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Deregulation, advances in enabling technology, and aggressive competition from new suppliers, including banks, are causing more and more traditional insurance companies to revise the way in which product development is undertaken. A study of ten companies offering life insurance and ten companies offering general insurance in Britain shows that a few of them are now putting into place amended managerial systems. The marketing function is undergoing changes in responsibilities in all these companies. While most companies have key managers who have visions of how markets can be reshaped to give distinct competitive advantages, effecting such changes within existing operating constraints poses major challenges.

Plant consolidation is a painful process that has to be considered when a company has permanent significant excess capacity. This is happening more frequently as a result of difficult economic conditions.

Segmenting a marketplace is one of the most important strategic moves that can be made by high‐tech companies, industrial firms, and firms that sell services to other businesses. Yet technical‐based businesses often miss out on opportunities by failing to divide their markets adequately and develop cohesive strategies to conquer and protect a market position.

Asking probing questions about marketing costs is another way of asking whether what one does for customers matters to them.

Looks at the problems of logistics in military operations and today’s commercial businesses. Traces the development of logistics management from a subordinate activity within a product producing entity to its performance by a separate entity which specializes in this area and requires a strategic alliance. Looks at this issue from the perspective of the outsourcing company and the logistical company. Considers what happens when this process is reversed and provides implications for the future.

Empirical research on successful and unsuccessful marketing strategies indicates that smaller‐share firms in established markets have difficulty gaining market share profitability. An empirically based framework of questions to guide the managers of such firms when evaluating an aggressive marketing strategy they have under consideration is presented. A literature review of the prescriptions for smaller‐share firms basically suggests the two strategies of differentiation and/or focus on faster growing segments. The authors research of 31 case histories offers several more strategic recommendations for the management of smaller‐share firms.

Gives a critical examination of “Markets” within the marketing environment, and suggests that the system of marketing can be described by two fundamental dimensions: activity and product. Presents a normative view of the relationships that exist between a marketing system and its environment. Proposes that the system is more effective in same conditions than in others. Indicates that the dynamics of marketing strategy and competitive advantage should be considered.

The cosmetic industry is a very lucrative, innovative, and fast paced industry where product innovation is the key to success. The purpose of this paper is to present a detailed analytical (qualitative) study of cosmetic industry in the global marketplace with a focus on the four market leaders in this industry relative to their business and innovation strategies.

Business analyses include Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT), Porter's value chain and five forces, and financial applied to the four industry leaders.

Each of these cosmetic companies is unique. They each offer something different to the industry; selling method, marketing strategy, product line, and distribution channel.

The industry trends indicate that the future of cosmetics may move towards more joint ventures between drug companies, cosmetic companies and nutritional/food companies as cosmetic companies look for new ways to be innovative.

The research provides an in‐depth business analyses of cosmetic industry using SWOT, Porter's value chain and five forces and financial with results obtained that are generalizable to the entire cosmetic industry. Projections on the future of cosmetic industry are also presented.

Extracts the fundamental principles of the Thirty‐six Chinese Classical Strategies of War to formulate an appropriate framework for drawing lessons in Western generic business and corporate strategies for the first time. Does not, however, suggest that Western literature on generic business and corporate strategies is any less effective than the Thirty‐six Chinese Classical Strategies of War which tend to be more definitive in nature. Much synergy can in fact be achieved by extending lessons in strategies from both the East and the West. Lessons from the Thirty‐six Chinese Classical Strategies of War would be particularly pertinent for the West in view of the growing economic influence of the East Asian region on the global political platform. Suggests marketing planners based in the West would certainly be better placed in this region if they, when operating in East Asia, were able to appreciate a deeply revered and firmly entrenched Chinese classical strategic treatize.

This article presents an evaluation of the global marketplace and contemporary changes. The author offers observations and insights in the areas of dynamic world geography and internationalisation of business. Numerous examples are given for the arguments and a number of implications are offered.