CV

CA Intermediate · Financial Management & Strategic Management

Strategic Analysis — Porter's Models & SWOT

Chapter 6 · 0 formulas · 4 exam-critical pointers

Core concepts

  1. 01Porter's Five Forces: Industry rivalry, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers.
  2. 02Generic Strategies: Cost leadership, Differentiation, Focus (cost focus / differentiation focus).
  3. 03Value Chain: primary activities + support activities — locate cost & differentiation drivers.
  4. 04SWOT: internal (strength, weakness) + external (opportunity, threat).
  5. 05PESTLE for macro environment scanning.

Flowchart

Porter's 5 Forces Threat of New Entrants | Suppliers -- Industry -- Buyers bargaining Rivalry bargaining | Threat of Substitutes

Exam-critical pointers

  • Stuck in the middle (Porter): firms that fail to choose one generic strategy underperform.
  • Value chain analysis links cost behaviour to activities and drivers.
  • TOWS Matrix translates SWOT into actionable strategies (SO, ST, WO, WT).
  • Distinguish core competence (Prahalad & Hamel) from distinctive competence.

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