Abstract: The study delved on analyzing the competitive position of the spa and massage clinics in the cities of the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines using Porter’s five forces model. As this industry has begun flourishing in the recent years, the researcher became interested in further identifying its strengths and weaknesses and opportunities in consideration for a personal business venture. The results derived from the study can be important to would-be entrepreneurs and those currently engaged in this business especially in their decision-making processes. This research paper used the descriptive research design which involved thirty-eight spa and massage clinics in the four key cities in Nueva Ecija. In analyzing the level of competition, Porter’s five forces framework was employed using the Likert scale with the verbal analogy from very low, low, moderate, high, to very high. Findings revealed that the threat of entry of new competitors got a high score from the respondents. This indicates that this kind of undertaking can still be lucrative under the current setup. Bargaining power of therapists was moderate which suggested that therapists may still hang on to their job. Threat of substitute services was high; an indication that such can be easily duplicated, hence of little difference. Rivalry among competing firms was high which could signal the existence of competition between the industry players. Survey further revealed that consistency and attitude of massage therapists defines the future of this sector.
Keywords: Porter’s five forces model; spa and massage clinics; massage therapists; competitive position; bargaining power; substitute; rivalry.
Title: Spa and Massage Clinics in Nueva Ecija, Philippines: Competitive Position Using Porter’s Five Forces Model
Author: Mercedes D. Santos
International Journal of Thesis Projects and Dissertations (IJTPD)
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