Blue Ocean Strategy Vs. Five Forces

The blue ocean strategy is a theory that states companies can gain a competitive advantage by creating whole new markets through value innovation (so-called blue oceans) where competition doesn’t exist yet. Porter’s five forces is a model that looks at five core forces to assess the completion in a given marketplace.

Aspect	Blue Ocean Strategy	Porter’s Five Forces Framework
Definition	Blue Ocean Strategy is a strategic framework that encourages organizations to seek uncontested market spaces, creating new demand and making competition irrelevant. It focuses on innovation and value innovation.	Porter’s Five Forces is a competitive analysis framework developed by Michael Porter. It assesses an industry’s attractiveness by analyzing five competitive forces that influence profitability.
Origin	Blue Ocean Strategy was introduced by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne in their book “Blue Ocean Strategy” in 2005.	Porter’s Five Forces framework was first described by Michael Porter in his book “Competitive Strategy” in 1980.
Focus	Blue Ocean Strategy encourages companies to create new markets (blue oceans) where competition is low or nonexistent by offering innovative products or services.	Porter’s Five Forces focuses on analyzing existing competitive forces within an industry to understand the competitive landscape.
Market Approach	It advocates value innovation to simultaneously reduce costs and increase value for customers, thus creating new demand and market space.	Porter’s framework assesses an industry’s attractiveness based on competitive rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, threat of substitutes, and threat of new entrants.
Competition Perspective	Blue Ocean Strategy emphasizes escaping competition by creating a unique market space, making competitors irrelevant rather than engaging in head-to-head competition.	Porter’s Five Forces helps businesses understand the intensity of competition and develop strategies to compete effectively within an existing industry.
Market Structure	It suggests that organizations can move from red oceans (competitive markets) to blue oceans (uncontested markets) by offering differentiated and innovative products.	Porter’s framework focuses on analyzing the dynamics of existing red ocean markets to determine their attractiveness.
Customer-Centric Approach	Blue Ocean Strategy advocates identifying and solving customer pain points by creating value for customers in new and unique ways.	Porter’s Five Forces assesses the industry structure’s impact on a company’s profitability without necessarily addressing customer pain points.
Examples	– Cirque du Soleil: Created a new market by combining elements of circus and theater. – Nintendo Wii: Targeted non-gamers with innovative motion-controlled gaming. – Yellow Tail Wine: Offered approachable wine for casual drinkers.	– Automotive Industry: Intense rivalry among established companies like Ford, Toyota, and General Motors. – Smartphone Industry: High buyer power with many choices and rapid technological changes. – Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi: Classic example of intense competition in the beverage industry.
Risk and Uncertainty	Blue Ocean Strategy involves risk as it requires creating entirely new markets, and success is not guaranteed. However, it can reduce competitive pressures.	Porter’s Five Forces analysis helps identify competitive risks within an industry but doesn’t inherently reduce uncertainty or risk associated with market creation.
Strategy Tools	Blue Ocean Strategy uses tools like the Strategy Canvas and the Four Actions Framework to create and analyze new market spaces.	Porter’s Five Forces analysis uses tools like force diagrams and industry structure analysis to assess an industry’s competitiveness.
Competitive Advantage	It aims to achieve a differentiation-based competitive advantage by offering unique value to customers, which can result in higher pricing and reduced competitive pressures.	Porter’s Five Forces can help identify sources of competitive advantage by assessing factors like supplier power and barriers to entry.
Long-Term vs. Short-Term Focus	Blue Ocean Strategy often has a long-term focus as it involves creating and developing new markets, which may take time to mature.	Porter’s Five Forces can have both short-term and long-term applications, depending on the industry’s stability and dynamics.
Industry Disruption	Blue Ocean Strategy can potentially lead to industry disruption by challenging existing market norms and creating new demand patterns.	Porter’s Five Forces may not inherently disrupt an industry but can guide businesses in navigating competitive dynamics.
Applicability	Blue Ocean Strategy is particularly relevant for businesses seeking innovative and uncontested market spaces and aiming to reduce competitive pressures.	Porter’s Five Forces is valuable for analyzing competitive industries and guiding competitive strategies within existing markets.
Strategic Shift	It often requires a significant strategic shift in thinking and approach, challenging conventional business practices.	Porter’s framework involves understanding and adapting to existing competitive forces rather than creating new markets.
Collaboration vs. Competition	Blue Ocean Strategy can involve collaboration with partners to create entirely new markets, focusing on value creation rather than competition.	Porter’s Five Forces is more focused on understanding competitive forces and can guide competitive strategies, which may involve competition.

Table of Contents

Blue Ocean Strategy

Porter’s Five Forces

porter-five-forces — Porter’s Five Forces is a model that helps organizations better understand their industries and competition. Professor Michael Porter published for the first time in his book “Competitive Strategy” in the 1980s. The model breaks down industries and markets by analyzing them through five forces.

Key Similarities between Blue Ocean Strategy and Porter’s Five Forces:

Competitive Advantage: Both concepts are related to gaining a competitive advantage in the market. Blue Ocean Strategy seeks to create a unique and uncontested market space, while Porter’s Five Forces helps organizations understand the competitive forces within their existing industry.
Market Analysis: Both approaches involve analyzing the market and industry dynamics to inform strategic decision-making. Blue Ocean Strategy analyzes the current market boundaries and identifies new opportunities, while Porter’s Five Forces assesses the overall industry structure and the competitive forces at play.

Key Differences between Blue Ocean Strategy and Porter’s Five Forces:

Focus and Scope: Blue Ocean Strategy focuses on creating new markets and redefining market boundaries to make competition irrelevant. It emphasizes value innovation and the pursuit of new customer segments. In contrast, Porter’s Five Forces concentrates on analyzing existing industries and markets to understand the level of competition and attractiveness.
Approach: Blue Ocean Strategy encourages organizations to break away from existing market constraints and create their unique space. It is about exploring new possibilities. Porter’s Five Forces, on the other hand, is more about understanding the competitive landscape within an industry and evaluating the relative strengths of the forces impacting competition.
Time Perspective: Blue Ocean Strategy often involves a longer-term perspective as companies seek to establish themselves in new markets. On the other hand, Porter’s Five Forces analysis is generally conducted to inform more immediate strategic decisions within an existing industry.

Blue Ocean Strategy Examples:

Cirque du Soleil: Instead of creating another traditional circus, Cirque du Soleil combined the elements of theater, art, and circus acts, eliminating animal shows. This strategy opened up a new market space, appealing to a different set of audiences willing to pay a premium.
iTunes: Apple didn’t just create another music platform; they revolutionized the music industry by providing a legal, easy-to-use platform to purchase and organize music, making piracy less attractive.
Airbnb: Instead of competing directly with hotels, Airbnb created a platform for homeowners to rent out their spaces. This disrupted the traditional hospitality industry and tapped into a new market of travelers seeking unique, affordable accommodations.
Tesla: Rather than just producing another car, Tesla focused on electric vehicles combined with luxury, performance, and innovative technology, carving out a significant niche in the auto industry.

Porter’s Five Forces Examples:

Threat of New Entrants (Soft Drink Industry): Despite the dominance of giants like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, new brands like LaCroix have emerged, capitalizing on the trend towards healthier, unsweetened beverages.
Bargaining Power of Buyers (Streaming Services): With multiple streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Disney+, consumers have the power to choose, switch, or even subscribe to multiple services based on content offerings.
Threat of Substitute Products (Fast Food Industry): Traditional fast-food chains like McDonald’s and Burger King face threats from new fast-casual chains like Chipotle or Panera, which offer perceived healthier or higher quality options.
Bargaining Power of Suppliers (Aircraft Manufacturers): Companies like Boeing and Airbus dominate the aircraft manufacturing industry. Airlines have limited choices when purchasing large commercial airplanes, giving significant bargaining power to these manufacturers.
Rivalry Among Existing Competitors (Smartphone Industry): The intense rivalry between Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy series, along with other players like Google’s Pixel and OnePlus, constantly drives innovation and competitive pricing.

Key Takeaways:

Blue Ocean Strategy offers a proactive approach, encouraging companies to seek uncontested markets and create new demand by offering unique value propositions.
Porter’s Five Forces provides a useful framework for analyzing the competitive dynamics within existing industries, helping companies understand their competitive position and make informed decisions.
Blue Ocean Strategy is about breaking away from competition and creating new value, while Porter’s Five Forces is about understanding the competitive forces already at play.
Both concepts are valuable tools for businesses, and the choice between them depends on the specific strategic objectives and the nature of the industry in which the organization operates.

Key Highlights:

Blue Ocean Strategy focuses on creating new, uncontested markets (blue oceans) through value innovation, making competition irrelevant.
Porter’s Five Forces evaluates the competitive landscape of an existing industry by analyzing five core forces that determine its attractiveness and competition level.
Both strategies aim for a competitive advantage but approach it differently. Blue Ocean looks for untapped markets, while Porter’s model assesses existing competition.
Market Analysis is central to both approaches; Blue Ocean seeks new opportunities, while Porter’s evaluates existing market dynamics.
While Blue Ocean encourages long-term exploration of new possibilities, Porter’s Five Forces is more immediate, focusing on current industry dynamics.
In essence, Blue Ocean is about innovation and breaking away from the norm, while Porter’s Five Forces is about understanding and navigating existing competition.