Construct · 1 fields · 3 citations

moat: a standalone construct

One name. One construct. A landmark on the map.

● anchor · a standalone construct Nearest construct by meaningbarriercompare the meanings
How to read this

Every construct on the map is compared with every other by the meaning of its definitions, and the closest one is surfaced here. The nearest construct to moat is barrier.

Hold this as a prompt, not a verdict. Two constructs sitting close in meaning is a reason to read them side by side and decide for yourself whether they are one idea under two names. It is not proof that they are. Compare the meanings in the Collider.

moat1 CONSTRUCTEconomic moatBAIN · ENTRY BARRIER

A single standalone construct; nearby constructs are located against it in the Collider. Tap a field for its definition, unit, and measures.

Business strategy and economics

A durable barrier protecting a firm's profits

In competitive strategy, a moat is a lasting barrier that protects a firm's profits from rivals and new entrants, so an advantage persists rather than being competed away. Bain's 1956 Barriers to New Competition gave the first systematic account of the conditions, such as scale economies, product differentiation, and absolute cost advantages, that keep new firms out of an industry. Porter's 1980 Competitive Strategy made entry barriers central to industry analysis, and Barney's 1991 work tied durable advantage to resources that rivals cannot easily copy. The word here is a metaphor for these economic barriers and names nothing physical: not a trench around a castle, nor a hollow around a volcano.[1][2][3]

Unit
One firm's protected competitive position, gauged by how long its excess returns last
Recovery means
Not applicable
Measured by
Studied through profit persistence, market-share stability, and indicators of entry barriers such as scale, differentiation, and switching costs

Next

Run it through the Collider, or take the citations with you.

See how moat sits against neighbouring constructs in the Collider, or export every reference on this page in one click.

Open in ColliderExport BibTeXReport this entry

Nearby constructs

competitive advantage4 names · 5 citationsjangle · one edge, rival explanationsbarrier4 fields · 7 citationsjingle · one word, four constructsstrategy4 fields · 4 citationsjingle · one word, four constructs

References

  1. Bain, J. S. (1956). Barriers to new competition. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674062009
  2. Porter, M. E. (1980). Competitive strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors. New York, NY: Free Press.
  3. Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108

Cited on this page?

Confirm your construct, or correct us.

If your work is cited behind one of these entries, you know better than we do whether we captured the meaning right. Confirm it, suggest an edit, or dispute it, and your name goes on the entry as an author who has checked it, linked to your ORCID.

Claim your construct