The information on issues described above should be analyzed to isolate the critical factors on which success in the industry depends. In any business, there are usually about five to ten factors with a decisive effect on performance. As a matter of fact, in some industries one single factor may be the key to success. For example, in the airline industry, with its high fixed costs, a high load factor is critical to success. In the automobile industry, a strong dealer network is a key success factor because the manufacturer’s sales crucially depend on the dealer’s ability to finance a wide range of model choices and offer competitive prices to the customer.
In relation to bargain holidays and / or package holidays, or in a commodity component market, such as switches, timers, and relays, both market share and profitability are heavily influenced by product range. An engineer who is designing circuitry normally reaches for the thickest catalog with the richest product selection. In this industry, therefore, the manufacturer with a wide selection can collect more share points with only a meager sales force.