BSA Retake — Cheat Sheet
Retake: 21 August | Q&A: 17 August (online)
Rule #1: find the LEVEL first — external, internal, one business, whole corporation, revenue model, people/change — then the
framework picks itself.
The pairs that trip you up
Framework What it does Trigger words
Ansoff Matrix WHERE to grow — new products/markets. 4 quadrants: growth, diversification, new
penetration, product dev, market dev, diversification. markets/products
Porter's Generic HOW one business competes — cost vs. differentiation, business strategy, compete, cost
broad vs. niche. leadership, differentiation
Five Forces Industry attractiveness — rivalry, entrants, substitutes, competitors, industry
suppliers, buyers. attractiveness, rivalry
PESTEL Broad external trends affecting the whole industry. macro environment, external
factors, trends
VRIO / RBV Is ONE resource a sustainable advantage? Valuable, Rare, resource, capability, sustained
Inimitable, Organised. advantage
Value Chain Which internal activities add value/cost — 5 primary + 4 internal activities, where value is
support. added
SAFE Criteria Judge a strategic choice — Suitable, Acceptable, Feasible. evaluate, recommend, is this a
good strategy
BCG / GE-McKinsey A whole portfolio of businesses — invest, hold, exit. portfolio, business units, which
SBU
Gut-check: Ansoff = direction of growth. Porter Generic = way of competing. Five Forces = industry's game board. PESTEL = the weather
everyone plays in.
Strategic Position (external + internal)
Framework What it does Trigger words
PESTEL Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, macro trends
Legal
Five Forces Rivalry, entrants, substitutes, supplier power, buyer power industry competitiveness
VRIO Value → Rarity → Inimitability → Organisation sustained advantage
Value Chain Inbound/ops/outbound/marketing/service + internal activities
infra/HR/tech/procurement
SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses (internal) + Opportunities, Threats current position snapshot
(external)
Stakeholder Mapping Power/Interest: key players, keep satisfied, keep informed, stakeholders
minimal effort
Culture (4-Layer / Values → Beliefs → Behaviours → Paradigm culture, resistance to change
Cultural Web)
Strategic Choices (business, corporate, international)
Framework What it does Trigger words
Porter's Generic Cost Leadership, Differentiation, Cost Focus, compete, positioning
Differentiation Focus
Strategy Clock Price vs. perceived value: differentiation, low-price, hybrid, price vs value
non-competitive
Business Model Subscription, pay-per-use, razor-blade, freemium, long tail, revenue model, how money is
Canvas/Patterns P2P, multisided made
Ansoff Matrix Market penetration, product dev, market dev, diversification growth direction
BCG Matrix Stars, Cash Cows, Question Marks, Dogs (growth × share) portfolio, invest/divest
GE-McKinsey 3×3 grid: invest/grow, selective, divest/harvest detailed portfolio
TOWS SO / WO / ST / WT strategic options from a SWOT turn SWOT into action
Retake: 21 August | Q&A: 17 August (online)
Rule #1: find the LEVEL first — external, internal, one business, whole corporation, revenue model, people/change — then the
framework picks itself.
The pairs that trip you up
Framework What it does Trigger words
Ansoff Matrix WHERE to grow — new products/markets. 4 quadrants: growth, diversification, new
penetration, product dev, market dev, diversification. markets/products
Porter's Generic HOW one business competes — cost vs. differentiation, business strategy, compete, cost
broad vs. niche. leadership, differentiation
Five Forces Industry attractiveness — rivalry, entrants, substitutes, competitors, industry
suppliers, buyers. attractiveness, rivalry
PESTEL Broad external trends affecting the whole industry. macro environment, external
factors, trends
VRIO / RBV Is ONE resource a sustainable advantage? Valuable, Rare, resource, capability, sustained
Inimitable, Organised. advantage
Value Chain Which internal activities add value/cost — 5 primary + 4 internal activities, where value is
support. added
SAFE Criteria Judge a strategic choice — Suitable, Acceptable, Feasible. evaluate, recommend, is this a
good strategy
BCG / GE-McKinsey A whole portfolio of businesses — invest, hold, exit. portfolio, business units, which
SBU
Gut-check: Ansoff = direction of growth. Porter Generic = way of competing. Five Forces = industry's game board. PESTEL = the weather
everyone plays in.
Strategic Position (external + internal)
Framework What it does Trigger words
PESTEL Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, macro trends
Legal
Five Forces Rivalry, entrants, substitutes, supplier power, buyer power industry competitiveness
VRIO Value → Rarity → Inimitability → Organisation sustained advantage
Value Chain Inbound/ops/outbound/marketing/service + internal activities
infra/HR/tech/procurement
SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses (internal) + Opportunities, Threats current position snapshot
(external)
Stakeholder Mapping Power/Interest: key players, keep satisfied, keep informed, stakeholders
minimal effort
Culture (4-Layer / Values → Beliefs → Behaviours → Paradigm culture, resistance to change
Cultural Web)
Strategic Choices (business, corporate, international)
Framework What it does Trigger words
Porter's Generic Cost Leadership, Differentiation, Cost Focus, compete, positioning
Differentiation Focus
Strategy Clock Price vs. perceived value: differentiation, low-price, hybrid, price vs value
non-competitive
Business Model Subscription, pay-per-use, razor-blade, freemium, long tail, revenue model, how money is
Canvas/Patterns P2P, multisided made
Ansoff Matrix Market penetration, product dev, market dev, diversification growth direction
BCG Matrix Stars, Cash Cows, Question Marks, Dogs (growth × share) portfolio, invest/divest
GE-McKinsey 3×3 grid: invest/grow, selective, divest/harvest detailed portfolio
TOWS SO / WO / ST / WT strategic options from a SWOT turn SWOT into action
