What the Playing Field Looks Like Now
Who are the competitors in this business, large and small, new and old?
Who has what share, globally and in each market? Where do we fit in?
What are the characteristics of this business? Is it commodity or high value or somewhere in between? Is it long cycle or short? Where is it on the growth curve? What are the drivers of profitability?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of each competitor? How good are its products? How much does each one spend on R&D? How big is each sales force? How performance-driven is each culture?
Who are this business's main customers, and how do they buy?