Mission: competitive positioning |

 

Whether in the day-to-day life or business environment … the term competition is commonly present … it is the core of the success or failure of firms … as stated by Porter over 30 years ago { 19851985 } | 

Competitiveness is an entry point of discussing the concept of survival in the commercial world and continues to remain at the central point of any business practice that aims to exist | 

 

An understanding of the competitive advantage concept has been and is significant in exploring the existence of an organization.

How to understanding competitive positioning?

According to Ambastha & Momaya { 2004 2004 } competitiveness occurs at three different levels,

• the country perspective,
• the industry perspective
• the firm perspective 

Due to the fact that businesses, organisations, studios and practices always look for the shot-cuts how to stay strong and survive amongst the ever-so-crowded arena of competition … let’s take a closer look at the firm-level competition that may help businesses find their own two feet in the marketplace.

The firm-level competitiveness shall be understood as “a combination of assets and process, where assets are inherited (natural resources) or created (infrastructure) and processes transform assets to achieve economic gains from sales to customers” {DC, 2001 in Ambasatha & Momaya, 2004Ambasatha & Momaya, 2004, p.50}

How to retain competitive positioning?

The ability to remain attractive enough to consumers to continuously benefit from their interest and loyalty does not occur effortlessly, it requires from a business practice a good management strategy and a combination of attributes allowing to outperform its rivals.

What is competitiveness?

Competitiveness is an important phenomenon of the modern world, present in many business and management studies, books and articles and for the last few decades has kept researchers fascinated by its complexity, impact and multidimensional character {Chaudhuri & Ray, 1997}

The verbal origins of “competitiveness” are rooted in the Latin word competer, which according to Webster’s English Dictionary stands for an “involvement in a business rivalry for markets” and in business terms, it indicates “the ability to compete” explained Chaudhuri and Ray {1997, p. M83} | 

Competitiveness relates to the capacity of a company that allows competing in a marketplace resulting in an expansion of a market share and continuous sustainability of commercial wellness, growth and target markets’ interests | 

Competitive advantage represents corporate strengths based on abilities to offer comparable value to consumers by lowering costs commonly present in a marketplace or at comparable costs differentiate offering increasing its value and to enable premium pricing { Porter, 1985Porter, 1985 } while targeting the right markets rather than focusing on everyone |

Competitiveness of a firm can be achieved in a two-way approach 

• cost leadership {low-cost approach}
• differential method

that coupled with a focus strategy aims to narrow a marketplace to segments that enable answering needs and desires of particular smaller target groups more efficiently and responsively.

 

The low-cost approach, in other words, cost advantage or a comparable advantage, and the differential approach, a differentiation advantage provides foundation grounds for competitive positioning of business practice | 

 

The competitive positioning { Porter, 1985Porter, 1985 } is rooted in the choice between Cost Leaders and Differentiators, where the latter are characterised by higher quality and higher costs than the former ones, it can only be achieved if one or the other strategic advantage is being selected.

Businesses that fail to select one of the approaches are at risk of being in the middle and the danger of uncompetitive positioning in a marketplace. Some researchers expanded the Porterian selection of competitive strategies by the proposition that pursuing both cost and differentiation advantages is considered as successful {Barney, 1997; Besanko, Dranove, & Shanley, 2000; Kim & Mauborne, 2005}| 

 

Positioning does not imply innovative creations but is there to “manipulate what’s already up there in the mind” {Ries & Trout, 1981Ries & Trout, 1981, p. 18}| 

 

It relates to differentiating the perception of an offering that audiences have or yet to acquire through communication and renewing already existing connections |

 

The concept of positioning relates to “deliberate, proactive, iterative process of defining, measuring, modifying, and monitoring consumer perceptions of a marketable object” {Arnott, 1992, p.111} | 

 

How to remain competitively positioned within the marketplace?

1 | be unique

2 | be authentic

3 | approach things in a simplistic manner

4 | put yourself { the business you represent } in customers’ shoes

5 | find the right own balance between verbal and visual lingua – Express Yourself!

 

Benefits | 

Clear and concise communication … simple and straightforward image … certain and creative way of expression. For more information on how to retain competitive positioning and continuously creative value for the brand you want to be here and now… in a year time… three or five years … from now … get in touch { online consultations via Skype / Email / Whatsapp available in Polish and English languages } 

 

Packages available | 

1. | definition of needs/wants/strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/
2. | company valuation
3. | brand valuation
4. | business strategy
5. | brand marketing strategy
6. | follow – up plan to remain competitive 

 

Get in touch { herehere } | 

 

Recommended Reads | 

1 | Darling, J.Darling, J. {2001}. Successful competitive positioning: the key for entry into the European consumer market, European Business Review, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 209-221.

2 | Ries, A., Trout, J.Ries, A., Trout, J. { 2000 }. Positioning: the battle for your mind, Business & Economics, McGraw Hill Professional.

3 | Marsden, PMarsden, P. { 2002 }. Brand positioning: meme’s the word, Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 20 No. 5, pp. 307-312.