In the 1960s and 1970s, the hot concepts were the experience curve, the growth-share matrix, and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis. The 1980s gave us five forces, value chain strategy, scenario planning, and total quality management. In the 1990s, business process engineering, customer loyalty, competing for time, competing for the future (core competencies), and growth horizons gained traction. Those ideas were followed by co-opetition, BHAGs (big, hairy, audacious goals), growth adjacencies, and blue oceans in the 2000s. These hugely popular concepts, and many others, have largely faded after enjoying a few years of attention and acclaim. Very few have had a lasting impact on the art, practice, and substance of strategy — though they have left behind a lot of jargon. Nevertheless, the business of strategy will continue to churn out the next big thing, because strategy concepts provide a modicum of comfort in an uncertain, complex world.
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