The document provides tools for evaluating alternatives and making recommendations. It describes problem definition sheets to outline the key question and criteria. It also presents matrices to evaluate alternatives based on their market attractiveness and competitive position, as well as prioritize actions based on their impact and ease of implementation. The overall goal is to systematically analyze options and narrow down to the best solution.

1. CONSULTING TOOLKIT
Narrowing to a Recommendation
Evaluating Alternatives
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2. The most important stage in solving a problem is to define the
problem
PROBLEM DEFINITION SHEET
Situation
Complication
Key Question
In Scope Out of Scope Criteria for selecting solution
How will we select
the best solution?
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3. When you need to evaluate alternatives, evaluation against
Evaluation of alternative strategies for Chint
PRODUCT CUSTOMER TECHNOLOGY
Fit with future
business
environment •Under competitive •Labour cost and •Growth in high-end
pressure construction trends demand
Chint ability
to win
•Chint is M3 leader in •Chint already most •Multinationals a long
largest market important supplier way ahead
Chint ability
to execute
•Least change – current •Major reorientation to •Requires global reach
driving force marketing and long term view
Overall
•Recommended; explore •Recommended; explore •Chint not ready yet
attractiveness execution risk
More sophisticated:
Source: Team analysis Use weightings on a spreadsheet
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4. Use a 2x2 Market Attractiveness/Competitive Position Matrix to
prioritise across segments
SEGMENT PRIORITISATION MATRIX
ATTRACTIVENESS
Attractive
What
components?
Unattractive
Disadvantaged No Advantage Advantaged
What
components?
Source: Team analysis COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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5. The Impact/Ease Matrix can be used to prioritise action
Impact/Ease Matrix
Impact DO ALL
Critical
DO ONCE
DARK GREEN
Important ON TRACK
Incremental DON’T DO
[REVISIT IN 12
DON’T MONTHS]
DO
Uncertain
Hard Easy
Ease of Implementation
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