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Industry and Competitive Analysis
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:36:32
Abstract
Industry and Competitive Analysis (ICA) is a part of any strategy development. It contains a very practical set of methods to quickly obtain a good grasp of an industry. The purpose of ICA is to understand factors that impact on the financial performance of the industry, and as well the financial performance of firms within the industry.
Objective
Goals of the course • Students develop an understanding of how the structure of industries impact on firm and industry-level performance • Students get familiar with, and obtain practical skills in analyzing industries and firms within them. • Students develop a broad understanding of the impact of digitalization on various industries and develop an in-depth understanding of (at least) one chosen industry • Students improve analytical skills needed to successfully compete in the digital age
Content
Industry and competitive analysis (ICA) is a part of any strategy development in firms and other organizations. It contains a very practical set of methods to quickly obtain a good grasp of an industry, be it pharmaceuticals, information and communication technology, aluminum, or even the beer industry. The purpose of ICA is to understand factors that influence the performance of the industry, and as well the performance of firms within the industry. As the world has witnessed tremendous development in digital technologies, many industries are in the midst of transitioning from analogue to digital business model. Digitalization is radically changing what companies produce and way companies are run. We need a new understanding of industries and a more advanced set of analytical tools to adapt to these changes. That is why we have developed our course as ICA 2.0, which will provide an updated picture of various industries and tools for analyzing them before and after digital transformation. In this course, we will study theoretical frameworks, examine evidence from empirical research, and benefit from the experiences shared by guest speakers. The course is organized as a combination of lectures, case studies, and tutored group work involving the selection and analysis of industries, analysis and development of strategies for selected competitors, and presentation of results. Grades: 50% paper/industry report (group) 50% final presentation (group)
Resources
Literature
This course is built upon a management classic (Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors by Porter, 2004). More recent research findings and practitioner-oriented papers in the area of strategy are also included. Readings associated with each lecture should be done before the lecture day. To access the journal articles listed below, you have to be within the ETH domain (either directly connected to the ETH network within ETH or using VPN). PDF versions of the Harvard Business Review articles are only available via the class Moodle. Competitive strategy • Chapter 2 of Porter (2004) • Porter, M. E. (1996). What is strategy. Harvard Business Review. 74 (6): 61-78. • Case study: Southwest Airlines Industry Dynamics • Chapter 3 of Porter (2004) • Porter, M. E. (2008). The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard Business Review. 86(1): 78-93. • Case study: Southwest Airlines Strategic groups & firm membership • Short, J. C., David J. K., Timothy B. P., & Tomas M. H. (2007). Firm, strategic group, and industry influences on performance. Strategic Management Journal, 28: 147-167. • Harrigan, K. R. (1985). An application of clustering for strategic group analysis. Strategic Management Journal, 6(1), 55-73. ICA in the Digital Age • Adner, R., Puranam, P., & Zhu, F. (2019). What Is Different About Digital Strategy? From Quantitative to Qualitative Change. Strategy Science, 4(4), 253-261. • Porter, Michael E., and James E. Heppelmann. (2015) "How Smart, Connected Products Are Transforming Companies." Harvard Business Review 93 (10): 97–114. . • Kim, E., Nam, D. I., & Stimpert, J. L. (2004). The applicability of Porter’s generic strategies in the digital age: assumptions, conjectures, and suggestions. Journal of management, 30(5), 569-589. • Davenport, T. H. (2006). Competing on analytics. Harvard business review, 84(1), 98. Opportunities & Resources • Alvarez, S. A., Barney, J. B., Anderson, P. (2013). Forming and Exploiting Opportunities: The Implications of Discovery and Creation Processes for Entrepreneurial and Organizational Research. Organization Science, 24(1), 301-317 Competitive Analysis • Chen, H., Chiang, R. H., & Storey, V. C. (2012). Business Intelligence and Analytics: From Big Data to Big Impact. MIS quarterly, 36(4), 1165-1188
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Registration & Places
- Max Places
- 30
- Signup End
- 23.09.2020
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture with exercise |
Industry and Competitive Analysis
Permission from lecturers required for all students.
The lecture takes place ONLINE via Zoom (recorded).
The lecturers will communicate the exact lesson times of ONLINE courses.
The final presentation which is on Nov 25 will require in person presence in the room WEV F109.
|
|
3 h weekly |
Offered In
-
Management, Technology and Economics Master (Welcome and Introduction to MSc ETH MTEC Montag, 14.09.2020, 14.00 h, HG E1.1 (tbc))