Determining a Firm's Linear Market Position: In Search of an Effective Methodology

As the environment has become more dynamic, management has been forced to compete at consistently higher levels. One area where management and researchers have apparently not maximized their intellectual capital is on the topic of positioning. Positioning is determining how the firm wants to be viewed relative to major competitors. The primary focus of existing efforts on positioning has been the use of positioning/perceptual maps to determine a firm's multiattribute/multidimensional position. Although these maps do provide quality data, they ignore the fact that consumers also holistically rank competing firms on a linear or hierarchical continuum. The objectives of this article include proposing a typology and a methodology for measuring a firm's linear market position. In addition, the author desires to begin a dialogue that would lead to a valid, reliable, and commonly used means of measuring a firm's position.