ABSTRACT
Seeking and acting upon competitive commercial advantage is a marketplace staple. Seeking, securing, and acting upon competitive political advantage can be a nonmarket aspiration. In politics, having advantages—whether policy or political clout—provides a firm with maneuvering options, opens public policy possibilities once thought remote, and makes commercial rivals reconsider strategies. Porter’s competitive advantage paradigm is reviewed for its political applicability, competitive political advantage is defined, and sources of competitive political advantage are examined. The importance of firm competitive political advantage is illustrated by sidebars on Wall Street political intelligence and the classic political fight between United Parcel Service and FedEx.
