Entrepreneurship CH. 7

decline stage

A life cycle stage in which sales and profits of the firm begin a falling trend.

Niche Market

A narrowly defined segment of the population that is likely to share interests or concerns.

Boom

A type of life cycle growth stage marked by a very rapid increase in sales in a relatively short time.

maturity stage

The third life cycle stage, marked by a stabilization of demand, with firms in the industry moving to stabilize or improve profits through cost strategies.

distinctive competence

Those features, benefits, or aspect of your business that are unique to your firm, or more strongly identified with your firm than with your competitors. This is the specialty for which your firm is best known.

generic strategies

Three widely applicable classic strategies for businesses of all types—differentiation, cost, and focus.

Blue Ocean Strategy

a strategy based on creating a new product or service which has no competitors

Parallel Competition

an imitative business that competes locally with others in the same industry

Incremental Innovation

an overall strategic approach in which a firm patterns itself on other firms, with the exception of one or two key areas

Imitative Strategy

an overall strategic approach in which the entrepreneur does more or less what others are already doing

Degree of Similarity

the extent to which a product or service is like another

core competency

the main work of a firm in a particular line of business

Scale

A characteristic of a market that describes the size of the market—a mass market or a niche market.

focus strategy

A generic strategy that targets a portion of the market, called a segment or niche.

Pure innovation

the process of creating new products or services, which results in a previously unseen product or service

Scope

A characteristic of a market that defines the geographic range covered by the market—from local to global.

entry wedge

An opportunity that makes it possible for a new business to gain a foothold in a market.

retrenchment

An organizational life cycle stage in which established firms must find new approaches to improve the business and its chances for survival.

Innovative Strategy

An overall strategic approach in which a firm seeks to do something that is very different from what others in the industry are doing.

tactical actions

Competitive responses with low resource requirements.

gross profit

Funds left over after deducting the cost of goods sold.

Growth stage

Industry life cycle stage in which a customer purchases increase at a dramatic rate.

industry dynamics

changes in competitors, sales and profits in an industry over time

Industry

The general name for the line of product or service being sold, or the firms in that line of business.

competitive advantage

The particular way a firm implements customer benefits that keeps the firm ahead of other firms in the industry.

Magic Number

The posttax income the entrepreneur personally seeks from the business.

Mass market

A customer group that involves large portions of the population.

cost strategy

A generic strategy aimed at mass markets in which a firm offers a combination of cost benefits that appeals to the customer.

Distinctive Competence Map

A graphic display that compares your company's product or service to that of your competitors, in order to identify your core (shared) competencies and those unique to you and to your competitor.

industry analysis

A research process that provides the entrepreneur with key information about the industry, such as its current situation and trends.

differentiation strategy

A type of generic strategy aimed at clarifying how one product is unlike another in a mass market.

shake out

A type of life cycle stage following a boom in which there is a rapid decrease in the number of firms in an industry.

Value proposition

Small business owners' unique selling points (also known as benefits) that customers can expect from your goods or services, including benefits that differentiate your offering from those of the competition.

net profit

The amount of money left after operating expenses are deducted from the business.

Introduction Stage

lifecycle stage in which the product or service invented and initially developed.