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Category: Strategy

A Brannock Device
The Brannock Device: A 90-Year Monopoly

The Brannock Device: A 90-Year Monopoly

The Brannock Device (pictured above) is one of those common items you see all the time, but never think about. Simple and effective, it was invented by Charles Brannock in 1927. Today, you can find them anywhere shoes are sold, always available to give parents a rough idea of the shoe sizes they should be testing to fit their rapidly growing children. As a tool, the Brannock device is pretty unexciting. However, the story (or supposed story) behind its early…

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Stanislav Petrov Saved the World

Stanislav Petrov Saved the World

There are no statues of Stanislav Petrov. You’ve probably not even heard his name before. But, in 1983, he saved the world. I don’t mean that figuratively. He didn’t cure a disease or figure out a new way for people to grow more food. He literally saved every living thing on the planet’s surface. Petrov was a commander at USSR nuclear-attack early-detection center in Moscow. Although Cold War tensions between the United States and Russia were not at their peak,…

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John Legere Watches the World of Mobile Burn

John Legere Watches the World of Mobile Burn

T-Mobile CEO John Legere is a personal hero of mine. First of all, the man is responsible for saving me (and you) hundreds of dollars a year. Second, I love a good strategist, and this guy was willing to embrace one of the boldest business strategies of the past decade. Similar Products, Similar Prices When two or more companies provide similar services/products to a market, there can be a temptation to pursue “price fixing.” Price fixing is the coordination of…

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Business Deals with Successful People

Business Deals with Successful People

“Don’t trust a man wearing a better suit than your own.” – Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #47   Yesterday, I posted an article about the potential value of being the dumber party during a debate. (Link for those that don’t want to hit the back button.) Today, I’m going to follow that up by saying this is absolutely NOT the position you want to be if the debate is a negotiation. The Basic Breakdown Let’s assume a business negotiation is…

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