Competition

Competing is as natural as breathing and although the competitive process is not always enjoyable, winning is one of the most pleasurable human sensations. The desire to be a winner, to gain the prize or to succeed makes the effort or the pain of competing worthwhile. Competition pervades every aspect of personal, institutional and corporate activity. As individuals we spend our lives competing for success in school, in sport, for jobs, for partners and for recognition. Political parties compete for voters, government departments compete for funds, societies compete for members, charities compete for donations, tourist attractions compete for visitors and companies compete for customers. There are those for whom competition is a major reason for living; they are said to ‘thrive on competition’. There are others who, in the interest of a quiet life, would prefer to get what they want without competing for it but, in the real world, they invariably find that it is impossible to avoid confrontation and competition completely. Companies would prefer not to compete, since doing so absorbs resources and reduces margins, but they recognise that competition is almost inevitable and, whether explicit or implicit, methods of dealing with competitors are an integral part of their business strategies.