以下是高顿网校小编为学员整理的：p3商务分析，供学员参考。
 
　　BENCHMARKING
　　Benchmarking can be thought of as a scientific way of setting objectives that will act as targets before and during the operating period, and comparators during and after the period
　　Benchmarking can be defined as: 'The establishment, by the collection of data, of comparators that allow relative levels of performance to be identified.’
　　Benchmarking can be thought of as a scientific way of setting objectives that will act as targets before and during the operating period, and comparators during and after the period. The phrase ‘by the collection of data’ is crucial: anyone can establish objectives without the collection of data, but these will be of little use because they are likely to be arbitrary and without any validity. Benchmark data validates objectives.
　　The sources of data that can be used include internal data (for example, comparing the results of different branches), data about other companies (for example, those in the same industry) and government data (for example, data about employee sick days). We will examine the sources of data in more detail later.
 
　　BENCHMARKING AND THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
　　Benchmarking can be used in all three steps of the classical, rational model of strategic planning:
　　Assess the strategic position (internal and external factors)Frequently, strategic planning starts by defining the mission or mission statement. For example, BMW states that its mission is: ‘The BMW Group is the world’s leading provider of premium products and premium services for individual mobility.’
　　So, without comparison through benchmarking, how does BMW know that it is delivering premium products and services?
　　Assessment of an organisation’s current strategic position can be summarised in a SWOT analysis. However, the use of comparators is inherent in a SWOT analysis: if you can say that something is a ‘weakness’ or a ‘strength’ you must be carrying out some sort of comparison when making that value judgement. Similarly with opportunities and threats. A factor is a threat to us only because it is better or stronger than we are in that area – whether it is an organisation that is better financed, or one that produces products more cheaply, or a technological development that promises a better product in terms of cost-benefit, or an organisation that has a stronger brand name.
　　Note that a benchmarking exercise can also highlight where a competitor’s performance is weaker and so point out the areas where that competitor is vulnerable and might be fruitfully attacked. For example, if it is found that the quality and reliability of a competitor’s products are inferior to one’s own products, then an advertising campaign emphasising quality of our products could be effective.
　　In all cases, the SWOT analysis should be based as far as possible on facts; data that has been collected and transformed into benchmark standards.
　　Consider strategies and make choices Chosen strategies are those that should lead to competitive advantage.
　　According to Michael Porter, competitive advantage can be obtained through either cost leadership or differentiation (each with or without focus). If cost leadership is to be attained, then an organisation must know what costs it needs to beat. What are competitors’ costs? What are the benchmarks for cost leadership? If the organisation has little hope of equalling or bettering those costs, then cost leadership is not a sensible strategy to attempt.
　　Similarly with differentiation. This strategy is always more complex than cost leadership, where the main criterion is simply to lower unit costs while maintaining average quality. Differentiation, however, can be attained in a multitude of ways: quality, brand, style, innovation. Whatever the secret of differentiation is, it must be something that beats the competition – better quality, stronger brand attributes, better style or more radical innovation. Once again, measuring how competitors perform in these metrics is essential.
　　Strategic implementation (strategy into action) Setting objectives is a major tool for implementing a strategy. Strategic plans are often communicated by issuing budgets to divisions, departments and individuals and, of course, budgets consist of objectives or targets. However, budgets have to be both challenging (to stay competitive and generate motivation) and attainable (to be taken seriously). Once again, an assessment of potential attainability should be based on the results that other organisations achieve, and so budget targets need to be benchmarked against these.
　　Therefore, benchmarking can be used to:
　　· push people in the directions where improvement is required
　　· provide measures as to whether that required performance has been attained or to indicate what improvement is still needed.
 
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