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| Criterion |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Facilitation Stakeholder Mapping |  Facilitation Alignment Mapping |  Business Strategy McKinsey 7S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | When an initiative depends on many people, interests, and power dynamics, Stakeholder Mapping systematically orders the environment. It shows who influences, who is affected, and where relationship management or safeguarding matters first. | When several people work toward one goal but hold different mental maps, Alignment Mapping makes the discrepancies visible. It arranges goals, assumptions, and priorities so shared direction becomes verifiable. | McKinsey 7S checks whether Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Skills, Style, and Staff fit together. Organizational misalignments become visible across multiple levers as a result. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 60–90 min | 1-2 h | 2-4 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 2-8 | 4-12 | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | Stakeholder Map, Engagement Plan, Risk Notes | Alignment Map, Open Issues, Decision Questions | 7S Assessment, Alignment Gaps, Change Actions |
Tagsno overlap | StrategyAnalysisOptions | StakeholdersAlignmentFacilitationChange | AlignmentStakeholdersStrategyFacilitation | OrganizationStrategyAlignmentChange |