Discussions

1. Porter's Five Forces

The internet significantly influenced business and strategic planning. In your opinion, according to Porter's Five Forces Model, has competition increased or decreased overall as a result of the Internet and e-commerce? Justify and support your response with two examples from your text or external resources. Respond to at least two of your classmates' posts. You must create one initial post and at least two responses, for a minimum of three posts for this discussion

2. Industry Analysis

Describe an industry analysis and its purpose. Give two examples of the types of questions an industry analysis might answer. In your discussion also include an analysis of the chosen two areas and how they affect the strategic planning process. Respond to at least two of your classmates' posts. You must create one initial post and at least two responses, for a minimum of three posts for this discussion.

Assignment:

Find Strategic Opportunities

Describe Abell's three-dimensional business-definition model and explain where it can be utilized. Then, consider Reader's Digest Association, publisher of Reader's Digest, the largest circulation magazine in the world in 1992. As famous and as popular as its magazine and brand were at the time, the real value to the company was the huge database of subscribers that it had (around 50 million readers). It has used that database to sell various products such as condensed books and other publications, videos, CDs, and so on. Using Abell's model, explain what other products it could send down this distribution channel which would be amenable to mail order and that would appeal to its subscriber base.

In addition to the text, you must use at least one scholarly source. Your paper must be two to three pages in length (excluding a cover page and reference page) and formatted according to APA style guidelines.