Perform competitive cost analysis based on the Value Chain
framework and give your management in-depth numerical insights on
its competitive (dis)advantage.
FACULTY: GILAD 0.7 CEU CREDIT
June 17, 2009
How does Dell manage to be so profitable in a generally unattractive industry?
CI analysts often need to explain a competitor’s competitive advantage. How
can it do what it does? The proper answer can come only from a Value Chain
Analysis (VCA), which closely analyzes the chain of activities performed by a
company to identify precisely (and numerically) the sources of differentiation
and cost-value advantages. Understanding the value chain of a competitor means
accurately understanding the value of its strategic differentiation. The same is
true for understanding the threats to your own company’s position. You will
learn how to:
Understand the real strategic differences in value chain activities between
your company and its competitors
Identify major cost drivers for competitors’ advantage
Understand the various sources of sustainable and non-sustainable
competitive advantages
Replace SWOT with a significantly more sophisticated framework
Use a numerical analysis to identify threats to your company’s position
Assess which benchmarking has a chance to succeed and which is just a
waste of money
A NOTE TO PARTICIPANTS
To gain the greatest benefit from this course, please be sure to
review the case material in advance.
Problem
Sets
All ACI programs teach
students how to overcome the most challenging competitive
intelligence issues. See samples of the problem
sets for this course such as:
