Blue Ocean Strategy
Blue Ocean Strategy
Blue Ocean Strategy
It Denote all the industries that are not in existence today – the unknown
market space, untainted by competition. In blue oceans, demand is created
rather than fought over. There is ample opportunity for growth that is both
profitable and rapid.
EXAMPLE
Canon
Canon’s strategic move, which created the personal desktop copier industry, is a classic
example of blue ocean strategy. Traditional copy machine manufacturers targeted office
purchasing managers, who wanted machines that were large, durable, fast, and required
minimal maintenance.
Defying the industry logic, the Japanese company Canon created a blue ocean of new market
space by shifting the target customer of the copier industry from corporate purchasers to users.
With their small, easy-to-use desktop copiers and printers Canon created new market space by
focusing on the key competitive factors that the mass of noncustomers – the secretaries that
used copiers – wanted.
By questioning conventional definitions of who can and should be the target buyer, companies
can often see fundamentally new ways to unlock value. Path three of blue ocean strategy’s six
paths framework pushes companies to look across the chain of buyers in their industry. By
shifting focus to a previously overlooked set of buyers, companies can unlock new value and
create uncontested market space.
RED OCEAN STRATEGY vs BLUE OCEAN
STRATEGY
OCCUPYING AN UNCONTESTED
MARKET SPACE
One principle of blue ocean strategy is to reconstruct market boundaries to break from the
competition and create blue oceans.