A few nice articles in the July-August edition of HBR [‘Honing Your Competitive Edge’] including Amy Edmonson on the Competitive Imperative of Learning, and Anita Elberse asking Should you Invest in the Long Tail? [the idea that modern markets and distribution can support very, very large numbers of low-volume products].

This last one is critically important, because it has long been recommended [correctly] that a product range should regularly be reviewed to cut out the slow-moving, unprofitable items. Whilst this principle is not being overturned, the long tail extends massively what can be viable.