Final answer:
A firm that uses a defender strategy focuses on offering a stable product line to a predictable market, concentrating on its core competency, and may distinguish its offerings as differentiated products.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Miles and Snow, a firm using a defender strategy is one that offers a limited but stable product line to a predictable market. Businesses often find success when they focus on their core competency, that is, concentrating on one or a few products that they do well, rather than trying to offer a wide range of products.
This practice is aligned with the defender strategy, which involves having a well-established set of products and services which are catered to a stable customer base.
Firms with this strategy may not be the pioneers in product/market developments nor do they emphasize high volume sales or sell to high-growth markets at the expense of losing a grip on their substantial mature markets.
Instead, their products may become differentiated products, which are distinct due to physical characteristics, location, intangible aspects, and product perceptions that set them apart from competitors' offerings.