A Comprehensive Review of Porter's Five Forces Theory and Application

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This report provides a critical review of Porter's Five Forces, a widely used framework for analyzing the competitive landscape of an industry. It begins with an introduction to the five forces: the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers, the threat of substitutes, and rivalry among existing competitors. The report then delves into a detailed examination of each force, discussing the factors that influence their strength and impact on profitability. It incorporates insights from various published articles to support the analysis. Furthermore, the report offers a critical review of the theory, exploring its strengths, limitations, and applicability in different contexts, including the impact of technology, globalization, and the evolution of business models. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and emphasizes the importance of understanding these forces for strategic decision-making and achieving a competitive advantage. The report highlights the relevance of the framework in the modern business environment while acknowledging its limitations and the need for adaptation to specific industry contexts.
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Running Head: THEORY OF FIVE DIFFERENT FORCES
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Five Forces
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THEORY OF FIVE DIFFERENT FORCES
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Table of Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
Porter’s five forces;...........................................................................................................................2
The threat of new entrants.............................................................................................................2
Bargaining power of suppliers.......................................................................................................3
Bargaining power of buyers...........................................................................................................3
The threat of substitutes.................................................................................................................4
Rivalry among existing competitors..............................................................................................4
Critical review.......................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................8
References.............................................................................................................................................9
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Introduction
Porter's Five Forces is the general but influential tool that helps to understand the
competitiveness of the business situation, and for recognizing the strategy's possible
productivity (Karagiannopoulos, Georgopoulos, and Nikolopoulos 2005, pp.66-76). Five
forces theory was developed by M. Porter in 1979 to know how five important competitive
forces are impacting an organization. This is valuable, since, when people know the forces in
their environment or business that can impact their profitability; they might be able to change
their strategy consequently (Dobbs 2014, pp.32-45). For example, people could take
reasonable benefit of a robust position or progress the fragile one, and evade taking incorrect
steps in coming days. These forces regulate an industry arrangement and the type of rivalry in
that business. The robust competitive forces in the business are the fewer moneymaking it is
(Pines 2006, pp.447-453). An organization with low obstacles to enter, gaining few
purchasers and dealers but numerous substitute goods and contestants will be perceived as
very competitive and therefore, not very attractive because of its low profitability (Dobbs
2014, pp.32-45). There are total 5 forces mentioned in the theory that is: a threat to the
enemy, negotiating power of the providers, negotiating power of the consumers, a threat to
the alternatives, and trade competitiveness (Dobbs 2014, pp.32-45). In this particular
assessment, Porter's Five Forces theory will be critically reviewed by using various published
articles.
Porter’s five forces;
The risk of new contestants
According to Porter (2008, pp.78-93), this force defines how stress-free (or not) it is to come
into a specific industry. If an organization is making good money and there are little
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obstructions to enter, competition soon strengthens. When more industries contest for the
similar market share, the profit begins to drop. It is important for existing industries to
generate great barriers to come in to deter fresh entrants (Karagiannopoulos, Georgopoulos,
and Nikolopoulos 2005, pp.66-76). Threat of novel entrants is great when: Little quantity of
capital is necessary to enter a marketplace, Existing firms can do minute to react, Existing
companies do not retain copyrights, trademarks or do not have recognized brand repute; they
have no government guideline; Customer moving costs are little; there is little customer
trustworthiness; goods are approximately identical; and frugality of scale can be effortlessly
achieved (Porter 2008, pp.78-93).
Bargaining power of suppliers
Effective bargaining command permits dealers to sell greater priced or low-quality underdone
things to their purchasers (Siaw and 2004, p.514). This openly affects the purchasing firms’
incomes as it has to pay extra for products. Providers have effective bargaining skills when:
There are little suppliers but numerous buyers, Providers are huge and threaten to forward
assimilate, Few additional raw ingredients exist, providers hold rare resources, price of
moving raw ingredients is particularly high (Siaw and 2004, pp.514).
Bargaining power of buyers
According to Grundy (2006, pp.213-229), Purchasers have the influence to demand lesser
price or greater quality of product from organizations manufacturers when their negotiating
power is durable. He further reported that lesser cost means lesser incomes for the industry,
while advanced quality products typically increase manufacture costs. Both situations result
in poorer profits for makers. Purchasers exert durable negotiating power when: Purchasing in
large amounts or regulate several access points to the ending consumer, only limited buyers
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exist, moving prices to other trader is little, They threaten to retrograde assimilate, There are
several alternatives, and Purchasers are cost sensitive (Grundy 2006, pp.213-229).
Threat of substitutes
This force is specifically threatening when purchaser can effortlessly find alternative products
with favourable prices or good quality and when purchaser can move from one good or
facility to another with lesser cost. For example, to move from coffee to tea does not charge
anything, unlike moving from four-wheeler to two-wheeler (Buhalis, and Zoge 2007, pp.
481-492).
Rivalry among existing competitors
According to Tavitiyaman, Qu, and Zhang (2011, pp.648-657), this force is considered as the
main factor in how competitive and lucrative business is. In a competitive business, firms
have to contest antagonistically for the market share, which outcomes in low incomes. The
rivalry between competitors is penetrating while: there are several entrants; Exit barricades
are high, Business of development is sluggish or negative, goods are not distinguished and
can be effortlessly exchanged, contestants are of equivalent size and, little customer devotion
(Tavitiyaman, Qu, and Zhang 2011, pp. 648-657).
Critical review
According to Grundy (2006, pp.213-229), Porter’s theory can be used in the organisational
standard and to the standard of a person’s part where there might be adaptable opposition,
alternates, negotiating ability, etc. Certainly, in education five forces theory of Porter have
less clear presentations are frequently found to be apparent of advanced value by leaders.
This study showed how Porter’s five modest forces theory could be greatly established by:
Merging it and interconnecting it with other techniques like development carters and PEST
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features, Investigating other universal interdependencies, Ordering it with the modest force
area sort of examination, Investigating the different forces at the work, evaluating the
crescendos and the effect of the commerce mind-set, and segmenting marketplaces to inspect
the differences inside the competitive scenery. According to Pringle, and Huisman (2011,
pp.36-58), the results recommend that policy-creators, the subdivision, and separate
organizations might require considering extra consciously the influence of technology and
globalization while looking for a competitive place. Certain business specialists think that the
model has been out-dated and new approaches are available with additional benefits but some
of the published articles do not support the statement. According to (Dälken, 2014), The Five
Viable Forces theory uses the information technology as the tool for applying alteration. The
Five Modest Forces theory cannot be measured as out-dated. However a revolution was or
still there, but this cannot challenge the cogency of the entire model. They further revealed
that The Five Competitive Forces are not invalid yet, however it is essential to distinguish the
limits of the framework. Globalization, digitalization and deregulation have an influence on
the current powers but they are not able to grow a novel one. Five forces key model of Porter
is the definitive planned commercial tool organized at business competition examination, to
measure the prosperity abilities and environmental effects. Nevertheless, as businesses are
active and commercial features continually progress it may be interrogated if it is appropriate
and dependable (McGahan 2000, pp.1-16). Condemnation on whether the outline is imperfect
proposes that the multi-stage characteristics of different organizations may disturb the
correctness of examination. Precisely, understanding that maximum businesses may require
to be examined at dissimilar sections is vigorous in order to apply a clear analysis. This
procedure is well-defined as meeting and labels how active alterations may re-form the
businesses causing two before distinct businesses to join. Extra exactly, modifying situations
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in joining businesses may implant such resources novelties that may allow novel product
abilities and ultimately expand rivalry (Malhotra and Gupta 2001, pp. 502-519).
This method decides a supplementary modest force that may deliver important profit possible
and rivalry insight. Therefore, it is recommended to be located at the sixth force to
accompaniment the five forces outline (Bruijl, 2018). The five powers structure manages to
deal with serious rivalry forces inside an organization, while numerous other features may
also be deliberated in order to attain greater correctness. In pertinent investigation, Slater and
Olson (2002, pp.15-22) back the worth of the frame into the contemporary business setting.
Slater and Olson (2002, pp.15-22) concluded that the 5 forces model is a vital strategic tool
which can deliver a valuable understanding into all establishments. Seeing that the internet
has turned into a progressively powerful feature, Karagiannopoulos, Georgopoulos, and
Nikolopoulos (2005, pp.66-76) put effort to learn if this customary theory is quite suitable for
existing business analysis. Their results backing the readings deliberated above recognizing
the worth of the Model as the preliminary point of rivalry consideration.
The ability to utilize the 5 forces model as the basis of internet competition and technology
examination is also established by Siaw and Yu (2004, p.514).
A study conducted by Shao (2015) on insurance companies in Kenya concludes that
in Kenya, the insurance corporations do implement Porter's five forces framework in
founding modest approaches to a countless degree. The analysis further determines that
businesses apply the risk of entrance force to control the modest approach to accept in order
to dishearten entrance of new organizations into the business. The influential source force has
assisted the corporations to deliver their clients with facilities at a comparatively greater rate.
Additional assumptions can be pinched that insurance firms that use the risk of alternatives
force are capable to identify additional products that cause rivalry which in turn allows them
to distinguish which modest approach to accept. Dälken (2014) also discussed that Porter’s
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model must be attuned in order to measure current manufacturing’s arrangement. Dälken
(2014) precisely gives consideration to the measurement of time subtleties for instance.
Moreno-Izquierdo, Ramón-Rodríguez, and Perles-Ribes (2016, pp.293-310) presented in his
study article that the Five Powers model were satisfactory in the 1980s and 1990s though
they do not apply in this era. Porter does suppose that the five forces model includes a zero-
sum play, which is not true according to Srisvastava (2012) because of the association is
conscious about the collaboration and joint benefit it may have with alternative player, in this
scenario a provider for example, it might want to collaborate with the dealer so both
gatherings gets benefitted. For example; Toyota and Honda both companies work narrowly
with the similar provider in order to achieve the correct shares for the correct rate with decent
feature. This permits them to decrease costs and cut the obtainability of out-dated ingredients
in their account (Srivastava 2012) Regardless of Porter's five force theory helping as the
decent twitch when it comes to knowledge of the forces that outline rivalry, in specific in
relation to the industry sector, it, however, offers a variety of limits, mostly in the tourism
business (Vining 2011, pp.63-105). It originally accepts that providers, purchasers, and
contestants are a risk. In numerous endpoints, raw substantial providers, like native creators,
enter into native quality deals with housing and food facility industries, pointing at endorsing
the genuineness of the terminus and safeguarding the best charges for the goods for the
industries. The approach of interactions and co-competition has arisen as an important aspect
of the commercial landscape as respects the travel business, a fact emphasized by a number
of investigators (Okumus, and Wong 2005, pp.259-279).
A second restriction is an element that Porter (1980) stated that his framework allows
the analysis of the possible success of the sector below inspection, though there are likewise
robust investigations demanding that the forces relating exactly to each industry in relation to
profitability are additionally essential than those relating to the business. A third restriction is
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an element that Porter admits that the predicted five forces impacts business contestants to an
equal degree. In certainty, the impact of the force every business contrarily based on its size,
with bigger trades facing the provider risk to a slighter degree linked to lesser industries
(Porter 2008, pp.78-93).
Porter's framework does not deliberate communication and info technology as the
separate force of the five forces, nonetheless an additional one. Yet, several writers deliberate
info and contacting technologies able to create a modest verge and form competition (Holm
2006, pp.23-33). In a complete method of Porter's framework and its uses to tourism in
overall, presents novel forces, such as that of mediators. Travel planners like tour workers,
travel managers, and OTAs in numerous papers are discussed to the customers, or mistakenly
as providers, though, the significant part they have in the travel business commands the
requirement to mention to them as the separate force that impacts opposition (Buffa 2007).
Travel controllers like tour workers travel mediators, and OTAs who function as mediators
between industries and end clients are in a place of manipulating the choices of destination,
presenting a consistent service value group which can be effortlessly regulated by them.
Travel mediators can, therefore, influence competition among separate boarding-houses as
well as whole terminuses that have its place in to the similar modest group. Trip workers also
regulate to a countless extent the obtainability of spaces when it comes to a terminus's air
company, also the setting of the values that will be accessible across the marketplace
(Pavlović 2015, pp.9-17)
Conclusion
Porter's five forces are the specific framework that assists the industries to understand the
market opposition in the business business such as tour and travel. It has been proposed by
Porter in 1979 to understand the competitive forces of competition that may impact the
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THEORY OF FIVE DIFFERENT FORCES
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organization's profitability. The five forces mentioned by Porter in his theory includes the
risk of new contestants, bargaining influence of the providers, bargaining influence of
purchasers, threat of additional, and competitiveness amongst present opponents. The five
forces are equally important for the business entities to assess and understand the market
scenario. Various studies supported the applications of Porter's five forces theory in the
industries and found that it can be used in the in the advancement of the businesses and can
be used as the tool for applying the changes in a firm. This can help them to twitch when it
comes to understanding the forces to outline rivalry specific to the industry sector. The five
force model is able to address the critical competition forces within the organisation and
measure various aspects that may also contribute in order to attain high correctness.
Although, some of the researchers do not support the theory and found that, this framework
cannot deliberate the IT and communication sector as the separate forces. One of the articles
stated that this theory or medal is out-dated and cannot be applied in modern business
conditions. However, most of the researches back the model and found this stratifies effective
in tour and travel industry.
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References
Bruijl, G.H.T., 2018. The Relevance of Porter's Five Forces in Today's Innovative and
Changing Business Environment.
Buffa, F., 2007. An analysis of the strategic profiles of small and medium-sized hotels in the
Alps. University of Trento (Italy).
Buhalis, D. and Zoge, M., 2007. The strategic impact of the Internet on the tourism
industry. Information and communication technologies in tourism 2007, 481-492.
Dälken, F., 2014. Are porter’s five competitive forces still applicable? A critical examination
concerning the relevance of today's business (Bachelor's thesis, University of Twente).
E. Dobbs, M., 2014. Guidelines for applying Porter's five forces framework: a set of industry
analysis templates. Competitiveness Review, 24(1), 32-45.
Grundy, T., 2006. Rethinking and reinventing Michael Porter's five forces model. Strategic
Change, 15(5), 213-229.
Holm, O., 2006. Integrated marketing communication: from tactics to strategy. Corporate
Communications: An International Journal, 11(1), pp.23-33.
Karagiannopoulos, G.D., Georgopoulos, N. and Nikolopoulos, K., 2005. Fathoming Porter's
five forces model in the internet era. info, 7(6), 66-76.
Kumar Gupta, V. and Malhotra, G., 2016. Determining customers’ preferences for housing
attributes in India. International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, 9(4), 502-519.
McGahan, A.M., 2004. How industries evolve. Business Strategy Review, 11(3), 1-16.
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THEORY OF FIVE DIFFERENT FORCES
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Moreno-Izquierdo, L., Ramón-Rodríguez, A.B. and Perles-Ribes, J.F., 2016. Pricing
strategies of the European low-cost carriers explained using Porter's Five Forces
Model. Tourism Economics, 22(2), 293-310.
Okumus, F. and Wong, K.K., 2005. In pursuit of contemporary content for courses on
strategic management in tourism and hospitality schools. International Journal of Hospitality
Management, 24(2), 259-279.
Pavlović, D., 2015. Adapted Integrated Model of Destination Competitiveness. In SITCON
2015-Singidunum International Tourism Conference (9-17). Singidunum University.
Pines, J.M., 2006. The economic role of the emergency department in the health care
continuum: applying Michael Porter’s five forces model to emergency medicine. The Journal
of emergency medicine, 30(4), 447-453.
Porter, M.E., 2008. The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard business
review, 86(1), 78-93.
Pringle, J. and Huisman, J., 2011. Understanding Universities in Ontario, Canada: An
Industry Analysis Using Porter's Five Forces Framework. Canadian Journal of Higher
Education, 41(3), 36-58.
Shao, S. H. (2015). Competitive Strategies and Porter’s Five Forces Model by the Insurance
Companies in Kenya. Available from:
http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11295/93746/Shao_Competitive
%20strategies%20and%20porter%E2%80%99s%20five%20forces%20model%20by%20the
%20insurance%20companies%20in%20Kenya.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y [Accessed 22
December 2018].
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Siaw, I. and Yu, A., 2004. An analysis of the impact of the internet on competition in the
banking industry, using Porter's five forces model. International Journal of
Management, 21(4), 514.
Slater, S.F. and Olson, E.M., 2002. A fresh look at industry and market analysis. Business
Horizons, 45(1), 15-22.
Srivastava, R.M. and Verma, S., 2012. Strategic management: Concepts, skills, and practices.
PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd.
Tavitiyaman, P., Qu, H. and Zhang, H.Q., 2011. The impact of industry force factors on
resource competitive strategies and hotel performance. International Journal of Hospitality
Management, 30(3), 648-657.
Vining, A.R., 2011. Public agency external analysis using a modified “five forces”
framework. International Public Management Journal, 14(1), 63-105.
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