Competition

Competition is a process in which individuals strive to achieve mutually exclusive positions, such as the attainment of a single reward. Competitive processes may occur among individuals within a single business or among businesses. In both forms, interdependent actors strive for mutually exclusive positions of advantage so that the success of one comes at the expense of another.

In the business context, competition for advantage can be on multiple strategic dimensions, including financial performance, satisfaction of customer expectations, process productivity and efficiency, innovativeness, and relationships with important stakeholders. This complexity raises significant challenges for decision makers, who must effectively and fairly balance the interests of multiple stakeholders on multiple dimensions.

The intensity of competition within an organization may cause some individuals to violate, or witness violations of, ...