Internal Analysis: Distinctive Competencies, Competitive Advantage, and Profitability

Instructions:

Complete the following discussion by answering all the questions. Discussion post should be at least 300 words.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the primary implications of the material discussed in this module for strategy formulation?
2. When is a company’s competitive advantage most likely to be sustained over time?
3. It is possible for  acompany to be the lowest-cost producer in its industry and simultaneously have an output that is the most valued by customers?. Discuss this statement.
4. Why it is important to undersatnd the drivers of profitability as measured by the return on invested capital?
5. Which is more important in explaining success and failure of companies: strategizing to create value, or luck?
6. Define distinctive competencies.
7. Discuss the VRIO acronym.
8. Discuss the different “techniques” which may be used to undertake an internal analysis of a company.
9. Discuss why intangible resources may be the most important type of resource to obtain competitive advantages. Have intangible resources always been the most important in obtaining competitive advantages?
10. Briefly discuss the four building blocks of competitive advantage.