The Five Components of a Business Strategy

Can you define exactly what makes up a business strategy? Some people say no, but we think you can.

In fact, we believe a valid business strategy has five components:

1. Your company's current or desired core competencies
2. A description of how you will differentiate vs. competitors
3. The industry or industries in which you intend to compete
4. The initiatives you plan to implement in the areas of marketing, operations, information technology, finance and organizational development
5. A financial forecast that shows how your plans will meet stakeholder requirements over the next 3 to 5 years

Let's look at each of these components .

The first component of a valid business strategy is a clear description of your company's current or desired core competencies.

You may be thinking, "Great, but what's a 'core competency?"' While there are many definitions, here's a good one from Wikipedia:

" ACore competency is something that a firm can do well and that meets the following three conditions:

• It provides consumer benefits
• It is not easy for competitors to imitate
• It can be leveraged widely to many products and markets.

A core competency can take various forms, including technical / subject matter know how, a reliable process, and / or close relationships with customers and suppliers. It may also include product development or culture, such as employee dedication. "

For example, we could say that Southwest Airlines is a reliable airline that offers low fares. But in order to provide those benefits, it has to have certain "core competencies," important capabilities that enable it to have low fares and to be reliable. We believe that Southwest Airlines has four core competencies that it executes so well that it regularly beats all other US airlines in terms of profitability.

These core competencies are:

• The lowest operating costs per plane
• An economic point-to-point airport network
• A fanatical culture focused on customer service and cost savings
• An ability to keep planes in the air more of the time than its competitors.

Southwest airlines could not offer the benefits of low prices and reliable service if it did not master these core competencies. What key benefits do you want to offer your customers? What core competencies do you need to master to provide them?

The second component of a valid business strategy is a description of how you differentiate vs. competitors.

In our experience, differentiation is about being the best at something. This should be encapsulated in your mission statement - what are your company's aspirations and how are you going to beat the competition? We just talked about how Southwest Airlines differentiates - what are you going to offer customers that will make them choose your products or services so that you can grow your business?

It takes a lot of hard work to come up with a great answer to this question and even more work to make that difference real. It's easy for us to say that Southwest is the best low-cost airline in the US, but it's extraordinarily difficult for them to pull it off.

The third component of a valid business strategy is a description of the industry or industries in which you intend to compete.

You need to be able to define just what kind of company you are - are you a furniture manufacturer? A gift card retailer? A consulting firm, a bearings distributor, a toy importer, etc.? This step sounds easy but we find that companies are often so concerned about getting too narrow in their focus that they fail to become really clear about what they want to do. A company with a good business strategy will have thought through these issues and made the hard decisions necessary to clarify its identity. If it has, it can easily pass the litmus test of identifying the industry or industries in which it operates.

The fourth component of a business strategy is the set of initiatives you plan to implement in the areas of marketing, operations, information technology, finance and organizational development.

These are the plans that guide your company's focus and resource allocation over the next several years. If your business strategy is specific enough to be relevant, you will have detailed plans in all of these areas.

The fifth component of a business strategy is a financial plan that forecasts the results you expect to get from your plans and illustrates how they will meet stakeholder requirements over the next 3 to 5 years.

Your strategic planning process can not be separated from your annual budget process. In the vast majority of companies, if it's not in the budget, it does not exist. That's why you have to have a very senior financial person on your strategic planning team, preferably the CFO. During the planning process, your team must agree a financial plan that estimates the results of implementing your strategy. This plan needs to earn the approval of your company's management and board and should be reviewed on a regular basis to track results and make refinements.

So - those are the five components of a valid business strategy. Good luck planning your success. And succeeding because you plan.

Freight Management Solutions

Business models of all sizes have complications. The goal of businesses in terms of logistics basically narrows down to having what the consumer desires, at a price they are willing to pay, in the quantity they wish for when they want it. That is not too much to ask right? Companies with issues in logistics are continuously searching for freight management solutions often times turning to companies that specialize in providing this service for companies big and small.

This is done in one of two different ways; third party logistics or fourth party logistics. Third party logistics uses outside companies to carry out the various logistic operations that have been accredited to being done internally. An example of this is when a company that has its own storage facility decided that it will now use an outside transporter to carry out distribution. Distribution was previously done by the company but in evaluating it was determined to be more cost effective to bring in a third party for this sector of the supply chain. This was determined to be an effective freight management solution.

Fourth party logistics is somewhat of a new concept. This is when a company determines that the freight management solution that desire is one in which the whole logistics procedure is outsourced to another party. This company has a sole purpose of providing logistic solutions to companies. They bring together their companies resources and technology and pair it with other organizations to plan out, operate and maintain a fully functioning supply chain.

The main difference between the two; third party logistics and fourth party logistics, is that the third party is specifically targeting one function of the supply chain solution where as with fourth party they manage the entire process from beginning to end. In general a fourth party logistics provider is a contractor serving the entire logistic needs for a company.

Fourth party logistic providers are the future of freight management solutions. Consulting companies are now offering so much in the way of cost savings and services to companies that they are becoming hard to live without. It is easy to see how needed a fourth party logistics company is when examining inbound logistics and outbound logistics. In smaller companies especially it is important to have support that specializes in all aspects of logistics. To pay specialized logistic personal to be on staff would not be nearly as cost effective as hiring companies, with a system already in place to help manage that piece of the business puzzle.

Inbound logistics is a basic process in the business equation which includes purchasing, arranging the movement of materials coming in, parts and finished inventory from suppliers to manufacturers, assembly plants and stores. Outbound logistics is related to storing and moving the end goods and information from the end of production to the end user.

The field of logistics is complex and absolutely integral to a business's success. Without the proper logistics in place a company could be losing money with increased shipping costs or improper communication through the supply chain. In order to give the client what they want, when they want it, at an acceptable price and time a highly functioning freight management solution should be maximized.

How To Choose A Boxing Gym

Health Clubs

Exercise fads come and go. If you don't believe me, sit up after midnight and watch the parade of info commercials on TV. The majority of them focus on the latest hot trend for shaping up. Some health clubs do offer boxing classes, but they may only view it as a temporary fad. In other words, the classes will be offered only as long as gym management thinks that what their customers will demand boxing training. If you want to do training for the long run, find out if the gym offers the class on a regular, on-going basis. This is important if you're going to put your money down. Health club memberships usually aren't cheap, and their contracts can be hard to break.

Some health clubs have fitness or aerobic boxing classes, which focus only on the workout itself. No sparring is involved. If you only want to hit the bags and the punch mitts, these classes are perfect. If you do want to compete at some point, talk to the trainers to see if they do prepare people for that. If not, seek out another gym.

Take into account the atmosphere of the health club. Some are glorified social clubs, while others cater to a certain crowd, like bodybuilders, for example. The culture of the club may have a bearing on how you may like or not like training there.

Traditional Boxing Gyms

A buddy of mine attends a gym where mostly professional boxers train. He described the boxing training atmosphere as being intense and no-nonsense. The fighters are hungry, and they want to win championships.

These types of gyms are usually privately owned. Some have a mix of amateur and professional boxers among their members. I have heard of a few gyms that are strictly for professional fighters only. Be prepared to work when arriving at the door of a traditional boxing gym. The trainers will expect that everybody who comes there will work hard on their training. They're not going to waste time on anyone who won't.

Prices vary. Unlike health clubs, some boxing gyms do not require people to be locked into long term contracts.

Participants can pay their membership dues on a monthly basis. On average, monthly fees can be as low as $50.00 all the way up to a couple of hundreds a month. Those who know they'll be going less often can pay a day fee, which may range between ten to twenty-five bucks each time. Paying a day fee is also a good way of checking out a gym before committing to boxing training there.

Personal training as well as group classes can be had at traditional boxing gyms, but keep in mind that separate fees are involved.

Some of the older gyms haven't gotten around to making their places welcoming to women, unfortunately. Don't be surprised to find there's no designated women's washroom or locker room in older gyms. If you can overlook having to use a converted custodian's supply room in order to change into your workout clothes, more power to you. Maybe if you push enough, management will make the changes.

Municipal Park District Boxing Gyms

If you live in or near a big city, boxing training via the park district may work for you. The fees to work out are much less than going to a health club or to a private gym. Another plus is that these types of boxing gyms often can be found closer to your neighborhood.

Their biggest asset, being open for all, can also be a park district's boxing gym's major drawback as well. All kinds of characters are drawn to boxing gyms. Private health clubs and traditional boxing gyms can put barriers up to keep some problem personalities out. Those who train at park district gyms may have to grin and bear some difficult people. It's a great idea to talk to the coach before signing up to get a feel for how those types of gyms operate.

Boxers in these types of boxing gyms often participate in local competitions, and some park districts do hold boxing shows throughout the year. If you find an adults-only boxing class through the park district, great! But keep in mind that the park district's main focus is being family-friendly and providing recreation for youths. Many of their boxing programs may be for all ages, in the same gym, at the same time. If it's not going to be a problem to train alongside grade and high school kids, then go for it. Being around people who are at different levels in terms of boxing skills is a good thing. Everyone can learn from each other.

These types of boxing gyms tend to be no frills. The field house, or building where the boxing gym is, may not be in the best of shape. There may not be locker rooms or showers, depending on the location. If the coach can't make it in on any given day, the gym may not open.

Getting personal attention once in awhile may be a challenge depending on how many people are in the class. Some people question the level of training and the quality of coaches who work within the municipal recreation system. But you may prefer training in these types of boxing gyms as opposed to privately owned gyms.

All Female Boxing Gyms

These gyms are a great alternative for women who want to avoid dealing with issues in predominately male gyms, such as sexism and macho attitudes. The emphasis is on empowering women. They tend to be more respectful of women who are only interested in becoming fit, as opposed to wanting to compete. Many offer classes for those who prefer classroom structure.

Ask questions, talk to the coaches, and talk to the people who attend the gym so you can get a clearer picture of which gym will work well for your training purposes.

An Introduction to CNC Turning Machines and How They Can Help Boost Productivity

For those that are not sure of what CNC turning machines are, these devices are machines that would make your milling, drilling and machining tasks a lot easier with the help of Computer Numerical Control (CNC). Highly thought-after in the world of manufacturing and processing of components, these machines are able to produce precise, accurate parts and components in fast and cost-effective manner. Some of the parts that are manufactured precisely through the use of these devices include aerospace components, automobile parts and many other different components. If you are unsure of whether you need these CNC turning machines or not for your business, going through the benefits of these devices and exploring how they can help to boost productivity might help you decide.

Wondering how CNC turning and milling machines can help enhance your productivity and increase your profit margins? Here are some of the reasons how:

1. CNC-based machines work based on CAD / CAM software that can produce and manufacture large output numbers without any compromises in terms of precision or accuracy. In return, you would have an advantage over your competitors that do not own such machines, as they would be limited by the limitations of manual labor. One good example is the outstanding capacity of these CNC milling and turning machines to perform multi-axis cutting processes, for instance a machine can work on 5 or 6 different axis, so you can produce fine and precise components when you own such a machine


2. You would be able to save your design and re-fabricate the same design over and over again when required. The utilization of CAD / CAM software allows this to happen, so you would save plenty of time once you have a design saved, all you have to do is retrieve the design and start manufacturing


3. These CNC turning machines come with good waste and chip management modules, so you could rest assured that you will minimize waste and your device would also be able to manage your wastage well


4. By owning a CNC turning machine, you are also making your plant environment a lot safer to work within. Instead of exposing your workers to the dangers of cutting, milling, drilling and other machining processes, let the machine take all the danger and shield your workers from such dangers. Your machine can also work for long hours without much issues, so instead of having a manual worker perform the same task (he would be given to fatigue), opt for a machine to do the task instead. You would automatically increase your productivity rate!


5. You would be able to produce a wide range of products without much restrictions when you own a CNC turning machine. When you are able to manufacture different products with varying levels of complexity and difficulty, you have found yourself a niche in the marketplace to distinguish yourself from your competitors

CNC turning machines are suddenless expensive, so if you can not afford these machines, consider outsourcing the processes instead and continue to reap the benefits. All the best!

Understanding GLBA Compliance

When an individual or an enterprise employs the services, or uses the products of any financial institution, they are protected by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act or GLBA. This act is applicable to all financial institutions and has been enforced to protect customers' confidential information. The FTC or Federal Trade Commission presides over all institutions that provide loans, advice related to finance and investments or insurance. All loan brokers, debt collectors, entities who prepare tax returns, banks, real estate settlement service providers, non-bank mortgage lenders and real estate appraisers come under the purview of this act.

As per the GLBA compliance financial institutions have to implement security standards to protect the customer's information from unforeseen threats. The act mainly provides cover for collecting, disclosing and protecting customer's personal information. Thus it is extremely necessary for all financial institutions to implement a compliance management procedure that takes care of the security policies.

Importance of GLBA

It is not a simple job to handle a financial institution. Simply providing attractive offers is not enough to acquire and retain customers. It is also extremely important to safeguard customer information and ensure their security. Financial issues are highly sensitive and critical. Therefore organizations in this sector have stringent security measures to adopt. Effective compliance management software can be helpful in ensuring GLBA compliance to a large extent. Here are the features common to most GLBA compliance solutions in the market:

GLBA Compliance Management Software Features

1. Cloud based program using on-premise deployment procedures to help reduce large investments. With easily available cloud based services the returns are very high.

2. They reduce the time typically wasted on individual compliance processes, and therefore reduce management costs.

3. A centralized repository procedures handle the data efficiently by storing documents, evidences and processes in one place. Accessibility to this data is possible from any location and at any time.

4. With the help of centralized dashboards, institutions can have clear visibility of the compliance status that is being enforced across multiple units located globally.

5. They provide a web based secure interface for easy accessibility, management of workflow, inventory control and document management.

6. They conduct intranet scanning of information and integrate all information related to compliance from several sources and match them against compliance signatures.

7. They handle all activities that are relevant to compliance and compliance compliance regulation optimization by sending reminders.

8. They monitor and track movements to detect any loopholes and immediately set remediation processes in action.

9.They provide an exhaustive audit trail.

GLBA compliance has been beneficial to both customers and financial institutions. While the mandatory regulations of GLBA ensure a high degree of IT security, making financial institutions safer for customers, by ensuring compliance with GLBA financial institutions can win people's trust and attract more prospects.