This course explores the logic of competitive strategy through the lens of industry structure and evolving business models. Led by renowned scholar Professor Jagdish Sheth, learners will understand how Porter’s Five Forces and the Rule of Three influence industry attractiveness, firm behavior, and customer-centric growth. The course examines both generalist and specialist strategies, shared services, structural transformation, and the role of government in reshaping markets. Through a progression of theoretical concepts and real-world examples, learners will gain tools to assess competitive dynamics and identify paths to sustainable differentiation and profitability. Ideal for strategists, marketers, and policy thinkers alike, this course reveals how competition drives change—and how companies can adapt and thrive.

This course explores strategic approaches for breathing new life into aging or stagnant products. Professor Jagdish Sheth unpacks the reasons why mature products are often neglected—despite their continued relevance—and presents actionable methods for revitalizing them through repositioning, innovation, and re-segmentation. Learners will analyze frameworks like the Product Matrix, which maps cash flow and company growth to classify product stages, and examine how leading companies have reignited interest in mature categories by identifying new use cases, customer segments, and cultural moments. Topics include product life cycle, the role of intermediaries, consumer research, unintended usage, and the concept of the “heavy half” in targeting loyal users. Drawing on global case studies such as Starbucks and McDonald’s, this course equips learners with the tools to rethink maturity as an opportunity for profitable reinvention—not decline.

This course explores what it takes to deliver exceptional service in an increasingly experience-driven economy. Taught by Professor Jagdish Sheth, it challenges traditional assumptions that service quality alone leads to customer loyalty. Instead, learners will examine how reliability, consistency, personalization, and recovery from failure drive long-term trust and satisfaction. The course introduces key concepts such as the service-profit chain, fan loyalty, and the heavy-half customer segment, emphasizing that service excellence is not just about meeting expectations—but exceeding them repeatedly and profitably. Through real-world examples and strategic frameworks, learners will understand how to design and scale service operations, measure performance, and embed excellence as a cultural and competitive advantage. Ideal for professionals in hospitality, healthcare, retail, and beyond, this course provides a roadmap for making service a core business differentiator.