


CdS did not make money by competing within the confines of an existing industry.Revealing Tagline : “We Reinvent the Circus”.Ringling and Barnum’s name a barrier to entry (more than 200 years combined).Other forms of entertainment was available (sports, TV, videos).When CDS was founded the circus industry was in decline (and is still declining).And Barnum & Bailey – the world’s leading circus – more than 100 years to attain Cirque du Soleil has achieved in 20 years time what Ringling Bros.Stages productions seen by 40 million people in 90 cities around the world.The real opportunity is to create BLUE OCEANS of uncontested market space Competing in overcrowded industries is no way to sustain high performance.

This article is adapted from their forthcoming book, BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY : HOW TO CREATE UNCONTESTED MARKET SPACE AND MAKE THE COMPETITION IRRELEVANT (Harvard Business School Press, 2005).Renée Mauborgne is the Insead Distinguished Fellow and professor of strategy and management at Insead.Henderson Chair Professor of Strategy and International Management at Insead in Fontaine-Bleau, France. Chan Kim is the Boston Consulting Group Bruce D. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne From Harvard Business Review October 2004
