In complement to Karan Girotra and Serguei Netessine’s blog post, it is key to note that Amazon is always looking to improve. There is something to be said for companies who find their niche and stick with it. This is not a bad idea, however, the society we live in requires big businesses to always look towards the future. Even if they have the competitive advantage now, they must constantly be aware of how quickly technology is progressing and the volatility of consumer preferences. This characteristic is what separates highly successful businesses from ones who will always be second best.

However, it is easier said than done. It can be quite difficult for companies to receive accurate data from gathering information on consumer preferences. Even if these businesses were able to know exactly what the consumer desires, that doesn’t necessarily mean they know where the market it heading. It only tells the businesses what the consumers want now. Although it is helpful the know this information, companies like Amazon have shown how successful it can be to focus predominantly on how to expand and improve their business, even if it means changing everything they have ever done.

Original Blog: http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/11/amazon-constantly-audits-its-business-model/

Image: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/amazon_inc/index.html