1.2.4

The Competitive Environment

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Market

The term 'market' can be used in 3 different ways.

Place to trade products

Place to trade products

  • A place where buyers and sellers meet to trade products. This can be a website like eBay or a stock market.
Industry

Industry

  • An industry for a specific good or service. Businesses often analyse the market for bottled water or the market for games consoles.
Specific group of customers

Specific group of customers

  • We often talk about the market for 16 year olds or the market for retired people (retirees).
  • This is often used when talking about a company’s “target market”, which is the group of people that a company aims their product or service at.

Competition

Competition is defined as other companies who are selling a similar (or the same) product in the same market. Competition is all about meeting the customer’s needs better than competitors. This might be by providing a low price or a high quality product. Businesses can compete on:

Product range

Product range

  • Product range is the different goods or services that one firm offers to customers.

The Impact of High Competition

Competition normally has a negative effect on a business’ profits. This is because in a competitive market, the business has less control over prices. Competition forces businesses to be efficient and to constantly try to improve their product. Firms usually compete on:

Price

Price

  • Competition often forces businesses to be efficient.
  • Businesses may try to produce their product at the lowest cost possible.
  • Ryanair is an airline that tends to compete with competitors on price. It has a very short period of time between its flights so that it uses its planes as efficiently as possible.
Quality

Quality

  • Competition can lead to better quality products or services if firms compete by creating the highest quality or best product (or service).
  • Companies like Apple compete by making the highest quality product that they can.
Jump to other topics
1

Investigating Small Business

1.1

Enterprise & Entrepreneurship

1.1.1The Dynamic Nature of Businesses1.1.2Risk & Reward1.1.3The Role of Business Enterprise1.1.4The Role of Business Enterprise 21.1.5The Role of the Entrepreneur1.1.6End of Topic Test - Dynamic Nature of Business1.1.7Grade 9 - Dynamic Nature of Business
1.2

Spotting a Business Opportunity

1.2.1Customer Needs1.2.2Market Research1.2.3Market Segmentation1.2.4The Competitive Environment1.2.5Primary & Secondary Market Research1.2.6End of Topic Test - Business Opportunities1.2.7Application Questions - Business Opportunities1.2.8Exam-Style Questions - Market Segmentation1.2.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Competition
1.3

Putting a Business Idea into Practice

1.3.1Business Aims1.3.2Business Objectives1.3.3Business Revenues & Costs1.3.4Costs - Calculations1.3.5Revenue - Calculations1.3.6Business Profits & Break-Even Analysis1.3.7Profits & Losses - Calculations1.3.8Interest - Calculations1.3.9Cash & Cash Flow1.3.10Cash & Cash Flow 21.3.11Cash Flow - Calculations1.3.12Sources of Business Finance1.3.13End of Topic Test - Business in Practice1.3.14Grade 9 - Business in Practice1.3.15Exam-Style Questions - Business in Practice1.3.16Diagnostic Misconceptions - Profit1.3.17Diagnostic Misconceptions - Company vs Business1.3.18Diagnostic Misconceptions - Economies of Scale1.3.19Diagnostic Misconceptions - Cash Flow1.3.20Diagnostic Misconceptions - Break-even1.3.21Diagnostic Misconceptions - Fixed Costs
1.4

Making the Business Effective

1.4.1The Options for Start-Up & Small Businesses1.4.2Limited Liability1.4.3Franchising & Not-For-Profits1.4.4Business Location1.4.5The Marketing Mix1.4.6Business Plans1.4.7End of Topic Test - Effective Business1.4.8Application Questions - Effective Business1.4.9Exam-Style Questions - Business Plans
1.5

Business Stakeholders

1.5.1Business Stakeholders1.5.2Technology & Business1.5.3Legislation & Business1.5.4Legislation & Business 21.5.5The Economy & Business1.5.6External Influences1.5.7End of Topic Test - Business Stakeholders1.5.8Grade 9 - Business Stakeholders1.5.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Recessions
2

Building a Business

2.1

Growing the Business

2.1.1Business Growth2.1.2Finance2.1.3Changes in Business Aims & Globalisation2.1.4Ethics & Business2.1.5The Environment & Business2.1.6End of Topic Test - Growing a Business2.1.7Application Questions - Growing a Business2.1.8Exam-Style Questions - Business Growth
2.2

Making Marketing Decisions

2.2.1Product2.2.2Product Life Cycle2.2.3Price2.2.4Pricing Methods2.2.5End of Topic Test - Product & Price2.2.6Grade 9 - Product & Price2.2.7Promotion & Advertising2.2.8PR & Sales Promotions2.2.9Sponsorship & Product Placement2.2.10Promotional Mix2.2.11End of Topic Test - Promotion2.2.12Application Questions - Promotion2.2.13Exam-Style Questions - Promotional Mix2.2.14Place & Wholesalers2.2.15Direct to Consumer2.2.16E-commerce & M-commerce2.2.17Diagnostic Misconceptions - Decreasing Price2.2.18Diagnostic Misconceptions - Advertise vs Promote2.2.19Diagnostic Misconceptions - Social Media
2.3

Making Operational Decisions

2.3.1Job Production2.3.2Batch & Flow Production2.3.3Working with Suppliers2.3.4Effective Supply Chains2.3.5Just In Time & Just In Case2.3.6Managing Quality2.3.7Total Quality Management2.3.8The Sales Process2.3.9End of Topic Test - Operational Decisions2.3.10Grade 9 - Operational Decisions2.3.11Exam-Style Questions - Managing Stock2.3.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - JIT vs JIC
2.4

Making Financial Decisions

2.4.1Gross Profit & Net Profit - Definitions2.4.2Gross Profit - Calculations2.4.3Net Profit - Calculations2.4.4Rate of Return2.4.5Rate of Return - Calculations2.4.6Research & Financial Data2.4.7Marketing Data2.4.8Percentage Change - Calculations
2.5

Making Human Resource Decisions

2.5.1Organisational Structures2.5.2Organisational Structures 22.5.3Recruitment2.5.4Effective Recruitment2.5.5Training a Workforce2.5.6Motivating a Workforce2.5.7End of Topic Tests - Human Resources2.5.8Application Questions - Human Resources2.5.9Exam-Style Questions - Human Resources2.5.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - Owners vs Shareholders2.5.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - Internal Recruitment2.5.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - Employee Motivation

Practice questions on The Competitive Environment

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    The term 'market' can be used in 3 different ways:Fill in the list
  2. 2
    Which of the following can NOT be described as a market?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    What do we call the group of people a company aims their product or service at?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Ryanair sells flights from £17. What do you think it competes on?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    Colgate sell lots of different types of toothpaste. What do you think one variable that they compete on is?Multiple choice
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Market Segmentation

Primary & Secondary Market Research