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Industry and Competitive Analysis
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:02:11
Abstract
Industry and Competitive Analysis (ICA) is an essential part of any strategic management process. It contains a very practical set of methods to quickly gain a good grasp of an industry. The purpose of ICA is to understand factors that impact the financial performance of an industry and of firms within that industry, thereby enabling firms to develop effective competitive strategies.
Objective
Goals of the course • Students will develop an in-depth understanding of how the structure of an industry impacts both industry-level and firm-level performance • Students will develop practical skills in analyzing industries and firms within them • Students will gain a broad understanding of the impact of digitalization on various industries and develop an in-depth understanding of (at least) one chosen industry • Students will improve the analytical skills needed to successfully compete in the digital age
Content
Industry and Competitive Analysis (ICA) is an essential part of any strategic management process in firms and other organizations. It contains a very practical set of methods to quickly gain a good grasp of an industry, be it pharmaceuticals, information and communication technology, professional services, or even the beer industry. The purpose of ICA is to understand factors that influence the performance of an industry and firms within that industry. Developing such understanding supports firms in developing effective competitive strategies. As the world witnesses tremendous development in digital technologies, many industries are in the midst of transitioning from analogue to digital business models. Digitalization is radically changing what firms produce and the way they organize their business activities. To adapt to these changes, practitioners and scholars alike need a more advanced set of analytical tools to understand the constantly-changing industries. That is why we have developed our course as ICA 2.0, which provides state-of-the-art tools to gain an updated picture of various industries before and after their digital transformation. In this course, we will study theoretical frameworks, examine evidence from empirical research, and benefit from experience shared by our 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 firms, 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). We also draw from more recent research findings and practitioner-oriented strategy research. 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
Learning Materials (Links)
- Main link
- Industry and Competitive Analysis
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Registration & Places
- Max Places
- 30
- Signup End
- 28.09.2022
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture with exercise |
Industry and Competitive Analysis
Permission from lecturers required for all students.
|
|
3 h weekly |
Offered In
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Management, Technology and Economics Master (Welcome and Introduction to MSc ETH MTEC Monday, 19.09.2022, 14.00 - 15.15 h, HG E 1.1)
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