"Competition" in Marketing Management

The following discussion agenda covers the topic of competition in Marketing Management:

1. Competitive forces
2. Identify and analyze competitors
• strategies, objectives, strengths and weaknesses, reaction pattens
• strong vs weak competitors; close vs distant competitors; good vs bad competitors
3. The notion of an industry
• Number of sellers and degree of differentiation
• Entry, mobility and exit barriers
• Cost structure
• Degree of vertical integration
• Degree of globalization
4. Market concept of competition
5. Design the competitive intelligence system
6. Design competitive strategies
• market-leader strategies
• expand the total market
• defense strategies
• expand market share
• market-challenger strategies
• market-follower strategies
• market-nicher strategies
7. Choose a general attack strategy
• frontal attack,  flank attack, encirclement attack, bypass attack, guerrilla warfare
8. Balance customer and competitor orientations

Reference
Kotler, P. (2003) "Chapter 9: dealing with the competition", Marketing Management, Prentice Hall.