When Peter Drucker first proposed his "marketing concept" in 1954, that meeting the needs of customers better than your competition as a driver of business success was a radical idea. Today, the majority of executives believe that achieving sustainable profitable growth requires a clear, relevant customer promise, delivering on that promise, make it; innovation and support all that with an organization that is open to new ideas and market feedback. However, all this is difficult to achieve. Despite the tendency of leadership to wishful thinking, according to the authors, managers can come to terms with the weaknesses of the company, posing as a set of five questions designed to reveal their vulnerability. Drawing on examples from companies including Apple, Google, Procter & Gamble and Toyota, the authors explain the importance of each of these questions. "For those who are willing to ask the hard questions and want to hear the answers," they write, "the potential business benefits are significant." Hide
by Patrick Barwise, Sean Meehan Source: MIT Sloan Management Review 8 pages. Publication Date: April 1, 2010. Prod. #: SMR348-PDF-ENG
