How Competition Impacts Markets - Jagdish Sheth

Overview

This course explores the logic of competitive strategy through the lens of industry structure and evolving business models. Led by renowned scholar Professor Jagdish Sheth, learners will understand how Porter’s Five Forces and the Rule of Three influence industry attractiveness, firm behavior, and customer-centric growth. The course examines both generalist and specialist strategies, shared services, structural transformation, and the role of government in reshaping markets. Through a progression of theoretical concepts and real-world examples, learners will gain tools to assess competitive dynamics and identify paths to sustainable differentiation and profitability. Ideal for strategists, marketers, and policy thinkers alike, this course reveals how competition drives change—and how companies can adapt and thrive.

Syllabus

Rule of Three part 1

This module introduces the foundational logic of competition by examining Porter’s Five Forces model and the Rule of three framework. Learners will assess how industry attractiveness and competitive dynamics are shaped by market and financial data.

Rule of Three part 2

This module explores how generalist and specialist firms must adapt structurally to remain competitive. Topics include shared services, process-based organizational design, and the limitations of legacy holding company models. Learners will understand how to restructure for scale and synergy in the face of competition and identify patterns at a global level.

Rule of Three part 3

The final module focuses on the broader evolution of industries and how policy, technology, and scale pressures lead to shakeouts and structural reinvention. Through examples like efficiency through scale and growth through scope, learners will understand how industries mature and adapt to survive.