5. Bargaining Power of the Supplier.
The ability of those who supply the firm with essentials to influence its behavior. Cafferky argues well that for churches, these “suppliers” are “charismatic celebrity visionaries, religiously affiliated institutions of higher education, professional associations, denominational leaders, congregational members, organizational founders and even secular influentials in the wider culture” (23).
Where any of these forces are stronger than the firm itself, he argues, the firm’s strategy/behavior will be under pressure to yield in ways that tend to make it less successful. Because this is so similar in principle to the previous force, I don’t see the need to expand further. Perhaps the real question is: What is motivating your church?
When you discuss changes — or no changes — among yourselves, from where do your evidences come? Do they come from your “consumers” or from your “suppliers”? And to what degree? Is your church completely dominated and driven by outside market forces?
There are no answers in Porter’s Five Forces for Analysis; there are only questions to raise. Porter has only suggested a framework for analyzing and evaluating. However, the analysis should lead to conclusions about the way your church “does business.”
Sometimes putting a picture into a new frame really helps us see the picture differently enough to truly re-evaluate. I’ve tried to raise a few of the questions about how we do church really just to stimulate your thinking.
I’d love to hear your questions or your conclusions. Seeking first the kingdom of God is where our hearts are, and our prayer is for wisdom
