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Key forces shaping higher education drive institutions to make strategic choices to locate themselves in niches where they can make use of their resources effectively and efficiently. However, the concepts of strategy and strategic positioning in higher education are contested issues due to the nature and complexity of the sector and the university. As an industry facing increasing pressure toward marketization and competition, this study calls for an analysis of higher education, as an industry, in a more business-oriented framework. This chapter makes a contribution to scholarly research in higher education by applying Porter’s five forces framework to medical education. In doing so, it provides a foundational perspective on the competitive landscape, its environment, its organizations, and the groups and individuals that make up the higher and medical education sector.

This chapter is designed for use by commercialization teams evaluating the commercial relevance of a new invention. To be relevant commercially, an invention must create value in one or more markets, which involves solving a problem or satisfying customer needs currently unmet. Unmet needs create market opportunities, and the goal is to identify and evaluate the profitability of these opportunities. The chapter provides an overview of concepts and techniques commonly used in the process. Important distinctions between market and industry concepts are introduced along with common rubrics for categorizing inventions in terms of their technological and market implications. These concepts are then used to discuss the roles of prior experience, lead users, and brainstorming in identifying market opportunities for various types of inventions. Techniques covered include market analysis, Porter’s five forces of industry profitability, analysis of political, economic, social, and technical environments (PEST), and the analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). The use of these techniques is illustrated for two startup commercialization teams.

This chapter introduces the reader to the meaning of competitive advantage and posits that a firm’s strategy is defined as the managers’ theory about how to gain and sustain competitive advantage. The author demonstrates how a firm creates its competitive advantage by creating more economic value than its rivals, and explains that profitability depends upon value, price, and costs. The relationship among these factors is explored in the context of high-technology consumer goods – laptop computers and cars. Next, the chapter explains the SWOT [s(trengths) w(eaknesses) o(pportunities) t(hreats)] analysis. Examining the interplay of firm resources, capabilities, and competencies, the chapter emphasizes that both must be present to possess core competencies essential to gaining and sustaining competitive advantage through strategy. Next, the chapter describes the value chain by which a firm transforms inputs into outputs, adding value at each stage through the primary activities of research, development, production, marketing and sales, and customer service, which in turn rely upon essential support activities that add value indirectly. After describing the PEST [p(olitical) e(conomic) s(ocial) t(echnological)] Model for assessing a firm’s general external environment, the chapter explains Porter’s Five Forces Model. The chapter then describes the strategic group model and illustrates that model by reference to the pharmaceutical industry. The author notes that opportunities and threats to a company differ based upon the strategic group to which that firm belongs within an industry. Finally, the chapter explores the importance of strategy in technology-intensive industries and emphasizes that sustained competitive advantage can be accomplished only through continued innovation.

This chapter introduces the reader to the meaning of competitive advantage and posits that a firm's strategy is defined as the managers’ theory about how to gain and sustain competitive advantage. The author demonstrates how a firm creates its competitive advantage by creating more economic value than its rivals, and explains that profitability depends upon value, price, and costs. The relationship among these factors is explored in the context of high-technology consumer goods-laptop computers and cars. Next, the chapter explains the SWOT [s(trengths) w(eaknesses) o(pportunities) t(hreats)] analysis. Examining the interplay of firm resources, capabilities, and competencies, the chapter emphasizes that both must be present to possess core competencies essential to gaining and sustaining competitive advantage through strategy. Next, the chapter describes the value chain by which a firm transforms inputs into outputs, adding value at each stage through the primary activities of research, development, production, marketing and sales, and customer service, which in turn rely upon essential support activities that add value indirectly. After describing the PEST [p(olitical) e(conomic) s(ocial) t(echnological)] Model for assessing a firm's general external environment, the chapter explains Porter's Five Forces Model. The chapter then describes the strategic group model and illustrates that model by reference to the pharmaceutical industry. The author notes that opportunities and threats to a company differ based upon the strategic group to which that firm belongs within an industry. Finally, the chapter explores the importance of strategy in technology intensive industries and emphasizes that sustained competitive advantage can be accomplished only through continued innovation.

This chapter’s aim is to outline and highlight the components of strategic planning and management framework, as well as the value and utility of strategic analysis and competitor analysis.

Extensive literature review was conducted on conceptual issues and management aspects of human resources management. A practical approach has been adopted and implemented to illustrate the value of strategic analytical tools.

This chapter provides a description and an understanding of how the analyses and tools of strategic planning and management could be used to plan and implement a business venture better. It discusses the tools enhancing the analysis of the business environment in the field of tourism.

This study is explorative in nature because the discussion is mostly based on a literature review. It takes more entrepreneurial/practical than academic approach.

The analyses of the business environment and of the competition in an industry are tasks of critical importance. If these analyses are adequately performed, the probability of success may increase. This chapter discusses the purpose, the process and the implementation of tools of strategic analysis and competitor analysis. Practical recommendations and steps are also provided.

The analytical frameworks, tools and techniques discussed in this chapter should enhance prospective entrepreneurs to adequately perform their task of analysing the tourism business environment.

This chapter will focus on renewable energy investments in sustainable business projects from a strategic management and entrepreneurial perspective. It will be questioned what the concept of energy is/should be from the perspective of managers and entrepreneurs. For this purpose, it will start with the significance of energy for these two viewpoints and persist in its linkage with the requirements of energy acquisitions. The subject of energy and energy investments will be associated with concepts such as sustainability, interaction with environmental factors, and competitiveness. To address these concerns, SWOT analysis, resource dependence model, Porter's five forces analysis, the environmental Kuznets curves hypothesis, and strategy tripod perspective – therefore, resource, industry, and institutional-based approaches – will be examined and interpreted with energy and energy investments. In addition, soft issues related to energy will be discussed from the perspective of the entrepreneur, and it will be emphasized that energy and energy investments should be addressed more comprehensively. As a result of all these efforts, it is aimed to contribute to a more stable system for a sustainable and competitive energy policy.