3C's Model

The 3C's Model is a business model, which offers a strategic look at the factors needed for success. It was developed by Kenichi Ohmae, a business and corporate strategist.

The 3C’s model points out that a strategist should focus on three key factors for success. In the construction of a business strategy, three main players must be taken into account:

1. The Customer
2. The Competitors
3. The Corporation

Only by integrating these three C’s (Customer, Competitors, Corporation) in a strategic triangle, a sustained competitive advantage can exist. Ohmae refers to these key factors as the three C’s or strategic triangle.

It becomes important to understand that there are certain needs that arise from the customer end. They include core benefit or service and expected product. Recognizing this need the corporation or company offers a basic product. To cater to their expectations and also to differentiate from competitors who tend to morph their products, corporations offer augmented products. Also, both the corporation and the competitors eventually tap the existence of potential products.

There is also a new 3 C's model emerging which centers on sustainability. This model is:

i) Capability ii) Consistency iii) Cultivation

The idea behind the new 3 C's model revolves around the concept of shared value to the firm, the environment, and the community.