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Why Porter’s Five Forces Model is Outdated: Modern Frameworks for Competitive Analysis

FS Ndzomga
3 min readJun 2, 2023
Photo by Israel Andrade on Unsplash

Porter’s Five Forces model, conceived by Michael E. Porter in 1979, is a classic tool for understanding the competitive forces at work in an industry. It focuses on five key areas: competitive rivalry, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of new entrants, and threat of substitute products or services. This model has helped countless businesses analyze their industry landscape and formulate strategies accordingly.

However, with the global business environment evolving rapidly, the question arises — is Porter’s Five Forces model still relevant, or has it become outdated?

Limitations of Porter’s Five Forces Model

While Porter’s model offers a valuable starting point for strategic analysis, it falls short in several ways:

1. Technological Disruptions: The model doesn’t consider the impact of digital technology, which has been a significant driver of business transformation. Rapid tech advancements have blurred industry boundaries and disrupted traditional business models.

2. Globalization: Porter’s model was developed when domestic competition was the norm. Today, businesses compete in a global marketplace, affected by international trade…

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FS Ndzomga
FS Ndzomga

Written by FS Ndzomga

Engineer passionate about data science, startups, philosophy and French literature. Built lycee.ai, discute.co and rimbaud.ai . Open for consulting gigs

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