An important aspect of understanding your business ecosystem is knowing your position within it (positioning), whether you hold a higher or lower (subordinate) role, and whether your offerings are substitutes or complements. Netflix started as a DVD rental service. With the rise of online streaming, Netflix saw it as a replacement for DVD rentals. Kimbap and Ramen are complementary goods, but Ramen and Udon are substitutes. This is why, even when setting up a snack bar, paying attention to the menu is crucial. Complementary goods increase sales, while substitutes are more likely to lead to no change or even a decline in sales. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
Knowing and doing are two very different things. Zhuge Liang, an incomparable genius who was a Chinese prime minister of the Three Kingdoms, knew the deep secret of nature. However, he suffered a great defeat in the most important battle because he wrongly appointed Ma Su as his subordinate general, even though he knew him well and had received a warning about his appointment from the late king. Personnel management is the most difficult thing in the world, and to manage it well is the key to success. - Joseph's "just my thoughts"