While a company must live with many of these factors because they are built into industry economics it may have some latitude for improving matters through strategic shifts. For example, it may try to raise buyers' switching costs or increase product differentiation. A focus on selling efforts in the fastest-growing segments of the industry or on market areas with the lowest fixed costs can reduce the impact of industry rivalry If it is feasible. a company can try to avoid confrontation with competitors having high exit barriers and can thus sidestep involvement in bitter price cutting.