Makita, DuPont, Builder’s Square, and Nut’s & Bolts are all hardware stores that compete against each other through everyday low pricing and discounts on bulk purchases. All four stores cater to the needs of highly price-sensitive customers. Thus, together these stores form a________ group.

The PESTEL framework allows the scanning, monitoring, and evaluating of________ in a firm’s macro environment.

Five Star Inc. is a knife manufacturer known for its high-quality steel chef’s knives, and it follows a differentiation strategy. In this scenario, Five Star Inc. should ideally compare its strategic position with a

Matteo is a management consultant. The leaders of Office Outfitters asks him to evaluate their company, and he finds that the difference between the cost of producing the firm’s products and the value of those products is extremely narrow. What should Matteo suggest that Office Outfitters management do?

One of the reasons that Circuit City filed for bankruptcy was due to its inability to reinvest, hone, and upgrade its once-impressive resource base. Ultimately, Circuit City’s core competences became

Ari is a firm believer in Milton Friedman’s view of a firm’s social obligations. With which of the following statements is Ari most likely to agree?

PolyCon Inc. is a public stock company that provides natural gas for businesses. Although this company generates a large profit, management’s focus on reducing costs caused the maintenance budget to be trimmed. Its pipelines have at times leaked, which created significant environmental problems. As a result, the company’s value creation has suffered. This scenario supports strategy scholars’ warning that public companies

Frozen Gold is a fast-growing chain of ice cream shops. It has developed an edge over its competitors by providing customers with a wide array of unique flavors and fostering a hip atmosphere in its stores. This advantage of Frozen Gold best exemplifies a

What do strategy scholars believe is the result of executives’ pursuit of strategies that define value creation too narrowly in public stock companies?

Five Guys has become successful in a highly competitive industry dominated by fast-food giants like McDonald’s and Burger King, as well as direct competitors claiming to be “better burger” joints such as Smashburger, Burgerfi, and Shake Shack. Which of the following statements accurately explains the main reason for the success of Five Guys?