1. Can any firm beat Amazon in the marketplace? If not, why not? If so, how can they best do so? How formidable a competitor is Google for Amazon? Please explain. Consider:
   1. What are Amazon's greatest strengths?
   2. Does it have any weaknesses? Please explain.
   3. Is Jet.com a potential concern for Amazon? Why or why not?
2. Given the importance of understanding the external environment:
   1. Why do some public companies fail to do so? Please provide examples of firms that did not understand their external environment.
   2. What were the implications of the firm's failure to understand that environment?