Case 2-2: ZipCar
Section 1, Analysis: ZipCar is a great example of a company that was able to take
advantage of a quickly developing technological landscape and leverage a core
competency in IT in order to disrupt the car-rental industry whilst arguably creating the
market for quick-rental cars. ZipCar knew that there would be a great opportunity in this
space, but they needed to find a way to information resources (chapter 2) in order to garner
a competitive advantage that would make their business model less replicable to
competitors or new entrants. Essentially, they identified that a proprietary mix of
technology would result in a valuable IT asset (chapter 2) that would give them said
advantage. ZipCar was able to create a car and experience that was as modern as the
industry itself, making them truly a company of the future with great vision. In addition to
cars that utilized IT to communicate a plethora of information, they leveraged their IT
savvy to create a marketing effort centered on social media and a brand community that
created measurable social capital (chapter 2). ZipCar would almost certainly not have been
as successful without their portfolio of information resources and capabilities that set them
apart from the competition and sustained that advantage.
Section 2, Questions: 1. Competitive Rivalry: In this area, ZipCar is facing competitors
already in the car renting industry, like Enterprise, whom not only offer substitutes to car
sharing but also have started their own car sharing program; while also facing newer
companies like car2go. ZipCar’s information resources allowed for them to protect
