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| Criterion |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Business Strategy SWOT Analysis |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | GAP Analysis compares the current state with a target picture and makes the distance manageable. It becomes useful when, ahead of new initiatives, it must become clear which capabilities, processes, or resources are missing. | SWOT Analysis arranges strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats into a compact picture of the situation. It keeps internal capabilities and external influences separate before strategic options emerge from them. | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | The TOWS Matrix connects internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats into action-oriented strategies. It goes a step further than a pure stocktaking. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30-60 min | 30-90 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-12 | 2-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | SWOT matrix, Strategic options, Action list | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | StrategyAnalysisMarketPositioning | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | StrategyAnalysisOptions |