Final answer:
IBM and Microsoft would be least likely to be examined together in competitive analysis due to their differences in product offerings and target markets.
Step-by-step explanation:
In competitive analysis, companies are typically examined together based on their similarities and relevance to the industry. The pair of companies that would be least likely to be examined together in competitive analysis is c. IBM and Microsoft.
Although both companies are tech giants, they operate in different sectors - IBM focuses on hardware, software, and services, while Microsoft primarily focuses on software and cloud services.
Therefore, their products and target markets differ significantly, making them less likely to be analyzed together for competitive analysis.