STR/581 Strategic Planning and Implementation WK 2 Discussion Question

• What are the different methods (including ethical standards) used by firms to collect intelligence about their competitors?
• Discuss the four parts of the external environmental analysis process.
• Identify the five competitive forces and explain how they determine an industry’s profitability potential.
• Define and describe the general environment and the industry environment.
• Describe what firms need to know about their competitors and how this knowledge can be used.
• Explain the importance of analyzing and understanding the firm’s external environment.
• Define strategic groups and describe their influence on firms.
• Name and describe the general environment’s seven segments.

Please post your discussion posts in 100-200 words or more, providing citations where appropriate.