are among the most sloppily used terms in business,

是商業界最草率使用的術語之一，

but these are separate concepts with enormous practical value.

但這兩個獨立不同的概念具有重大的實用價值。

And when it comes to concepts so fundamental to success,

當談到對成功至關重要的概念時，

no organization can afford fuzzy thinking.

任何組織都無法承擔模稜兩可的思維。

The term "business model" emerged when personal computers

長期擔任《哈佛商業評論》的編輯瓊安．瑪格瑞塔表示，

and spreadsheets became common, says

在個人電腦和試算表開始普及時，

Joan Magretta, a longtime editor at Harvard Business Review.

「商業模式」這個術語就出現了。

Managers could use these tools to literally "run

經理人可以使用這些工具來實際

the numbers" to see models of how various decisions might affect

「運算數字」，以檢視各種不同決策模式會

the bottom line.

如何影響盈虧。

A new business model might hinge on either a different way

新的商業模式可能取決於不同的

to make something or a different way to sell something.

生產方式，或是不同的銷售方式。

Take discount retailers like Kmart and Walmart, for example.

以凱瑪和沃爾瑪這類的折扣零售商為例。

These pioneers applied "supermarket logic"

這些業界的先驅將「超市思維方式」

to the conventional department store

應用到傳統百貨公司並

and developed a discount retail model

開發出折扣零售模式，

which involves slashing costs by eliminating chandeliers,

包括了藉由不使用吊燈

carpets, and personal service in exchange for lower prices.

和地毯，也不提供個人服務來削減成本，以換取較低的價格。

While business model is a description

商業模式說明

of how your business runs, a competitive strategy

你的生意如何運作，而競爭策略

explains how you will do better than your rivals.

則是解釋你要如何做才會勝過競爭對手。

So for example, part of Walmart's unique strategy

因此比方說，沃爾瑪獨特的策略之一

was to prioritize rural customers.

是優先考量偏鄉顧客。

In founder Sam Walton's own words,

用創辦人山姆．沃爾頓自己的話來說，

he "put good sized stores into little one-horse towns"

他「把大型商店帶進其他業者

which everybody else was ignoring," and it worked.

都忽略的偏遠小城鎮。」結果這招奏效。

Focusing on rural areas let Walmart buy up land for cheap,

聚焦在鄉村地區讓沃爾瑪得以購買土地，

target customers no one else was going after,

以服務其他業者都忽略的以節儉為目標的顧客，

and preempt other discount stores from entering

並防止其他折扣零售商店

the market in those areas.

進入那些區域的市場。

Their customer strategy thus reinforced other parts

他們的顧客策略因而強化了

of their competitive strategy.

他們競爭策略的其他部分。

In contrast, Kmart tried to appeal to everyone,

相反地，凱瑪嘗試迎合每個人，

and that's not a distinctive strategy.

而這不是獨特的策略。

So while they may have a good business model,

所以儘管凱瑪可能擁有良好的商業模式，

without a clear strategy they've struggled to stay competitive.

卻因為沒有清楚的策略，一直很難保持競爭力。

So to get ahead of your rivals, you not only

所以若要超越競爭對手，你不僅

need a good business model and a clear strategy,

需要良好的商業模式和清楚的策略，

you also need a clear understanding of the difference

也必須清楚了解

between the two.

這兩者之間的差異。