"Finally, strategy must have continuity. It can't be constantly reinvented"
About this Quote
Michael Porter argues that competitive advantage is not a series of stunts but a compounding process. Strategy sets a distinctive position and a coherent system of activities that reinforce one another. Continuity allows that system to deepen, for trade-offs to harden, and for capabilities, culture, and brand promises to accumulate credibility. When companies keep changing their strategic story, they reset the clock. They dilute resources, confuse customers and employees, and never harvest the cumulative gains that come from staying the course.
The context is Porters broader distinction between operational effectiveness and strategy. Processes, technologies, and best practices should constantly improve; rivals can copy those. Strategy, by contrast, chooses what not to do and stakes out a long-term position. Continuity protects those choices from being eroded by every trend or competitor move. It gives managers the discipline to invest in assets that pay off only over years: specialized supply chains, tailored IT systems, unique partnerships, and a culture tuned to the chosen way to compete.
Continuity is not rigidity. Markets shift, technologies advance, and customer needs evolve. The point is to adapt within a consistent direction, extending and strengthening the chosen position rather than lurching to a new one. Southwest did not abandon low-fare, point-to-point service; it refined it and scaled it. IKEA did not pivot away from flat-pack, self-service furniture; it improved the model and expanded it. Vanguard stayed anchored in low-cost indexing while innovating around that core.
The temptation to reinvent strategy often springs from short-term pressures or fear of being left behind. But frequent pivots tend to create straddling: attempts to be two things at once, with activities that conflict rather than fit. Sustained advantage comes from patience and coherence. By allowing activities to fit more tightly, by training customers to expect a certain value proposition, and by building know-how that outsiders cannot easily assemble, continuity makes strategy durable and makes improvement cumulative rather than episodic.
The context is Porters broader distinction between operational effectiveness and strategy. Processes, technologies, and best practices should constantly improve; rivals can copy those. Strategy, by contrast, chooses what not to do and stakes out a long-term position. Continuity protects those choices from being eroded by every trend or competitor move. It gives managers the discipline to invest in assets that pay off only over years: specialized supply chains, tailored IT systems, unique partnerships, and a culture tuned to the chosen way to compete.
Continuity is not rigidity. Markets shift, technologies advance, and customer needs evolve. The point is to adapt within a consistent direction, extending and strengthening the chosen position rather than lurching to a new one. Southwest did not abandon low-fare, point-to-point service; it refined it and scaled it. IKEA did not pivot away from flat-pack, self-service furniture; it improved the model and expanded it. Vanguard stayed anchored in low-cost indexing while innovating around that core.
The temptation to reinvent strategy often springs from short-term pressures or fear of being left behind. But frequent pivots tend to create straddling: attempts to be two things at once, with activities that conflict rather than fit. Sustained advantage comes from patience and coherence. By allowing activities to fit more tightly, by training customers to expect a certain value proposition, and by building know-how that outsiders cannot easily assemble, continuity makes strategy durable and makes improvement cumulative rather than episodic.
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| Topic | Vision & Strategy |
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