Your Strategy Needs a Strategy - WTH?!

CFA Level II Equities
#1

Can someone outline what I’m supposed to take away from this chapter? The entire thing sounds like drivel to me.

It sounds like the main point is that some industries are more predictable than others (i.e. oil and gas --> internet) and that some are more malleable than others (fashion—>UPS shaping the internet shipping?).

It also sounds like the chapter left open that at all times different executives may have to use different strategies at the same time?

It sounds like none of these are hard rules and the chart they show of what industry falls under which category is willy-nilly.

So oil & gas is so predictive and immalleable? But then what about the rise of fracking and the distruption there? Why isn’t Zara fashion considered similar to UPS? UPS gained the market share quick but then lost a lot to Fedex too. Tata is an example of visionary strategy - predictable and malleable - but it operates in automotives which i would think would be more similar to oil & gas regarding predictability?

Can someone try and explain what we should takeaway from this reading?

#2

i suppose learn which companies strategies’ are classified as a) adaptive b) classical c) shaping d) visionary based on more / less predictability and malleability. If anything will be tested from this chapter, it should be mostly that?

#3

Just learn the general principles, it is unlikely that you will have a full set of question on it, at most you will have a question such as, what strategy is the most likely to be benefit company A:

a) adaptive

b) classical

c) shaping

#4

this material seems new

#5

I understand that. I just think that the strategies are so vague that if they ask what strategy a company fits in it will be a difficult question.

#6

Just focus on what the LOS is saying you should know.