Final answer:
Information has become a competitive advantage as it provides marketers with detailed insights into the market and customer needs, benefiting marketing strategies in an increasingly globalized and competitive landscape.
Step-by-step explanation:
The competitive advantage of information arises from its ability to paint a comprehensive picture of the market, which is instrumental for marketing strategies and decision-making. Advances in information and communication technologies have deepened the globalization of markets and intensify competition. As such, information equips businesses with insights necessary to understand customer needs, anticipate market trends, and outperform competitors. Furthermore, the ubiquity of the internet and business-to-business platforms has enlarged the potential customer base for firms, necessitating the use of detailed information to successfully navigate these expanded markets.
While the availability of information through new technologies might suggest an increase in small business competitors due to their capability to reach wider markets, it also enables large firms to dominate by managing extensive operations and benefiting from "winner-take-all" markets. Thus, information has not only become a competitive advantage but also a crucial asset that can dictate the scale and scope of firms within the marketplace.
Businesses now must consider the heightened level of competition from afar, making the collation and analysis of market information a critical business function. Hence, option B, which emphasizes information providing a clear market picture for marketers, most effectively encapsulates why information has evolved into a competitive advantage.