But, upon being influenced to buy one of Apple Computers that costs more than double the price of the brands she had been used to, her user experienced changed dramatically. Gladys has kept wondering how she had all along survived without the Apple brand.

Disruptive thinking has continued attracting numerous unique innovations aiming to beat the competition. Notably, Japanese farmers in Kagawa; on the island of Shikoku grow watermelons, whose shape is not very common for these plants. Ordinarily, water melons are round in shape. But, those of the said farmers are grown in cubed boxes as they continue maturing. Eventually, the watermelons become square in shape, making it easy to conveniently occupy all the space available in the crates used in packaging of exports. The key idea in this case is to utilize the space that was previously wasted, when producing round watermelons, thus eventually attracting increased sales volumes.

Apparently, the common business model is largely to study the consumer needs and behaviors and provide them with exactly what they want, most often at their own terms. More often than not, the customers will have learnt their needs from the competition. As such, the benchmarks will have been set by the competition. In this scenario, the customers will be fully in control of what is presented to them, including the packaging as well as the pricing.

The cliché to the effect that the ‘customer is right’ will no doubt be applicable. A good example is the case of an ATM Card, which is now almost a standard package from any bank. Banks not providing the same will be perceived to be in their own world.

In the meantime, one of the foremost requirements in selling skills is making it as convenient as is practically possible for customers to buy the products on offer.  But is that always the case?  The law principle caveate emptor, which simply translates to ‘let the buyer beware,’ is commonly cited in the press.’ Another fall back by suppliers is ‘goods once sold cannot be returned.’ You are also aware of cash on delivery; credit not entertained here and such other statements, which occasionally discourage prospective customers. What actually makes some sellers to be overly precocious? Could it be issues to do with quality, especially compared to the price?

In our case, we thought of creating some element of impulse buying of ‘Career Dynamics in the 21stCentury.’ Prospective readers have not been denied any opportunities of buying, once they express interest in the solution. They have always been allowed to acquire the book and later remit the proceeds through mobile money, upon planning for the payment. If you are wondering why this strategy has been adopted, you need to remember that our society has a challenged reading culture.

Most often, people read only when they have to, particularly while pursuing academic needs. The larger majority are constrained to read, sometimes for reasons beyond comprehension. Though a formal research has not been conducted to this end, informal enquiries have brought out some interesting findings. The fact that most people are busy struggling in their careers can’t be gainsaid.

This means that many have no passion at all towards their routine occupations. Under such circumstances, they are unlikely to be keen towards advancing in the said careers, and would mostly prefer hustling in other areas, aiming to boost their incomes. This leads to the question; how can that passion be harnessed aiming to help people to unleash their full potentials?

That explains why disruptive thinking has continually encouraged people to read “Career Dynamics in the 21st Century,” as a way of creating previously in-existent demand. It may be worthwhile considering the extent to which, your SME business is continually creating new demand. It is difficult to imagine getting different results, while continually doing things the same way. Naturally, disruptive thinking could change not only our production, but also consumption patterns, thus eventually making ‘buy Kenya, build Kenya’ a reality.

Meanwhile,

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