Competitors have always existed in business, but what if it were possible to render your competition irrelevant? This is the critical question posed in Blue Ocean Strategy, which argues that the path to success of any company lies not in taking on potential competitors, but in the creation of "blue oceans" in uncontested market space. The authors offer analytical frameworks and tools to help businesses identify and capitalize on these new opportunities. Published in 2005 with part of the research funded by some of the world's largest corporations, Kim and Mauborgne's book has been translated into 43 languages and has sold over 3.5 million copies.