Just How Big A Market Is This?

Managers generally consider the rivalry among competitors as a major source for deriving strategy. As explained by the Michael Porter it is a narrow view of competition. A set of other parameters should be evaluated, mentioned in article as five competitive forces, along with industry

Distinguishing one 's firm from the alternatives is a major concern for any business. Strategic analysis provides the starting point in the strategic management process organizations use to evaluate and choose the competitive advantages that distinguish them from other organizations within the market. Dominating businesses should also "choose among alternative grand strategies to guide the firm 's activities, particularly when they are trying to decide about broadening the scope of the firm 's activities beyond its core business (Robinson & Pearce, 2009)."

Competitive analysis main objective is to research, analyze, and compare the competition in relation to the company. Analytical tools used for competitive analysis include the five forces framework, value net, driving forces, strategic groups, competitor analysis, and key success factors are analytical tools. The competitive analysis will enable the trucking company to understand more about the industry and the competition, to be able to develop a competitive strategy that will give the company a competitive advantage by taking into account the actions and responses of the competitions (Thompson, Peteraf, Gamble & Strickland, 2016).

Competitor analysis is a serious part of the organization therefore; Target must identify and address all issues pertaining to the business. Target must pinpoint the tangible competitors, and substitutes, evaluate opponents’ objectives, strategies, strengths and weaknesses, and opportunities and threats, and uncover what opponents Target should take on or stand clear of. Therefore, Target must analyze the company’s economic, sociocultural, technological, political, and future.

Porter, M. E. CompetitiveS trategy. (1980): Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. New York: Free Press.

To better understand a firm and its placement of its strategies, we must conduct an analysis of factors that might affect its selection of strategies.

A competitive strategy, or business-level strategy, is the way a business used to successfully enter and penetrate into a market (Eastwood et al, 2006), and also, to succeed in this chosen market against its competitors (Johnson et al, 2014). A company needs to develop and apply appropriate strategy to help the company to generate distinctive competences (David, 2007). Compared with the strategies implemented in other levels of operation, competitive strategy is more focused on the competition against other competitors and strategic choices to better attain market share (Harrison and St. John, 2009). According to

Constantly having a comprehensive awareness of available competitors enables a company to continue to be highly competitive. A competitive analysis is a critical part of a company’s marketing plan. In this step competitors are placed in strategic groups according to how they directly compete for a share of the customer’s dollar.

To remain competitive a company must consider who their biggest competitors are while considering its own size and position in the industry. The company should develop a strategic advantage over their competitors’

One factor that is very important for companies that offered services and products is that they need to have a good marketing or a good strategy of promotion, these is the way to find customers and the target market of the company.

In order to achieve the company’s value proposition for its customers, the following three-point strategy is recommended:

Competitive analysis is an important part of your business plan, there are a lot of different alternatives in the market, costumers usually look for different sets of values to focus on, benefit levels and what does the item include when they are choosing where to buy the product from. Even though costumers usually choose similar products to those alternatives, and that’s where competition is created.

Chapter Five describes the five basic competitive strategy options – which of the five to employ is a company’s first and foremost choice in crafting overall strategy and beginning its quest for competitive advantage.

“Competitive strategy involves positioning a business to maximize the value of the capabilities that distinguish it from its competitor’s” (Porter 1980:47). A successful business plan requires first and foremost the formation of an appropriate strategy. Through the implementation of a suitable strategy, the company is able to obtain its own industry niche and gain an understanding of its customers (Porter 1985). Whichever strategy is adopted it must be adequately integrated within the firms goals and missions to achieve a competitive advantage (Parker and Helms 1992).

The increasing trend of social media use is also ever present. There were almost 2 billion people on Facebook in 2016 alone and 400 million on Instagram (Chaffey, 2106, p.1). Furthermore, approximately “one-in-five Americans share their faith online” (Pew Research Center, 2015, p.1)