Strategic analysis goal principles results. Strategic analysis - what is it? External strategic analysis

The means of transforming the data obtained in the process of analyzing the environment into a plan for the organization's strategy is strategic analysis. Its tools are quantitative methods, formal models and the study of the specifics of a given organization. Typically, strategic analysis goes through two stages - a comparative one, when the gap between the organization's targets and real opportunities is analyzed, and identifying strategic alternatives, when possible options development of this organization. This is followed by the final stage of strategy development, the selection of the most appropriate option and the preparation of a strategic plan.

The first way of analysis

Gap analysis is quite simple, and it is an effective method in management when the first stage of strategic analysis is carried out. Its purpose is to determine the gap between the desires of the organization and its capabilities, and if such a gap exists, it is necessary to search for the most effective filling of it. Strategic Analysis requires a certain algorithm in the study of such a gap.

First you need to identify the main interest of the company, which is expressed in terms of strategic planning. Increasing sales, for example. Further, real opportunities are clarified, a strategic analysis of the environment is carried out and the future state of the organization is projected, for example, in five years. It is necessary to define specific indicators in the strategic plan that would correspond to the main interests of the company. Then the difference between the identified indicators and the possibilities dictated by the real state of affairs is established. And, finally, special programs are being developed that contain ways to fill this gap.

The second way of analysis

The second way to conduct a gap analysis involves determining the difference between extremely modest forecasts and the highest expectations. If, for example, management expects a twenty percent real rate of return on its capital invested, and research shows that the real rate is a maximum of fifteen percent, then a detailed discussion of fundraising and the necessary measures to fill that five percent gap is needed.

You can fill it in in different ways. It can be an increase in productivity to achieve the desired twenty percent, or the abandonment of ambition and satisfaction with fifteen. The last one is definitely a joke. But in any case, a strategic analysis of the organization will certainly make it necessary to find the right way to fill the existing gap between the desired and one's own capabilities.

classic model

One of the most powerful models of strategic analysis of an organization appeared back in 1926, when the dynamics of costs were already being studied and the experience curve was looming. In this method, the definition of a strategy and the achievement of an advantage through minimal costs are associated. How did the costs decrease if the volume of production increased? This was due to a number of specific factors. A deep internal strategic analysis of each of them was carried out. First of all, costs were reduced due to the expansion of production, in which new technologies almost always appear that give such an advantage. In parallel - the choice of the most effective way of organizing production and training of personnel with the transfer of such experience. In this way, the organization achieves economies of scale.

The experience curve is applied mainly in the field of material production. Accordingly, the purpose of strategic analysis is to identify the main direction of the organization's strategy. Usually this is to capture as much market share as possible, because only the largest of competitors have the opportunity to achieve the lowest costs, and therefore the highest profits. But the reduction in costs may not be associated solely with an increase in production. It is much more important to have high-tech equipment, which is designed for absolutely any production scale, including a very small one. Today, for example, modular equipment or computerization has penetrated literally everywhere, and this cannot but provide high performance. The main thing is to have opportunities for maneuvering, for quick restructuring in order to solve the most diverse and most specific tasks. This model, of course, eventually revealed shortcomings. The main one is the one that provides for taking into account only a single internal problem of the organization, and the strategic analysis of the external environment is not carried out at all (that is, the needs of customers are ignored, for example).

Market and life cycle

Strategic planning and strategic analysis cannot do without an analysis of market dynamics, for which it is necessary to apply a well-known model that, by analogy with the life cycle of a biological being, repeats the life cycle of any product. In the marketplace, a product also goes through major stages, each with its own level of distribution and many distinct marketing traits. For example, a new baby product is born and immediately enters life, that is, the market, where at first no great achievements are expected from it, that is, sales will be small, and manufacturers will focus only on growth.

This stage may be delayed, but if the baby is healthy and the products are of high quality, he will grow up quickly, and sales will increase. The second stage is the growth stage, requiring a different strategy. Next comes maturity: the strategy focuses on stability, because sales are stable. And finally, old age. The market is saturated with this product, a decline occurs, sales are declining, and therefore a reduction strategy is being developed. The purpose of this model is to determine the right strategy in business, tracking the path of products in the market step by step. Modifications of such life cycles a huge variety, it all depends on the type of product. But it is impossible to firmly tie modern strategic analysis to the life cycle model.

Products and market

In 1975, the eminent economist Steiner proposed new model, which is a kind of matrix with the classification of markets, as well as products that already exist, new, related to the existing, and completely new. This matrix can show different levels of risk and probability of successful production and profit, considering a variety of market and product combinations. This model is still used today to conduct strategic management analysis to determine the likelihood of success at the very beginning, when choosing a type of business, without losing the ability to see the ratio of investments for different units. All this means that it is possible to accurately form the organization's securities portfolio.

The development of strategic analysis takes place during the formation of portfolio models, since it is then that it becomes possible to predict both the present and the future of a starting business, to consider the attractiveness of the market and the ability of new products to compete on it. The first classic portfolio model came from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). With its help, the main positions of the new business were determined. There are four of them:

1. A highly competitive business designed for a fast growing market. The position is ideal - "star".

2. The business is also highly competitive, but created for markets that are already mature and saturated, even prone to stagnation. This is an excellent source of cash for the organization, which is called - "cash cow", "money bag".

3. Business without good competitive positions, but operating in a promising market. This is not yet a very well-defined future, with a question mark.

4. A business with a weak competitive position in a market that is stagnant. These are the outcasts of the business world.

Using the Boston Model

The BCG model is used to determine interrelated conclusions about the position of a business, about each of its business units within the organization and, of course, about the strategic perspectives. Using this matrix, the management of the organization forms a portfolio, since combinations of all capital investments in different industries and business units are determined. What else is good about this model: the BCG matrix offers various options for strategies. With an increase in market share and business growth, the "question mark" easily turns into a "star", and following the "cash cow" strategy, that is, while maintaining market share, the business will also retain revenues that are important for financial innovation and solving the problems facing each growing type of business.

The third option is the so-called "harvest", when the business receives a short-term profit share in the maximum size, even if it reduces the market share. This strategy is not for strong businesses. This is how the old "cows" and "question marks" act, which failed to become an exclamation. If opportunities to invest in a difficult business dry up, and the position still does not improve, there is a strategy for this case. The business is liquidated, and the proceeds are used in other industries.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of the BCG model are, firstly, that it can be used to analyze the relationships between all the business units that make up the organization, pursuing the most long term goals. Secondly, this model is able to analyze the various stages of development of the business as a whole and each of its business units. And the most important advantage: the model is simple and easy to understand, but nevertheless offers an excellent approach to collecting a business portfolio (that is, the organization's securities).

There are two disadvantages. The first is that with the help of this model, business opportunities are not always accurately assessed, not all opportunities are calculated. They may advise leaving the market, when not all internal and external changes have yet been completed, and the position of the business could still be straightened out and even move up to a successful one. For example, a certain farmer in the seventies barely and then went into fashion for organic products, and his business could become a "cash cow", but too late, he was sold, because the BCG model did not foresee this possibility. The second drawback is an excessive focus on cash flows (cash), and in fact they are almost always supported by investments, this way is much more efficient. The focus on ultra-fast growth is also not so good, because it does not see the possibilities of applying new and more effective management methods to improve the business.

Multi-factor matrix

This is a more sophisticated version of the portfolio model developed by McKinsey & Company, a well-known international consulting company that even operates in Russia. This matrix was ordered by the General Electric Corporation. Next to a simple portfolio model, a multi-factor matrix has many advantages and no less significant disadvantages.

First of all, it is taking into account the largest number of factors, both external and internal environment of the organization. But, using this model, it is also impossible to completely protect the analysis from erroneous conclusions. Perhaps that is why there are no specific behavioral recommendations for activities in a particular market. A subjective or distorted assessment of the position of a business in the market is also possible.

Purpose of strategic analysis

The main goal is to assess the largest impacts on the current and future position of the analyzed organization, it is equally important to determine the specific impact on the strategic choice. Based on the identified goals of the organization, the main tasks facing the organization are also determined, which will help to provide indicators for strategic planning (moreover, completely regardless of the nature of these indicators - whether it is financial or not).

This means that the first step in a strategic analysis will be to identify the following components: the main goal, main tasks, expectations and empowerment relationships within the organization. Against the background of the goal and the main tasks, it is much easier to formulate strategies and all the criteria by which they will have to be evaluated. In the goal - the whole meaning of the existence of the business and the nature of the organization. The main tasks are set and long-term, so that this goal is achieved.

External environment and internal

This is the second component of strategic analysis - where the organization exists, and all elements of the external environment - economic, social, technological, political - should be investigated. Since the external environment is constantly fluid and forced to undergo significant changes, the organization will have to solve the most important strategic problems as they arise. There is a micro and macro environment, and they are interconnected with each other. The microenvironment is the immediate environment. It is necessary to analyze the competitive structure of this industry, where this organization, as well as the parameters of the development of this industry. The macroenvironment offers for analysis macroeconomic, social, legal, technological, international factors that directly affect this organization.

The third component of strategic analysis is the internal environment of the organization. It determines the quality and completeness of the resources at the disposal of the organization, taking into account the key disadvantages and advantages of this business. Internal strategic analysis reveals the overall picture of the constraints and impacts that are imposed on strategic choices, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, identifying expectations and opportunities to influence the activity planning process.

We have already considered the types of competition and 5 competitive forces that affect the enterprise. In a competitive environment, it is important for an enterprise to have a strategic plan. In order to choose the strategy that the company will adhere to, it is necessary to conduct a strategic analysis. There are several types of strategic analysis. Let's consider them.

GAP analysis (gap analysis)

Gap Analysis is a comprehensive analytical study that studies discrepancies, gaps between the current state of the company and the desired one. This analysis also allows you to identify problem areas ("bottleneck") that impede development, and assess the degree of readiness of the company to make the transition from the current state to the desired one.

Consider how this method of analysis is applied to solving the problem of increasing sales. If a company has chosen this parameter as a strategic goal, then its achievement can be approached in different ways.

• · On the one hand, within the current market volume, we can increase our sales by intercepting sales from competitors. We must not forget that competitors in the same way claim the market share of your company and you need to protect yourself from them.
• · On the other hand, perhaps there is still a large group of consumers not covered by our goods/services. If we assume that all possible consumers have used the goods / services produced by our company and competitors, then the total sales volume is called the absolute potential of the market and can be taken as a “super goal”.

We list the main reasons that prevent us from covering the entire potential market.

• · Firstly, there are groups of consumers who are not satisfied with existing products, as they do not have certain functions. So maybe people don't drink coffee because they have high blood pressure due to the caffeine it contains. In this case, you can expand the range of products by releasing, for example, decaffeinated coffee.
• · Secondly, many goods do not reach consumers, because they simply cannot purchase them at the right time due to shortcomings in the distribution network (the delivery schedule is not kept, products are not ordered on time). In this case, it is necessary to think about how to properly organize the sale of goods.
• · Third, many consumers do not know how best to use the product. Then our task is to indicate such a path (see Orbit advertisement: "Take two chewing gum pads").

Steps for Conducting a Gap Analysis

Gap analysis includes the following steps.

• 1. Determining the current value. Gap analysis begins with a forecast of the state of the company for the planned period using the method expert assessments or using mathematical predictive methods. This stage allows you to assess what position your company could occupy, to calculate all the possible benefits that it received as a result of making certain decisions.
• 2. Determination of the maximum available value. In the process of assessing the existing gap, it is necessary to find out whether it can be bridged at all? If the gap is too large to bridge with your own resources, it is wise to either re-evaluate the desired future, break it down into several transitional steps, or stretch the process out over more a long period time.
• 3. The choice of the criterion by which the review will take place. Within the framework of this stage, it is necessary to break down the overall gap into components corresponding to each significant functional, sectoral, territorial and other areas of activity, for which planning will subsequently be carried out. In this breakdown, sets of needs are identified and grouped into major categories. Thus, each section of planning is a group of needs that has an impact on bridging the gap between the present and the future. Among the groups of possible needs may be such as information, communication, financial marketing, administrative, technical, etc.
• 4. A set of plans (initiatives) to achieve. Sources can be employees of various services, distribution channels, competitors, government agencies. Market-driven sources identify opportunities based on consumer wants and needs. Sources focused on research and development identify opportunities to create new products based on fundamental research. At the same time, ideas generation methods may include brainstorming, surveys, questionnaires, etc.

Analysis of the dynamics of costs and the construction of an experience curve.

One of the classic strategy models was developed in 1926. It links the definition of strategy to the achievement of cost advantages. Assumes that every time the volume of production doubles, the cost of creating a unit of output decreases by 20%. The experience curve is shown in fig. 3. The reduction in costs with an increase in production is due to a combination of the following factors: 1 advantages in technology that arise with the expansion of production; 2 learning by experience in the most efficient way to organize production; 3 economies of scale effect. According to the experience curve, the main direction of the firm's strategy should be to gain the largest market share, since it is the largest of the competitors who has the opportunity to achieve the lowest unit costs and, therefore, the highest profits. In modern conditions, the achievement of cost leadership is not necessarily associated with an increase in the scale of production. The current high-tech equipment is designed not only for large-scale production, but also for small ones. Today, even a small firm can use computers, modular equipment that provides high performance and the ability to reconfigure to solve various specific problems.

Figure 3

The purpose of the analysis is to find ways to reduce costs while increasing production. The main goal is to gain the largest market share.

The main disadvantage of the model is that it takes into account only one of the internal problems of the organization and inattention to the external environment (primarily to the needs of customers).

The classic portfolio model is the BCG matrix (Boston advisory group).

When conducting a strategic analysis, one of the important issues is the company's future product portfolio. It is necessary to understand which areas of activity are priorities, how they will be financed and positioned in the market. Therefore, when developing a strategy, it is recommended to use one of two standard methods: the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix or the McKinsey matrix. In accordance with these methods, all the company's businesses are positioned in terms of "market attractiveness" and "competitive status of the company in this market." The fundamental difference between these two methods lies in assessing the attractiveness of the market and the competitive status of the company on it. The BCG matrix is ​​based on the hypothesis that both of these indicators can be estimated using one parameter. The attractiveness of the market is determined by its growth rate, and the competitive status of the company in this market - in accordance with its share. Even this simplified approach can be used to start with, but a more accurate estimate can only be obtained if several parameters that affect attractiveness and competitive status are taken into account.

So Zvezda has high sales growth and high market share. Market share must be maintained and increased. "Stars" bring a very large profit. But, despite the attractiveness of this product, its pure cash income is quite low, as it requires significant investment to ensure a high growth rate. Cash Cows (Money Bags) have a high market share but low sales growth. "Cash cows" must be protected and controlled as much as possible. Their attractiveness is due to the fact that they do not require additional investment and at the same time provide a good cash income. Sales proceeds can be used to develop the Wild Cats and support the Stars. "Dogs" are characterized by low growth, low market share, the product is usually a low level of profitability and requires a lot of attention from the manager. Get rid of the "dogs".

"Wild Cats" ("Dark Horses", "Question Marks", "Dead Weight"). They have low market share but high growth rates. These items need to be studied. In the future, they can become both stars and dogs. If there is a possibility of transfer to the stars, then you need to invest, otherwise, get rid of it.

Disadvantages of this analysis:

• - a strong simplification of the situation;
• - lack of consideration of the financial aspect, the removal of dogs can lead to an increase in the cost of cows and stars, as well as negatively affect the loyalty of customers using this product;
• - the assumption that market share corresponds to profit, this rule may be violated when a new product is introduced to the market with large investment costs;
• - the assumption that the market decline is caused by the end of the product life cycle. There are other situations in the market, for example, the end of the rush demand or the economic crisis.

Benefits of the BCG Matrix include:

• - theoretical study of the relationship between financial receipts and the analyzed parameters;
• - objectivity of the analyzed parameters (relative market share and market growth rate);
• - clarity of the results and ease of construction.
• - it allows you to combine portfolio analysis with a product life cycle model
• - simple and easy to understand
• - easy to develop strategy for business units and investment policy

Construction rules: the horizontal axis corresponds to the relative market share, the coordinate space from 0 to 1 in the middle with a step of 0.1 and then from 1 to 10 with a step of 1. Market share assessment is the result of an analysis of sales of all industry participants. Relative market share is calculated as the ratio of own sales to sales of the strongest competitor or the top three competitors, depending on the degree of concentration in a particular market. 1 means that own sales are equal to sales of the strongest competitor.

The vertical axis corresponds to the growth rate of the market. The coordinate space is determined by the growth rates of all company products from maximum to minimum, the minimum value can be negative if the growth rate is negative.

For each product, the intersection of the vertical and horizontal axes is established and a circle is drawn, the area of ​​which corresponds to the share of the product in the company's sales (Fig. 4).

Figure 4

Multi-factor portfolio model - McKinsley matrix.

In the early 1970s, an analytical model was proposed jointly by the General Electric Corporation and the consulting company McKinsey & Co, and called the "GE/McKinsey model".

The name of the model comes from the name of the company and seven factors, seven words that begin in English with the letter “S” (strategy - strategy, skill - skills, shared values ​​- generally recognized values, structure - structure, systems - systems, staff - personnel, style - style).

Market attractiveness criteria.

Instead of a single market growth, a number of market attractiveness criteria were used, such as:

• The size of the market.
• · Growth rates of the market.
• The number of competitors.
• · Profit potential.
• · Social, political and legal factors.

Criteria of competitive strength.

Also, instead of using one market share A number of factors have been used as an indicator of competitive strength, such as:

• · Market share.
• · Opportunity to develop a distinctive advantage.
• · Opportunities to develop cost advantages.
• · Reputation.
• · Possibility of distribution.

Weighing criteria.

Managers were able to decide which criteria applied to their products. This gave the model market attractiveness - competitive position flexibility. Having decided on the criteria, the managers then agreed on a weighting system for each set of criteria, those of the factors that were more important, had more weight. For example: market attractiveness. competitive strength.

Market size 0.15 Market share 0.20.

Market growth rate 0.20 Distinctive advantage 0.40.

Number of competitors 0.30 Price advantages 0.05.

Profit potential 0.30 Reputation 0.10.

Social, political, distribution opportunities 0.25, legal factors 0.05.

Each market attractiveness factor is rated on a 10-point scale (from 1 meaning "not attractive" to 10 meaning "very attractive"). Also, each factor of competitive strength is evaluated on a 10-point scale. Each score is multiplied by the weight of the factor and summed up to arrive at an overall market attractiveness and competitive strength score for each product. Then, this can be plotted on a market attractiveness-competitive position matrix (Figure 5).

Figure 5

Zone 1: finance growth.

Zone 2: make a selection.

Additional analysis is required for the middle zone.

The McKinsey model is also important in that it perceives planning not only as a process of creating formal schemes and a set of quantitative indicators. The planning process is understood here as establishing communication and agreement between employees, linking their interests, taking into account all aspects of human activity in the enterprise. Planning here is primarily productive communication.

PIMS business analysis model.

The PIMS approach consists of looking for instructions developed on the basis of the generalized experience of successful and unsuccessful companies. Since 1972, a database of 450 corporations has been compiled containing analyzes of more than 2,800 business units. Statistical analysis and computer modelling databases provide participating companies with the necessary information and strategic guidance based on a variety of strategic situations in various industries. There are two fundamental concepts for a database:

• 1. Business unit (business unit) -- division, product line or profit center.
• 2. Served market - part of the overall market in which the firm competes.

PIMS-analysis evaluates: changes in the competitive position of the firm; the strategies used to achieve it; ultimate profitability.

The analysis shows that the profitability of the enterprise is constantly influenced by three groups of factors. The first group describes the firm's competitive position, including market share and relative product quality. The second reflects the structure of production, including the intensity of investment and labor productivity. The third group reflects the relative attractiveness of the level of market growth and consumer characteristics. Taken together, these variables account for 65 to 70 percent of the profitability options of the enterprises examined. The purpose of the PIMS project is to apply this experience to specific strategic issues. These questions include:

• * What level cash flows and profit is “normal” for this type of enterprise, given their market environment, competitive position and strategy employed?
• * If the business continues, what market share and profitability result should be expected in the future?
• * How will this result be affected by changes in strategy?
• * How did enterprises in the same or other industries, operating in similar conditions and with a similar competitive position, achieve results using different types of strategies?

The answers to these questions will help evaluate possible alternatives when developing a strategy.

The PIMS database is represented by a large number of industries, a variety of products, markets and geographic regions. Most are located in North America, although 600 of the 2,800 locations are in the UK, Europe and elsewhere.

Results of the PIMS project. This analysis found links between strategy and company performance. These relationships will help managers understand and anticipate the impact of strategic decisions and market conditions on company performance. The most common links between strategy and performance are listed below:

• * In the long term, the most important factor influencing the efficiency of the company's divisions will be the quality of the company's goods and services in relation to its competitors.
• * Market share and profitability are closely related.
• * High investment intensity actively affects profitability.
• * Many enterprises - the so-called "dogs" and "question marks" - make a profit, while many "cash cows" do not.
• * Vertical integration is only profitable for some businesses, not for others. For enterprises with a small market share, the return on investment is higher when the degree of vertical integration is low. For enterprises with market shares above average, the return on investment is the highest either with a low, or vice versa, a high level of vertical integration.
• * Majority strategic factors that increase return on investment also have a positive impact on the long-term value of the enterprise in the future.

Limitations of the PIMS model. Some elements of the PIMS model are criticized - from the definition of information collection methods and data accuracy to gratuitous links between them. This criticism is justified and warns of the need for careful use of the results obtained. PIMS analysis can give the user a false sense of accuracy and predictive power. It should be seen as an additional source of ideas for strategic planning, along with one's own experience, views and analysis.

Practical use. The argument that the structure of an industry, a firm's competitive position, its cost/profit/investment structure, and the competitive strategies it employs significantly affect profitability has a strong intuitive appeal.

Practitioners know that being the dominant market leader in a growing market with attractive revenue opportunities and moderate investment needs will bring high returns. On the other hand, an enterprise that is in the third or fourth competitive position in a mature market with a low rate of return will make a low profit or loss. PIMS shows that these structural indicators significantly affect the profitability of the enterprise, and that companies should look for competitive structures and positions that would provide them with profit advantages.

SWOT analysis

SWOT is a method of analysis in strategic planning, which consists in dividing factors and phenomena into four categories: Strengths (Strengths), Weaknesses (Weaknesses), Opportunities (Opportunities) and Threats (Threats).

This analysis is a necessary element of research, an obligatory preliminary step in the preparation of any level of strategic and marketing plans. The data obtained as a result of the situational analysis serve as the basic elements in the development of the company's strategic goals and objectives.

• 1. Enumeration of strengths and weaknesses.
• 2. Enumeration of opportunities and threats.

• 1. Detailed description of strengths and weaknesses.
• 2. Detailed description of opportunities and threats.

At the next stage, the opportunities and threats identified during the analysis are divided into three groups according to priority, the need to concentrate efforts and means, and the thoroughness of monitoring.

The final stage is the formulation of the main strategic directions, taking into account their importance.

The results obtained are formulated into the company's strategy, its goals and objectives. We will discuss this type of analysis later.

PEST analysis

(sometimes referred to as STEP) is a marketing tool designed to identify political (Political), economic (Economic), social (Social) and technological (Technological) aspects of the external environment that affect the company's business (Fig. 7)

Politics is studied because it regulates power, which in turn determines the company's environment and the acquisition of key resources for its operations. The main reason for studying the economy is to create a picture of the distribution of resources at the state level, which is the most important condition for the activity of an enterprise. No less important consumer preferences are determined using the social component of PEST analysis. The last factor is the technological component. The purpose of his research is considered to be the identification of trends in technological development, which are often the causes of changes and market losses, as well as the emergence of new products.

The analysis is carried out according to the scheme "factor - enterprise". The results of the analysis are drawn up in the form of a matrix, the subject of which are the factors of the macro environment, the predicate is the strength of their influence, estimated in points, ranks and other units of measurement. The results of the PEST analysis make it possible to assess the external economic situation in the sphere of production and commercial activities.

Table 1

Ansoff matrix.

The Ansoff matrix was developed back in the 1950s. American economist I. Ansoff. The matrix determines the company's growth strategies, taking into account the novelty of the market and the novelty of the product. Depending on the combination of different product and market combinations, the following strategies are possible:

• 1) market penetration: an old product in an existing market. This strategy can be estimated by the volume of sales and the probability of risk. These indicators are calculated taking into account the value of possible costs for the implementation of the chosen strategy. Aggregate costs are necessary in order to attract potential customers; creating competitive advantages; stimulating sales and increasing service potential; 2) market development: old goods in the new market. This strategy involves marketing efforts to promote the existing product to new markets through brand promotion, branding, creating a new reliable distribution system;
• 3) product development: new product in the old market. The promotion of a new product to an old existing market is associated with a high degree of risk and requires significant expenses for penetration into the traditional market, organization of the presentation, demonstration of a new product, thorough consultation and persuasive advertising;
• 4) diversification: a new product in a new market. This strategy initially involves the development of planning and management decisions in the field of innovation of goods and services, determining the degree of unsatisfied demand for a new product, the possible market share and the level of risk of marketing efforts for advertising, promotion, brand promotion and the formation of public opinion in target audiences buyers.

Strategic Analysis

Introduction

2.1 External analysis

2.2 Internal analysis

3.1 SWOT- analysis

3.2 MatrixBCG

3.3 Porter's method

3.4 gap - analysis

3.5 STEP - analysis

Bibliography

Introduction

1. Goals and objectives of strategic analysis

There are different points of view on the main goal pursued by strategic analysis. But, of course, that all these views are related in nature, and they differ from each other only in a certain emphasis on certain areas. Most generally, it can be stated that the main goal of strategic analysis is to form an understanding of the key factors affecting the present and future well-being of a business and ultimately determining the choice of strategy. Simply put, the search for the factors of the company's strategic success. This setting is the essence of strategic analysis, it, in fact, acts as a fundamental methodological setting of strategic analysis.

In the course of the study, strategic analysis faces several tasks that are already of a more applied nature. The analysis touches upon the most revealing aspects of the company's life. Thus, the tasks of strategic analysis can be divided into groups that are concentrated around key issues.

When conducting a strategic analysis, a study of the internal and external environment of the company is carried out.

The company, which the researcher “subjects” to strategic analysis, is considered by him as a phenomenon of a dual nature. Firstly, the company is thought of as a kind of closed system with individual, distinctive features: it has its own structure, its own potential, a certain limited amount of specific resources, and some financial indicators. In this case, strategic analysis operates with the sphere "internal environment" companies. With this approach, the main result should be an understanding of the organization of management and planning processes within the company, the general mechanisms of its (company) existence.

Secondly, in strategic analysis, a company is understood as an integral element of a macrosystem (cluster, regional, national or global market) - here the nature of its industry relations, macroeconomic indicators of the location in which the company is located, the structure and state of markets, the business environment, etc. n. That is, we touch upon the sphere "outside environment" the life of the company. It is important for us to understand the conditions in which the company has to work, and how its relationship with this environment, partners, suppliers and competitors is established. At the same time, strategic analysis should be aimed primarily at highlighting aspects of the macrosystem that are significant for a particular business. Thus, a manufacturer of women's clothing is unlikely to be interested in material on trends in the ratios in the state's defense order. Priority areas of research should be implied a priori, i.e., they should be identified even before the start of strategic analysis - on the basis of sound entrepreneurial sense and elementary economic literacy and understanding of business.

Components of strategic analysis (SOB - strategic business area)

2.1 External analysis

External analysis includes analysis of consumers, competition, market and uncertainties.

Components of external analysis

After segmentation has been carried out, and we have understood what business processes we should work with, we can proceed to external strategic analysis. It should start with an analysis of consumers, because ultimately it is the behavior of consumers that determines the success of the business as a whole - consumers “vote with their rubles” for certain products or services, purchase them, recommending them to friends and acquaintances, sometimes directly participating in participation in distribution of goods (as, for example, occurs with customers of some perfume companies who distribute products through catalogs).

In order to determine how to deal with customers, in a strategic external analysis, we have to find out which of the customers is the largest. We should focus on retail or work on the b2b principle. Note that the largest consumers are by no means always the most profitable (which is clearly seen in the example of banks whose mass private clients make up a small fraction of the total profit). Therefore, it is also very important for us to understand who are the most profitable customers of the company.

But we are not satisfied simply with the state of the market at the moment. For any businessman looking ahead, it seems fundamental to highlight the most promising customers. This will make it possible to re-evaluate the attitude towards this category of consumers right now and to take appropriate organizational and technological solutions.

It should be noted separately that in the course of studying the mass of consumers, it would be logical to single out specific groups in them that differ from each other in a certain set of characteristics, except for direct participation in the purchase of goods (i.e., the scale of spending). For their segmentation in general, criteria such as product characteristics, type of organization, customer loyalty, geographic location, price sensitivity, product use can be used.

Consumer motivation falls into two opposite scales: satisfied and unsatisfied needs.

In the set of satisfied needs, one should separately study which elements of the product are rated by the consumer as the most significant; what are the true goals of consumers, why do they buy this product or service; how can they be segmented in even more detail, taking into account an in-depth study of motivational priorities; which pushes consumers to change priorities in the evaluation of the product and its consumption.

Logically, even more important is the study of consumer dissatisfaction. Here we need to understand why consumers were dissatisfied. To do this, it is necessary to find out the reasons for the refusal of consumers from a product or service, how various incidents in the relationship with the supplier of the product or service influenced the decision of consumers, and why these incidents became possible. Consumers can define some of their unmet needs on their own, and unfortunately, they cannot define some of them. We need to try to distinguish between these two kinds of needs.

Finally, we must understand what needs become critical for these consumers. The result of studying consumers should be a structured idea of ​​the principles and goals of their behavior, we must learn to anticipate the desires of consumers, be able to "play" with their interests.

The saturation of the competitive environment and the behavior of the main competitors is always one of the most important factors determining the success of a business. Often, it is the conditions of competition, and not the desires and choices of consumers, that force entrepreneurs to take certain measures, often very unpopular.

First of all, we need to understand who are the main competitors of SOB in this market as a whole. Here it is important for us to determine who, in principle, is able to compete with a given product or service. So, for air carriers, competitors are not only the same airlines, but also different kinds land and water transport or pipelines, if it is only about cargo. It is necessary to foresee who can potentially enter this market, has such plans. For example, a kind of shock for players in the game console market was the entry of Microsoft Corporation with its unique product. This decision of the management of the American company greatly influenced the structure of the business as a whole, and forced many Japanese companies to look for new competitive advantages in the fight for consumers.

But it is important, of course, to study the history of the business itself. We must be aware of who we usually compete against, who is a weak but potentially dangerous player, who is ready to enter the market with a substitute product. Understanding these factors makes it possible to anticipate the dangers of the market and take early precautions. For example, the shortsightedness of American steel producers regarding competition with aluminum led the industry to a deep crisis in its time. But it was already possible to understand the dangerous trend when aluminum began to win the market for beverage packaging from steel. We should try to segment competitors, see which of them can be combined into strategic groups based on their assets, competencies, methodology, markets, strategies, etc.

We also need to understand what new competitors the company may have, what are the current barriers to entry into the industry, and how to build our own strategy for new players. There are many options for behavior here - from creating additional difficulties when entering a business (through a cartel with existing players or for objective reasons) to setting up active cooperation with startups.

When evaluating competitors, we focus on a set of indicators such as:

Goals and Strategies Cost structure and benefits of this structure Image and positioning Strengths and weaknesses “Chips” (innovation, management, our strategic weaknesses) Efficiency in terms of competencies and asset utilization Success of the business as a whole

Of course, the most important stage in the analysis of the external environment is the analysis of the market in which the company is present or which it is going to enter. Market analysis, in fact, will help determine the conditions under which you will have to play in the future. As the saying goes: “You don’t go to a foreign monastery with your charter.” On the other hand, over time, the company may itself begin to dictate terms to the market, as happened, for example, with the already mentioned Microsoft.

At the same time, we must begin our market analysis by examining the general state of the industry of interest to us. This approach will allow us to understand at what stage of value migration this product is, which business models are currently considered the most successful and efficient..

We must identify the main macroeconomic indicators of the industry and the market in order to understand the main trend of its development. Investigate the competitive environment, in which Porter's concept of "competitive environment" will help us a lot.

Harvard Business School professor Porter suggests that several interrelated factors influence the level and type of competition. Firstly, this is the power of the buyer, which lies in the fact that it is the buyer who makes the final decision on the choice of a particular product. Buyers, to the extent of their sophistication and awareness, can create various consumer unions that will control the quality of products, etc.

Secondly, this is the power of suppliers, which determine the speed of creating the final product, influence the company's costs and constitute an important competitive advantage for each of their market players. The developed infrastructure of suppliers allows organizing highly efficient production. Often, it is to maintain ties with suppliers that large businesses or regional authorities resort to cluster initiatives. Industry clustering has become an influential tool for attracting manufacturers of automotive components to the region for Eastern European countries.

Thirdly, there is a threat of new competitors appearing on the market, associated with the activity of young entrepreneurs or the reorientation of players from old markets to new ones. Depending on the barrier to entry into an industry, new players may cause more or less damage to existing industry players.

Fourth, substitutes or substitutes pose a great threat to the industry. The emergence of less expensive or higher quality substitutes often sweeps the industry orthodox off their feet. Such shocks at one time were the invention of plastic or the beginning industrial production rubber.

Also, when analyzing the market, we can apply STEEPG-analysis. Consider the competitive positions of the main manufacturers, alliances and associations. After that, we should conduct a detailed analysis of our potential competitors and find out the key factors for their success in this market.

Particular attention should be paid to the threats and opportunities of the market, both those that are fairly obvious and those that are hidden from the eyes at first glance. For example, oil producers were shocked by the invention of energy-saving production and methods of long-term storage of energy carriers after the oil crisis of the 1970s. However, even now they repeat the same mistakes, losing sight of the fact that the intensive development of alternative energy technologies can overshadow their cloudless future. The analysis of the industry should be completed with conclusions about its general attractiveness and development prospects in the future.

So, market analysis consists in identifying its characteristics such as:

Current size and growth Profitability of this business Cost structure Distribution and distribution system Key market trends Short, medium and long term market forecast Key success factors in the market

Also, although it seems very difficult and costly in terms of organization and time, we should make an analysis of unforeseen bursts of activity in the field of our activity. In the most general terms, this analysis will allow us to prepare in advance to take adequate measures for possible sources of danger. Such sources for business can be:

Technology (for example, the emergence of new technologies from competitors) Power (for example, the decision to nationalize certain industries) Economy (for example, global economic stresses) Culture (for example, the inability to sell a product in a certain cultural location) Demographics (for example, changes in the age structure of consumers)

After we have identified the most significant trends, threats and opportunities, we can begin to write likely scenarios for the development of circumstances. As a rule, scenarios are written either for a specific event (for example, the appearance of a new substitute product), or in the format “favorable” - “probable” - “negative”.

2.2 Internal analysis

In fact, the analysis of the internal environment of the enterprise differs little from the principles used in the analysis of the external environment. But at this stage of internal analysis, the company itself becomes the object of study. In this case, all areas of the enterprise are considered:

organization and management; production; marketing; accounting and finance; personnel Management.

The purpose of internal analysis is to identify the strategic situation within the enterprise, characterizing the current state of the business and the use of various resources.

The main purpose of financial analysis is to study key financial parameters and ratios. It aims to provide an objective picture financial condition companies: profit and loss, settlements with creditors, liquidity, stability, etc. That is, the financial analysis of an enterprise is a certain method of understanding the financial mechanism of a company, the processes of formation and use of financial resources for its operational and investment activities. The result of financial analysis is an assessment of the financial well-being of the company, the rate of turnover of all capital, the profitability of the funds used.

Financial analysis, as part of the strategic analysis, in addition to describing the current state, affects the scope of the historical perspective. Simply put, one of the tasks of financial analysis is to study the dynamics of changes in the economic parameters of the company.

Financial analysis is the simplest in terms of implementation, as it deals with the statistical performance of the company. Therefore, it is quite logical that the initial basis of financial analysis is the data accounting and reporting. Main method of analysis financial statements- This is a deductive method, that is, the transition from the general to the particular. In the course of such an analysis, the historical and logical sequence of economic facts and events, the direction and strength of their influence on performance should be reproduced.

There are 6 main methods for analyzing financial data:

Horizontal analysis Vertical analysis Trend analysis Comparative analysis Financial ratio method Factor analysis

Principle horizontal analysis(sometimes called temporary) is simple, it consists in comparing each reporting position with similar indicators of the previous period. Essence vertical analysis(or structural) is the determination of the structure of the final financial indicators with the determination of the impact of each reporting position on the result as a whole.

trend analysis- this is a comparison of each reporting position with a number of previous periods and the definition of a trend, that is, the main trend in the dynamics of an indicator, cleared of random influences and individual characteristics of individual periods. With the help of the trend, possible values ​​of indicators are formed in the future, and, therefore, a prospective, predictive analysis is carried out.

Comparative analysis(spatial) - this is an analysis of the summary indicators of reporting on individual indicators of the company, its subsidiaries, divisions, workshops. But comparative analysis can also be of an external nature, that is, an analysis of the performance of a given company with that of competitors, with average industry and average general economic data.

Financial ratio method(the method of relative indicators) is widely used in the practice of financial analysis. It consists in calculating the numerical ratios various forms reporting, determining the relationship between individual reporting indicators. Relative indicators (coefficients) are divided into two types: distribution coefficients and coordination coefficients. Distribution coefficients are used in cases where it is required to determine what part one or another absolute indicator is from the total of the group of absolute indicators that includes it. Distribution coefficients and their changes for reporting period play an important role in the preliminary study of the financial condition of the company. The coefficients of coordination are used to express the relationship of essentially different absolute indicators of financial condition, which have different economic meanings.

base factor analysis are relative indicators (coefficients) obtained by applying the method of financial ratios. Factor analysis is to analyze the influence of individual factors on the performance indicator. Factor analysis can be direct, that is, the splitting of the performance indicator into its component parts, and reverse, when individual elements are combined into a common performance indicator.

The concept of competitiveness is key in the activities of any company. It is widely used and is used in almost all scientific disciplines related to business in one way or another. However, the concept of competitiveness does not have a generally accepted definition, when its content as a whole is formed. There are two traditions of understanding competitiveness, they differ only in the subject of competition. The first takes the product and the activities accompanying its implementation as the subject, that is, the competitiveness of the company is nothing more than the sum of the competitiveness of its elements. Another tradition considers the company as a subject of competition, therefore the concept of "company competitiveness" is in the nature of a targeted solution to the problem of selling goods in a specific situation, that is, the company's competitiveness is the ability to be better than other participants in a particular market in some performance indicators over a certain period.

Actually, we see two sides of competitiveness: orientation to the internal environment of the company, and orientation to the external environment. But at this stage of strategic analysis, we are only interested in the internal environment of the company. Actually, the analysis is aimed at identifying those unique properties of the company that allow it and will allow it, with their development, to ensure business success and long-term competitiveness in each of the strategic areas of business in the future. In fact, these properties are the key success factors. Now we see that at the stage of internal analysis, the analysis of competitiveness is equal in volume to the analysis of key success factors. It should be noted that success in the competitive struggle is possible only with a combination of these two components of competitiveness.

So let's take a look at the most general groups key success factors.

Analysis of the value chain is one of the most effective tools for analyzing the mechanism of utility and cost differentiation, as well as identifying the relationship between them. This analysis shows the contribution of each type of activity in solving the main tasks of the company. Value chain analysis provides direction for industry efforts to increase customer satisfaction without additional costs.

The activities of the company are divided into:

Primary activities (purchasing, merchandising, distribution, marketing, sales and service) Ancillary activities (They are aimed at supporting the main activities. They include: general management and infrastructure, ensuring timely procurement; technology and process development; selection, creation and management of personnel; planning and finance).

To form the competitive advantages of the company, a comparative analysis of the entire value chain and competitors' value chains is carried out. Based on the results of the analysis, the possibility of determining costs by refusing activities that did not participate in the creation of value is established. It should be noted that any element of the value chain can become a source of competitive advantage.

The analysis reveals which stages of value creation account for the largest share of total costs. Reducing costs in the key stages of value creation means creating a high competitive advantage, whether it is aimed at lowering the price or enhancing the image.

The main goal of the analysis of the value chain is the need to focus on business processes that create value, and outsource the rest of the business processes.

Value Chain Analysis Results

3. Strategic analysis tools

A key factor in the success of any particular analysis is the right selection of tools for its implementation. Tools make up the body of analysis; they allow us to investigate phenomena of interest to us in a practical way and obtain appropriate results.

Of course, for each company, the set of tools will be different, because it directly depends on the tasks assigned to analysts. However, there is a list of the most popular and reputable tools that are suitable for use in most cases. These include: benchmarking, SWOT analysis, STEP analysis, BCG matrix, McKinsey matrix, value chain, life cycle study, Porter method and others. We will try to briefly describe the most interesting of them here.

One of the models for the correlation of types of strategic analysis (, SWOT-analysis: practice and problems of application.//Improving institutional mechanisms in industry. - Novosibirsk, 2005).

3.1 SWOT- analysis

This type of analysis is aimed at a cumulative study of how internal factors in building a certain model of business processes (weak and strengths company) and the study of external factors: threats to business and opportunities provided by the macro environment.

In general, SWOT analysis helps to understand:

Does the company use its distinctive advantages to compete, and if not yet, what strengths of the company can become its distinctive advantages in the market? Are the weaknesses of the company its vulnerabilities, and are there opportunities to correct the situation? What opportunities give the company a chance to succeed in using its skills and access to resources? What threats should management be most concerned about, and what strategic actions should be taken?

We also mention the typical barriers that prevent managers from using this technique in the process of strategic analysis and which indicate a poor understanding of the essence of SWOT analysis. There are three main barriers to the competent and effective use of this technique:

Methodical - associated with the methodology for conducting a SWOT analysis and summarizing its results. Informational - due to the complexity of information support for this technique. Managerial - is determined by the possibilities and limitations of using the results of the SWOT analysis in the strategic process.

3.2 MatrixBCG

Following this logic, all products of the company can be placed on a plane. The diameter of a circle is a value expression of the volume of production of a particular product.

Profits from the operation of "cash cows" should be used to finance the development of potentially profitable, but unprofitable in connection with small volumes release, "question marks" to grow from them "stars" tomorrow. "Dogs" must be immediately euthanized.

Following this rational system, the company learns to finance itself. This approach is especially attractive to corporate planners because it allows the sen to depend on the capital market. In reality, the “dogs” eat up all the company’s money, the “question marks” receive valuable instructions instead of funding, and the “cows” are exhausted only to be spent “dry” (it is clear that any motivation among project managers is “cows” goes to zero).

An analysis based on the BCG matrix allows you to answer the question: is it worth keeping such a number of heterogeneous products and capacities in one company? Wouldn't it be more logical to single out "cows" into mature, solid enterprises financed mainly by debt, and "question marks" into innovative start-ups with a predominance of equity capital? The subtlety is that when the company's management begins to independently distribute resources between departments, it inevitably makes mistakes.

Thus, in the late eighties, Stern Stewart conducted a study of the practice of financial restructuring of American companies, which revealed that the separation of "cows" and "question marks" increases the total market value of the split companies. F. Lichtenberg, a professor at Columbia University Business School, came to similar conclusions.

Let's immediately warn about other difficulties associated with the BCG matrix. First, we use the assumption that market share is directly correlated with profit volume. This is especially true for high-tech and costly production. Secondly, the use of the BCG matrix is ​​suitable for planning activities, rather business units than products. Thirdly, the BCG matrix assumes that departments work within the same company in close cooperation, and this is not always true. Sometimes it is very difficult to "force" departments to work together: due to territorial disunity, different management methods or technological differences. And finally, fourthly, this matrix still leads to a noticeable simplification of business processes. For example, the absence of "dogs" in the product list may turn off some customers, etc.

In general, the use of any strategic analysis tool is best complemented by the use of similar tools and proceed very carefully.

3.3 Porter's method

This method consists of identifying six main forces that affect the business.

Note that initially Porter's concept did not include the 6th force. At the moment, it includes a variety of factors of influence. For example, for Intel this de facto power is Microsoft.

3.4 gap - analysis

3.5 STEP - analysis

4. Results of strategic analysis

Bibliography

1. G. Mintzberg, B. Ahlstrand, D. Lampel. Schools of strategies. St. Petersburg, "Piter", 2001

2. M. Porter. Competitive strategy. M., Alpina Business Books, 2005

3. K. Stern, J. Stock Jr. Strategies that work. M., "Mann, Ivanov and Ferber", 2005

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Concept and levels of strategy

The choice of an organization's strategy should be based on an analysis of existing and forecasting future strategic needs of consumers, strategic market segmentation, forecasting the life cycles of future products, and forecasting their competitive advantages.

At present, it is necessary to apply a marketing approach in solving any problems of strategic management, and especially at the stage of forming an organization's strategy.

Strategy can be defined as the decision-making process at the highest level of an organizational hierarchy.

Strategic analysis is a management activity related to the setting and implementation of long-term goals, maintaining effective relationships between the organization and its environment, while meeting the set goals with its internal capabilities. There are five tasks of strategic management:

1) substantiation of the type of commercial activity and the formation of strategic directions for its development;

2) substantiation of strategic goals and objectives for their achievement;

3) justification of the strategy to achieve the intended goals;

4) rationale for the strategic plan;

5) evaluation of performance and justification of changes in the strategic plan.

These tasks are closely interrelated and interdependent.

1) the head of the top management;

2) managers of production units of certain areas of activity;

3) functional managers of production units;

4) managers of the main operational units.

In a company engaged in one type of activity, strategic analysis is carried out at three levels - these are strategic managers at the highest level, managers at the functional and operational levels. In small organizations, the managerial work to develop and implement the strategy is concentrated in the hands of a few leaders.

Scheme for conducting a strategic analysis

Conducting a strategic analysis involves a certain order of work, including organizational aspects, the collection, selection and consolidation of analytical information in the areas of assessing the external macroeconomic and internal microenvironment of the company.

In the conditions of globalization of economic processes, it is impossible to consider external factors in isolation from each other. Therefore, the development of an effective strategy for the development of an organization is based on three components: a deep understanding of the competitive environment, a real assessment of one's own resources and capabilities, and the right choice of strategic and tactical goals. That is why the development of an organization's strategy should begin with an analysis of the marketing environment. The success of further steps in strategic planning and implementation of the strategy depends on how correctly it is carried out.

The marketing macro environment for many companies today is international. F. Kotler and K. L. Keller note the following global factors of the macro environment that affect organizations:

A significant acceleration of international transportation, the development of communications and financial transactions, which leads to a sharp increase in world trade and capital investment;

Economic rise of some Asian countries;

The desire of the participants in trade blocs for economic cooperation;

Serious problems with external debt of some countries, growing instability of the international financial system;

Increasing importance of barter and countertrade transactions in international trade(countertrade is a form of barter in which a country requires foreign companies to buy its goods in exchange for the right to sell their goods in its territory);

The transition to a market economy in the former socialist countries, accompanied by large-scale privatization;

The rapid unification of lifestyles caused by the development of global communications;

Opening of new large markets, namely China, India, Eastern Europe, Arab countries and Latin America;

Globalization of transnational corporations;

Growth in the number of international strategic alliances of large corporations;

Increased ethnic and religious conflicts in some countries and regions;