「釋義」

成本領(lǐng)先戰(zhàn)略是指企業(yè)通過降低自己的生產(chǎn)和經(jīng)營成本，以低于競爭對手的產(chǎn)品價格，獲得市場占有率，并獲得同行業(yè)平均水平以上的利潤。

成本領(lǐng)先戰(zhàn)略旨在利用先進技術(shù)開發(fā)生產(chǎn)規(guī)模，明確范圍和其他經(jīng)濟形式（例如良好的采購方法），生產(chǎn)高度標準化的產(chǎn)品。沃爾瑪憑借其成本領(lǐng)先戰(zhàn)略在全球范圍內(nèi)取得了成功。該公司減少了每個生產(chǎn)環(huán)節(jié)的多余產(chǎn)品，因此能夠以低廉的價格為消費者提供優(yōu)質(zhì)的產(chǎn)品。

成本領(lǐng)先的概念是由邁克爾·波特（Michael Porter）提出的。

「應(yīng)用場景」

我們審視了2008年衰退之前那一時期的數(shù)據(jù)，按照邁克爾·波特(Michael Porter)的理論，看看5278家上市公司憑借他們的基本策略（要么成為純粹的差異化企業(yè)，要么成為純粹的成本領(lǐng)先企業(yè)）運行得如何。差異化企業(yè)的競爭立足于質(zhì)量或服務(wù)等各種因素，而不是優(yōu)先考慮低價。另一方面，成本領(lǐng)先企業(yè)將其策略重點置于降低成本上，從而使他們能夠以盡可能低的價格提供產(chǎn)品。波特表示，只要策略方向是純粹的，這兩種策略都會成功。可是在我們的分析中，差異化企業(yè)明顯比成本領(lǐng)先企業(yè)更有可能在大蕭條中減少收入，明顯更有可能破產(chǎn)。

We looked at data from the period right before the 2008 recession addressing how 5,278 publicly-traded firms fared based on their generic strategy of being either pure differentiators or pure cost leaders, according to Michael Porter’s theories. Differentiators compete based on a variety of factors, such as quality or service, rather than prioritizing low prices. Cost leaders, on the other hand, focus their strategy on reducing costs thus enabling them to offer the product for the lowest possible price. Porter says either strategy will be successful, as long as the strategic orientation is pure. But in our analysis, differentiators were significantly more likely to suffer reduced revenues than cost leaders in the Great Recession and were significantly more likely to go out of business.

鑒于此，善于思考的策略師可能會認為，以轉(zhuǎn)向成本領(lǐng)先的方式來改變策略是明智的選擇。畢竟，從差異化轉(zhuǎn)向成本領(lǐng)先有一定道理；在經(jīng)濟衰退中，尤其是在嚴重衰退中，人人都會勒緊褲腰帶。消費者會減少他們的開支，尋找價格更低的供應(yīng)商。企業(yè)力圖減少其開支，以渡過難關(guān)。尤其是在我們2008年經(jīng)歷過的（或者現(xiàn)在經(jīng)歷的）那種不可預(yù)測的環(huán)境中，削減成本成為多數(shù)企業(yè)努力的核心焦點。然而，我們的數(shù)據(jù)并不支持在經(jīng)濟衰退時期改變策略，轉(zhuǎn)而成為成本領(lǐng)先企業(yè)。我們發(fā)現(xiàn)，當差異化企業(yè)轉(zhuǎn)向成本領(lǐng)先戰(zhàn)略時，那些努力對他們并無助益。事實上，我們發(fā)現(xiàn)，改變策略并未增加企業(yè)從衰退中幸存下來的機會，也并未改善企業(yè)的收入或財務(wù)狀況。

In light of this, a thoughtful strategist might think it wise to change strategies by moving toward cost leadership. After all, moving from differentiation toward cost leadership makes a certain sense; everyone tightens their belts in a recession, particularly a severe one. Consumers reduce their spending and look for cheaper suppliers. Businesses seek to reduce their expenses to weather the storm. Especially in an environment as unpredictable as we had in 2008 (or as we have now), cutting costs becomes a central focus of most businesses’ efforts. However, our data do not support changing strategies to become a cost leader during a recession. We found that when differentiators moved toward a cost leadership strategy such efforts did not help them. In fact, we found that changing strategy did not increase firm chances of surviving the recession, nor did it improve the firm’s revenues or its finances.

《大衰退帶來的策略教訓》

邁克爾·格雷納，斯科特·朱利安

2020年8月刊

“Avoid Making This Strategic Mistake in a Recession”

by Michael Greiner and Scott Julian

編輯：馬冰侖?