04 April 2008

Beyond Competition

Outwardly, competition is inborn in us. Scientifically, only one sperm get the ovum fertilized after many billions of ‘sperm race’. Darwinism states that competition is not only moral, but necessary to the survival of the species.

We were taught by our peers how to win a race. How to get to the end of the track before your opponent does. Championship is a benefit of competition. At the same time antagonism is the end result. In economics, competition stimulates efficiency and innovation and brings down prices of goods and services. Competition is the system for optimum resource allocation.

A kid in one of the street may have a choice of buying the same sweet from different shops. The shopkeepers are in competition. Two agents showing the same house to buyers are in serious competition. The human mind needs a better word than competition. For enriching lives, we need to go beyond competition.

In the late 1970’s the Swiss manufacturers were losing to cheap Asian made quartz crystal watches. Rather than dwelling into deeper competition Swiss manufacturers went beyond competition by making high quality cheap watches which became known as swatch watches. By this change in business tactics, Swiss manufacturers were back into booming watch business.

If you want to be successful in what you do, then go beyond competition. A Security company giving security services to a building also performing other building services will be able to save the maintenance cost of the occupiers.

Competition means to go after something together. The point is one. Going beyond competition means to make out different values out of something. Whatever you are doing right now if you seek many values out of something, you are a good racer. Your are going beyond competition.

The recent move by Tata Motors to buy over Jaguar and Land Rover for US$2.3 billion is a brilliant move from competition to beyond competition. Tatar Motors has now a full range of cars, from the cheapest nano to the most expensive. In a way they have broken competition and will reach new dimension of true monopolist who give values for enriching lives.

Perhaps you want to have a wish list and try going beyond competition:

In what areas I can make out more values in my current job?

How can I make out more values in a relationship?

How can I make out more values in my company car?

How can I make out more values in a gossip?

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