1.2.4
The Competitive Environment
Market
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
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
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.
1Enterprise & Entrepreneurship
1.1The Dynamic Nature of Businesses
1.2Spotting a Business Opportunity
1.3Putting a Business Idea into Practice
1.3.1Business Aims
1.3.2Business Objectives
1.3.3Business Revenues & Costs
1.3.4Costs - Calculations
1.3.5Revenue - Calculations
1.3.6Business Profits & Break-Even Analysis
1.3.7Profits & Losses - Calculations
1.3.8Interest - Calculations
1.3.9Cash & Cash Flow
1.3.10Cash & Cash Flow 2
1.3.11Cash Flow - Calculations
1.3.12Sources of Business Finance
1.3.13End of Topic Test - Business in Practice
1.3.14Grade 9 - Business in Practice
1.3.15Exam-Style Questions - Business in Practice
1.4Making the Business Effective
2Building a Business
2.1Growing the Business
2.2Making Marketing Decisions
2.2.1Product
2.2.2Product Life Cycle
2.2.3Price
2.2.4Pricing Methods
2.2.5End of Topic Test - Product & Price
2.2.6Grade 9 - Product & Price
2.2.7Promotion & Advertising
2.2.8PR & Sales Promotions
2.2.9Sponsorship & Product Placement
2.2.10Promotional Mix
2.2.11End of Topic Test - Promotion
2.2.12Application Questions - Promotion
2.2.13Exam-Style Questions - Promotional Mix
2.2.14Place & Wholesalers
2.2.15Direct to Consumer
2.2.16E-commerce & M-commerce
2.3Making Operational Decisions
2.3.1Job Production
2.3.2Batch & Flow Production
2.3.3Working with Suppliers
2.3.4Effective Supply Chains
2.3.5Just In Time & Just In Case
2.3.6Managing Quality
2.3.7Total Quality Management
2.3.8The Sales Process
2.3.9End of Topic Test - Operational Decisions
2.3.10Grade 9 - Operational Decisions
2.3.11Exam-Style Questions - Managing Stock
2.4Making Financial Decisions
2.5Making Human Resource Decisions
Jump to other topics
1Enterprise & Entrepreneurship
1.1The Dynamic Nature of Businesses
1.2Spotting a Business Opportunity
1.3Putting a Business Idea into Practice
1.3.1Business Aims
1.3.2Business Objectives
1.3.3Business Revenues & Costs
1.3.4Costs - Calculations
1.3.5Revenue - Calculations
1.3.6Business Profits & Break-Even Analysis
1.3.7Profits & Losses - Calculations
1.3.8Interest - Calculations
1.3.9Cash & Cash Flow
1.3.10Cash & Cash Flow 2
1.3.11Cash Flow - Calculations
1.3.12Sources of Business Finance
1.3.13End of Topic Test - Business in Practice
1.3.14Grade 9 - Business in Practice
1.3.15Exam-Style Questions - Business in Practice
1.4Making the Business Effective
2Building a Business
2.1Growing the Business
2.2Making Marketing Decisions
2.2.1Product
2.2.2Product Life Cycle
2.2.3Price
2.2.4Pricing Methods
2.2.5End of Topic Test - Product & Price
2.2.6Grade 9 - Product & Price
2.2.7Promotion & Advertising
2.2.8PR & Sales Promotions
2.2.9Sponsorship & Product Placement
2.2.10Promotional Mix
2.2.11End of Topic Test - Promotion
2.2.12Application Questions - Promotion
2.2.13Exam-Style Questions - Promotional Mix
2.2.14Place & Wholesalers
2.2.15Direct to Consumer
2.2.16E-commerce & M-commerce
2.3Making Operational Decisions
2.3.1Job Production
2.3.2Batch & Flow Production
2.3.3Working with Suppliers
2.3.4Effective Supply Chains
2.3.5Just In Time & Just In Case
2.3.6Managing Quality
2.3.7Total Quality Management
2.3.8The Sales Process
2.3.9End of Topic Test - Operational Decisions
2.3.10Grade 9 - Operational Decisions
2.3.11Exam-Style Questions - Managing Stock
2.4Making Financial Decisions
2.5Making Human Resource Decisions
Unlock your full potential with GoStudent tutoring
Affordable 1:1 tutoring from the comfort of your home
Tutors are matched to your specific learning needs
30+ school subjects covered