Know Thy Enemy: A Review and Agenda for Research on Competitor Identification:

Competitor identification, a core element of competitive dynamics, has been of long-standing interest to researchers in management and related disciplines. This broad interest has resulted in various definitions and conceptualizations of competitor identification as well as various approaches to studying it, which impairs the integration of existing knowledge aimed at answering vital questions regarding its nature, processes, and implications. To help researchers confront the complexities underlying this phenomenon, we identify, review, and organize theory and research on competitor identification across the management, marketing, and industrial organization economics disciplines. Based on our review, we organize the identified literature into four perspectives on competitor identification labeled as industry-oriented, strategic groups–oriented, manager-oriented, and customer-oriented. For each of these perspectives, we also identify major research streams and these streams’ foci and contributions. Buildi...