Examines McCarthy & Stone plc, the market leader in retirement housing. Traditionally a construction‐oriented industry, at best sales‐oriented. Charts the story of the writer′s activities as Marketing and Sales Director in changing this orientation at a time in the late 1980s when the...

The textbooks are full of explanations of why businesses must understand their competitive arena. There are numerous conceptual frameworks and checklists to assist in this endeavour. Perhaps not too surprisingly, many businesses exhibit only a superficial knowledge of their competitors’...

A well‐prepared and presented proposal or tender can give a company a strong competitive edge. It is, however, an aspect of marketing that is often neglected.

Much of the literature suggests that strategies are formulated in light of perceived environmental conditions and internal capabilities. This study supports the notion that strategy is formulated in part as a response to management uncertainties about competitors, customers, and the environment....