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Study Guide: The Core of a Business - Key Activities & Resources (Business)
Source: https://www.fatskills.com/crash-course/chapter/the-core-of-a-business-key-activities-resources-business

The Core of a Business - Key Activities & Resources (Business)

By Fatskills Exam Guides Team — the exam nerds behind 28,500+ quizzes and 2.1M practice questions across 500+ global exams.

⏱️ ~4 min read

Crash Course: The Core of a Business - Key Activities & Resources (Business)

Crash Course: The Core of a Business - Key Activities & Resources

Introduction Imagine you're the CEO of a company, and you're trying to figure out what makes your business tick. You've got a team of employees, a product or service, and a bunch of resources, but what are the essential things that keep your business running? Well, buckle up, folks, because we're about to dive into the core of a business - Key Activities & Resources.

The Core Idea Key Activities & Resources (KARs) are the essential things that a business needs to do to create value for its customers. It's like the engine of a car - without it, the car won't move. In this episode, we'll explore what KARs are, how they work, and why they're crucial for businesses to succeed.

Key Facts & Figures

  • The concept of Key Activities & Resources was first introduced by Michael Porter in his 1985 book "Competitive Advantage".
  • Porter identified three types of Key Activities: primary, secondary, and support activities.
  • Primary activities are the core things that a business needs to do to create value for its customers, such as marketing, sales, and production.
  • Secondary activities are the things that support primary activities, such as logistics and distribution.
  • Support activities are the things that enable a business to operate, such as human resources and finance.
  • In 2019, the global e-commerce market was worth $3.9 trillion.
  • The average American spends around 2 hours and 25 minutes per day on e-commerce websites.
  • The top 5 e-commerce countries in the world are China, the United States, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
  • The most popular e-commerce platforms are Amazon, eBay, and Shopify.
  • In 2020, the global retail market was worth $25.3 trillion.
  • The retail market is expected to grow to $34.7 trillion by 2025.
  • The average retail store has around 20,000 products on its shelves.
  • The most popular retail channels are online, followed by brick-and-mortar stores.
  • The top 5 retail industries are food and beverages, clothing and accessories, electronics, home goods, and health and beauty.

Thought Bubble Imagine you're the owner of a small bakery. You've got a team of bakers, a kitchen, and a bunch of ingredients, but what are the essential things that keep your bakery running? Well, let's break it down step by step.

First, you need to source high-quality ingredients. This means finding reliable suppliers of flour, sugar, and butter. You need to develop a recipe that will make your customers happy. This means experimenting with different combinations of ingredients to create the perfect loaf of bread. Once you've got your recipe, you need to produce the bread. This means mixing, kneading, and baking the dough to create a delicious loaf. Finally, you need to sell the bread. This means marketing your bakery to potential customers and creating a sales strategy that will drive sales.

Why This Matters

  • Understanding Key Activities & Resources is crucial for businesses to succeed.
  • KARs help businesses to identify their strengths and weaknesses.
  • KARs enable businesses to create a competitive advantage.
  • KARs are essential for businesses to innovate and stay ahead of the competition.
  • KARs help businesses to make strategic decisions.
  • KARs are critical for businesses to create value for their customers.
  • KARs are essential for businesses to survive and thrive in a rapidly changing market.

Crash Course Recap

  • Key Activities & Resources are the essential things that a business needs to do to create value for its customers.
  • KARs were first introduced by Michael Porter in 1985.
  • There are three types of Key Activities: primary, secondary, and support activities.
  • Primary activities are the core things that a business needs to do to create value for its customers.
  • Secondary activities are the things that support primary activities.
  • Support activities are the things that enable a business to operate.
  • The global e-commerce market was worth $3.9 trillion in 2019.
  • The average American spends around 2 hours and 25 minutes per day on e-commerce websites.
  • The top 5 e-commerce countries in the world are China, the United States, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
  • The most popular e-commerce platforms are Amazon, eBay, and Shopify.
  • The global retail market was worth $25.3 trillion in 2020.
  • The retail market is expected to grow to $34.7 trillion by 2025.
  • The average retail store has around 20,000 products on its shelves.
  • The most popular retail channels are online, followed by brick-and-mortar stores.

Quiz Yourself

  1. What is the name of the book that first introduced the concept of Key Activities & Resources? a) "Competitive Advantage" b) "The 4 Ps" c) "Marketing Management" d) "The Lean Startup"

Answer: a) "Competitive Advantage"

  1. What are the three types of Key Activities? a) Primary, secondary, and support activities b) Marketing, sales, and production c) Logistics, distribution, and finance d) Human resources, finance, and operations

Answer: a) Primary, secondary, and support activities

  1. What is the global e-commerce market worth in 2019? a) $1 trillion b) $3.9 trillion c) $5 trillion d) $10 trillion

Answer: b) $3.9 trillion

  1. What is the average American's daily e-commerce usage? a) 1 hour and 15 minutes b) 2 hours and 25 minutes c) 3 hours and 30 minutes d) 4 hours and 45 minutes

Answer: b) 2 hours and 25 minutes

  1. What is the expected growth of the retail market by 2025? a) $25.3 trillion b) $30.5 trillion c) $34.7 trillion d) $40 trillion

Answer: c) $34.7 trillion