Maximizing market share as a primary goal

Probably the last obvious goal managers can have is to maximize market share.  This is popularly known as the “internet model” where revenue, costs, profit, etc., all take a back seat to grabbing as much market share as possible.  You might recognize both Google and Amazon of this ilk.  

Nothing trumps the need to own the market with the objective of turning that captured market share to profitability down the road when your dominant position, leverage with suppliers, affinity with customers, etc., all allow you to increase your margins.  Even though there is an argument that those same customers will migrate to the newest and least expensive alternative, the model relies on very slim margins that would be very difficult to compete against without their massive market share and scale.  Thus, little to no significant migration of the customer base and all the new money drops to the bottom line.

I want to emphasize that not all companies are focused on just one or two of the above goals.  Many companies have a mix of blend, at varying degrees of emphasis, of a number of goals.  I would make the observation that the best companies tend to be completely focused on one or two goals.  A quick study of the grand days of GE and the “number 1 or 2 in the category or you go” strategy or the recent Apple (innovation focus), Google (own the internet) or Amazon (be the online seller of everything) strategies illustrate this point.