Cambridge Business Association
The Invincible Company
Book

The Invincible Company

Business Model Strategies From the World’s Best Products, Services, and Organizations

Alan Smith, Alex Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur and Fred Etiemble
Wiley, 2020
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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Innovative
  • Well Structured
  • Engaging

Recommendation

Many organizations rightly focus on fostering innovation and invention to capture new markets and boost profitability, yet reinvention may be the secret of longevity. Companies that explore new endeavors while improving their existing business create strong portfolios that can withstand internal and external pressure. Alex Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur, Fred Etiemble and Alan Smith’s captivating guide introduces practical mapping tools and detailed examples from dozens of organizations to show you how to lead work groups that capitalize on innovative ideas while strengthening your existing business models.

Summary

Organizations that seek growth opportunities while improving their existing business models safeguard against disruption. This requires two portfolios.

All companies experience threats to their business. Disruptive start-ups, new technologies and shifting customer preferences can jeopardize even the strongest products. Companies that innovate with new products while renewing existing lines of business are in the best position to withstand these existential threats. Successful companies must manage two distinct portfolios to build and strengthen their business models:

  • The “Explore portfolio” – Focus on new ideas and innovation measured according to your firm’s anticipated return on investment (ROI) and its level of tolerance for uncertainty and risk.
  • The “Exploit portfolio” – Improve existing business models using metrics that show financial, social or environmental benefits as well as your company’s vulnerability to disruption and changing economic conditions.

The Explore portfolio focuses on iterative experimentation, with the goal of finding...

About the Authors

Alex Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur invented the Business Model Canvas, the Value Proposition Canvas and the Business Portfolio Map. Osterwalder and Alan Smith cofounded Strategyzer, an innovation consultancy, where Fred Etiemble is an associate partner. Osterwaler, Pigneur, Smith and Gregory Bernarda cowrote Value Proposition Design. Osterwalder and Pigneur coauthored Business Model Generation; and Osterwalder and David J. Bland wrote Testing Business Ideas.

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