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Pages:
2 pages/≈550 words
Sources:
2 Sources
Style:
APA
Subject:
Business & Marketing
Type:
Essay
Language:
English (U.S.)
Document:
MS Word
Date:
Total cost:
$ 8.64
Topic:

Whole Foods's Five Competitive Forces

Essay Instructions:

Assessment Description
In this assignment, students will research competitive advantage. By learning this concept, students will understand the necessity of a consumer's problem and a company's product or service as a solution to that problem.
In 550 words or more, address the following:
Describe how Whole Foods built its competitive advantage.
What IT assets and capabilities does Whole Foods utilize?
Assess Whole Foods' competitive environment by describing the following five competitive forces:
1. The potential threat of new entrants/competitors
2. The bargaining power of buyers
3. The bargaining power of suppliers
4. The threat of substitute products/services
5. Industry competitors
Note: Use Figure 2.3 in the textbook as a guide.
This assignment requires the use of at least two additional scholarly research sources published within the last 5 years. Include at least one in-text citation from each cited source.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

Essay Sample Content Preview:

Whole Foods Competitive Forces
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Whole Foods Competitive Forces
Over the years, Whole Foods has built a competitive advantage by focusing on a niche market. Specifically, Whole Foods provides a wide variety of organic foods (Whole Foods Market, n.d.). The company targets health-conscious customers who prefer organic foods, which are not only considered healthy but safe. This is a customer base that has, for years, been ignored by mainstream retail stores. According to Deszczynski (2021), niche market provides companies with a competitive advantage because they focus on customers with unique or unmet needs. Whole Foods has managed to meet health-conscious customers' needs by providing them with organic foods.
Whole Foods had to overhaul its IT infrastructure after its acquisition by Amazon to reduce redundancy. It replaced its existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with a single-view ERP system to increase efficiencies in the backend and frontend systems (Yvanovich, 2017). Whole Foods utilizes sensors, palm-scanning technology, and automated software to provide its customers with automated checkout (Tarasov, 2022). This automated, cashier-less checkout is called the Just Walk Out System. The palm-scanning technology allows Whole Foods' clients to pay for groceries without a card or phone and is available in over 20 Whole Foods outlets (Tarasov, 2022). These IS assets allow the company to provide a seamless customer shopping experience.
Assessing Whole Foods; Competitive Environment
Competitive Force

IT Influence Competitive Force

Potential New Entrants Threat

The threat of new entrants/competitors is high because there are limited barriers to entry in the organic food segment. However, with the support of its parent company, Amazon, Whole Foods has invested in IT assets and capabilities, such as a single-view ERP which has supported the backend and frontend systems and enhanced efficiency (Yvanovich, 2017). It would be costly for new entrants to invest in such IT assets.

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