Which term describes a resource access that gives a firm long-term value because rivals cannot easily obtain it?

• A. Switching costs
• B. Cornered resource
• C. Counter-positioning
• D. New entrant advantage

Answer: (B)

A cornered resource captures the idea of exclusive access to a scarce asset that competitors cannot easily obtain or imitate. When a firm controls this resource—whether through unique access, strong contracts, rare capabilities, or privileged position—it creates a durable value edge because rivals face high barriers to acquiring something comparable. This makes the advantage long-lasting, since imitation or substitution becomes costly or impractical.

Switching costs describe how hard customers would find it to switch to another provider, not how a firm controls a critical resource. Counter-positioning is about adopting a strategy that undermines rivals by changing approaches, not about exclusive resource access. New entrant advantage refers to benefits that new players might enjoy, which isn’t about an incumbent’s durable resource access either.