Which analytical framework is most effective at uncovering latent, indirect competitors negatively impacting market share?

The analytical framework most effective at uncovering latent, indirect competitors negatively impacting market share is a 'jobs-to-be-done' (JTBD) analysis. This framework shifts the focus from who the direct competitors are (companies offering similar products or services) to what 'job' the customer is hiring the product or service to do. Latent or indirect competitors are those that fulfill the same customer 'job' in a different way, often unnoticed because they operate in seemingly unrelated industries or offer completely different types of solutions. For instance, if the 'job' a customer is hiring a project management software to do is 'coordinate team tasks efficiently,' a seemingly unrelated solution like enhanced email management with advanced calendaring and task delegation features could serve as an indirect competitor. JTBD involves understanding the customer's underlying need, the triggers that cause them to seek a solution, and the progress they hope to achieve. By identifying all potential solutions (including unconventional ones) that satisfy that 'job,' the entrepreneur can gain a complete view of the competitive landscape, including those competitors who are subtly eroding market share by offering alternative ways to fulfill the same underlying customer need. Traditional competitive analysis, which primarily focuses on direct competitors, often overlooks these crucial indirect threats.