Sector and Case Applications

Many strategists reach a point where theoretical models feel disconnected from real business realities. You’ve grasped the Five Forces, but how do you apply it when the rules of competition vary wildly between airlines, cloud software, and emerging markets? This section bridges that gap.

Here, you’ll move beyond abstract diagrams and explore how the same analytical framework delivers vastly different insights when applied to real industries. Each case study reveals not just what’s happening, but why the structure matters—whether it’s the razor-thin margins in air travel or the entrenched dominance in SaaS ecosystems.

These aren’t hypotheticals. They’re drawn from actual competitive dynamics, with real data and strategic consequences. By the end, you’ll know how to adapt the model to your specific context—no matter the sector.

What This Section Covers

• Case Study: The Airline Industry’s Enduring Rivalry – Understand how fierce rivalry and minimal product differentiation drive low profitability, even in high-revenue markets.
• Case Study: Software-as-a-Service and Cloud Platforms – Learn how switching costs and network effects reshape supplier and buyer power in digital ecosystems.
• Applying Porter’s Five Forces to Emerging Markets – Discover how to adapt your analysis when supply chains are fragmented and data is limited in developing economies.

By the end you should be able to:

• Interpret competitive structure differences across industries using Porter’s Five Forces case studies.
• Recognize how industry examples shape strategy differently—especially in regulated or tech-driven sectors.
• Adjust the model for incomplete data, as seen in emerging markets.
• Apply competitive analysis by sector to forecast market dynamics and inform strategic decisions.
• Create accurate visual business modeling representations tailored to specific industries.