The return of the Mission Statements

Vision and mission statements were once the flavor of many seasons. For sometime, I thought, they had lost their novelty and utility.

This article in today's WSJ assures me that the mission statements are alive and kicking.

More and more corporates are using loftier mission (or is it vision? ) statements to woo and motivate employees.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/corporate-mission-statements-talk-of-higher-purpose-1424824784

Long live the mission statement!

Are American consumers idiots?

http://www.wsj.com/articles/kill-the-wireless-contract-buy-your-own-phone-1424807865

Seeing Americans sign up their freedom for a jazzy phone at apparently subsidized costs, one would think Americans are idiots. In  a country which boasts of choices, it is surprising.  Reading this article ones really wonders if the consumer is a moron.

In this context, Indian consumers are smart. They have squeezed out the best from not only the service providers and the handset makers but the regulators too.

Learnings from Chipotle

http://www.wsj.com/articles/inside-chipotles-kitchen-whats-really-handmade-1424802150

This article gives a peek into the smart operations in Chipotle. It has lessons in process and operations management, like postponement of differentiation, mechanisation etc. It also exhibits a keen customer centricity.

 I did not understand where  the article says that the percentage of food cost in fine dining is higher.  I would have thought that with high overheads the food cost will be lower as a percentage of total costs.

I like the expression "the Chipotle of..." Shows the high benchmark it has set.

Example of reverse elasticity

Another example of reverse elasticity in industrial products. Stainless steel demand shrinks when price of nickel (ingredient of stainless steel) falls. Clip from Business India December 8-21 issue.

Curious Private label strategy

Private labels are usually cheaper than national brands. More Supermarket seems to think differently.
ANZAC Oatmeal Cookies is  the signature brand of  UNIBIC. More has introduced Oatmeal under its private Feasters brand @ Rs. 25 for  a pack of 75gms, while UNIBIC is priced at Rs.20 only. Just an oversight or has some thought gone into this?
Interestingly, both brands are manufactured at Unibic`s own factory!

7 L's of Consumer orientation

Read somewhere.

7 L's of Consumer orientation
Lurk, Look, Listen, Live, Learn, Like,  Love

The challenges for a market leader: Maggi

"How do you solve a problem like Maggi?"
Brand Equity: Oct 29 2014
http://bit.ly/VHS_Maggi