Assumptions are treacherous – just ask Lululemon about Mirror
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In high uncertainty situations, one can obviously make decisions that turn out not to be so great. But seriously, do you want to be the CEO featured in a headline “How A Ballerina Outmaneuvered you”? SourceThanks for reading Thought Sparks! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
Both Lululemon and Quiksilver forgot or never knew the painful history of Matsushita and Sony buying Hollywood movie companies in the 1980s. The Japanese comanies said, "we are in the entertainment hardware business, therefore we should also be in the entertainment software business." Just because customers use two products at the same time does not create synergy. There was no commonality in any part of the business models of entertainment hardware and software. The same flaw holds for these more recent failed acquisitions.
Both Lululemon and Quiksilver forgot or never knew the painful history of Matsushita and Sony buying Hollywood movie companies in the 1980s. The Japanese comanies said, "we are in the entertainment hardware business, therefore we should also be in the entertainment software business." Just because customers use two products at the same time does not create synergy. There was no commonality in any part of the business models of entertainment hardware and software. The same flaw holds for these more recent failed acquisitions.