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| Criterion |  Business Strategy TOWS Matrix |  Business Strategy SWOT Analysis |  Business Strategy GAP Analysis |  Business Strategy PESTLE Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | 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. | 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. | PESTLE Analysis makes political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental influences visible. The environment of an initiative is thereby read systematically instead of through isolated trends. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 30-60 min | 1-3 h | 1-3 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-10 | 3-12 | 2-8 | 2-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | TOWS Matrix, Strategic Options, Priority Actions | SWOT matrix, Strategic options, Action list | Gap Matrix, Action Plan, Risk Notes | PESTLE Map, External Risks, Strategic Questions |
Tags2 shared | StrategyAnalysisOptions | StrategyAnalysisMarketPositioning | StrategyAnalysisPlanning | StrategyMarketAnalysis |