In the latest episode of the Tech Strategy podcast, Jeffrey Towson delves into Microsoft’s use of bundles to launch Teams. And dethrone Slack. With Azure’s cloud services gaining market share and AI tools like Sales Copilot and GitHub Copilot driving productivity, Microsoft remains a tech powerhouse. As a digital strategy consultant, Towson highlights how Microsoft’s strategic moves are redefining the industry landscape.
Category Archives: Tactics
When Microsoft’s Bundles Are Good vs. Bad for Customers and Markets (Tech Strategy)
In this podcast, digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson delves into the dynamics of Microsoft’s bundled offerings. When evaluating these bundles, several factors come into play. Microsoft strategically leverages competitive advantages to entrench rapidly.
How BYD Auto Plans to Win in EVs (2 of 2) (Tech Strategy)
BYD Auto is one of the most successful electric vehicle makers in China and the world. In this article, digital strategy consultant Jeff Towson explains how the company uses its innovation strategy to create competitive advantages in four key areas: batteries, motors, electronics, and software. He also discusses the challenges and opportunities that BYD Auto faces in the rapidly evolving EV market.
Expedia’s Painful Lessons in Money Wars and Other China Tactics. Plus Morgan Stanley.
Expedia’s experience in China is a cautionary tale for any foreign company entering the market. The company made a number of mistakes, including failing to adapt to Chinese culture and underestimating the competition. However, there are also some lessons to be learned from Morgan Stanley, which has been successful in China.
Don’t Be Fooled by Rapid Growth, Money Wars, Blitzscaling and Other Tactics (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
I’ve been thinking about Luckin Coffee, which was a big story a few years ago in China. It was a digital upstart taking on giant Starbucks. It was Jack Ma’s “new retail” applied to retail coffee. It was a digital innovator. Blah, blah, blah. It was mostly a lot of hype. And the company crashed […]
While Luckin Fights Starbucks, HeyTea Has Lines Out the Door in China (2 of 2)
In Part 1, I argued that Starbucks China most interesting competitor is not Luckin Coffee. It is HeyTea, an upscale Starbucks-type business focused on tea (something Chinese consumers really, really like). And to their credit, HeyTea appears to be mostly focusing not on digital innovation but on product development and continually thrilling their customers. Which […]
“Digital Speed” is Mostly About Tactics. But True Operating Performance is a Marathon. (Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
In 2009, Brian Acton and Jan Koum founded WhatsApp to ride the wave of mobile apps kicked off by the launch of the iPhone. The original purpose of WhatsApp was to put a status notification next to your name, to let people know “what’s up”. But the small team noticed three important things that would launch their […]
Can Hello Bike Become a Mini Didi? A Mini Meituan? (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
Take-Away 1: Hello bike-sharing is a marginally profitable, small services business. Its recent shift to ebikes (and subscriptions) is increasing its revenue and making it more defendable. But it is also changing the economics. Take-Away 2: Hello is trying to build a platform business model on its large user base. A marketplace for mobility (like […]
Tesla vs. Nio – And Why First Mover Advantage in Tech Can Suck. (Tech Strategy – Podcast 60)
In the tech industry, being a first mover does not always guarantee success. In this episode of Jeff’s Asia Tech Class podcast, Jeff Towson discusses the advantages and disadvantages of being a first mover, and argues that later entrants can often have an advantage.
WeChat, TikTok and Capturing the Consumer Mind in a Digital Age (Tech Strategy – Podcast 36)
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses how companies like WeChat and TikTok are changing the way businesses compete for consumers’ attention in the digital age. He argues that the share of the consumer mind is becoming a more important competitive advantage than ever before. Towson provides examples of how WeChat and TikTok are using digital tools to capture the consumer mind, and he discusses the implications for businesses of all sizes.