Page - 1

What is the first thing that comes to our mind when someone says that he's going to play hardball or if we hear the statement, "Let's play it hard people"? Chances are that the first few images you conjure are those of some wily-muscled fellow who is out to assert his strength against the unsuspecting masses.

In this article, we are trying to shatter the negative connotations associated with the words "playing hardball". We shall try to enumerate the difference between playing hard and playing unethically, though it may be true that those who are playing hardball may be treading in the zone of caution and may have to be extra cautious to ensure that they don't cross the line.

Although in business the word "hardball" may be difficult for people to swallow as they perceive it smacks of robber-barons, but hardball players in reality are no morons but only the ones who have realized that its a dog-eat-dog world, and securing a leadership position for a company has become harder than ever; based on this realization they move to channel passion and urgency into corporate challenges that lead to long-term triumph. They realize that the competitions turn nasty, and only the toughest players make it to the top.

Hardball players understand and appreciate that winning companies do more than just pay attention to their customers and the overall marketplace. They also know their competitors - their cost structures, profit sanctuaries, weaknesses, how they make decisions and strategies - almost as well as they know themselves, and they are bold enough to use that information.

Hardball players advocate a singular focus on pure, unadulterated competitive strategy - strategy that is smart and fierce and that can be rough and brutal, but is neither mean nor outside the law. Globalization is leading to the emergence of the most sophisticated consumer economy ever, new technologies and in the coming decade all this will lead to competition which will be as fierce as we've ever seen it. There will be the leading players and lots of niche players, but very few, if any, players in between hence, hardball principles make more sense now than ever before.

Next

* Contributed by: -
Bhawna Sikka & Vaibhav Hari,
PGDBM 2006,
IMT, Ghaziabad.