Trong các cuộc thảo luận chiến lược trước về triết học và kích thước, cạnh tranh thường được giả định là đến từ các tổ chức tương tự như của bạn. Trong thực tế, lực lượng cạnh tranh, lái xe cấp độ hoặc cường độ của cạnh tranh trong ngành công nghiệp của bạn đến từ nhiều nơi. | Understand Strategic Thinking 107 In the preceding strategy discussion regarding philosophy and dimensions competition generally is assumed to come from organizations similar to yours. In fact competitive forces which drive the level or intensity of competition in your industry come from several places. In addition to similar organizations these forces may emanate from customers suppliers or organizations that might in the future become competitors. How does this work Assume your organization is embarking on a program to become the most efficient or lowest cost producer of a given product. If you are successful you should be able to deal with all the sources of existing and potential competitive forces. For direct competitors your low cost position will result in higher and more stable returns as shown in the Niche example in Chapter 4 s Niche Positions . Your customers can exert pressure to drive down prices to the level of your next most efficient competitor. If they go too far they will give you monopoly power over the longer term because they will drive your competition out of business. As the low cost producer you can also deal with suppliers who raise prices because there is more room in your margins and hence more flexibility than your competitors. Organizations that might consider becoming direct competitors will likely see your low cost position and decide it might be too expensive to obtain the experience necessary to match it. However other organizations considering competing with yours that have a new or modified technology that might replace your product with a lower cost substitute will be much more difficult to defend against. When considering strategy therefore a sound guideline is not only to 108 FORMULATE SOUND STRATEGIES consider organizations similar to yours but also to examine the leverage of your customers suppliers and that of potential competitors and new technologies. Regardless of how large or complex an organization is as a general rule
