Competitive Position
An enabling factor in the industrial revolution was the development of large scale metal-making technology.  The emergence of commercial plastics in the early 1900s changed the dynamics of materials competition.  More recently, the manufacture of silicon integrated circuits has enabled the information revolution.  In all three cases, materials and manufacturing technologies irrevocably changed society, simultaneously creating business wealth.

Regardless of industry, one reality is common to all of our clients:

	The number of possible technology options is great
	The resources to pursue these options are limited

We add value to our clients by helping them to understand the shifting competitive position of technology driving changes of the types introduced above.  There are three primary elements of competitive position, each of which IBIS addresses with a quantitative methodology.

Cost position
Methodology: simulation via Technical Cost Modeling (TCM)

Performance position
Methodology: assessment via cost-performance tradeoff Multi-Attribute Utility Analysis (MAUA)

Market position
Methodology: characterization via market size/growth analysis and supply chain profiling

The understanding of competitive position early in the decision-making cycle enables the formation of a technology strategy.  One definition of a technology strategy is the deployment of resources to develop one or more technology paths.  This deployment may take many forms including those listed below, either individually or in combination.

	Internal development
	License
	Joint venture
	Acquisition

The typical result of an IBIS study is a set of actionable recommendations delivered to senior management as part of an executive briefing.