Explain how competitor intelligence can be improved by gathering information about competitors in the public domain. Provide examples.

89.	Explain how competitor intelligence can be improved by gathering information about competitors in the public domain. Provide examples.    Answers will vary.

AACSB: Analytic Blooms: Understand Learning Objective: 02-02 Why environmental scanning; environmental monitoring; and collecting competitive intelligence are critical inputs to forecasting. Level of Difficulty: 2 Medium Topic: Creating the Environmentally Aware Organization

90.	Discuss some of the limitations of forecasting.    Answers will vary.

AACSB: Analytic Blooms: Understand Learning Objective: 02-02 Why environmental scanning; environmental monitoring; and collecting competitive intelligence are critical inputs to forecasting. Level of Difficulty: 2 Medium Topic: Creating the Environmentally Aware Organization

91.	Discuss the six segments of the general environment. Provide examples of how they might be related.    Answers will vary.

AACSB: Analytic Blooms: Apply Learning Objective: 02-04 The impact of the general environment on a firm's strategies and performance. Level of Difficulty: 3 Hard Topic: The General Environment

92.	Explain the important barriers to entry in an industry. Provide examples.    Answers will vary.

AACSB: Analytic Blooms: Understand Learning Objective: 02-05 How forces in the competitive environment can affect profitability; and how a firm can improve its competitive position by increasing its power vis-à-vis these forces. Level of Difficulty: 2 Medium Topic: The Competitive Environment

93.	Discuss and provide examples of factors that would lead to greater buyer power.    Answers will vary.

AACSB: Analytic Blooms: Understand Learning Objective: 02-05 How forces in the competitive environment can affect profitability; and how a firm can improve its competitive position by increasing its power vis-à-vis these forces. Level of Difficulty: 2 Medium Topic: The Competitive Environment

94.	What are some of the factors that would cause a supplier group to become powerful? Illustrate.    Answers will vary.

AACSB: Analytic Blooms: Understand Learning Objective: 02-05 How forces in the competitive environment can affect profitability; and how a firm can improve its competitive position by increasing its power vis-à-vis these forces. Level of Difficulty: 2 Medium Topic: The Competitive Environment

95.	Several factors usually interact which result in intense rivalry among competitors. Explain.    Answers will vary.

AACSB: Analytic Blooms: Apply Learning Objective: 02-05 How forces in the competitive environment can affect profitability; and how a firm can improve its competitive position by increasing its power vis-à-vis these forces. Level of Difficulty: 3 Hard Topic: The Competitive Environment

96.	Address how Internet and digital technologies affect the Porter five forces.    Answers will vary.

AACSB: Analytic Blooms: Understand Learning Objective: 02-06 How the Internet and digitally based capabilities are affecting the five competitive forces and industry profitability. Level of Difficulty: 2 Medium Topic: The Competitive Environment

97.	Explain how the value net analysis adds to the five-forces analysis. Be sure to include examples from at least two industries.    Answers will vary.

AACSB: Analytic Blooms: Apply Learning Objective: 02-06 How the Internet and digitally based capabilities are affecting the five competitive forces and industry profitability. Level of Difficulty: 3 Hard Topic: The Competitive Environment

98.	What value is the strategic group concept as a tool in analyzing an industry?    Answers will vary.

AACSB: Analytic Blooms: Understand Learning Objective: 02-07 The concept of strategic groups and their strategy and performance implications. Level of Difficulty: 2 Medium Topic: The Competitive Environment

99.	SWOT analysis is a basic technique for analyzing firm and industry conditions. Explain the relationship between the SWOT approach to evaluating the general environment, the industry of the firm, and the competitive environment.    Answers will vary.

AACSB: Analytic Blooms: Analyze Learning Objective: 02-03 Why scenario planning is a useful technique for firms competing in industries characterized by unpredictability and change. Level of Difficulty: 3 Hard Topic: Creating the Environmentally Aware Organization