Strategy framework library

SWOT and TOWSStrategic diagnosis

Separate internal strengths and weaknesses from external opportunities and threats. Pair them into actions, such as using a strength to pursue an opportunity, then rank the actions by evidence and reversibility.

PESTLE analysisStrategic diagnosis

Scan political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental change. For each relevant signal, write the mechanism, timing and decision it affects.

Porter’s Five ForcesCompetition

Define the industry, then assess rivalry, entrants, substitutes, and the bargaining power of buyers and suppliers. Identify which force can change price, cost or investment requirements.

Value chain analysisCompetition

Map primary activities and supporting capabilities from inputs through service. Locate where cost accumulates or customers perceive difference, then inspect links between activities.

VRIOCompetition

Ask whether a capability creates value, is rare, is costly to imitate, and is supported by the organisation. Test each condition against evidence.

Strategic group mappingCompetition

Plot competitors on two dimensions that shape buying or cost. Look for groups and the capabilities or investments required to move between them.

Value net and complementorsCompetition

Map buyers, suppliers, competitors and complementors. Ask whether a partnership grows total value and who can capture the gains.

Game theory and payoff matricesCompetition

Specify players, feasible actions and payoffs under each combination. Find each player's best response, then test what changes under repeated play or uncertainty.

Strategy DiamondStrategic diagnosis

Define where to compete, how to enter, how to win, in what sequence and why it makes money. Check that the choices reinforce one another.

Playing to Win choice cascadeStrategic diagnosis

Translate a winning aspiration into choices about where to play and how to win. Identify required capabilities and the systems that will reinforce them.

Rumelt strategy kernelStrategic diagnosis

Name the governing challenge, state the guiding approach, then choose actions that work together against that challenge.

Ansoff matrixGrowth

Classify growth options by existing or new products and markets. Identify which customer or product assumptions are new and design a staged test.

Three HorizonsGrowth

Separate improvements to today’s core, scaling of emerging businesses and exploration of future options. Give each a suitable budget, milestone and review cadence.

BCG growth-share matrixPortfolio and deals

Map business units by market growth and relative share against the largest competitor. Use the positions to frame questions about investment and cash generation.

GE–McKinsey nine-boxPortfolio and deals

Score industry attractiveness and business strength using explicit criteria and weights. Compare opportunities and test whether plausible weight changes alter their rank.

ADL matrix and industry life cyclePortfolio and deals

Combine the stage of an industry’s life cycle with the strength of the business’s competitive position. Use that pairing to discuss investment posture.

CAGE distance frameworkGrowth

Compare the cultural, administrative, geographic and economic distance between the home and target markets. Translate distance into changes to cost or customer response.

TAM, SAM and SOMGrowth

Estimate total relevant demand, the portion your model can serve, and the share realistically obtainable within a stated period. Reconcile top-down and bottom-up estimates.