Strategic Management and Competitive Forces
COMPETITION IN THE GOLF INDUSTRY (WEEK 7) 1. What is competition like in the golf equipment industry? What competitive forces seem to have the greatest effect on industry attractiveness?
2. How is the golf equipment industry changing? What are the underlying drivers of change and how might those driving forces change the industry?
3. What does your strategic group map of the golf equipment industry look like? Which strategic groups do you think are in the best positions? Which are in the worst positions?
4. What recommendations would you make to Callaway Golf to improve the company’s competitive position in the industry and its financial and market performance?
NINTENDO (WEEK 7)
1. What is competition like in the video game console industry? Do a five-forces analysis to support your answer. Which of the five competitive forces is strongest? Which is weakest? Would you characterize the overall strength of competition in video game consoles as fierce, strong, moderate to normal or weak? Why?
2. What is Nintendo’s strategy? Which of the five generic strategies discussed in Chapter 5 is Nintendo using?
3. Is it fair to characterize Nintendo’s introduction of the Wii as a blue ocean strategy? Why or why not?
4. What recommendations would you make to Nintendo to improve its competitiveness in the video game console industry and to maintain its favorable positioning vis-à-vis Microsoft and Sony?
GOOGLE (WEEK 8)
1. Discuss competition in the search industry. Which of the fi ve competitive forces seem strongest? weakest? What is your assessment of overall industry attractiveness?
2. What are the key factors that define success in the industry? What are the key competencies, capabilities, and resources of successful search engine companies?
3. Have Google’s business model and strategy proven to be successful? What are the company’s key resource strengths and competitive capabilities? What competitive
2. How is the golf equipment industry changing? What are the underlying drivers of change and how might those driving forces change the industry?
3. What does your strategic group map of the golf equipment industry look like? Which strategic groups do you think are in the best positions? Which are in the worst positions?
4. What recommendations would you make to Callaway Golf to improve the company’s competitive position in the industry and its financial and market performance?
NINTENDO (WEEK 7)
1. What is competition like in the video game console industry? Do a five-forces analysis to support your answer. Which of the five competitive forces is strongest? Which is weakest? Would you characterize the overall strength of competition in video game consoles as fierce, strong, moderate to normal or weak? Why?
2. What is Nintendo’s strategy? Which of the five generic strategies discussed in Chapter 5 is Nintendo using?
3. Is it fair to characterize Nintendo’s introduction of the Wii as a blue ocean strategy? Why or why not?
4. What recommendations would you make to Nintendo to improve its competitiveness in the video game console industry and to maintain its favorable positioning vis-à-vis Microsoft and Sony?
GOOGLE (WEEK 8)
1. Discuss competition in the search industry. Which of the fi ve competitive forces seem strongest? weakest? What is your assessment of overall industry attractiveness?
2. What are the key factors that define success in the industry? What are the key competencies, capabilities, and resources of successful search engine companies?
3. Have Google’s business model and strategy proven to be successful? What are the company’s key resource strengths and competitive capabilities? What competitive