Purpose, method and process of 1. competitor research

Competitor research refers to the process of collecting, analyzing and evaluating competitors' relevant information to understand competitors' strategies, capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, dynamics and trends, so as to formulate corresponding competitive strategies and countermeasures.

The main objectives of competitor research are as follows:

Identify and assess the number, type, characteristics and status of competitors;

Understand the strategic intentions, objectives, motivations and behaviors of competitors;

Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, as well as their threats and opportunities to the business;

Predict the future movements and possible reactions of competitors;

Formulate effective competitive strategies and countermeasures to enhance the competitive advantage and market share of enterprises.

There are several main methods of competitor research:

Documentation: access to basic information and strategic direction of competitors by consulting their public information, such as official websites, annual reports, news, patents, papers, etc;

Observation method: by directly or indirectly observing competitors' products, services, channels, promotion, prices, etc., to obtain competitors' market performance and customer feedback;

Interview method: through interviews with competitors' employees, customers, suppliers, partners, industry experts, etc., to obtain the internal situation and external evaluation of competitors;

Experimental method: by simulating the behavior of competitors, such as purchase, consultation, return and exchange, complaints, etc., to obtain the operation process and service quality of competitors;

The process of competitor research generally includes the following steps:

Determine the objectives and scope of the research, and clarify the subject, content, object and duration of the research;

Design research programs and tools, select appropriate research methods, channels, indicators and issues;

Collect and organize research information, obtain effective first-hand and second-hand data through a variety of ways, and classify and screen;

Analysis and evaluation of research results, the use of quantitative and qualitative analysis methods, the research data processing and interpretation, to obtain valuable.Conclusionand recommendations;

Prepare and submit research reports, present the research process and results in the form of text, charts, attachments, etc., and report to research users or decision makers.

Participants and Roles of 2. Competitor Research

Competitor research is a complex activity involving multi-party participation and collaboration. Different participants play different roles in the research process, influence and restrict each other, and jointly complete the research task. In this paper, the participants in the competitor survey mainly include the following four categories:

Research subject: refers to the leader responsible for organizing and implementing competitor research, generally for the internal strategic planning department, marketing department, product research and development department, etc., or for professional consulting companies, research institutions, etc. entrusted by the outside of the enterprise. The main role of the research subject is the planner and executor, that is, to formulate research objectives, programs and tools, arrange researchers and resources, collect and analyze research information, and form research reports.

Research object: Refers to the research object of competitor research, I .e. the existing or potential competitors of the enterprise in the same market or industry, such as direct competitors, indirect competitors, alternative competitors, etc. The main role of the research object is the research subject and the influence, that is, to provide the source of research information, affect the accuracy and validity of the research results, and also affect the competitive strategy and behavior of the enterprise.

Research information source: refers to the information provider of competitor research, that is, the stakeholders who have direct or indirect contact with competitors, such as competitors' employees, customers, suppliers, partners, industry experts, media, the public, etc. The main roles of research information sources are providers and participants, that is, to provide the content and channels of research information, to participate in the communication and feedback of the research process, etc.

Research users: refers to the information users of competitor research, that is, the stakeholders who use the research results to make decisions or actions, such as senior managers, strategic planners, marketers, product developers, investors, regulators, etc. The main role of research users is the user and evaluator, that is, the use of research results for strategy development and competitive response, evaluation of the quality and value of research results.

The relationship and role of participants and roles in the competitor survey are shown in the following figure:

3. the application and value of participants and roles in competitor research

In order to better illustrate the application and value of the participants and roles of competitor research in practice, this paper shows the application and value of the participants and roles of competitor research in practice, combined with the actual case of Shangpu Consulting.

Shangpu Consulting Company is a consulting organization specializing in strategic consulting, market research, data analysis and other services. It has many years of industry experience and professional team to provide customized solutions for customers in all walks of life. Shangpu Consulting once provided competitor research services for a leading domestic e-commerce platform to help it understand the strategies, capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, trends and trends of major competitors at home and abroad, as well as the impact and threats on its business, so as to formulate more targeted and effective competitive strategies and countermeasures.

In this case, Shangpu Consulting, as the main body of the research, assumed the role of planner and executor, responsible for formulating research objectives, programs and tools, arranging researchers and resources, collecting and analyzing research information, and forming research reports. Through literature, observation, interview, experiment and intelligence, Shangpu Consulting Company has conducted comprehensive and in-depth research on more than a dozen competitors at home and abroad, covering the basic information, strategic direction, market performance, customer feedback, operation process, service quality, internal situation, external evaluation, future trend, possible reaction and other aspects of competitors, using SWOT analysis, Porter's five forces analysis, competitive map analysis, competitive advantage analysis and other analytical methods, the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, as well as threats and opportunities for customers, a systematic and objective assessment, proposed for different types and levels of competitors differentiated and integrated competitive strategies and countermeasures, including product innovation, service optimization, channel expansion, promotion enhancement, price adjustment, cooperation alliance, mergers and acquisitions, etc., to provide customers with valuable reference and suggestions.

In this case, the e-commerce platform, as a research user, assumes the role of user and evaluator, using the research results to make decisions or actions, and evaluate the quality and value of the research results. By reading and discussing the research report provided by Shangpu Consulting, the e-commerce platform has a clearer and comprehensive understanding of the competitive environment and competitors at home and abroad, has a more objective and profound reflection on its own advantages and disadvantages, has a clearer and more reasonable plan for the future development direction and goals, and has a more specific and effective implementation of competition strategies and countermeasures. The e-commerce platform highly appraises and affirms the research service of Shangpu Consulting Company, and believes that the research process and results of Shangpu Consulting Company are professional, systematic, objective and practical, which enhances its market competitiveness and performance growth, and enhances its core competitive advantage and brand influence.

In this case, the competitor, as the research object, assumes the role of the researcher and the influent, providing the source of the research information, affecting the accuracy and validity of the research results, and also affecting the customer's competitive strategy and behavior. The information and dynamics of competitors is the core content of the research, but also the difficulty and focus of the research, because competitors are often reluctant to disclose their strategies and capabilities, and even take some cover-up and misleading means, making the acquisition and analysis of research information difficult and complex. At the same time, the information and dynamics of competitors is also the key output of research, but also the value of research, because the information and dynamics of competitors directly affect the customer's competitive strategy and behavior, determine the customer's competitive advantage and market share. Therefore, competitor research requires the research subject to have keen insight and analysis, as well as rich experience and skills, from many aspects and angles, through a variety of methods and channels, to obtain and analyze the information and dynamics of competitors, as well as its impact on customers and threats, so as to provide customers with effective competitive strategies and countermeasures.

In this case, the research information source, as the provider of research information, assumes the role of provider and participant, provides the content and channel of research information, and participates in the communication and feedback of the research process. The research information source is an important source of research information, and it is also the supplement and verification of research information, because the research information source has direct or indirect contact with competitors, and can provide internal and external evaluation of competitors. From different angles and levels, reflect competitors' strategies, capabilities, advantages, disadvantages, dynamics and trends, as well as the impact and threats on customers. At the same time, the research information source is also an important participant in the research process, and it is also the support and promotion of the research process, because the research information source has direct or indirect communication and feedback with the research subject, which can provide the quality and efficiency of research information, from different ways And form, support and promote the collection and analysis of research information, as well as the formation and presentation of research results. Therefore, competitor research requires that the research subject has good communication and coordination ability, as well as reasonable incentive and confidentiality mechanism, can establish a good relationship and trust with the research information source, effectively obtain and use the information provided by the research information source, and the process of participating in the research information source, so as to provide valuable research results for customers.

4. Conclusion

Competitor research is an important basis for strategic decision-making and an effective means to enhance market competitiveness. The participants and roles of competitor research are key factors in the research process and results, as well as an important guarantee of the quality and value of the research. Based on the purpose, method and process of competitor research, this paper analyzes the participants and roles of competitor research, as well as the relationship and role between them. This paper holds that the participants of competitor research include research subjects, research objects, research information sources and research users, each of whom plays different roles, such as planners, executors, providers, users, etc. This paper also combines the actual case of Shangpu Consulting Company to show the application and value of the participants and roles of competitor research in practice. The purpose of this paper is to provide some theoretical and practical reference and enlightenment for the implementation and promotion of competitor research.