EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF
USING A DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY AND
THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION:
THE TAGETIK EXPERIENCE
The essay is aimed to enhance the role of communication as an essential asset to "create value" as well as a resource of intangible differentiation in the strategic management of one’s company. The need for every organization to reach positions of economic equilibrium translates, at a strategic/managerial level, in a constant commitment to the research and achievement of a sustainable competitive advantage over all other companies competing for the same customers. Taking this opportunity through a marketing or product differentiation strategy and its subsequent exploitation on the market is the right way to increase the value of the economic capital.
According to this purpose, it is important to first consider the concept of “company” and its basic objective, according to both the contribution of Egidio Giannessi and the significance of a more subjective approach that defines it as "dynamic set of relations between subjects", stressing the value of intangible assets as a “must have” element for its strategic government. To this end, the role of strategic management for future desired profitability and market control is highly emphasized
according to three complementary perspectives: the company as a “system of ideas”, its relations within the environment framework (in terms of attractiveness of the market and competitive positioning) and the bundle of valuable core resources and expertise at the company’s disposal. All these aspects are fundamental to achieve, maintain and renew a sustainable competitive advantage through a differentiation or uniqueness strategy, outperform the competition and, ultimately, hold an above-average profitability in the market.
However, banking on high economic rents to dominate the competitive landscape is no longer suitable without the contribution of the corporate communication. It becomes necessary to spread the value of the company, to build a desired image towards its stakeholders and, above all, to enhance its intangible treasure by leveraging the right marketing tools. The role of communication is, thus, to support the organization in achieving the planned strategic vision and economic success through the potential of unique differentiation.
The business case of Tagetik, an independent Italian software vendor focused on the Corporate Performance Management (CPM) and Financial Governance (FG) international markets, is very interesting to better understand the opportunity of creating a marketing competitive advantage. Its recent large investments in the strategic management of communication and marketing initiatives have led to the identification of a real business differentiation, the Tagetik Experience, which inspires the
“Marketing & Sales Plan" for 2008 and has been leveraging by the company all over the market.
