The Tech Strategy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Amazon, Tencent and When Rate of Learning Becomes a Competitive Advantage (131) Jul 08, 2022

Show notes

This week’s podcast is about rate of learning as a concept. That is the digital version of what was originally called the learning curve and the experience effect. Rate of learning has gone from an important idea in production-intensive products to a digital requirement. But the key question is when does rate of learning become a competitive advantage? This podcast is my answer.
You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
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Related articles:

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

Learning Curve and Experience Effect
SMILE Marathon: Rate of Learning and Adaptation
CA7: Rate of Learning and Process Cost Advantages

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

Amazon
Tencent

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I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.
My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.
I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.
This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

What Xiaomi Can Learn About Strategy from Apple and Amazon (130) Jun 29, 2022

Show notes

This week’s podcast is about Xiaomi and ongoing strategy changes and moves. This is a good case for my 6 levels of digital competition. It takes apart the situation fairly effectively. And Apple and Amazon provide good counter-examples.
You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
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Related articles:

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

6 Levels of Digital Competition
SMILE Marathon

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

Xiaomi
Amazon
Apple

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I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.
My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.
I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.
This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

Why GE Failed in Digital (For Now) (128) Jun 12, 2022

Show notes

This week’s podcast is about GE and their big digital transformation initiative from 2011-2018. However, I am not a GE expert by any stretch. I am just presenting a very simplified version of their digital initiatives (from case studies) for a discussion about digital transformation.
You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
Here's my playbook for the digital transformation of an incumbent.

70% Digital Operating Basics
25% Moats
5% Tactics

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Related articles:

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

Digital Transformation
Industrial Internet / IIoT
Digital Operating Basics

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

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Can Elon Musk Fix Twitter and Save Civilization? (127) Jun 03, 2022

Show notes

This week’s podcast is about Elon Musk's attempted purchase of Twitter. But it is really about how the control and curation of information flows how become a key issue in the digital age. The lack of effective curation at scale has become a major problem in society. Elon Musk may be the person to finally fix this.
You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
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Related articles:

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

Information Flows
Interaction Failure and Curation at Scale

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

Twitter

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Two Frameworks for Predicting Tech Disruption (126) May 24, 2022

Show notes

This week’s podcast is about digital disruption. It's a big and difficult topic for management teams. And it usually leads to discussion about innovation. Here are 2-3 frameworks for how to think about it.
Correction: I said Daily Mail in the podcast. I meant Daily Journal.
You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
Andreesen-Horowitz's 4 Stages of Disruption

Disruption of incumbent
Rapid and linear evolution
Appealing convergence
Complete reimagination

My standard disruption questions:

Impact: Is the impact on my 6 levels predictable?
Probability: How how is it for management to hard to pull off this strategy?

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Related articles:

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

Sustaining vs. Disruptive Innovation / Clayton Christensen
Andreesen-Horowitz's 4 stages of disruption

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

Barnes and Noble
Daily Journal

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I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.
My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.
I also host US-Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.
This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

Amazon's Moat in Ecommerce is Growing. But Falling in Video. Just Like for Netflix. (125) May 07, 2022

Show notes

This week’s podcast is about Amazon's competitive advantages. We can see clearly growing moats in ecommerce. But increasing competition is revealing the lack of defenses in video streaming. Netflix has the same problem.
You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
The mentioned graphics are here.
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Related articles:

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

Economies of Scale: Purchasing Economies
Economies of Scale: Fixed Costs
Digital Operating Basics

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

Amazon
Netflix

——-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.
My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.
This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

What Amazon Should Copy From Alibaba and Pinduoduo (124) Apr 22, 2022

Show notes

This week’s podcast is about Amazon vs. Alibaba and Pinduoduo. There are some important strategy differences between the ecommerce leaders in the US and China.
You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
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Related articles:

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

Economies of Scale: Purchasing Economies
Economies of Scale: Fixed Costs
Linked Businesses

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

Amazon
Alibaba
Pinduoduo

——-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.
My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

Will GoTo "Win it All" in Indonesia? (123) Apr 13, 2022

Show notes

This week’s podcast is newly public GoTo, which is an interesting business model combining a platform for products (Tokopedia) with one for services (Gojek).
You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
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Related articles:

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

Complementary Platforms
Digital-Physical Hybrids
Barriers to Entry

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

GoTo / Gojek / Tokopedia

-----
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.
My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.
This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

Don't Underestimate Growth Plus the Digital Operating Basics (122) Apr 04, 2022

Show notes

This week’s podcast is about combining two previously covered topics: growth and the digital operating basics. This can be surprisingly powerful.
You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
Most of the growth thinking is a summary of work by Chris Zook at Bain’s strategy practice. I am citing the books:

He argues most all sustainable growth is based on 1-2 strong cores that continually adapt.

A profitable core is centered on the strongest position in terms of loyal customers, competitive advantage, unique skills, and ability to earn profits.
Adapting the core can be:
- New products / services
- New customers – microsegments
- New geographies
- New businesses.

Then add growth adjacencies. To assess an adjacency move:

Factor 1: Adjacency is tightly tied to a strong core.
Factor 2: An attractive adjacency market in terms of profit pools
Factor 3: The ability to capture economic leadership in that market. Competitive advantage as an attacker and then an incumbent.

Growth + DOB can sometimes get you the dream scenario:

Grow the revenue line.
Increase gross profits. An expanding margin with size.
Increase operating leverage with increasing scale. This is more about going for scale.
Invest in R&D, tech and infrastructure. This will result in a better user experience and improve operating efficiency.
1. Drive efficiencies and increase monetization.
2. Improve the user experience.
3. Expand the products and services in high growth areas.
Do targeted M&A. To increase innovation and protect against disruption.

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Related articles:

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

Growth: Core vs. Adjacency
Digital Operating Basics
DOB7: Sustainable Cash Engine that Scales

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

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Support the show

Will Southeast Asian Grab Become Meituan or Didi? (121) Mar 26, 2022

Show notes

This week’s podcast is about Southeast Asian tech giant Grab, its impressive execution and its chronic unprofitability.
You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
Here is my new book:

Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

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Related articles:

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

Complementary Platforms
Marketplace Platform for Services
SE Asia
Engagement Products vs. Margin Products
Economies of Scale: Geographic Density

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

Grab Holdings

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I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.
My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.
This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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