Brand Mix

Photo: Taxi - Rear Window by pixonomy(Flickr)

Peter Drucker was born 100 years ago this Thursday in Vienna, Austria. He was a pioneer in social and management theory, a prolific writer of books and articles and a good source of quotes, many of which are still relevant today. Here are ten that resonate with me:

1. The purpose of a business is to create a customer
2. Business has two functions: marketing and innovation
   
3. Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window
   
4. The best way to predict the future is to create it.
5. The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself
6. Suppliers and especially manufacturers have market power because they have information about a product or a service that the customer does not and cannot have, and does not need if he can trust the brand. This explains the profitability of brands.
7. Most of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to get their work done.
8. Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things
9. There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all
   
10. Company cultures are like country cultures. Never try to change one. Try, instead, to work with what you've got.