The Strategy Show

From Empires to Focus: Why Conglomerates Rose… and Why They’re Unravelling

The Strategy Show

Show Notes

In this episode we look at the thorny issue of the conglomerate - what is it, why did they become popular and why do they seem to be going out of fashion? As always, we help you understand the business world around you by looking at strategy theory and real world examples.

More from The Strategy Show

Oct 7, 2026

What does a business actually have, and what is it particularly good at doing? This episode explores resources, threshold competences and core competences, using real-world examples including Amazon, Apple, IKEA, Ryanair, Coca-Cola and Nokia. We look at how businesses turn resources into competitive advantage — and why being good at something today doesn't necessarily mean you'll still be good at it tomorrow.

Sep 30, 2026

The UK coffee market is still growing - so why is Costa making losses?

Sep 24, 2026

Amazon isn’t really a retailer. It started by selling books, but today it makes money from customers, sellers, advertising, Prime subscriptions and AWS. So what’s the secret? The Amazon flywheel — a business model where each part makes the others more valuable. In this video, we break down how Amazon built one of the most powerful business ecosystems in the world.

Sep 19, 2026

Why would a company spend billions developing a product, sell it for millions of pounds — and then make relatively little profit from the sale? Because the engine isn't really the business. Companies such as Rolls-Royce, GE Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney have built a remarkable business model around the jet engines they sell to commercial airlines, which we explore in this episode.

Jun 5, 2026

In this quick episode we look at the concept of the 'Doorman Fallacy' and what it means for managers - especially in the context of change management and business restructuring.

See all episodes →