Here are a number of industries and organizations which I’ve plotted against the Predictable Success lifecycle (you can use the glossary links below for more info if you’re not familiar with the seven Predictable Success stages).
Notice that competitive advantage occurs when a specific organization is closer to Predictable Success than the industry of which they are a part (see Jetblue / airline industry and JP Morgan / financial services as examples).
Where would you place Ford – part of the ailing auto industry? Amazon in context of the eBook industry?
Where is your industry on the lifecycle, and where does your organization fit? Are you closer to Predictable Success than your industry as a whole, or further away?
Identify which stage your business is currently in using this simple quiz: LifeCycleQuiz.com