Hardball: Are You Playing to Play or Playing to Win?

TWO

Unleash Massiveand Overwhelming Force

Although the indirect attack is the preferred hardball strategy, there are times when a company has such superior resources that it can use them to overwhelm its competitors with a direct onslaught. GM did so, in 2001, when it used its massive financial strength and low costs to offer a zero financing scheme that forced Ford and Chrysler to respond and, ultimately, did those competitors damage. In the early 1990s, Frito-Lay unleashed its extensive resources, especially its killer distribution system, to overwhelm an upstart competitor, Eagle Snacks.

Using massive and overwhelming force, however, is not as sure a bet as it may sound. The company that intends to use force must be sure it actually has the ...