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| Criterion |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Operations Root Cause Analysis |  Operations 8D Problem Solving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | 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. | 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. | When a problem keeps recurring and the cause stays unclear, the method exposes the underlying mechanism. It separates symptom, guess, and robust explanation from one another. | For an acute quality or delivery problem, the method structures immediate protection and root cause work together. It keeps the situation stable while the actual cause is investigated cleanly. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Medium | High |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 1-3 h | 1-4 h | 1-6 Wochen |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 3-8 | 4-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | Problem Statement, Cause Hypotheses, Confirmed Causes, Action Plan | 8D Report, Containment Plan, Root Cause Evidence, Corrective Action Plan |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisOptions | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | Root causeProblem solvingQualityIncident | QualityProblem solvingRoot cause |