of at least some of its business. Naturally, P&G must also constantly contend with the bargaining power of both customers and suppliers. Shocks can occur at any time that might make resources more scarce and, hence, increase the bargaining power of suppliers who have retained their access to these resources. Similarly, shocks can profoundly affect demand, which may empower consumers. Of course, P&G's competitive rivalry is also contingent upon its innovative approaches to production and marketing. As Procter & Gamble spends more money on marketing than any other company (Answers.com, 2010), it is doing fairly well.
Despite its strength in the market, Procter & Gamble has a number of competitors in the market. In female beauty products, for example, P&G must compete with the likes of Unilever, Avon, Colgate, Playtex, and Estee Lauder. These companies all enjoy a competitive edge: whereas some may have the advantage in terms of brand recognition, others have prospered as the result of strong distribution networks, ubiquitous international presence, or appeal to key, exclusive demographics. Although these competitors may pose a threat to P&G's profits, they too face similar difficulties to P&G in terms of macro-environmental factors and general economic shocks.
In the last decade, consumer trends showed a distinct rise in the sale of men's products. Various continge
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