The Significance and Content of 1. Enterprise Research

Enterprise research refers to the process of systematically collecting, sorting, analyzing and evaluating the existing or potential benchmarking enterprises in the industry in which the enterprise is located, so as to obtain the basic situation, strategic intention, core competitiveness, market performance, advantages and disadvantages, development trend and other information of the benchmarking enterprises, so as to provide the basis for the enterprises to formulate their own strategies and marketing strategies.

The significance of enterprise research is mainly reflected in the following aspects:

Help enterprises understand the market environment and competitive situation, grasp market opportunities and threats, improve market sensitivity and adaptability.

Help enterprises to identify their own strengths and weaknesses, play their own core competitiveness, enhance their competitive advantage.

Help enterprises to analyze the strategic intention and action plan of benchmarking enterprises, predict the future trend of benchmarking enterprises, and formulate effective competitive strategies and countermeasures.

Help enterprises to learn the successful experience and lessons of benchmarking enterprises, learn from the excellent practices and innovative ideas of benchmarking enterprises, and promote their own continuous improvement and innovation.

The content of enterprise research generally includes the following aspects:

The basic situation of the benchmarking enterprise, such as enterprise background, development process, organizational structure, management team, enterprise culture, mission vision, values, etc.

The strategic situation of the benchmarking enterprise, such as strategic objectives, strategic direction, strategic choice, strategic implementation, strategic evaluation, etc.

The core competitiveness of benchmarking enterprises, such as resource ability, technical ability, innovation ability, brand ability, channel ability, service ability, cost ability, quality ability, etc.

The market situation of benchmarking enterprises, such as market positioning, market share, market growth, market distribution, market segmentation, market demand, market satisfaction, etc.

The marketing situation of benchmarking enterprises, such as product strategy, price strategy, channel strategy, promotion strategy, advertising strategy, public relations strategy, network strategy, etc.

The financial situation of the benchmark enterprise, such as operating income, operating costs, operating profit, net profit, assets and liabilities, cash flow, financial ratio, etc.

The development trend of benchmarking enterprises, such as development goals, development strategies, development plans, development difficulties, development opportunities, development threats, etc.

The Challenge of 2. Enterprise Research

Enterprise research is a complex and arduous work, which requires a lot of time, energy and resources, but also faces many difficulties and challenges, mainly in the following aspects:

Difficulty in collecting information. The information of benchmarking enterprises is often sensitive, confidential and dynamic, and is not easy to obtain. It needs to be collected through various channels and means, such as network search, industry reports, media reports, market research, user research, employee research, potential entrant research, supplier research, distributor research, enterprise research, mysterious customers, participating in bidding, participating in exhibitions, purchasing competing products, analyzing samples, etc. The effectiveness and reliability of these channels and means are different. It is necessary to choose and judge according to the actual situation. At the same time, we should also pay attention to abide by business ethics and legal norms to avoid infringing on the legitimate rights and interests of benchmarking enterprises.

Difficulty of information analysis. The information of benchmarking enterprises is often complex, scattered, vague and inconsistent, and is not easy to analyze. It needs to be analyzed through a variety of methods and tools, such as SWOT analysis, Porter's five forces analysis, value chain analysis, strategic group analysis, market community analysis, competitive advantage analysis, competitive map analysis, strategic simulation analysis, scenario analysis, sensitivity analysis, etc. The applicability and effectiveness of these methods and tools vary, and they need to be selected and applied according to the actual situation. At the same time, attention should be paid to avoiding subjective assumptions and prejudices, and maintaining an objective and rational attitude.

Difficulty in the application of information. The ultimate purpose of benchmarking enterprise's information is to guide the enterprise's strategy and marketing decisions, but how to transform information into action, how to formulate appropriate strategies according to information, how to implement effective actions according to strategies, and how to evaluate the value of information according to actions, these are all difficult problems that need to be solved. The application of information needs to consider the internal and external environment of the enterprise, the objectives and resources of the enterprise, the capabilities and risks of the enterprise, the organization and culture of the enterprise, the implementation and feedback of the enterprise, and the innovation and learning of the enterprise.

Coping Strategies of 3. Enterprise Research

In response to the challenges of corporate research, companies can adopt the following strategies:

Establish systems and mechanisms for information collection. An enterprise should establish a department or team dedicated to enterprise research, clarify responsibilities and division of labor, formulate plans and processes for information collection, determine channels and means for information collection, allocate resources and budgets for information collection, establish standards and evaluations for information collection, and form a system and mechanism for information collection.

Establish methods and tools for information analysis. Enterprises should establish a department or team dedicated to benchmarking enterprise analysis, clarify responsibilities and division of labor, develop plans and processes for information analysis, determine methods and tools for information analysis, allocate resources and budgets for information analysis, establish standards and evaluations for information analysis, and form methods and tools for information analysis.

Build bridges and platforms for information applications. Enterprises should establish a department or team dedicated to benchmarking enterprise information applications, clarify responsibilities and division of labor, develop plans and processes for information applications, determine bridges and platforms for information applications, allocate resources and budgets for information applications, establish standards and evaluations for information applications, and form bridges and platforms for information applications.