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Hardball
book

Hardball

by George Stalk, Rob Lachenauer, John Butman
October 2004
Intermediate to advanced
192 pages
4h 34m
English
Harvard Business Review Press
Content preview from Hardball

TWO Unleash Massiveand Overwhelming Force

Although the indirect attack is the preferred hardball strategy, there are times when a company has such superior resources that it can use them to overwhelm its competitors with a direct onslaught. GM did so, in 2001, when it used its massive financial strength and low costs to offer a zero financing scheme that forced Ford and Chrysler to respond and, ultimately, did those competitors damage. In the early 1990s, Frito-Lay unleashed its extensive resources, especially its killer distribution system, to overwhelm an upstart competitor, Eagle Snacks.

Using massive and overwhelming force, however, is not as sure a bet as it may sound. The company that intends to use force must be sure it actually ...

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Publisher Resources

ISBN: 9781422161869