Essay Homework
• What competitor information categories are useful in competitor analysis? Are these categories appropriate for health care organizations? How can these information categories provide a focus for information gathering and strategic decision-making?
• Why is it important to clearly define the service area? How does managed care penetration affect service area definition?
• Conduct a service area competitor analysis within your community. Keep it fairly small in scope (i.e. laser hair removal business, extended care facility for ventilator-dependent patients, etc.) so that it is manageable. Begin by introducing the macro issues (general and health care) and then use this outline as an initial guide:
1. Specify the Service Category
2. Delineate the Service Area.
a. General
b. Economic
c. Demographic
d. Psychographic
e. Health Status
3. Perform a Service Area Structure Analysis
a. Threat of New Entrants
b. Intensity of Rivalry
c. Threat of Substitutes
d. Power of Customers
e. Power of Suppliers
4. Do a Competitor Analysis/Identify Service Category Critical Success Factors
a. Competitor Strengths and Weaknesses
b. Critical Success Factors
c. Strategic Groups
d. Map Competitors
e. Likely Responses of Competitors
5. Identify and Map Strategic Groups
6. Provide a Synthesis.
Format your homework according to the give formatting requirements:
1. The answer must be double spaced, typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the course title, the student's name, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The references and Citations should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.