The effect of competitive forces on the determination of production strategies: A manufacturing business case

Strategic management is a functional management model that eliminates uncertainties by determining the goals, objectives and course of action of the enterprise, motivates the employees of the enterprise, offers the most effective solution to the problems of the organization, clarifies the roadmap to be followed by planning the future activities, and allows the enterprise to analyze its internal and external environment. In a global environment where competition conditions are getting heavier day by day in a rapidly changing world; It is clear that individuals, businesses and all organizations need to think strategically and make strategic decisions more than ever in order to survive. M. Porter states that the factors in the form of current competitors, potential competitors, suppliers, customers and substitutes in the market, which he named as the five power model, are important factors that should be taken into account in the strategic decisions of the enterprises. The study was carried out for a company that was established in Düzce and operates in the field of exterior cladding in the construction sector. Qualitative research method was used in the study, and interview technique was used as a data collection tool. Interviews were conducted face-to-face with the middle and upper level managers of the enterprise using a semi-structured interview form. The qualitative data obtained were evaluated with the descriptive analysis technique. In this study, it is aimed to explain how and in what way the company is affected by the five factors while forming its production strategies, and to examine which production strategies can be developed against these factors and continue its existence in the sector. According to the qualitative findings obtained as a result of the research, it has been concluded that the business has developed various strategies against each of the factors in M. Porter's five power model and is affected by each factor and tries to maintain its presence in the market by developing its production strategies in this direction. In the study, it has also been determined that the forces that shape/influence the production strategies the most are the suppliers and the customers, and the power that affects the least is the substitutes.