Competitive Strategy

Competitive strategy can sound like a cold, analytical topic, but at its heart it’s simply a way of noticing what shapes a business’s chances to thrive—especially the structure of the industry, the pressures of rivalry, and the choices leaders make about how to compete.

In this audio summary, we explore Porter’s essential ideas: why strategy is always present, how new entrants and substitutes change the playing field, the three “generic” strategies companies tend to choose from, and how to read competitors with more clarity. We also look at special situations—fragmented markets, emerging industries, and industries in decline—so the listener can think more calmly and concretely about what fits their context.

• Managers, founders, and team leads who want a clearer way to think about competition beyond day-to-day tactics.
• Students or early-career professionals learning strategy frameworks and wanting them explained in a warmer, more listenable way.
• Business owners navigating change—new competitors, shifting demand, or an industry that’s consolidating—and looking for steady decision tools.

Michael E. Porter is a Harvard Business School professor known for shaping modern strategy thinking, including the “five forces” framework and the idea of generic competitive strategies. His work focuses on how industry structure influences profitability and how organizations can position themselves to compete over time.