Читать книгу End Of Competition, The: The Impact Of The Network Economy - C N A Molenaar - Страница 32

If the basic principles of rivalry change then the fear for newcomers will also change. The true competitive strength lies in the power of one’s own network: the providers, the customers and knowledge of the search and buying processes. In addition, a high degree of engagement also leads to a decreasing switch behaviour. Newcomers should be assessed on the basis of added value. Collaboration could lead to a reinforcement of the network and the pushing back of boundaries both physical and in terms of the supply and other forms of collaboration. In this way, the threat is turned into an opportunity for collaboration and cross-industrial partnerships, with a view to creating an ecosystem (network) and an accurate picture of the appeal and possibilities of new market conditions. We see this in, for example, the automobile industry, where sometimes more than 20 manufacturers collaborate in the production of a single car. This collaboration can also be seen in the platform economy where various parties work together towards the final product or for the end consumer; also in logistics, production, as well as distributors and possibly other suppliers offering add-on products. Competition no longer takes place on the basis of product features, but on customer bonding, the community. New entrants therefore have to win over customers from a traditional community to their own community. The greater the bonding with customers and the stronger the relationship with them, the harder it is for newcomers to prise customers away from the current providers. The competitive strength is therefore determined by the strength of the network.