Blue ocean strategy
by W. Chan Kim · first published 2005
60% recommend32% neutral8% critical
Why HN recommends it
Well-researched framework for finding uncontested market space and differentiating instead of competing head-on; case studies span many industries, so it suits founders and strategists.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Blue Ocean Strategy is a book published in 2004 written by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, professors at INSEAD,[1] and the name of the marketing theory detailed on the book. They assert that these strategic moves create a leap in value for the company, its buyers, and its employees while unlocking new demand and making the competition irrelevant. The book presents analytical frameworks and tools to foster an organization's ability to systematically create and capture "blue oceans"—unexplored new market areas.[2] An expanded edition of the book was published in 2015, while a sequel entitle
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…can apply in many domains, related to startups or otherwise. I can't recommend this one highly enough. Repositioning: Marketing in an Era of Competition, Change and Crisis - Jack Trout, Steve Rivkin Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant - W. Chan Kim, Renée A. Mauborgne Outside Innovation: How Your Customers Will Co-Design Your Company’s Future - Patricia Seybold
on “Ask HN: As a technical founder what is the best business book you've read?” ↗…time, the industry focus (YC seems pretty media-ish-web focused), the country ... and I think you could still snap up a good chunk of smart startups with the core of the YC philosophy. I recently read Blue Ocean Strategy -- the crux of the book is to find a way to redefine your market and dominate your segment, rather than ending up in a race to the bottom. In other words, don't play to win: change the rules.
on “Are you in a Techstars/Y Combinator dilemma?” ↗…Patrick Rothfuss Non-fiction: Ghost in the Wires - Kevin Mitnick The Elegant Universe - Brian Greene The Trouble With Physics - Lee Smolin Not Even Wrong - Peter Woit The Lean Startup - Eric Ries Blue Ocean Strategy - W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne Built To Last - Jim Collins Business Model Generation - Alexander Osterwalder Started, but unfinished, may yet make the list: Simulacra and Simulation - Jean Baudrillard…
on “Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011” ↗…Marketing - Al Ries Repositioning - Jack Trout Marketing Warfare - Al Ries The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding - Al Ries and Laura Ries The Discipline of Market Leaders - Michael Treacy and Fred Wiersema Blue Ocean Strategy - W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne Trust Me, I'm Lying - Confessions of a Media Manipulator - Ryan Holiday Crossing the Chasm - Geoffrey Moore If this is a B2B play, I'd read Steve Blank's The Four…
on “Ask HN: How can a non-technical co-founder add value?” ↗…Laura Ries REPOSITIONING: Marketing in an Era of Competition, Change and Crisis - Jack Trout, Steve Rivkin Differentiate or Die: Survival in Our Era of Killer Competition - Jack Trout, Steve Rivkin Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant - W. Chan Kim, Renee Mauborgne Understanding Michael Porter - Joan Magretta Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why…
on “Ask HN: How to enter a highly competitive market?” ↗For high-tech start-ups: - Innovators Dilemma - Finding Fertile Ground - Myths of Entrepreneurship - Blue Ocean Strategy - Made to Stick
on “Ask YC: What are some the best business books?” ↗For startups, -Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki -Blue Ocean Strategy -High Tech Startup by John Nesheim -The Power of Unfair Advantage by John Nesheim -Crossing the Chasm These are all helpful for startups.
on “Ask YC: What are some the best business books?” ↗…Entrepreneurship by Peter Drucker Marketing High Technology by William Davidow Four Steps to the Epiphany by Steve Blank Jumpstart Your Business Brain by Doug Hall E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim & R. Mauborgne Influence The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout Secrets of Consulting by Gerald Weinberg For…
on “Ask HN: Are there any good Internet marketing books?” ↗…Clayton Christensen, Scott Anthony & Erik Roth 3. The Ultimate Marketing Plan - Dan S. Kennedy 4. Rethink, Reinvent, Reposition - Leo Hopf & William Welter 5. Only The Paranoid Survive - Andy Grove 6. Blue Ocean Strategy - W. Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne 7. The Power of Unfair Advantage - John L. Nesheim 8. Product Lifecycle Management - Michael Grieves 9. Marketing High Technology - William Davidow 10. Open Innovation…
on “Ask HN: Must Read Books” ↗In no particular order: The Art of the Start - Guy Kawasaki The Four Steps to the Epiphany - Steve Blank The Lean Startup - Eric Ries Blue Ocean Strategy - W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne Crossing the Chasm - Geoffrey Moore The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing - Al Ries & Jack Trout Positioning - Al Ries & Jack Trout Repositioning - Jack Trout (with…
on “Ask HN: What books an Entrepreneur should read?” ↗…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Nervous_System Other than that, my own list would include: The Art of the Start - Guy Kawasaki The Four Steps to the Epiphany - Steve Blank The Lean Startup - Eric Ries Blue Ocean Strategy - W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne Crossing the Chasm - Geoffrey Moore The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing - Al Ries & Jack Trout Positioning - Al Ries & Jack Trout Repositioning - Jack Trout (with…
on “Books for people in the software business” ↗Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand The Four Steps To The Epiphany - Steve Blank Blue Ocean Strategy - W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne Business Model Generation - Alexander Osterwalder
on “Ask HN: Great book that you read recently?” ↗The Four Steps to the Epiphany - Steve Blank The Art of the Start - Guy Kawasaki Crossing The Chasm - Geoffrey Moore Business Model Generation - Alex Osterwalder The Personal MBA - Josh Kaufman Blue Ocean Strategy - W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne Also, see: http://www.quora.com/What-are-some-must-read-books-for-entre... http://www.quora.com/Business-Books/What-business-books-must... http://www.quora.com/What-are-3-books-you-would-suggest-any-...…
on “Ask HN : What are some great books an aspiring entrepreneur should read?” ↗If you read Innovator's Dilemma, I suggest reading "Blue Ocean Strategy" as well. The overall concept is very similar, but with some different insights, and while Clayton focuses mainly on technology companies, this books also gives examples for different types of products…
on “Clay Christensen: “Disruptive Innovations Create Jobs, Efficiency Destroys Them”” ↗…can be a fun way to generate new ideas for everyone. We did something like this a while back as an RTP Hackers & Founders event and it went over very well. Some of the frameworks ideas from the book Blue Ocean Strategy are also useful in a similar way.
on “Business Model Innovation ” ↗