What has the end of the world got to do with business strategy?
Mr Harold Camping, an 89 year old evangelist from America predicts that tomorrow Jesus Christ will return to earth and true followers will be swept up, or in his words “raptured”, to heaven.
He predicts that giant earthquakes will sweep across the world to mark the start of the destruction of the earth and with the exception of the 200 million people that will have been raptured to heaven the rest of the world’s population will perish during the earth’s destruction.
Now, with a little bit of luck you’re sat at your desk with a cup of coffee reading this and the world didn’t come to an end on Saturday.
There’s a nice business strategy example in this though and it also involves a number of pet dogs and cats…
Some of the better known business strategy models include:
The Rational Model – the “original” strategic planning model with 3 clear steps of Analysis – Choice – Implementation.
The Emergent Model – made famous by Mintzberg’s analysis of Honda’s entry to the US motor bike market.
Logical Incrementalism – small regular changes to the strategic approach.
And then there is the concept of “Freewheeling Opportunism”. This is the situation where an organisation doesn’t have a formal plan but takes advantage of opportunities as and when they arise.
In a classic freewheeling opportunism move an American entrepreneur has just set up Eternal Earth-bound pets. This business offers a service to those individuals with pets who believe that they will be raptured tomorrow.
Unfortunately the rapture process highlighted by Mr Camping doesn’t allow people to take their pets. Eternal Earth-bound pets has taken quick advantage of this by offering a service to look after the pets after their owner has been raptured.
As at the time of writing, more than 250 clients have paid $135 for their pets to be looked after after the rapture.
Eternal Earth-Bound Pet’s tag line on their website is:
The next best thing to pet salvation in a Post Rapture World
Eternal Earth-bound pets has a no refunds policy if the end of the world doesn’t happen…
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