A.T. Kearney Strategy Chessboard Framework Template

Description
Kearney's (previously A.T. Kearney), Thomas Kratzert (Partner) and Michael Broquist (Vice President) published in June 2011 an article called "The Kearney strategy chessboard" in their category "Strategy and Top-Line Transformation".

Original article available here.

The objective of their article is to help decision makers pick the appropriate strategic framework according to the situation they are faced with.

The model is a "Chessboard" (4x4) with two axis:
- Company DNA (Y-Axis) 💪 - Shape the Industry VS Adapt "within" the industry
- Industry Predictability (X-Axis) 🔮 - High analytical predictability VS Low analytical predictability

The gist of the approach is then to use a point scale to score a given Business Unit or Company on both axis.

You will find below the various sub-elements used in the point scale:

💪 Company DNA (Y-Axis):

Desire (typical max: 35 points)
• Long-term motives
• Willingness to take risks
• Appetite for change
• Ability to foresee attractive opportunities in challenging the status quo

Needs (typical max: 20 points)
• Level of satisfaction with current industry situation
• Level of satisfaction with company performance and growth
• Looming threats, such as rising competitors
• Stakeholder expectations
• Need to create more growth space
• Need to use key assets and capabilities across a broader arena
• Expectations as an indutry leader to show the new way

Ability (typical max: 45 points)
• Market power and influence to be a shaper
• Network of allies
• Financial strength and core capabilities
• Imagination


🔮 Industry predictability (X-Axis):

Environment (typical max: 15 points)
• Macroeconomic situation
• Regulatory actions
• Other external trends

Demand (typical max: 20 points)
• Market size development
• Key customers' intent and strategies
• New unmet or latent needs
• Customer needs and development

Technology and offerings (typical max: 20 points)
• Technology's impact on new offerings
• Products and services in demand
• Competitive advantage and differentiation

Competition (typical max: 25 points)
• New competitors from adjacent sectors
• Competitor strategies and behaviors

Own actions (typical max: 10 points or more, depending on the type of initiative)
• How your shaping moves would affect the rest of the industry

Suppliers (typical max: 10 points)
• New strategies and behaviors
• Vertical integration
• Structure and concentration
• Supply availability 

The final position will suggest adapted schools of thought and strategy frameworks, amongst the 16 possible options:

1/ Top Right Top Right: Create and pursue “preferred future” (Hamel; Prahalad, Kratzert)
2/ Top Right Top Left: Create “Blue Ocean” opportunities (Kim and Mauborgne; Christensen; Schumpeter; von Hippel)
3/ Top Right Bottom Left: Cross the “chasm” with innovative products (Moore; Arthur)
4/ Top Right Bottom Right: Think big and lateral (Schmitt; de Bono)
5/ Bottom Right Top Right: Prepare for multiple scenarios (Kahn; de Geus; Wack; Wilkinson)
6/ Bottom Right Top Left: Pursue Dynamic Strategies (Doz et al.; Carpenter et al.; Lindblom; Quinn; Markides)
7/ Bottom Right Bottom Left: Deploy real options-based strategies (Myers; Schwartz; Luehrman; Arms)
8/ Bottom Right Bottom Right: Implement an evolutionary strategic process (Arthur et al; Beinhocker; Holland; Gell-Mann)
9/ Top Left Top Right: Converge or slice the industry (Pennings and Puranam; Stieglitz; Lind; Christensen; Rosenberg)
10/ Top Left Top Left: Pursue global industry endgame consolidation (Kröger)
11/ Top Left Bottom Left: Reconfigure industry value chains (Porter; Aurik and Willen; J.Moore; Chirstensen)
12/ Top Left Bottom Right: Change industry conduct (von Neumann; Morgenstern; Ghemawat; Chussil; Oriesek and Schwarz; Pfeffer; Salancik)
13/ Bottom Left Top Right: Grow in core adjacent business and step out (Andrew; Wernerfelt; Zook; Viguerie et al.; Deans; Kröger et al.)
14/ Bottom Left Top Left: Position to build competitive advantage (Porter)
15/ Bottom Left Bottom Left: Identify and adapt to profit patterns (Slywotzky)
16/ Bottom Left Bottom Right: Deploy battle strategies (Sun Tsu; Clausewitz; Welch; McNeilly; El-Kadi)    

The details of each "School of Thought" can be found in the appendix of the original article available on Kearney's website (see link in top part of this description).

Given the originality of the work, and it's pertinence in selecting the appropriate strategic schools of thoughts when faced to a given situation, I decided to build a template that any strategist, business leader or analyst can use to:
- position various Business Units (BUs), on the chessboard (Slide 1)
- view the historic moves, in terms of strategy, of a given BU or Company (Slide 2)
The other "special" creation here, is the ability to position a "pond" instead of the more "classic" markers you see on PowerPoint. Hope you enjoy it!

The file is:
- 2 editable Microsoft PowerPoint Template Slides (one for BU analysis, and one to study movements of a BU or Company over time on the chessboard), with underlying Excel Models associated.
- an online or offline 32 step-by-step methodology, with pedagogical illustrations for each step.
- 2 Excel ONLY files

Should you have any questions on using this top tier Management/Strategy Consulting Framework Template slide, you're welcome to reach out to me via Private Message.

⭐️Bundle of 18 Strategy Consulting Frameworks (including this one).

Good luck!
- Tim