 |
| Image: Moneybestpal.com |
The well-known framework Porter's Five Forces can be used to evaluate the competitive landscape of a company. In his 1979 article "How Competitive Factors Influence Strategy" for the Harvard Business Review, Michael E. Porter introduced it.
The framework's five forces are:
The threat of New Entrants: This relates to how easily or challengingly a new competitor can enter the market. The threat of new entrants is minimal if there are strong entry barriers, such as large capital costs or regulatory restrictions. In contrast, if entry barriers are low, there is a significant risk of new competitors.
Bargaining Power of Suppliers: This is a reference to the influence suppliers have over the sector. The bargaining power of suppliers is great if there are few suppliers for a specific input or if the input is important to the industry. On the other hand, suppliers have less negotiating strength if there are several providers for specific input and the input is not essential to the sector.
Bargaining Power of Buyers: This is a reference to the influence that consumers have over the market. The buyers' bargaining power is high if there aren't many buyers or if the buyers are numerous and strong. The bargaining power of buyers is limited, however, if there are a lot of buyers or if the buyers are numerous, few, and dispersed.
Threat of Substitutes: This refers to the extent to which alternatives for the industry's products or services can be made using other goods or services. The threat of substitutes is great if there are numerous alternatives available. In contrast, the threat of alternatives is low if there are few or none accessible.
Rivalry among Existing Competitors: This is a reference to the degree of rivalry amongst currently operating businesses in the sector. The level of rivalry among current rivals will be high if there are numerous and relatively equal numbers of competitors. On the other side, there is little rivalry amongst current rivals if there are few competitors or if the competitors are not well-matched.
Companies frequently use Porter's Five Forces framework to better understand their competitive environment and create plans to strengthen their competitive position.
