Welcome to my Research Publications web site!

For the past 20 years I have been conducting research into why some businesses are more successful than others. Most recently, I have been investigating the key success factors for the following strategy types.

•  Prospectors: These businesses are frequently the first-to-market with new products or services. They do not hesitate to enter new market segments where there appears to be an opportunity. These businesses concentrate on offering products that push performance boundaries. Their proposition is an offer of the most innovative product, whether based on substantial performance improvement or cost reduction.

• Analyzers: These businesses are seldom first-in with new products or services or to enter emerging market segments. However, by monitoring market activity, they can be early-followers with a better targeting strategy, increased customer benefits, or lower total costs.

• Low Cost Defenders: These businesses attempt to maintain a relatively stable domain by aggressively protecting their product-market position. They rarely are at the forefront of product or service development. Instead, they focus on producing goods or services as efficiently as possible. These businesses generally focus on increasing share in existing markets by providing products or services at the best prices.

• Differentiated Defenders: These businesses attempt to maintain a relatively stable domain by aggressively protecting their product-market position. They rarely are at the forefront of product or service development. They focus on providing superior service and/or product quality. Their prices are typically higher than the industry average.

My colleagues and I have examined, among other things, the impact on performance of:
1. Strategy Formation Processes,
2. Emphasis in the Balanced Scorecard,
3. Market Targeting, Behavior, and Strategy,
4. Marketing Strategy, and
5. Marketing Organization
for each of the strategy types.
Simply click on one of those topics to view the article. I hope that you will find them useful.

Stanley F. Slater
Charles and Gwen Lillis Professor of Business Administration
Stanley.Slater@ColoState.edu