Few would argue that in order for a business to sustain its success, there has to be value beyond the mere product or service it brings to the market place. Every business has intrinsic value embedded within its assets. Some of these might be overt while others might be hidden and less obvious. Here are a few examples: the holder of a patent, a great URL for a website, or a retail store's location would be considered remarkable key resources.

Hypothetical Business Scenario

Since 2010, you have been the marketing manager for Tyres, a well known brand of tires for the automotive industry. Tyres focuses on providing tires for the personal (not commercial) vehicle market and you have been overseeing the brand's general marketing and promotional activities.

Recently, Tyres was purchased by Interbrand, a multinational conglomerate of consumer products. Interbrand is interested in increasing marketshare in all their markets and as part of Interbrand's expansion strategy, your new vice president (Mulan) asked you to identify Tyres' key resources. Mulan wants you to focus on the brand's key resources which add to Tyres' competitive advantage. Mulan will be including your report in a presentation he's making to senior management.

Conversation Questions

• How would you go about identifying the key resources which separate Tyres from their competition?
• Which key resources represent a sustainable competitive advantage and are not easily replicated by Tyres' rivals in its marketplaces?