How to Execute a Market Flanking Maneuver
By Brad Jarvis
Lessons Learned
Disruptive technology can provide an opportunity for companies to reset the ground rules on the traditional leader. By using the appropriate strategic maneuver companies can gain beachheads and penetrate markets with success. Taking a leadership position in an early adopter technology market can also help companies increase the brand awareness in the general market.
However, in order to use the flanking maneuver to rapidly take total market share, emerging segment volume has to be growing much faster than the rate of overall market. In this case emerging RFID market growth was much slower than the hype curve, primarily due to the cost of RFID labels as compared to barcode labels. When emerging segment growth stalls, the flanking maneuver can not deliver overall market share gains.
