Topics 4-7 Flashcards
Problem Set 2
According to class slides, what are the two types of Broad Strategic Positions?
Cost advantage
Benefits advantage
According to Gray, what are the three strategic position options?
Product and Process Innovation
Operational Excellence / Cost Leadership
Customer Intimacy
What is cost advantage and to which type of good does it apply?
Can produce the good or service at a lower cost than competitors
Often applies to search goods
What is benefits advantage and to which type of good does it apply?
Can produce a better quality product, thereby increasing the price
Often applies to experience goods
According to class slides, what is the one narrow type of strategic position?
Focus strategy
What are the two subgroups of cost leadership strategy?
Benefits parity
Benefits proximity
What are the two subgroups of benefits leadership strategy?
Cost parity
Cost proximity
What is a value map?
Price and cost on the Y axis, quality on the x axis.
Is this value map for cost leadership or benefits leadership?
Cost leadership
Is this value map for cost leadership or benefits leadership?
Benefits leadership
How can a firm capture the market with an undifferentiated strategy?
Either cost or benefits leadership.
What is horizontal differentiation?
Differentiation that is not based on price or quality. Generally has price and quality parity.
What is vertical differentiation?
Differentiation that is based on both quality and price.
What is a competitive advantage with respect to B/C?
The firm with the greatest (Benefits - Costs) wins.
Which two things must a firm do to achieve competitive advantage?
- Creating and delivering greater economic value.
- Capturing a portion of that value in profits.
What does economic profitability depend on?
Market economics
Value created relative to competitors
What dictates value created relative to competitors?
Benefits
Cost
When does cost leadership make sense?
Consumers are price-sensitive
Search good
When does benefits leadership make sense?
Price premiums are possible
Experience good
What are the three types of focus strategies?
Customer specialization
Product specialization
Geographic specialization
What is the short version of the value creation equation?
WTP - C = B - C
where:
WTP = Willingness to Pay
B = Benefits
C = Cost
What is the Consumer Surplus equation?
CS = WTP - P
where
WTP = Willingness To Pay
P = Price
CS = Consumer Surplus
What is the long version of the value creation equation?
Value created = CS + Profit = (B-P)+(P-C) = B-C
What are the four horizontal parts of the value chain on the arrow diagram?
Infrastructure
Human Resources
Technology
Procurement
What are the five vertical sections of the value chain arrow?
Inbound logistics
Production/ops
Outbound
Marketing/Sales
Service
What are the four sources of competitive advantage sustainability stemming from customers?
- Taste-based loyalty
- Uninformed consumers
- Switching costs
- Network effects
What are the three sources of sustainability of competitive advantage stemming from firm factors?
- Learning
- Economies of scale
- Intellectual property rights