Competition in plants serves as a great metaphor for handling business competition Hedging Strategy, Eclipsing Strategy, Mutualism Strategy, Cutting-off Supplies Strategy Are examples of possibilities

1. New Metaphors for Competition
Ali Anani, PhD

2. I dedicate this presentation to
Abdi Osman Jama
Abdi has inspired and
triggered many ideas with
his concise comments
and solid feedback.

3. Plants compete for
Obscuring resources
W
ater
Light
Nutrients
Air

4. Businesses Compete for
Customers
Talents
Raw
Materials
New
Markets

5. Competition is a common
thread

6. Avoidance Strategy

7. Herbivores specialize
by eating different plants
or different parts of the
same plants.

8. So, businesses
may target different
customers

9. A pack of hyenas can attack and
kill a large herbivore.
A single hyena could not engage
in with a large prey individually
Or, Adopt Grouping Strategy

10. A pack of small businesses may
group to attack and kill a large
“businvore”. A single business
could not do it on its own.
Or, Adopt Grouping Strategy

11. To avoid competition with their
offspring, plants use animals,
wind and other mechanisms to
disperse their seeds or spores
away from the parent plants
Spread Out Strategy

12. Businesses spread out in other
countries and within the same
country (such as increasing
bank branching)
Spread Out Strategy

13. Eclipsing Strategy

14. Universal adaptive strategy theory (UAST)
Regeneration
Maintenance
Growth
Universal adaptive strategy theory (UAST)
is an evolutionary theory is based on the trade-off
that organisms face when the resources they gain
from the environment are allocated between.
Resource Bifurcation

15. Universal Business adaptive strategy theory (UBAST)
Regeneration
Maintenance
Growth
Universal adaptive strategy theory (UAST)
is an evolutionary theory is based on the trade-off
that business face when the resources they have
are allocated between.
Resource Bifurcation

16. Universal Business adaptive strategy theory (UBAST)
Increase
business
growth
Inhibit
Growth
of others
Grow Independently
Mutualism
Growth
Resource Bifurcation

17. Mutualism
Growth
Mutualism is defined as an interaction
"between two species or individuals that is
beneficial to both". Mutual beneficial
relationship between plants and fungi, known
as mycorrhizae serves as a great example. The
plant is assisted with nutrient uptake, while the
fungus receives carbohydrates.

18. Mutualism
Growth
Mutualism in business is profitable. One
example is developing software for windows
and developing windows to host
more-demanding software

19. When a plant detects competition
from neighboring plants, it initiates a
set of responses
Inhibit
Growth
of others
Growth

20. Some plants elongate and grow
toward the sun to obscure
neighboring plants from sunlight.
Inhibit
Growth
of others
Growth

21. Denying resources of survival
have been used by businesses
Inhibit
Growth
of others
Growth

22. Minnetonka liquid-soap-in-a-pump
idea was protected by denying
competitors supplies of pumps
Inhibit
Growth
of others
Growth

23. The company signed a one-year
contract to buy all the production
capacity of the two main
producers of pumps
Inhibit
Growth
of others
Growth

24. Chemical warfare among neighboring plants
Some plants release toxins into soil to
reduce growth or kill adjacent plants
Inhibit
Growth
of others
Growth

25. Chemical warfare among businesses
Some businesses spread toxic rumors that
their competitors’ products have serious
side effects as men losing their fertility
should they use a certain product.
Inhibit
Growth
of others
Growth

26. Mature “nurse” plant may facilitate
germination, establishment, growth
of juvenile plant of a different
growth form
Increase
business
growth
Growth

27. Business may find creative ideas to
promote other businesses so that
may feedback on the growth of their
own business.
Increase
business
growth
Growth

28. Example, selling raw material to
a chocolate factory. Improve the
package, sales of chocolate go up and
so selling of raw materials increase.
Increase
business
growth
Growth

29. Some plants, like cactus, where water is
scarce do not grow very close together
Increase
business
growth
Growth

30. Businesses tend sometimes to crowd in
each other in areas with limited income.
Better if they relocate.
Increase
business
growth
Growth

31. Competition in plants
serves as a great
metaphor for handling
business competition
Hedging Strategy Eclipsing
Strategy Mutualism Strategy
Cutting-off Supplies Strategy
Are examples of possibilities.