ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the strategic alternatives that are available. Essentially this involves the various strategies outlined in the well-known Ansoff matrix along with vertical integration strategies. The chapter explores the rationale behind these strategies. Ansoff's product-market expansion grid provides a useful though not exhaustive framework for looking at possible strategies to cope with the problem of strategic windows and finding ways of creating overlapping strategic windows. Strategic windows are dynamic entities that change over time. They represent opportunities in which it is possible for the organization to increase sales both in volume and cash. A firm can have more than one strategic window open at a time and these may be related to the different types of growth strategy that an organization can pursue. The importance of new product development is explored and causes for failure in exploiting new product opportunities are examined. Ways of screening out winners and losers in terms of new product opportunities are considered.
