Strategy library
Strategy Wiki
A founder-focused guide to choosing where to compete, what to own, and which mechanisms can turn an early advantage into a durable position.
Use this hub to connect market entry, company boundaries, ecosystem choices, growth loops, and defensibility into one coherent set of strategic decisions.
A practical sequence
Start here
Follow these concepts in order for the shortest path from first principles to a usable operating decision.
- 01Available now
Competitive Advantage & Moats
Separate superior economics from the mechanism that prevents rivals from quickly eroding them.
- 02Available now
Crossing the Chasm
Move from visionary early adopters to a pragmatic beachhead that expects a complete, referenced solution.
- 03Available now
Build vs. Buy vs. Partner
Choose the governance mode that preserves control of distinctive capabilities at the lowest lifecycle risk.
- 04Available now
Flywheel Effects
Design and measure a reinforcing loop in which one cycle improves an input to the next.
The full map
Explore by decision track
Track 01
Choose the market position
Decide where to concentrate, how to move beyond early enthusiasm, and whether timing or market creation changes the odds.
Crossing the Chasm
Move from visionary early adopters to a pragmatic beachhead that expects a complete, referenced solution.
Blue Ocean Strategy
Test new demand through coordinated changes in buyer utility, price, and cost—not novelty alone.
First-Mover Advantage
Ask whether early action creates an asset, position, or learning loop that followers cannot cheaply reproduce.
Track 02
Choose the company boundary
Decide which capabilities and value-chain stages to own and where an ecosystem creates more value than control.
Build vs. Buy vs. Partner
Choose the governance mode that preserves control of distinctive capabilities at the lowest lifecycle risk.
Vertical Integration
Own another stage of the value chain only when coordination and control outweigh market flexibility.
Platform Strategy & Ecosystems
Set openness, governance, and pricing rules that make third-party participation worth the control exchanged.
Track 03
Build a durable advantage
Name the defensibility mechanism and test whether the reinforcing loop is measurable and hard to copy.
Built as a living reference
Every guide sits inside a decision path.
Published concepts stay linked from their track, while future additions enter the map with the context needed to use them well.
Open license
Reuse with attribution
This content is available for reuse. When referencing or republishing it, please credit Dr. Sarah Zou and link back to the original source.
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International. You may share and adapt the material with appropriate credit.