The issues that shape strategy

Abstract

Companies do not only compete in markets; they also compete on social and political issues. Depending on the business opportunities or threats they identify related to an issue, companies will behave as veterans that defend the status quo in an industry, as reformers that will work with the authorities to change the rules of the game, or as heroes that help solve an issue. In this article, we identify the typical elements of success for each of these three generic nonmarket strategies. We do this based on a framework that focuses on the framing of issues, the alliances that can be mobilized around an issue, and the arenas that can be used to make a move.