Once key market segments have been identified, the next challenge is deciding which to prioritise — and why. This evaluation deck from Professor Malcolm McDonald introduces a structured, quantitative method for scoring segment attractiveness and assessing your competitive position within them.
The result? A clear understanding of where your business should focus its time, budget and strategic energy — and which segments are likely to deliver the greatest long-term return.
Why It Matters
- Strategic focus requires more than intuition — it demands evidence
- This method separates “attractive” markets from those that may be deceptively risky
- It prevents spreading resources too thin across segments with low potential
What the Framework Covers
- Market/Segment Attractiveness Scoring: Weight and score segments based on criteria like growth rate, margin potential, and competitor intensity
- Company Competitive Positioning: Score your own ability to succeed in each segment using CSFs like brand, service, innovation, or partnerships
- Matrix Plotting: Plot segments on a directional policy matrix to visualise where to invest, hold, or divest
Example Use Case
The presentation walks through a worked example, illustrating how scores are normalised, weighted, and used to build a heatmap of strategic opportunities. It’s a practical method that can be applied across industries — from B2B services to manufacturing and technology.
Insight
“It is only by understanding both the attractiveness of a market and your ability to compete in it that sound strategy can be formed.” – Professor Malcolm McDonald
Download the Full Evaluation Guide
This summary introduces the concepts, but the full slide deck includes scoring templates, plotting techniques, and a step-by-step walkthrough.