ABSTRACT
Sustained competitive advantage is a cornerstone underlying any successful strategy. However, as the international environment becomes more complex and dynamic, and competitors become increasingly adroit at deploying their resources, the straightforward pursuit of advantages with a singular focus, whether cost or differentiation, local or global, often proves inadequate for long-run survival and success. Increasingly, to gain maximum advantage requires the combination of different perspectives. Strategies must incorporate an intricate mosaic of advantages. Some elements of this mosaic are based upon the firm’s global strengths, others are founded on local opportunities and competences and still others combine both. The barrier to building such a mosaic is not analytic. We have the formulation tools and concepts available. The principle impediments are organizational. This paper reports on the organizational approach used by three multinational firms with their subsidiaries: Dow, Matsushita Electric, and IBM. Able to develop and exploit a mosaic of advantages, these organizations share some common characteristics which will be described.
