There were a few things that stood out to me when reading "The Five Competitive Forces that shape strategy. First, was the very real concept of barriers to exit. You think that if you wanted to leave a market or industry that you could but you don't estimate how hard that would realistically be. You invest in a company or may have even once had a substantial share of the market and are just now taking on losses. Second, was the power suppliers can hold over an industry and your business. The Microsoft example really messed with me because so many brands would be dead in the water if Microsoft failed.
One thing that was a bit confusing for me was how there may be a cost of switching to a substitute product. Wouldn't switching period be exiting the industry? and if true were there no barriers to exit or are the barriers there but ultimately surmountable depending on the business owners discretion? Basically wouldn't even considering switching to the substitute mean leaving the industry and if that happens, do barriers to exit really exist or are they just a thing that's there but not really paid attention to?
Something I would ask the author is how he uses these 5 Forces to create a successful business strategy and to name a time where a strategy actually went wrong an how did they fix it.
Overall, I would completely agree with the author on almost every level. When competing in business especially big business I truly believe you have to be aware of your surroundings no matter what. Nothing lasts, forever and having hubris is the fastest way to lose it all.
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