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What is Competitive Advantage in the Field of Strategic Management?

What is Competitive Advantage?

It is a truism that strategic management is all about gaining and maintaining competitive
advantage. The term can be defined to mean “anything that a firm does especially well when
compared with rival firms”. Note the emphasis on comparison with rival firms as competitive
advantage is all about how best to best the rivals and stay competitive in the market.

Competitive advantage accrues to a firm when it does something that the rivals cannot do
or owns something that the rival firms desire. For instance, for some firms, competitive
advantage in these recessionary times can mean a hoard of cash where it can buy out struggling
firms and increase its strategic position. In other cases, competitive advantage can mean that a
firm has lesser-fixed assets when compared to rival firms, which is again a plus in an economic
downturn.

What is Sustained Competitive Advantage ?

We have defined what competitive advantage is as it relates to strategic management and the
sources of competitive advantage differing from firm to firm. However, a firm can have a source
of competitive advantage for only a certain period because the rival firms imitate and copy the
successful firms’ strategies leading to the original firm losing its source of competitive advantage
over the longer term. Hence, it is imperative for firms to develop and nurture sustained
competitive advantage.

This can be done by:

 Continually adapting to the changing external business landscape and matching internal
strengths and capabilities by channeling resources and competencies in a fluid manner.
 By formulating, implementing, and evaluating strategies in an effective manner which
make use of the factors described above.

The fact that firms lose their sources of competitive advantage over the longer term is borne out
by statistics that show that the top three broadcast networks in the United States had over 90
percent market share in 1978 which has now come down to less than 50 percent.

The Advent of the Internet and Competitive Advantage

With the advent of the internet, competitive advantage and the gaining of it has become easier as
firms directly sell to the consumers and interlink the suppliers, customers, creditors, and other
stakeholders into its value chain. Because of the removal of intermediaries, firms can reduce
costs and improve profitability. Essentially, the internet has changed the rules of the game and
hence sources of competitive advantage in this digital era are now about how well firms utilize
the digital platform and social media to gain advantage over their rivals.

Closing Thoughts

Finally, competitive advantage has to be earned, gained, and defended as the preceding
discussion shows. Hence, those firms that are agile and responsive to changing market conditions
and whose internal capabilities are aligned with the external opportunities are those who would
survive in the brutal business landscape of the 21st century. As can be seen from the
characterization of competitive advantage, it is ethereal and subject to change and hence firms
must always been on the lookout for newer sources of competitive advantage and be alert for
competitors’ moves.

Human, Social, and Intellectual Capital as a Means of Competitive Advantage


Introduction: Why Should Firms and Nations Invest in Human, Social, and Intellectual
Capital

We often hear economists and management experts exhorting nations and firms to invest in
human, social, and intellectual capital. these calls range from asking governments to set aside
substantial amounts of money to educate and skill the workforce as well as asking the firms and
governments to create a web of social relationships in addition to moving up the value curve by
investing in research and development. Before we launch into a discussion about how these
measures would benefit nations and firms, we should first define what is meant by human, social,
and intellectual capital.

In the same manner in which financial capital and physical infrastructure are the factors of
production, a skilled workforce is a vital component and determinant of a firm’s success. This
means that firms need workers who are educated and skilled and are employable and efficient.
Economists and management experts talk about this human capital. In the same manner in which
an educated and skilled workforce raises the productivity of firms, nations also benefit from
having a ready pool of workers who are skilled and capable. Just as firms need to hire these
workers, it is upon the nation to provide them the basic education and skills both through
subsidized education and through the provision of skills through vocational training or teaming
up with the private sector in a PPP (Public Private Partnership) model to impart education to the
workers.

Next, social capital is what is the result of the networks of relationship between individuals,
communities, and the ties that bind them in the broader society. You might ask as to why it is
important for firms and nations to have social capital in addition to human capital. The answer is
that just as the firms need educated and skilled workers, the broader society to be healthy and
well functioning needs workers and individuals to be tightly knit into the fabric of society. This
social capital leads to less crime, more productivity, more efficiency, and the formation of
communities that are self-sustaining and which are incubators of physically, mentally, and
emotionally healthy and intelligent individuals.

Third, just as human capital and social capital lead to better productivity and a workforce that is
efficient, the next evolutionary step for firms and nations once they have actualized human and
social capital is through moving up the value chain by filing patents, encouraging research, and
innovating as well as leading to the creation of an economy that is characterized by these aspects.
Therefore, it is important to note that in addition to human and social capital, intellectual capital
is also needed for firms and nations to forge ahead in the race to deliver and actualize superior
economic value.
As can be seen from the fact that human capital leads to higher productivity and efficiency and
social capital leads to emotionally intelligent workers, intellectual capital leads economies and
nations into the orbit where they can be challenged only by those competitors who have mastered
all the three aspects of evolutionary value creation. Indeed, one of the reasons (as we shall
discuss in detail in the next section) for the relative ascendance of the west over the east and
which continue s to this day is that the former have successfully invested in these forms of
capital whereas the latter are playing catch-up and are now trying to emulate them in their quest
for economic growth.

Trajectories of Firms and Nations That Have Invested in These Capital Aspects

Why do Google and Microsoft in addition to AT&T, 3M, and Apple remain so profitable and
competitive? Why are some firms such as these more successful in generating patents and
innovating better than the rest of the competition? Further, why does Facebook generate such
valuations and is considered as one of the greatest ideas apart from the Smartphones and Search
Engines and the invention of the Personal Computer? The answers to all these questions lies in
the fact that these firms were able to first invest in their workforce or the formation and
incubation of human capital, next, they were able to leverage the college like atmosphere and the
free flowing ideas generated by their workforce which is the social capital and third, these firms
were able to move up the curve and indeed, continue moving up the curve to reap the benefits of
intellectual capital that follows from the first two forms of capital.

Similarly, why is the United States such a dominant force in the global economy whereas even
China and India that have large populations of educated workers still are unable to challenge its
dominance? The reason for this is that the United States and largely, Europe have substantially
invested in educating and training apart from skilling their populations over the last century and
half and hence, are now reaping the benefits of such investments. Moreover, by creating a system
that encourages creativity and innovation instead of stifling them, these countries have managed
to move up the value curve and stay there. In addition, whenever they felt that their economic
dominance is under threat, these nations have always found better ideas to become more efficient
as can be seen from the Offshoring of manufacturing to China and back office work to India. In
this manner, they have retained their focus on value creation using the three forms of capital in a
way in which the rest of the world is unable to do so even now.

As individuals, we too can ensure that we do our bit to accelerate the formation of these forms of
capital and this is through investing in oneself, forming networks with our peers, coworkers,
families, and communities so that we become more emotionally intelligent, and then by
continuously improving and leaving nothing to chance or becoming complacent thereby being in
a creative mode where ideas flow freely. Further, we can all become wiling partners in the
development of these forms of capital by making conscious choices that lead us to better
outcomes for everyone concerned.

Catch-Up and Moving up the Curve

Having considered the successes of firms that invest in these forms of capital, we now turn to
how competitors and countries in the developing world can catch up the dominant firms and
countries. The first step is to provide universal education without discriminating based on class,
gender, or race, as well as through substantially revamping the education system so that instead
of rote learning, innovation and creativity are encouraged. Next, instead of forming clan based
and class based relationships alone, there must be an emphasis on forming networks where class
barriers, gender differences, and ethnic and racial factors are nonexistent meaning that social
capital must be incubated that is free from the narrow constraints imposed by these elements.
Third, governments must invest in research and development and encourage highly skilled
scientists and researchers to continue their pioneering work instead of discouraging and
frustrating them, which as often happens, in Asian countries, leads to these individuals seeking
employment and greener pastures in the West.

Though this section sounds like an idealist rant, some of these measures have already been put in
place in China, South East Asia, and to a lesser extent in Latin America. Therefore, it is indeed
the case that the firms and the economies of these nations are emerging as challengers to the
Western dominance, which is not surprising considering the trajectory of value creation. Further,
some Indian companies have also succeeded in actualizing these forms of capital though the
overall record leaves much to be desired. Indeed, it is the case that when India starts building
these assets, it can emerge as a potent force to be reckoned with.

Conclusion

Finally, human, social, and intellectual capital differ from physical and financial capital in the
sense that they can be incubated even by those with less of the latter as hard work, determination,
and a culture of openness can all lead to value creation. Therefore, the clear conclusion is that we
do not need Billions of Dollars in investment and just by making use of the available resources,
firms and nations can indeed prosper in the same manner in which the Western countries and
their peoples have enjoyed a higher standard of living.

Porter’s Five Forces Model of Competition


Michael Porter (Harvard Business School Management Researcher) designed various vital
frameworks for developing an organization’s strategy. One of the most renowned among
managers making strategic decisions is the five competitive forces model that determines
industry structure. According to Porter, the nature of competition in any industry is personified in
the following five forces:

i. Threat of new potential entrants


ii. Threat of substitute product/services
iii. Bargaining power of suppliers
iv. Bargaining power of buyers
v. Rivalry among current competitors
FIGURE: Porter’s Five Forces model

The five forces mentioned above are very significant from point of view of strategy formulation.
The potential of these forces differs from industry to industry. These forces jointly determine the
profitability of industry because they shape the prices which can be charged, the costs which can
be borne, and the investment required to compete in the industry. Before making strategic
decisions, the managers should use the five forces framework to determine the competitive
structure of industry.

Let’s discuss the five factors of Porter’s model in detail:

1. Risk of entry by potential competitors: Potential competitors refer to the firms which
are not currently competing in the industry but have the potential to do so if given a
choice. Entry of new players increases the industry capacity, begins a competition for
market share and lowers the current costs. The threat of entry by potential competitors is
partially a function of extent of barriers to entry. The various barriers to entry are-
 Economies of scale
 Brand loyalty
 Government Regulation
 Customer Switching Costs
 Absolute Cost Advantage
 Ease in distribution
 Strong Capital base
2. Rivalry among current competitors: Rivalry refers to the competitive struggle for
market share between firms in an industry. Extreme rivalry among established firms
poses a strong threat to profitability. The strength of rivalry among established firms
within an industry is a function of following factors:
 Extent of exit barriers
 Amount of fixed cost
 Competitive structure of industry
 Presence of global customers
 Absence of switching costs
 Growth Rate of industry
 Demand conditions
3. Bargaining Power of Buyers: Buyers refer to the customers who finally consume the
product or the firms who distribute the industry’s product to the final consumers.
Bargaining power of buyers refer to the potential of buyers to bargain down the prices
charged by the firms in the industry or to increase the firms cost in the industry by
demanding better quality and service of product. Strong buyers can extract profits out of
an industry by lowering the prices and increasing the costs. They purchase in large
quantities. They have full information about the product and the market. They emphasize
upon quality products. They pose credible threat of backward integration. In this way,
they are regarded as a threat.
4. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Suppliers refer to the firms that provide inputs to the
industry. Bargaining power of the suppliers refer to the potential of the suppliers to
increase the prices of inputs( labour, raw materials, services, etc) or the costs of industry
in other ways. Strong suppliers can extract profits out of an industry by increasing costs
of firms in the industry. Suppliers products have a few substitutes. Strong suppliers’
products are unique. They have high switching cost. Their product is an important input
to buyer’s product. They pose credible threat of forward integration. Buyers are not
significant to strong suppliers. In this way, they are regarded as a threat.
5. Threat of Substitute products: Substitute products refer to the products having ability
of satisfying customers needs effectively. Substitutes pose a ceiling (upper limit) on the
potential returns of an industry by putting a setting a limit on the price that firms can
charge for their product in an industry. Lesser the number of close substitutes a product
has, greater is the opportunity for the firms in industry to raise their product prices and
earn greater profits (other things being equal).

The power of Porter’s five forces varies from industry to industry. Whatever be the industry,
these five forces influence the profitability as they affect the prices, the costs, and the capital
investment essential for survival and competition in industry. This five forces model also help in
making strategic decisions as it is used by the managers to determine industry’s competitive
structure.

Porter ignored, however, a sixth significant factor- complementaries. This term refers to the
reliance that develops between the companies whose products work is in combination with each
other. Strong complementors might have a strong positive effect on the industry. Also, the five
forces model overlooks the role of innovation as well as the significance of individual firm
differences. It presents a stagnant view of competition.

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