Title: Dynamic strategic groups' analysis and identification of mobility barriers in the European mobile phone industry

Authors: Mónica García-Ochoa Mayor; Nuria Bajo Davó; Félix Roux Martínez

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, Complutense University of Madrid, Campus de Somosaguas, Pabellón de Tercero, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28.223 Madrid, Spain ' Department of Finance, Autonoma University of Madrid, c/Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 5, Carretera de Colmenar Viejo km 15, 28.049 Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain ' Department of Engineering of Organization, Business Administration and Statistics, Polytechnic University of Madrid, c/José Gutierrez Abascal, 2, 28.006 Madrid, Spain

Abstract: This paper studies the dynamic aspects of strategic groups in the European mobile phone industry. We study the evolution of the groups between the years 2006 and 2011, i.e., before and during the economic crisis. We also attempt to identify those competitive variables which act as mobility barriers in the industry. The results reveal that although the number of groups remains the same, some of these groups change in their internal composition and characterisation. A low level of firm mobility is found. Mobility was higher between similar groups than between dissimilar ones. The main mobility barriers between groups are the size and the economies of scale. The mobile operators have not changed their strategy throughout the periods, and consequently the economic decline has not influenced their generic competitive strategies.

Keywords: dynamic analysis; Europe; mobile phone industry; mobility barriers; strategic groups; mobile phones; cell phones; group size; economies of scale; competitive strategies.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2016.078566

International Journal of Technology Management, 2016 Vol.71 No.3/4, pp.253 - 277

Accepted: 11 Nov 2015
Published online: 24 Aug 2016 *

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