By name: competitor-analysis description: Analyze competitors using Porter's four-component model - drivers, assumptions, strategy, capabilities.
Competitor Analysis (Porter)
Analyze competitors using Porter's four-component model.
When to Use
When you need to understand a competitor's strategy, capabilities, and likely moves.
The Framework
Porter's four components:
| Component | Questions |
|---|---|
| Objectives | What are they trying to achieve? (growth, profit, share, positioning) |
| Current Strategy | How are they competing? (segments, pricing, channels, roadmap) |
| Assumptions | What do they believe about the market, themselves, and rivals? |
| Capabilities | What can they actually do? (resources, competencies, gaps) |
The Process
1. Objectives (Future Goals)
- Economic goals (growth, profitability, market share)
- Strategic goals (positioning, tech leadership, ecosystem)
- Timeframes and indicators
- Priority ranking
2. Current Strategy
- Target segments and value proposition
- Pricing and monetization
- Go-to-market (channels, partnerships)
- Product roadmap themes
- Geographic posture
3. Assumptions
- About the industry (demand, regulation, tech trajectory)
- About themselves (core competencies, cost position)
- About you and other rivals
- Implicit beliefs inferred from behavior
4. Capabilities
- Tangible: cost structure, capacity, balance sheet
- Intangible: brand, IP, data, culture, talent
- Activities across value chain
- Notable gaps and constraints
5. Synthesize: Likely Moves
Based on the four components:
- What will they respond to quickly vs. ignore?
- Probable near-term moves (ranked by likelihood)
- Expected response speed by move type
6. Implications for Us
- Risks to monitor
- Opportunities to exploit
- Recommended counter-moves
- "If they do X, we do Y" mapping
Output
- Executive snapshot
- Four components analysis
- Likely moves and response profile
- Implications and recommendations
- Evidence sources
- Unknowns and validation plan
When Not to Use
Do not use this skill when the request is unrelated, low-stakes, or better handled by a simpler direct response.