This document discusses different value disciplines that companies can pursue to achieve competitive advantage: operational excellence, product leadership, and customer intimacy. It provides examples of companies that exemplify each discipline. Operational excellence focuses on reliable, low-cost products and services, like McDonald's. Product leaders focus on cutting-edge products through invention and development, like Johnson & Johnson. Customer-intimate companies focus on advisory services and relationships, like Home Depot. Companies must align their operating models, including processes, structure, culture and management systems, with their chosen value discipline to succeed.