ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to evaluate Michael Porter's several generic strategies in the context of today's competitive environment. Critically appraise strategic marketing decisions for pioneers, challengers, followers and niche players Identify and critically evaluate strategic options in relation to shareholder value, using appropriate decision tools. The chapter describes the formulation and evaluation of competitive strategies. In the face of a continually changing environment in which the bases of competitive advantage are not only changing with time, but also vary across markets which have differing lifecycles, organizations must make positive decisions to avoid strategic drift. These decisions will rest on adopting generic competitive and targeting & positioning strategies that are appropriate both to the market opportunities and also to the organization's competitive stance or market position. Entrepreneurial marketing usually takes the form of a new business start or a new spin out from within an existing firm.
