A&W outlets are spreading all over the malls in major and minor cities to compete with 2 giant competitors, KFC and McDonald's.

Faced with giant competitors, it decided in 1963 to bottle much of its output as a single malt at a time when few were on the market.

By the time Procter finished introducing its cookie around the country, it already had two giant competitors.

Challenging patent licensing companies is not a common strategy except for giant competitors like Microsoft.

Now, Mr. Manning says that for him to score big, his giant competitors just need to keep doing business the way they always have.

Until recently, these carriers had vehemently opposed giving A.T.&T. more pricing freedom, fearing that their giant competitor would use the power to crush them.

Just as a lightweight judo master can defeat a larger opponent, they argue, a small company can challenge giant competitors.

On that, if on nothing else, the new independent bakers are seconded by their giant competitors.

"Our giant competitors make smooth, bland beers that are aimed to be offensive to no one," Mr. Matt said.

But, industry analysts say, the two can now begin negotiating jointly for hardcover-paperback rights to books - the sort of thing increasingly done by their giant competitors.