Competitor Analysis involves studying what?

• A. Future objectives, current strategies, assumptions, and capabilities
• B. Market commonality and resource similarity
• C. Awareness, motivation, and ability
• D. Competitive blind spots

Answer: (D)

Identifying competitive blind spots is central to competitor analysis. This approach looks beyond what rivals are doing right now and focuses on the gaps in what they observe, understand, or react to. These blind spots can come from overlooked market segments, shifting trends they haven’t tracked, or misread threats, leaving opportunities for your firm to act before others notice. By pinpointing where competitors are vulnerable due to incomplete information or misperceptions, you can design strategies to exploit those gaps—such as targeting neglected customers, timing moves to catch rivals off guard, or leveraging capabilities they haven’t yet recognized.

Other concepts describe different angles of competition: market commonality and resource similarity relate to how closely rivals compete in the same space and with similar strengths; awareness, motivation, and ability focus on a rival’s propensity and capacity to respond rather than on hidden opportunities; and a profile of objectives, strategies, assumptions, and capabilities outlines a competitor’s current posture rather than unobserved gaps in their monitoring.