From Best Practices and Case Studies: Be Very Afraid
“This story reminds me of a warning I received when I was young — your parents probably said something like this to you, too (after you did something stupid with friends) — If Johnny jumped off a cliff, does that mean you should too?
That idea is not too different from that of best practices and the case studies of other companies’ successes. In fact, something might have worked well for one of your competitors or another company. But does that mean you should do the same, and will you get the same results? Following in the footsteps of other companies is called mimicry, and while it might be flattering, it is often very dangerous. ”
It’s a good article, tailor-made for forwarding to those who want to play it safe by copying.