The price of prescription medicine is high, partly because when someone is sick there is
no real alternative to buying medicine if they want to get better. Which of Porter’s five
forces explains how this aspect of the prescription medicine industry helps keep
profitability high?
A) Rivalry among existing firms
B) Threat of new entrants
C) Threat of substitutes
D) Bargaining power of buyers
E) Bargaining power of suppliers
Answer:
Shelly Brunner owns a sports-themed restaurant which is located in an upscale business
district in Chicago. One advantage that Shelly has is that she bought the lot she built her
restaurant on 25 years ago when lots in the area were selling for $50,000. Shelly knows
that several potential competitors have looked at bare lots near his business but haven’t
been willing to pay the asking prices, which are as high as $500,000. Which of the six
major sources of barriers to entry is causing a disincentive for new firms to enter
Shelly’s industry?
A) Capital requirements
B) Economies of scale
C) Product differentiation
D) Government and legal barriers
E) Cost advantage independent of size