1

Business Strategy and Policy

Lecture-14

2

Recap

• Forecasting Methods– Quantitative Methods– Qualitative Methods

3

Today’s Lecture

• Industry Analysis

– External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix

4

External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix

• External Factor Evaluation (EFE) matrix method is a strategic-management tool often used for assessment of current business conditions.

• The EFE matrix is a good tool to visualize and prioritize the opportunities and threats that a business is facing.

Ch.3-5

Industry Analysis (EFE)

External Factor Evaluation MatrixSummarize & evaluate:

CompetitivePoliticalCultural

TechnologicalEnvironmentalSocial

GovernmentalDemographicEconomic

6

External Factor Evaluation Matrix

• The EFE matrix is very similar to the IFE (Internal Factor Evaluation) matrix. The major difference between the EFE matrix and the IFE matrix is the type of factors that are included in the model. While the IFE matrix deals with internal factors, the EFE matrix is concerned solely with external factors.

7

Industry Analysis (EFE)

Five-Step process:

• List key external factors (10-20)Opportunities & threats

• Assign weight to each (0 to 1.0)Sum of all weights = 1.0

8

Industry Analysis (EFE)

• Five-step process:

• Assign 1-4 rating to each factor• Firm’s current strategies response to the factor

• Multiply each factor’s weight by its rating• Produces a weighted score

9

Industry Analysis (EFE)

Five-step process:

• Sum the weighted scores for eachDetermines the total weighted score for

the organization.

• Highest possible weighted score for the organization is 4.0; the lowest, 1.0. Average = 2.5

Ch.3-10

.201.20 Administration

.202.10 Bad media exposure

.102.05 Smokeless market

.153.05 Production limits on tobacco

.202.10 Legislation against the tobacco industry

Threats

.303.10 More social pressure to quit smoking

2.101.00TOTAL

.604.15 Leader in discount market

.051.05 Astronomical Internet growth

.153.05 Increased demand

.151.15 Global markets untapped

Weighted

scoreRatingWeight

Unilever—Key External Factors

Opportunities

11

Industry Analysis (EFE)

Total weighted score of 4.0 =Organization response is outstanding to threats & weaknesses

Total weighted score of 1.0 =Firm’s strategies not capitalizing on opportunities or avoiding threats

12

Industry Analysis (EFE)

• Unilever (in the previous example), has a total weighted score of 2.10 indicating that the firm is below average in its effort to pursue strategies that capitalize on external opportunities and avoid threats.

13

Industry Analysis (EFE)

Important

• Understanding of the factors used in the EFE Matrix is more important than the actual weights and ratings assigned.

14

Industry Analysis (EFE)

• Social, cultural, demographic, and environmental variables:

• Economic variables• Political, government, business trends, and

legal variables

15

Social, cultural, demographic, and environmental factors

- Aging population- Percentage or one race to other races- Per-capita income- Number and type of special interest groups- Widening gap between rich & poor- Number of marriages and/or divorces- Ethnic or racial minorities- Education- Trends in housing, shopping, careers, business- Number of births and/or deaths- Immigration & emigration rates

16

Economic factors...

- Growth of the economy- Level of savings, investments, and capital spending- Inflation- Foreign exchange rates- Stock market trends- Level of disposable income- Import and export factors and barriers- Product life cycle - Government spending- Industry properties- Economies of scale- Barriers to market entry- Product differentiation- Level of competitiveness

17

Political, government, business trends & legal factors...

- Globalization trends- Government regulations and policies- Worldwide trend toward similar consumption patterns- Internet and communication technologies (e-commerce)- Protection of rights (patents, trade marks, antitrust legislation)- Level of government subsidies- International trade regulations- Taxation- Terrorism- Elections and political situation home and abroad

18

Summary

• Industry Analysis

– External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix

19

Next Lecture

• Competitive Profile Matrix– Identifies firm’s major competitors and their

strengths & weaknesses in relation to a sample firm’s strategic position