Which of the following is NOT one of Porter’s four things to identify in competitors?

• A. Strategy
• B. Positioning in the market
• C. Objectives
• D. Assumptions about industry

Answer: (B)

Porter’s approach to analyzing competitors focuses on four driver elements that explain why rivals act the way they do: the objectives they are pursuing, the strategy they are currently following, the assumptions they hold about the industry and future conditions, and the capabilities they possess to execute their strategy. These aspects reveal a competitor’s priorities, plans, view of the environment, and readiness to compete.

Positioning in the market describes how customers perceive a firm relative to its rivals, which is important for understanding market dynamics but is not one of the four elements Porter identifies for diagnosing competitors. So the option describing market positioning is the one that isn’t part of Porter’s four.