Nike's Business Strategy in Rikert and Christensen's "Nike (A)"

In the 1970s Nike developed a strategy that broadened its base from specialized athletic footwear to popular consumer-based fashion footwear. By the 1980s Nike foot apparel had dominated the market, appearing on the feet of everyone from American youths to Olympic runners. Nike's strategy was to combine serious technology with the popular taste for casual wear and comfort. As David C. Rikert and C. Roland Christensen report, "Running was never the lifeblood of running shoe sales. Comfort was" (Rikert, Christensen 1990:3). This paper will analyze Nike's strategy and show why it has been successful.

The Nike Strategy

Nike's 1970s strategic rise from 1960s obscurity was based on the fact that a new market was opening in American culture. The new market had precise parameters: "comfort and appearance formed the basis of the 'ath-leisure' segment of the market" (Rikert, Christensen 1990:3) and...
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