What it is for: Competitive forces analysis is a strategy method that examines five pressures on a market: rivalry, new entrants, substitutes, buyer power and supplier power. You leave with a one-page map of the five forces around a single service, a pressure level and reason for each, a list of assumptions to check, and two or three response questions with owners.
Who it helps: Strategy, finance and operations leads setting direction for a service or market, or deciding whether to enter one.
When to use it
You are setting strategy for a service, product line or market and need a clear outside-in view.
Leaders disagree about where the real threat comes from and the debate keeps circling.
You are considering entering a new market or launching a new offer and want to know how hard it will be.
How to use it
Fix the scope: the service or market and a time frame.
Prepare a one-page evidence pack per force before the session.
Capture pressures for each force, then attach evidence to every note.
Agree a low, medium or high pressure level per force, with a reason.
Turn the strongest forces into response questions and give each an owner.
Tip: Keep one service per analysis. If you want three markets, run three short sessions.
Credits and sources: Original Tiremesù worksheet and wording. Method credit: Michael E. Porter. Further reading: Harvard Business School, Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness https://www.isc.hbs.edu/strategy/business-strategy/Pages/the-five-forces.aspx
Full guide and film:https://www.tiremesu.com/guides/competitive-forces-analysis
