❷ Trend Analysis

For the priority cells, Table 2 should be used to identify major trends of the market but in particular to evaluate threats and opportunities.

TABLE 2. Strategic trends, threats and opportunities

 

 

Trends, threats and opportunities

Market

 

Competitors

 

Distribution

 

Suppliers

 

Technologies

 

Regulations

 

 

It should be stressed that a certain amount of time should be spent on Table 2, since the number of variables is large.

 

 
 

Efforts should be made to concentrate on the most important factors. This varies from company to company, but a preliminary list is presented below:

Market: major client groups, potential clients, trends in terms of growth or reduction of markets, new niches, opportunities for alliances, development of special commercial agreement between countries.

Competitors: number, concentration and size, potential new competitors, strategic alliances between competitors (present and potential).

Distribution: number, size and concentration of distribution channels, potential distribution channels, opportunities for alliances.

Suppliers: number, size, concentration, dependency level, and opportunities for alliances.

Technologies: technological trends, substituting technologies, opportunities for alliances, subsidized funding for R&D and technological innovation, trends in patent regulations.

Regulations: trends in regulations at the national and international levels that affect the product characteristics.

The analysis should focus on the priority cells identified above.

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Technology Strategy Formulation :  Assessment  →  Selection  →  Portfolio