Text size – +

Gorilla, Chimp, or Monkey

Posted by mwelch April 25, 2007 04:08 PM

Source: Don Dodge on the Next Big Thing

Don Dodge blogs that while we all play to win, in business "second place is great" and "even third place can be incredibly profitable." Dodge references Geoffrey Moore who says that competition can be broken into three classes - Gorillas, Chimps, and Monkeys - and that all markets shake out this way. "A Gorilla always emerges...and they make the rules. A Chimp (2nd place) and Monkey (3rd place) can do really well too but must play by different rules." The problem? If you're not in the top 3, you "get the crumbs left behind by the leaders." Sometimes you can solve it by refocusing your service or technology on a new problem in a different market. But however you do it, aim to be a gorilla, chimp or monkey or suffer from being irrelevant.

http://dondodge.typepad.com/the_next_big_thing/2007/04/1st_2nd_or_3rd_.html

About business filter A daily catch of stories you don't want to miss.
see all globe blogs
contributors Learn more about Business Filter contributing author Maura Welch.
archives

browse this blog

by category
by tag