What competitor information categories are useful in competitor analysis? Are these categories appropriate for health care organizations? How can these information categories provide a focus for information gathering and strategic decision making?

Q3: What competitor information categories are useful in competitor analysis? Are these categories appropriate for health care organizations? How can these information categories provide a focus for information gathering and strategic decision making?
Q4: What are some obstacles to effective competitor analysis? How may these obstacles be overcome?
Q6: Why must the service categories be defined first in service area competitor analysis for health care organizations?
Q9: Why is an identification and evaluation of competitor strengths and weaknesses and the determination of strategy essential in service area competitor analysis?

text book: Ginter, P. M., Duncan, W. J., & Swayne, L. E. (2013). The strategic management of health care organizations (7th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Josey Bass.

Page: Competitor Analysis Guidelines
Competitor analysis guidelines for a selected service category and service area
The following outline is provided as an initial guide:
I. Specify the Service Category.
II. Delineate the Service Area.
General
Economic
Demographic
Psychographic
Health Status
III. Perform a Service Area Structure Analysis.
Threat of New Entrants
Intensity of Rivalry
Threat of Substitutes
Power of Customers
Power of Suppliers
IV. Do a Competitor Analysis.
Competitor Strengths and Weaknesses
Critical Success Factors
Strategic Groups
Map Competitors
Likely Responses of Competitors
V. Identify Service Category Critical Success Factors.
VI. Identify and Map Strategic Groups.
VII. Provide a Synthesis.
An extended example of a service area competitor analysis is provided