Derek Chow's Blog

Today in class, the topic of business tactics and strategies was the focus. We carefully defined both and used examples to better our understanding of them. What is important to acknowledge is that the significance of business tactics and strategies are growing fast. 30 – 40 years ago, a company could grow and do well after thinking of a smart tactic, applying it, and reusing it over and over. However, today, companies cannot be doing that anymore, unless they are constantly inventing unique and ingenious tactics, they will be left in the dust. Now, it’s all about adapting.

A recent article informs the public of Amazon’s new strategy. In the recent years, Apple has become Amazon’s direct competitor. Before, buying online books and music would mostly be done through Amazon. However, Apple’s iTunes took over the music, and now the iPad reigns over the Kindle. It’s amazing how Apple’s brand is so powerful that even though it entered the competition after Amazon, in both music and books, and it still seems to come out victorious. After years of being pushed around, Amazon is deciding to stand up and attempt to play in the same battlefield as both Apple and Google now. Crazy? Maybe.

Amazon has decided to create an App-Store for smartphones running on Google’s Android software. Google has the second largest App-Store next to Apple’s. Is it possible that Amazon has accepted defeat from Apple and is going for the number two spot now?

Amazon is now targeting the “young but booming mobile-apps market”. Google’s Android market may be young, but Apple’s is now more than a few years old. Because of Apple’s age in the market, it has experienced all the new inventions and breakthroughs. It may seem that Google’s app-store is simply a mirror image of Apple’s now-somewhat-stale app idea. Considering how fast things change, I’m somewhat skeptical of Amazon’s decision to enter this ‘growing’ market.

Source:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704696304575538273116222304.html?KEYWORDS=strategy