Porters Five Forces Essays (Examples)

The Bargaining Power of Buyers is also an area that Apple has significant control over, as it has built up one of the most loyal and cost-insensitive customer bases there are in technology. Customers willingly pay over $500 for new iPads and will wait in line for days to buy them (Apple Investor elations, 2012).

The next factor of New Market Entrants is an area of much activity globally today, as Asian contract manufacturers seek out opportunities to create iPad and iPhone clones (Apple Investor elations, 2012). The new market entrants from Microsoft/Nokia alliance and the onslaught of Google Android-powered devices will also change the market landscape over the long-term as well.

Finally the Substitute Products also are a critical factor in the overall Five Forces Model analysis of Apple with counterfeiting flourishing throughout the region and online globally. There are also the low-cost contract manufacturers who are driving down…

References

Apple, Investor Relations (2012). Investor Relations. Retrieved March 28, 2012, from Apple Investor Relations and Filings with the SEC Web site:  http://www.apple.com/investor/ 

Michael E. Porter. (2008, January). The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review: Special HBS Centennial Issue, 86(1), 78-93.

Economics

Sources of Information for a Porters Five Forces Analysis on Kraft Foods

To undertake a Porters Five Forces analysis it is necessary to identify potential sources of information that will give the required information. The Five Forces analysis will require an assessment of the five areas; degree of rivalry among competitors, threat of new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of customers, and availability of substitutes. This process can be examined by looking at the sources which may be used for a Porters Five Forces analysis of Kraft Foods, a firm that competes in the food industry. Each of the forces will be considered separately.

Degree of rivalry among competitors

Source 1; CSI Market; UL is http://csimarket.com/stocks/competitionSEG2.php?code=KFT

This is a very useful web site which has the primary aim of providing information to potential investors. The page on Kraft Foods is particularly useful in assessing the firm's position…

References

Baertlein, L, (2014, Sept 30), Kraft challenged by "healthier" macaroni and cheese brands, didReuters, accessed at  http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/30/us-kraft-macandcheese-idUSBREA2T09C20140330 

CSI Market (2014), Kraft accessed at  http://csimarket.com/stocks/competitionSEG2.php?code=KRFT  on 7th Sept 2014

Food and Drug Administration, (2004), accessed at  http://www.fda.gov/Food  / on 7th September 2014

K-Mart, (2014), accessed at  http://www.kmart.com/en_us/grocery-pet.html  on 7th Sept 2014

Five forces' analysis (Porter 1980)

Five Forces Analysis of Competitive Structure

Michael Porters Five Forces Analysis of Competitive Structure is a paradigm for competitive position, which states that overall a company's profitability may be determined as a measure of the industry it is competing in and its strategic position within that industry (Strategy4u, 2004). According to the model some industries by nature will have a higher profit potential than others, primarily because they have a stronger competitive position and are placed within a more profitable industry.

Porter's Model also suggests that profitability is assessed via several factors, including the following: buyers/customers power, supplier's power, and rivalry among competitors, threat of new entrants into the market, and the threat of substitute products (Strategy4u, 2004). The company or industry will have a greater profit potential the less influential each of these items are. For example, if a company sells a product for…

Bibliography

Business Insight. "Michael Porter's Five Forces Model." 2003. Available: http://www.businessplansoftware.org/porter.asp

Devine, Donald. "Pols Dare Not Challenge Giveaway to Media Gods." Insight on the News, Vol. 13, May 1997. p. 1

Economics A-Z." Economist.com. Retrieved March 27, 2004. Available:  http://www.economist.com/research/Economics/alphabetic.cfm?TERM=PROFIT 

Fellner, W. "Competition among the Few: Oligopoly and Similar Market Structures." New York: A.A. Knopf, 1949, pp. 55-59

IMC Strategy

The existence of an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) is aimed at providing a designed approach that delivers a consistent message to consumers transversely in advertisements including different media types like the Internet, TV, mobile phones, and magazines among others. In reality, any ad must communicate a consistent message to its varied audiences. IMC strategy is essential in today's business world because of the existing communication technology and the instant access to data using such devices such as the Internet. It is only by delivering consistent messages about an organization or brand that has helped many establish their brand in consumers' minds and that of their potential customers. It is from the computers and phones that many business professionals and consumers pursue information and link with other people and even businesses. As such, it is evident that the work and social surroundings are rapidly changing, and more people have…

Reference List:

Miller, F.P., Vandome, F.A. & John, M. (2011). Porter Five Forces Analysis. VDM Publishing.

Porter's 5 forces are threat of new entrants, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, substitution threats and rivalry determinants. In my opinion, as a small food retailer, you can count disadvantages vs. major food retailers in all these categories.

As such, first of all, entry barriers refer to such things as economies of scale, brand identity or access to necessary input information. As a small food retailer, you are not able to realize the economies of scale that larger food retailers successfully provide basically because a larger food retailer has several activities and is able to successfully transfer costs from one to the other. On the other hand, as a larger retailer, you are able to spend and invest in your brand, to the point that a small retailer will be practically inexistent as opposed to a strong brand, a brand which has received consistent investments. In terms…

Five Forces Model Analysis of the SmartPhone Market

The Five Forces Model (Porter, 2008) provides a useful framework for evaluating the dominant competitive forces that influence the size, direction and intensity of competition in a given industry. The Smartphone industry is analyzed in the Five Forces Analysis completed in this paper, and is shown in Figure 1.

Smartphone Five Forces Analysis

(Apple, Investor elations, 2012) (Bernoff, Li, 2008) (Lee, Kwak, Kim, Kim, 2009) (Porter, 2008)

What is immediately apparent from evaluating the role of Substitute Products, Bargaining Power of Suppliers, Bargaining Power of Buyers and New Market Entrants is the speed and breadth of innovation occurring in this industry. Social networking's pervasive adoption globally is also completely reordering the supply chain for smart phone components and assemblies, hastening product lifecycles in the process as well (Bernoff, Li, 2008). Apple's continual focus on innovation and the rapid product lifecycles they have…

References

Apple, Investor Relations (2012). Investor Relations. Retrieved January 13, 2012 from Apple Investor Relations and Filings with the SEC Web site:  http://www.apple.com/investor/ 

Josh Bernoff, Charlene Li. (2008). Harnessing the Power of the Oh-So-Social Web. MIT Sloan Management Review, 49(3), 36-42.

Lee, B., Kwak, J., Kim, K., & Kim, S.. (2009). Technical innovation and 3.5 mobile phone generation: Lessons from Korea. Telecommunications Policy, 33(5/6), 296.

Michael E. Porter. (2008, January). THE FIVE COMPETITIVE FORCES THAT SHAPE STRATEGY. Harvard Business Review: Special HBS Centennial Issue, 86(1), 78-93.

Five Forces and Pharmaceutical Companies

Pharmaceutical Companies spends many years and millions of dollars developing new drugs. In order for these companies to be successful they must sell any successful drug at a high price to attempt to regain some of the cost of the drug. Once other companies replicate the drug the cost of the drug can be driven down with competition. Most people use their insurance companies to pay for their drugs, pharmaceutical benefits management (PBM). The pharmaceutical companies try to make deals with the PBM, by offering them lower prices so that they would pressure doctors into writing those prescriptions. Below is the five forces that drives the pharmaceutical industry.

Supplier Power is where the pharmaceutical company that is supplying the medication controls the power because of the volume of demand. The supplier power is defined by many different aspects of selling a specified drug. Usually once…

References

Higgins, M. (2006). Stricter gift ethics urged for doctors; study sees influence on diagnosis. The Washington Times.

Porter, M.E. (2010). Strategic management. Retrieved from  http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/porter.shtml

Five Forces

It is important for students to understand the relationships that formulate a business strategy. The five competitive forces that shape strategy, or more commonly known as Porter's five forces, help clarify and explain how business strategic approaches are influenced similarly across all industries. The purpose of this essay is to examine how business strategy and information technology relate in achieving competitive edge. I'll examine this subject by examining each of the five forces through the lens of information technology industries. Next, I'll identify and briefly describe the five specific areas in which information technology represents both a risk or may promote a company's competitive advantage within a particular industry. Furthermore, I'll identify certain steps to reduce the risk and promote how these processes can be leveraged to improve a firm's competitive edge.

THE FIVE FORCES

According to Porter, (2008) the five forces that determine the quality of the…

Works Cited

Ong, J. & Ismail, H. (2008). Sustainable competitive advantage through information technology competence. Communications of the IBIMA, Vol 1, 2008.

Porter, M. (1980) Competitive Strategy, Free Press, New York, 1980.

Porter, M. (2008). The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard Business Review, Jan. 2008.

Powell, T. (1997). Information technology as competitive advantage; the role of human, business, and technology resources. Strategic Management Journal, Vol18, 375-405.

FINANCE -- VALUE CHAINS, PORTER'S 5 FORCES AND ECONOMIC ATTRIBUTES

The analyses of The Home Depot and Lowe's will involve value chain analysis, Porters 5 forces framework and economic analysis framework. These three perspectives complement rather than conflict with each other. Furthermore, they view a business internally and externally within a specific industry. The combination of all three perspectives will give an effective "picture" of The Home Depot and Lowe's individually, head-to-head and within their industry.

Value chain analysis -- Information and Value for Financial Analysts

Value chain analysis separates a business into a series of value-generating activities called a "value chain," often including primary and support activities. This assists a financial analyst in discerning which activities a business uses to create a competitive advantage and generate shareholder value. The activities ideally offer more value to customer than cost to the business, causing a profit margin (Internet Center for Management…

Works Cited

Harvard Business Publishing. (2008, June 30). The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Retrieved from Youtube Web site:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYF2_FBCvXw 

Internet Center for Management and Business Administrations, Inc. (2010). The Value Chain. Retrieved from www.netmba.om:  http://www.netmba.com/strategy/value-chain/ 

Mangold, N. (n.d.). Financial reporting and financial statement analysis. East Bay, California, United States: WordPress, Inc.

Porter Five Forces Model

The Five Forces Model has over the last two decades become one of the most cited and used strategic frameworks relied on by both academicians and practitioners globally to explain the dynamics of their enterprises. It's pervasive use can be attributed to the ability to quantify the five forces that define the competitive dynamics that affect industries and enterprises, as the framework is used for evaluating each (Porter, 2008). The intent of this analysis is to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of this framework, in addition to making recommendations for how it can be improved given the exceptional uncertainty and chaotic nature of many industries today.

Analysis of the Five Forces Model

The strengths of this model include the ability to quickly analyze complex industries and quantify the effects of the five forces that define their competitive dynamics, in addition to the ability to project the…

References

Porter, M.E. 2008, The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy, Boston, United States, Boston.

The bargaining power of suppliers

High, given that suppliers can exercise a great deal of leverage in promoting an antivirus product. Consumers are often unsure how to judge antivirus software, or even why they should purchase it at all. Including free trials for antivirus software on PCs, using in-store or website promotions, and other brick-and-mortar methods can be highly influential in encouraging consumers to buy a particular product. While free versions can promote themselves on the web, consumers who are security-conscious may seek a more reputable venue in which to purchase the product.

Comparison

The popular computer magazine PC Magazine did not give the $39.95 Norton AntiVirus software a glowing endorsement. It was particularly critical of its un-installer. Norton's protection was deemed solid, nothing more (2010 eviews, 2010, PC Magazine). $29.95 VIPE AntiVirus + AntiSpyware was called "the lightest-running, best antivirus software for 2010" in the magazine's reviews section. McAfee…

References

2010 reviews & guide to choosing the best antivirus software for your PC. (2010). PC

Magazine. Retrieved March 28, 2010 at  http://www.pcantivirusreviews.com/ 

Porter's Five Forces. (2010). MindTool. Retrieved March 28, 2010 at  http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_08.htm 

Porter's Five Forces. (2007). Quick MBA. Retrieved March 28, 2010 at  http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/porter.shtml

This is a positive factor for the sales of bird feeders but also a negative element by way of creating competition for the Solar Bird Feeder.

The company can combat this particular factor by providing widespread marketing of its product and information to the consumer about why it is better than the other products on the market.

Below is a diagram of the five forces and how they are interlinked. It also illustrates how they are all linked to the center factor which is the competition in the industry rivalry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_5_forces_analysis

CONCLUSION

The Solar Bird Feeder Company must create an analysis of the market and industry if it wants to remain competitive and viable in the growing bird feeder industry. In the analysis there are many factors to be considered including the elements of the micro and the macro environment issues. The Solar Bird Feeder Company must examine these elements…

Five Forces Analysis of Palm

Palm's Strategy

Palm's corporate strategy is what Michael Porter would call Cost Leadership. According to Gavin Reid, "Cost leadership is often driven by company efficiency, size, scale, scope and cumulative experience (learning curve). A cost leadership strategy aims to exploit scale of production, well defined scope and other economies (e.g. A good purchasing approach), producing highly standardized products, using high technology."

In the first element of its corporate strategy, Palm states that it will "strive in order to reach a leading position in attractive markets." It does not indicate which market in particular, as with Focused Strategies, but any market which happens to be attractive to Palm at a given time (i.e. A market that they believe they can be competitive in.) Notice that Palm is not trying to create new markets or innovative product categories. Instead, Palm intends to scout existing mobile market segments…

Bibliography

Gavin C. Reid. "Small Business Enterprise: An Economic Analysis." Published by Routledge, 1993

Sramana Mitra, What Went Wrong with Palm? March 22, 2010  http://www.sramanamitra.com/2010/03/22/what-went-wrong-with-palm/ 

Darcy Travlos, Take Profits on Palm. Forbes. September 19, 2009.  http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/11/travlos-palm-pre-intelligent-investing-mobile.html 

Gavin C. Reid. "Small Business Enterprise: An Economic Analysis." Published by Routledge, 1993

Five Forces

The concept of the five forces is rooted in the idea that these are the five forces that influence whether an industry or company can be profitable. A company, when formulating its strategy, will seek to find ways to shift these forces and manipulate them in ways that allow the company to be profitable, preferably sustainably profitable. As Porter (2008) elaborates, the five forces that shape competitive strategy are the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitutes and the intensity of rivalry within the industry.

About the Company

The company to which the five forces will be applied is Tesla Motors, the electric car maker. Tesla is a relatively new player in the industry, has a tremendous reputation with respect to product quality, but has yet to turn a profit, has a tremendous bleed rate, but it…

References

Bershidsky, L. (2016). Millennials are buying cars after all. Bloomberg. Retrieved May 14, 2016 from  http://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-01-04/millennials-are-buying-cars-after-all 

Hard, A. (2016). Apple car rumor roundup: Here's everything you need to know about Project Titan. Digital Trends. Retrieved May 14, 2016 from  http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/apple-car-news/ 

MSN Moneycentral: Tesla Motors. Retrieved May 14, 2016 from  http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/stockdetails/financials/fi-126.1.TSLA.NAS?ocid=qbeb 

Porter, M. (2008). The five forces that shape competitive strategy. Harvard Business Review. January 2008, 79-93.

Wal-Mart

Porter's 5 Force Model

In this Porter's 5 Force Model analysis, specific focus is being paid to the competition of Wal-Mart that exists within the consumer retail industry rather than the industries in which Wal-Mart competes. We will be discussing the position of Wal-Mart in the industry with respect to various industry forces (St.Hilaire, 2012).

Threat of new entrants to a market: Medium pressure

Threats of new market entrants for Wal-Mart are relatively moderate for the reason that Wal-Mart has very strong marketing, distribution and purchasing along with the fact that it has sufficient capital to hire and train their employees and purchase merchandises (St.Hilaire, 2012).

Due to the fact that the Wal-Mart has built a brand name for itself and has excellent distribution systems as well as capital to keep the competitors at bay the barriers to entry are very high in this particular sector (Bryant, 2010).

Furthermore,…

References

St.Hilaire, K. (2012). Porter's Five Forces Model for Wal-Mart. Taken from: http://www.kylesthilaire.com/about-me/

Bryant. (2010). Business Strategy. Taken from:  http://team1walmart.blogspot.com/2010/07/business-strategy.html

Essentially, Porter’s five forces affect my company’s financial strategy for being competitive in the marketplace by summing up its principal concerns. What Porter has done by elucidating the five forces which shape industry competition is to outline the main themes one’s financial strategy must be prepared to address. By denoting exactly what these forces are, Porter has provided a baseline of prudent concerns with which to shape my organization’s financial strategy around. His efforts have prepared us for the coming challenges of both today and tomorrow in this regard.

Specifically, in order to maintain competitiveness my organization needs to focus on the correlation between the central challenge, rivalry among competitors, and the threat of new entrants. In the publishing field for information technology, there is always the reality that a new publication can emerge and provide similar content which could potentially detract from the revenues our organization earns. Naturally, those…

Brand identity is not important. There are numerous gym chains but the industry remains highly fragmented. A new gym can expect to face only minor retaliation -- price promotions and other competitive tactics. This is because the industry is rapidly growing -- 8% per year since 1983 (Berkeley, 2008).

The threat of substitutes is high. hat a gym sells, at its basis, is fitness. This can be accomplished in a wide variety of ways, many of which do not involve a gym. There are low switching costs as many forms of exercise are free. Even expensive forms of exercise are competitively priced compared to modern gyms. Buyers have a high inclination to substitute, as a multitude of fitness options is not only desirable but is healthy. The price-performance trade-off of substitutes is high, since some can be very inexpensive. The gym is a premium fitness experience that must deliver premium…

Works Cited:

No author, adapted from Porter, M. (2007). Porter's Five Forces. QuickMBA. Retrieved December 1, 2009 from  http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/porter.shtml 

Berkeley, A. (2008). Buff Obama will boost fitness industry. Suite 101. Retrieved December 1, 2009 from http://workplaceculture.suite101.com/article.cfm/buff_obama_will_boost_fitness_industry

global branding of Stella Artois

Porter's 5-forces analysis of the beer industry

Bargaining power of buyers

The bargaining power of buyers is very high in the beer industry. Consumers have many choices, spanning from other alcoholic beverages to other brands of beer, including smaller labels as well as the major brands. Also, beer is not strictly a necessity. Consumers can conceivably 'do without' if the price is too high.

Bargaining power of suppliers

The bargaining power of suppliers is also very high in the beer industry. Beer companies are critically dependent upon obtaining specific input goods to create their brews. They need a high volume of input goods to produce their product, and they need a timely and steady supply. Good relationships with bottlers and distributors are also required to take the product to market.

Competitive rivalry

Competitive rivalry is extremely high. All of the major beer brands are fighting…

References

Caves, R.E. & M.E. Porter. (1977). From entry barriers to mobility barriers: Conjectural decisions and contrived deterrence to new competition. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 91 (2): 241-262. Retrieved: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1885416

Sinha, S.K. & Zaid Ahmad. (2009). Global financial crisis - with special reference to insurance industry. African Journal of Marketing Management, 1(8): 184-189,

Retrieved at:

 http://www.academicjournals.org/ajmm/PDF/Pdf2009/Nov/Sinha%20and%20Ahmad.pdf

FedEx Company: Five Forces Analysis

The company examined is FedEx and the relevant industry is the overnight and express ground delivery business. There are a few different types of market participants. The first of these are the overnight and ground providers, FedEx and UPS. These are the market leaders and offer the most comprehensive route networks and packages of services. TNT and DHL offer some competition but have a much more limited market presence. There are other firms in the business as well. USPS does not have an overnight business, but handles express ground deliveries. There are also many local courier companies, handling a range of deliveries including same day service. Many of these offer rapid service, but within a single geographic area.

The bargaining power of buyers is moderate in this industry. Most customers have regular or semi-regular business -- these are the revenue drivers. The switching costs are…

References

Porter, M. (2008). The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved February 12, 2014 from  http://hbr.org/2008/01/the-five-competitive-forces-that-shape-strategy/ar/1

hroughout 2006 and into 2007, Staples has faced significant challenges against competitor superstores including Wal-mart which has taken on an increasingly competitive role in supplies for small business. North American Delivery, the fulfillment center area of Staples, posted a 24% gain in revenue and is on its growth plan that management defined for investment analysts in 2006.

While the North American sectors of the business are mixed in results, the growth of International Operations has been significant during 2006 and into 2007. With an 11% increase in sales in 4Q06 alone which had been factors for exchange rate fluctuations, Staples continues to successfully expand into the UK and German office supplies, furniture and computer retailing sectors.

he market and environmental factors that are influencing Staples are the broader globalization of competitors' supply chains which are in turn driving down the costs of competitors' products. Wal-mart's aggressive use of vertical integration…

The International Operations sector of Staples' business throughout 2006 and into the first months of 2007 shows the greatest revenue growth, yet North American Retail has recently been dragged down by slower-than-usual technology and furniture sales, and according to Staples' latest financial results, only a 3% gain in supply sales. Staples also invested heavily in the launch of their newest store in Miami, Florida and the offering of their services programs EZ Tech and a series of in-store copy centers focused both on driving up same-store sales and also increasing high-margin revenue. Throughout 2006 and into 2007, Staples has faced significant challenges against competitor superstores including Wal-mart which has taken on an increasingly competitive role in supplies for small business. North American Delivery, the fulfillment center area of Staples, posted a 24% gain in revenue and is on its growth plan that management defined for investment analysts in 2006.

While the North American sectors of the business are mixed in results, the growth of International Operations has been significant during 2006 and into 2007. With an 11% increase in sales in 4Q06 alone which had been factors for exchange rate fluctuations, Staples continues to successfully expand into the UK and German office supplies, furniture and computer retailing sectors.

The market and environmental factors that are influencing Staples are the broader globalization of competitors' supply chains which are in turn driving down the costs of competitors' products. Wal-mart's aggressive use of vertical integration of supply chains is a case in point. A second major factor is the use of predatory pricing on the part of both national and regional competitors throughout North America, a practice Staples has fortunately not embraced. A third factor is the commoditization of furniture and computers through the use of accelerated supply chains and pricing strategies at market penetration over profitability. Staples finds itself globally in an environment that is populated with competitors that are convinced there is price elasticity in commoditized products, yet has adverted price wars on their path to profitability. Additional market factors are the under-served UK and German retailing markets oriented to the small businesses in these countries and the economic policies of these nations favoring small business

Kaplan vs. Porter

The author of this report has been asked to compare and contrast two very popular models when it comes to strategic business decisions and the management involvement surrounding the same. One of those two approaches is the work of Kaplan and Norton while the other is that of Porter. Kaplan and Norton had a "notion," per the assignment parameters, of a strategic management system while Porter's work as come to be known as the Five Forces. The two frameworks are similar in some ways but they are also very different in other ways. This brief report shall compare and contrast the two approaches in several ways so as to reveal what makes them different and what makes them the same. While the two approaches being compared and contrasted in this report are different, they are both aligned toward the same overall goal and are centered on the…

References

MindTools. (2016). Porter's Five Forces: Assessing the Balance of Power in a Business Situation. Mindtools.com. Retrieved 18 March 2016, from  https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_08.htm 

SASB. (2014). Sustainability and the Five Forces Model. Sustainability Accounting Standards Board. Retrieved 18 March 2016, from  http://www.sasb.org/five-forces/ 

VBM. (2013). Summary of Strategy Maps - Kaplan Norton. Abstract. Valuebasedmanagement.net. Retrieved 18 March 2016, from  http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_strategy_maps_strategic_communication.html

These two factors of aspirational value of the brand and customer experience are what also make this factor a very critical opne in the augmented analytical framework.

Market Growth

The growth of coffee retailing continues to be flat, only generating 5% growth on a compound annual basis (Joo, Min, Kwon, Kwon, 490). This is forcing coffee retailers to concentrate on highly differentiated approaches to selling. For Dunkin' Donuts their approach is to branch out into retail channels with their coffee being available in grocery stores. Other competitive strategies include creating satellite locations and smaller airport kiosks, a strategy Caribou Coffee has tried in the northwest U.S..

Market Turbulence

The rapid pace of disruptive innovation in coffee retailing is increasing, as Starbucks is now challenged by McDonald's entering the high end of the coffee retailing market with their McCafe brand of customized coffee beverages. There is also a shakeout of smaller…

References

Seong-Jong Joo, Hokey Min, Ik-Whan G. Kwon, and Heboong Kwon. "Comparative efficiencies of specialty coffee retailers from the perspectives of socially responsible global sourcing. " International Journal of Logistics Management 21.3 (2010): 490.

Stanley Slater and Eric Olson. "A fresh look at industry and market analysis. " Business Horizons 45.1 (2002): 15.

Competitive Forces Analysis for Gilt Groupe

Five Forces Analysis of Gilt Groupe company

Many managers look at competition too narrowly. According to Michael Porter, there are different forces of competition that should be looked at by any business. A business will not gain a return on investment of the forces are too intense in the industry. When the competitive forces are favorable, many of the companies in the industry are profitable. When formulating a strategy, the manager needs to understand that some forces are stronger than other forces. These strong forces will determine the industry's profitability. Focusing on the strong forces more than the weak forces, allows a manager to develop a strategy that will ensure the business remains profitable. An industry's structure will set the industry's profitability in the end and will provide a model for influencing and anticipating competition and profitability. The five competitive forces identified by Porter…

References

Afuah, Allan N, and James M. Utterback. "Responding to Structural Industry Changes: A Technological Evolution Perspective." Industrial and corporate change 6.1 (1997): 183-202. Print.

Cox, Andrew. "Understanding Buyer and Supplier Power: A Framework for Procurement and Supply Competence." Journal of Supply Chain Management 37.2 (2001): 8-15. Print.

Matthew Carrol. "The Rise of Gilt Groupe: The Great Recession Fuels the Perfect Storm." New York, NY: Forbes, 2012. Print.

Michael E. Porter. How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review, 1979. Print.

Porter Forces

It is a fact that many of the South American continent's governments (such as Venezuela) are antithetical to a free market. Porter's Five Forces are based upon a model of pure competition. The one country that is closest to this model is Brazil. Therefore, the entry point for this author's marketing strategy must be Brazil. This is the best way to cut through the knot of government. By using Brazil as an entry point, entry can they be gotten to the closed markets that Brazil has relations with (World Bank 2010).

The Five Porter Forces:

By lessening the power of governments to intervene in the economy, we will increase the power of the supplier which is us. The lack of government backed companies in the market will prevent backward integration and reverse engineering of our products because of our advantages of economy of scale. This will increase the…

References

Online Medical Tourism. (2010). 1 Hospitals For Orthopedics In Brazil. Available:

http://www.onlinemedicaltourism.com/index.php?

id=83&procedure=Orthopedics&country=Brazil. Last accessed 30th June

2011.

Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy

Accurate comprehension of the article = blue

Critical analysis of the strengths and weakness of the ideas, concepts or theories = yellow

* Provision of specific comments in the form of criticism, disagreement, synthesis, paradox, curiosity or genuine confusion= green

Assessment of Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy

In the article The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy (Porter, 2008) the well-known framework of the Five Forces Model originally defined by Dr. Michael Porter in 1979 is updated to reflect the current realities and uncertainties of industries included in his original article and book that expanded on the model's core concepts (Porter, 2008). The value of the Five Forces Model has been questioned over the last two decades, and several of the most valid criticisms of the framework are analyzed and responded to by Dr. Porter in this article. He also brings in an analysis…

Reference

Porter, M.E. 2008, The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy, Boston, United States, Boston.

They are striving to be the best of both worlds. In their heavily regulated industry, there is a relatively high degree of commoditization between different health care plan offerings. There is high intensity of rivalry in the industry as well. This intensity of rivalry pushes down costs, but the cost structure of the industry is fairly rigid, such that it is difficult for a health care plan provider to fully engage a cost leadership strategy. Consumers are demanding both low costs and superior product offerings. ellPoint is attempting to meet these conflicting demands to their best of their abilities.

This strategy stems in part from ellPoint's position within the industry. The industry itself is relatively fragmented, despite significant barriers to entry. ellPoint is the #2 player in the industry, behind the United Health Group. ellPoint holds at 9.75% market share. Other competitors are Aetna, Humana, Kaiser, and many smaller firms.…

Works Cited

Wellpoint 2008 Annual Report. (2008). Wellpoint. Retrieved November 28, 2008 at http://library.corporate-ir.net/library/13/130/130104/items/299819/2007_AR.pdf

Some financial information from Reuters. Retrieved November 28, 2008 at  http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=WLP.N 

Hamilton, David P. (2008) How Insurance Really Works, courtesy of Wellpoint. BNet Healthcare. Retrieved November 28, 2008 at  http://industry.bnet.com/healthcare/2008/04/24/how-insurance-really-works-courtesy-of-wellpoint/ 

No author. (2007). Porter's Five Forces. QuickMBA. Retrieved November 28, 2008 at  http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/porter.shtml

Environmental Concerns

The environment that I have selected to analyze for this particular assignment through some of the pivotal tenets of Michael Porter is that which constitutes the corporate world. Specifically, the environment pertains to information technology -- which has been called various names throughout its past and present existence -- and its propagation through what is largely a corporate environment . In fact, when one chooses to examine the past of the corporate environment of information technology, it becomes apparent that there are certain similarities and certain differences found within this environment as it relates to its present and future. More than 20 years ago the IT environment was not as greatly impacted by globalization as it is today. Although globalization arguably began in earnest during the late 1960's and became a reality in the 1970's, in the early part of the 1990's its ramifications on the corporate IT…

References

BusinessBalls. (2015). Porter's five forces model. www.businessballs.com Retrieved from  http://www.businessballs.com/portersfiveforcesofcompetition.htm 

Thielman, S. (2015). Microsoft case: DoJ says it can demand every email from any U.S.-based provider. The Guardian. Retrieved from  http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/sep/09/microsoft-court-case-hotmail-ireland-search-warrant

Additionally, talented staff members bring with them expertise on how to improve the quality of the items manufactured.

(b) Customer satisfaction -- talented employees lead to improvements in product quality, which subsequently materialize in improvements in customer satisfaction. Additionally, talented employees interact with the customers in a more favorable manner which also increases customer satisfaction.

(c) Finally, talented employees save the company money. Talented employees are easier to retain than average individuals as they invest in their professional formational, are more mature from a professional standpoint and more dedicated. Additionally, with their expertise, these staff members can help create solutions which lead to cost efficiencies.

4. Objective measurement

In order to ensure that the pre-established goals are attained, it would be necessary for Porter Novelli to measure the degree to which the goals have been attained. This measurement could be achieved through the following:

(a) Comparison between the levels of…

References:

2008, Talent management impact on employee engagement, Head Light Communications,  http://www.head-light.co.uk/Articles/EngagementAndTalentManagement.pdf  last accessed on July 23, 2010

2009, 2009: Economic crisis or opportunity, HR Malaysia,  http://hrmy.wordpress.com/2009/02/19/2009-economic-crisis-or-opportunity  / last accessed on July 23, 2010

2010, Porter Novelli Inc., Hoovers, http://www.hoovers.com/company/Porter_Novelli_Inc/rfhrtji-1.html last accessed on July 23, 2010

Porter Novelli Website,  http://www.porternovelli.com  / last accessed on July 23, 2010

Strategic Management

Porter's Five Forces Model and Strategic Management

as Applied to Bowne & Company

Porter's Five Forces Model and Strategic Management

as Applied to Bowne & Company

Bowne & Co., Inc. is a financial services company which has been in business for 235 years. During this time the company has grown to become the world financial services leader in communication services, investor/shareholder relations and communications, and capital markets communication guidance. The communications side of financial services is Bowne's specialty, as they provide "regulatory and compliance documents; personalized financial statements; enrollment kits; and sales and marketing collateral" (Bowne, 2009). The company has expanded its operations in recent years due to the wish to be involved in all aspects of their customer's financial transactions. In February of 2010, Bowne merged its services with those of .. Donnelley & Sons in an all cash deal. Bowne will remain completely autonomous except in…

References

Bowne. (2009). Bowne 2009 annual report.

Cesnovar, T. (2006). The impact of strategic management on business outcomes: Empirical research. Journal for East European Management Studies, 11(3). 227- 238.

Grant, J.H. (2007). Advances and challenges in strategic management. International Journal of Business, 12(1). 11-21.

O'Shannassy, T. (2003). Modern strategic management: Balancing strategic thinking and strategic planning for internal and external stakeholders. Singapore Management Review, 25(1). 53-60.

eviromental analysis, Porters powers SWOT analysis sbout a project . My project open a retailing medical company buys locally import medical surgical consumables . The company manufacture prodect, copmany import consumables saudi arabia resell local market, Also company buy medical surgical items local market bulk quantities factories resell .

Medic etailers is intended to be a large organization that will deal in the sale of medical supplies to consumers in Saudi Arabia. Indeed, doing business in the medical field is usually intensely involving given that the area is extremely regulated in order to ensure that standards are kept high. Similarly, the regulatory authorities are generally ultra-fast in closing down any businesses. Nevertheless, Medic etailers intend to come up with a precise elucidative process that will ensure high levels of hygiene and efficiency in its operations. The business will be about the importation of medical and surgical equipment from foreign countries…

References

Drucker, P.F. (1999). Management: tasks, responsibilities, practices (1st ed). New York: Harper & Row.

Freeman, R.E. (2007). Strategic management: a stakeholder approach. Boston: Pitman.

Huggins, R. (2011). Competition, competitive advantage, and clusters: the ideas of Michael Porter. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Owens, R.N. (2004). Introduction to business policy. Homewood, Ill: R.D. Irwin.

What are five steps in building a Web Service?

The five steps in building a web service are:

Exposing the code

Writing a service description

Publishing the service

Finding the service

Invoking a Web service d. What is a quick-hit DSS? Define three types quick-hit DSS is a computer-based system that allows decision makers to interact directly with data and analysis models. Three types include data mining, executive information systems, and expert systems.

Question 8 a. Describe three kinds of knowledge representation

One kind of knowledge representation has knowledge as cases. This involves comparing a current case with many other past cases. A second kind of knowledge representation involves neural networks. This involves storing knowledge as nodes in a network. The third form of knowledge representation stores knowledge as rules, where the rules are obtained from experts, laws, or experience.

b. What is a smart tag and how might it…

References

Lawlor, S.C. (2004). Computer Information Systems. Forth Worth, TX: The Dryden Press. http://www.geocities.com/gqboy1212/***/questions.htm

Threat of substitute products

Given the dynamic retailing environment, the threat of substitute products is fairly intense. Customers normally shop at large corporate retailers, but their loyalty levels are often unstable. In such a context then, the retailers -- including Marks and Spencer -- have difficulties in retaining their customers and preventing competitive items from replacing their own products (Dalic, 2004).

Competitive rivalry

Last, in the environment that has already been described, the competition among the retailers is intense. This competition is intensified by forces such as changing consumer demands, an increasing number of retailers in the market and a stagnant demand for products. In this setting, retailers strive to create points of difference in order to satisfy and retain their customers (Kneer, 2009).

eferences:

Ahlstrom, D., Bruton, G.D., 2009, International management: strategy and culture in the emerging world, Cengage Learning

Alon, I., 2000, Marks & Spencer: a case study…

References:

Ahlstrom, D., Bruton, G.D., 2009, International management: strategy and culture in the emerging world, Cengage Learning

Alon, I., 2000, Marks & Spencer: a case study in international retailing, Izmir Ekonomi Universitesi, http://homes.ieu.edu.tr/mdemirbag/523/marksandspencer.pdf last accessed on May 29, 2012

Browne, D., 2000, Heinemann business studies for as level, Heinemann

Dalic, T., 2004, Wal-Mart's European business strategy, GRIN Verlag

Project Deliverable 2: Innovation and Competitive Analysis
The CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, has faced significant pressure from both the public and the investing world to deliver on promises of meeting production deadlines on the Model 3. The Model 3 is meant to be the electronic vehicle (EV) for the middle class—a comfortable, suave, sophisticated and technologically advanced EV that is a step and class above the types of EVs produced by other car manufacturers—like the Volt, which has none of the sheen and sophistication that Musk has vowed to bring to the green energy sector of automobile manufacturing. However, going forward, Musk should consider that other luxury brand auto makers are beginning to catch up with his vision. Porsche and Jaguar are virtually on his heels and they have none of the balance sheet problems and debt issues that Tesla is facing. The competitive environment is heating up and…

Business Studies

Southwest Airlines with Porters Five Forces Analysis

Southwest Airlines is a major competitor in the U.S. air industry. The founders; ollin King and Herb Kelleher, developed the idea of a low cost carrier and the airline airlines gained the first mover advantage when the inaugural flight took place in 1971. The airline has been very successful and following the acquisition of AirTran in 2011, the company is now the largest domestic carrier and the world's largest low cost carrier (Southwest Airlines, 2014). The firm has 45,000 employees and flies to 96 different destinations with its fleet of 680 Boeing aircraft (Southwest Airlines, 2014). Competing in the airline industry the company has a number of challenges which can be examined through Porters Five Forces Model.

Threat of New Entrants

The airline industry has a number of barriers to entry and exit which may constrain the potential for new competition.…

References

Belobaba, P; Odoni, A; Bamhart, C, (2009), The Global Airline Industry, John Wiley & Sons

Southwest Airlines, (2014), Southwest Corporate Fact Sheet, accessed at  http://swamedia.com/channels/Corporate-Fact-Sheet/pages/corporate-fact-sheet 

The Economist, (2014), Why airlines make such meagre profits, accessed at  http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/02/economist-explains-5 

Transtats, (2014), accessed at  http://www.transtats.bts.gov/

furnishes a literature review of five strategic management viewpoints, that include Porter's (1980) Generic Strategies, Porter's (1980) Five Forces, Porter's (1985) Value Chain Analysis and Bowman and Faulkner's (1997) Bowman's Strategy Clock. This paper has made use of UK's Tesco supermarket retailer for case study. The analysis of Tesco using Porter's Generic strategies revealed that Tesco's generic strategy needs to be cost leadership given that they can successfully differentiate their clothing line to be able to charge a premium. Apropos globalization, Porter extends the generic strategy construct to international situation. However, Tesco cannot be bracketed as belonging to one particular category. Porter's Five forces revealed that in spite of cost leadership strategy the company has managed to create a very high value when compared to that of its key competitors. Tesco's advantage has been its range of stores, which are within reachable distance from most of residential localities across UK.…

References

Abeysinghe, T. (2010), 'Roaring tigers, rising dragon', Straits Times (Singapore), February 2, 2010. Available at http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/ecs/scape/doc/ST-NUS-Econ-Series-02Feb10.pdf

Audretsch, D.B. (1995), Innovation and Industry Evolution, (Cambridge: MIT Press)

Baig, V. Ali, and Javaid, A. (2011). Supply Chain Management: Value Configuration Analysis Approach: A case Study. Vision. 15(3), pp. 251-266.

Beaumont & Warman (2008). Can Tesco topple iTunes? [Internet] Available from:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/3357071/cantesco

The Porter Five Forces Model has also shown these strengths and their ability to provide the company with resilience in the face of significant competitive threats. Weaknesses include too much fo a dependence on the iPhone and iPad products, a lack of products at the low-end of the market, and a lack of control of the gray market in China for their products (Apple Investor elations, 2012). The opportunities for Apple are very significant and include selling more iPads and comparable products into the enterprise, greater market penetration into emerging markets including Brazil, ussia and China, in addition to the advances being made with Apple TV. Threats include extreme price competition at the low-end of the market; lack fo control in gray markets over their products, and their high dependence on key suppliers for advanced components for their future products (Apple Investor elations, 2012).

ecommendations for Future Strategies and Conclusion…

References

Apple, Investor Relations (2012). Investor Relations. Retrieved August 23, 2012 from Apple Investor Relations and Filings with the SEC Web site:  http://www.apple.com/investor/ 

Robert E. Cole, Tsuyoshi Matsumiya. (2007). Too Much of a Good Thing? Quality as an Impediment to Innovation. California Management Review, 50(1), 77-93.

Douglas B. Holt (2003). What becomes an icon most? Harvard Business Review, 81(3), 43-49.

Kawasaki (1990) -- the Macintosh Way. Harper Collins. Reprint Edition. September, 1990

Hometown Deli -- Environmental Analysis

The Hometown Deli was established by grandfather in 1952 in our hometown. The Deli has a product mix that consists of many different kinds of specialized coffees, teas, a full service bakery, homemade soups, sandwiches, and salads. The Deli has been a local hotspot for many years and has served as a community gathering place. Unfortunately, business has been steadily declining over the last five years and there has been rumors emerge that another Deli, Wall Street Deli, might enter the market as a local competitor. Although grandfather was an expert at running the deli, it lacks any modernization and many of the orders were previously taken with pen & paper or even just memory; the Deli essentially still operates the same as it did in 1952. This analysis will be comprised of a Porter's Five Forces analysis that will help the Deli kwon more…

Business Transformation Strategy

GE Capital oodchester is a leading provider of motor car, equipment, and personal finance in the country of Ireland. They offer the most flexible packages for diverse financial needs and as such, have earned the position of leading the personal and capitol acquisition financial services. GE Capital oodchester also provides specialized financing and services and they focus on niches including equipment and car leasing, hire purchase and loans to businesses and individuals across Ireland. Headquartered in Dublin, GE Capital oodchester services the financial needs of its customers through its regional sales centers and extensive dealer and partner network.

GE Capital oodchester is a wholly owned subsidiary of GE Capital. ith assets of more than U.S.$425 billion, (gecapitol.ie, online) GE Capital is a global, diversified financial services company with 28 specialized businesses worldwide. GE Capital has had an enviable record of growth over the past decade delivering value…

Works Cited

Who We Are. (2002) GE Capitol. Accessed 6 August 2003. Website: http://gecapital.ie/GECapital/WhoWeAre.cfm

Our Expertise. (2002) GE Capitol. Accessed 6 August 2003. Website: http://gecapital.ie/GECapital/OurExpertise.cfm

Hill, C. & Jones, G. (2001) Strategic management: an integrated approach, 5th ed. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston.

Porter, Michael. (1980) Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors New York: Simon and Schuster.

external environment facing TOYOTA, the global car manufacturer. This paper discusses impacts of the company's internal organizational strategy (structures and management). The work is divided into two tasks. Task 1: Critically evaluates key factors (e.g. environmental, global, competition, technology) impact TOYOTA performance. Task 2: Provides strategic recommendations for senior managers of the TOYOTA.

Examine the external environment of TOYOTA and how this impacts on the internal organizational strategy (structures and management). Critically evaluate the key factors (e.g. environmental, global, competition, technology) that impact on TOYOTA performance. Findings are drawn from use of analysis tools (e.g. PESTLE, Porter's five forces, SWOT).

Strategic Analysis

We begin our analysis of Toyota by looking at the company through three analytical prisms: Porter's Five Forces Analysis, SWOT Analysis, and PESTLE. It is necessary to define what these analytical prisms are, initially, i.e., define terms, before beginning the analysis in earnest.

Porter 5 Forces Analysis

Porter's…

REFERENCES

1. Toyota seeks 15% of global car market: Japanese automaker targeting Russia, India, China and Brazil, MSNBC.com, November 13, 2006

2. Global Economic Research: Global Auto Report: Strengthening Car Sales Drive Global Vehicle Output To Record High -- Production increase will support global economic activity, Feb. 25, 2011, Scotiabank Group

3. Toyota Motor Corporation Global Web site,  http://www.toyota-global.com  / (Accessed on March 10, 2011)

4. European car makers and their suppliers: changes at the interface, RT McIvor, PK Humphreys… - European Business & #8230;, 1998 - emeraldinsight.com

Pharmaceutical industries have to operate in an environment that is highly competitive and subject to a wide variety of internal and external constraints. In recent times, there has been an increasing trend to reduce the cost of operation while competing with other companies that manufacture products that treat similar afflictions and ailments. The complexities in drug research and development and regulations have created an industry that is subject to intense pressure to perform. The amount of capital investment investments required to get a drug from conception, through clinical trials and into the market is enormous. The already high-strung pharmaceutical industry is increasingly investing greater amounts of resources in search of the next "blockbuster" drug that can help them gain market position and profits. Laws, regulations and patents are important to the industry while spending billions of dollars in ensuring the copyright of their products.

It is the intention of this…

Bibliography

Ansoff, H.I. (1957). Strategies for diversification. Harvard Business Review, 35(5), 113-124.

Ansoff, H.I. (1965). Corporate Strategy. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Ashour, M.F., Obeidat, O., Barakat, H., & Tamimi, A. (2004). UAE Begins Examination of Patent Applications. Tamino.com. Retrieved January 18, 2004, from the World Wide Web:  http://www.tamimi.com/lawupdate/2001-01/intprop.htm 

Bain, J.S. (1954). Economies of scale, concentration, and the condition of entry in twenty manufacturing industries. American Economic Review, 44, 15-36.

As they are showing the total impact that the activities of business operations are having on its profitability.

When you look at the two different forms of analysis side by side, it is clear that they are playing an interconnected role. Where, business analysis and planning will tell you the various external challenges facing an organization. While financial analysis and planning, will tell you the effect of these issues are having on the balance sheet. This helps Hyrbitech to understand the overall scope of the problems they are facing and how they could adapt to them. As a result, the combination of the two different forms of analysis would identify specific factors that are facing the business and how it is impacting their overall bottom line. This would help Hybritech to seek out alliances and partnerships that could improve collaboration, as well as provide the company with the additional funding…

Bibliography

"Hybritech Incorporated." Darden. N.d. 1- 29. Print.

"Porter's Five Forces Model." Strategic Management. N.d. Print.

"Understanding the Metric Wars." N.d. 427 -- 465. Print

MLA Format.  http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

In this segment S&W competes with Beretta from Italy, Heckler & Koch from Germany and Fabrique Nationale from Belgium. The most dominant competitor in this segment is Glock of Austria, which sold 50,000 Glock Model 19 pistols to Iraqi Security Forces without the consent and approval of U.S.-based collation command or the U.S. Congress. Glock, in refusing to cooperate with the U.S. military, has opened up a significant opportunity for S&W in government markets based on the conflict Glock has created and the preference of Congressional members to buy from domestic suppliers.

Available Substitute Products

There is an abundance of substitute products as the handgun marketplace is fragmented with nine different manufacturers, each with between 5% to 14% market shares. Glock and their innovation in polymer pistols and firearms revolutionized the industry in the 1980s, yet S&W was able to regain their market share by working with distributors, dealers and…

References for Assignment #3:

Form 10-K (2006) - Smith & Wesson Form 10-K Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 14, 2006. Accessed from the Internet on November 13, 2006 at  http://ir.smith-wesson.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=90977&p=irol-sec&control_selectgroup=Annual%20Filings 

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms BATF (2005) - Accessed from Research provided to the public from this agencies' website on November 14, 2006:

http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/stats/index.htm

BusinessWeek (2005) - Top 100 Global Brands Scorecard. BusinessWeek Online. Data Provided by Interbrand. Part of the Innovation Metrics Series. Accessed from the Internet on November 20, 2006 from http://bwnt.businessweek.com/brand/2005/

Thus, the competitive intelligence assisted the company to align its strategic plan as well as keeping executive informed about the key element of decision-making. The company also derived advantages from market intelligence advantages and the advantages assisted the company to understand the market activities and competitive market environment. Typically, Avnet also used the competitive intelligence to create a Strategic Leverage Matrix (SLM) that the company literarily plots to understand the competitors in 2X 2 matrixes. Using this strategy, the company was able to understand the sales growth and the working capital of the competitors. The CI process includes:

Plan and Collect

Analyze and Access

Make ecommendations

Distribute EIS.

Using CI analysis, the company will able to analyze the industry and be able to make an informed decision about the market and the competitors.

Conclusion

The report shows how the Avnet could use the competitive intelligence tool to achieve a competitive…

References

Cavalcanti, E.P.(2005). The Relationship between Business Success and Business Intelligence. Journal of Competitive Intelligence and Management: 3 (1 ).

Downey, J. (2007) Strategic Analysis Tools Topic Gateway Series No. 34. The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants

Haag, S. (2006). Management Information Systems for the Information Age. (Third Edition). McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

Hovis, J.H. (2000). CI at Avnet: A Bottom-Line Impact . Competitive Intelligence Review.11(3): 5.15.

InVision

Over the past ten years many technology companies have succumb to the economic conditions that have dictated their demise. InVision technologies is a company that has risen to the occasion and silenced many of the pessimists and naysayers. The purpose of this discussion is to identify InVision's strategic strengths and weaknesses based on environmental "scan" analysis. The discussion will also focus on the core competencies of the organization and develop a Porter's "Five Forces" analysis for the organization. Finally we will discuss the strategic thinking of company CEO Sergio Magistri. Let's begin with a brief description of the company's function and the products that it offers.

Brief description

According to MultexInvestor Invision Technologies produces and sells explosives detection systems which are used in airports throughout the world to monitor checked baggage. The company, founded in 1992, has created products that are based on advanced computed tomography. (Company Profile) The…

References

Company Profile. 2003. MultexInvestor. Retrieved August 19, 2003 from;

http://yahoo.multexinvestor.com/FullDesc.aspx?target=/stocks/quickinfo/companyprofile/fulldescription&ticker=INVN

Company Overview. (2003) InVision Technologies. Retrieved August 19, 2003 from;  http://www.invision-tech.com/company/company.htm 

Management. (2003) InVision Technologies.  http://www.invision-tech.com/company/mgmt.htm

Competitors exposed to lower costs

The main competitors to the company share certain costs like transportation

Economies of scale

The company's competitor do enjoy huge economies of scale.This gives them an increased bargaining power.

Porter's 5-forces analysis of Ducati cruiser market

The cruiser motorcycle market segment is the fastest growing market segment in the industry. However, Ducati has never been able to expand its market share in the period (2000-2003) as pointed out by Grant (2004).They unsuccessfully tried to capture a new market share comprising of older customers by the introduction of Sport touring model. This is a strong suggestion that Ducati must take into account the need of entering into new market segments like the cruiser market so as to take care of the relatively wealthier customer base. The porters five forces cam effectively be used in the analysis of the cruiser market segment since it is relatively unfamiliar…

References

Bohl, O (2008) Virtual Organizations. University of Kassel

 http://www.oliverbohl.de/DOCS/Ducati_Case_UniK.pdf 

Bruce, R.A. (2004), "A Case Study of Harley Davidson's Business Practices"

Cooney, J. (2005), "Freedom Ride," License, vol. 8, Issue 7 (Aug 2005), pp. 20-23