Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Appliquées à la Gestion

Abstract The objective of this research is to explore the relationship between the competitive situation and the launching strategy of a new product. It also aims to study the internal structure of the competitive situation. Competition situation is apprehended with 4 variables: strategic similarity, multimarket competition, market concentration and competition intensity (the first three being perceived as antecedents of the last). Launching strategy, strategic similarity and competition intensity have two internal dimensions: a strategic and a tactical one. Using a questionnaire, data was collected from 140 managers involved in the recent launching of a new product in France. The findings confirmed that competition intensity depends partially on other variables of the competition situation, and that the latter exert an influence on the structure of the launching strategy. These relations vary considerably, according to the sub-dimensions of the variables. However, other antecedents of competition intensity on the one hand and of the launching strategy structure on the other hand, are to be sought beyond the simple competition situation.