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CHAPTER 6 • STRATEGY ANALYSIS AND CHOICE 193

TABLE 6-6 The Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix—QSPM
Strategic Alternatives
Key Factors Weight Strategy 1 Strategy 2 Strategy 3
Key External Factors
Economy
Political/Legal/Governmental
Social/Cultural/Demographic/Environmental
Technological
Competitive
Key Internal Factors
Management
Marketing
Finance/Accounting
Production/Operations
Research and Development
Management Information Systems

Conceptually, the QSPM determines the relative attractiveness of various strategies based
on the extent to which key external and internal critical success factors are capitalized upon or
improved. The relative attractiveness of each strategy within a set of alternatives is computed
by determining the cumulative impact of each external and internal critical success factor. Any
number of sets of alternative strategies can be included in the QSPM, and any number of
strategies can make up a given set, but only strategies within a given set are evaluated relative
to each other. For example, one set of strategies may include diversification, whereas another
set may include issuing stock and selling a division to raise needed capital. These two sets of
strategies are totally different, and the QSPM evaluates strategies only within sets. Note in
Table 6-6 that three strategies are included, and they make up just one set.
A QSPM for a retail computer store is provided in Table 6-7. This example illustrates
all the components of the QSPM: Strategic Alternatives, Key Factors, Weights,
Attractiveness Scores (AS), Total Attractiveness Scores (TAS), and the Sum Total
Attractiveness Score. The three new terms just introduced—(1) Attractiveness Scores, (2)
Total Attractiveness Scores, and (3) the Sum Total Attractiveness Score—are defined and
explained as the six steps required to develop a QSPM are discussed:

Step 1 Make a list of the firm’s key external opportunities/threats and internal
strengths/weaknesses in the left column of the QSPM. This information should be
taken directly from the EFE Matrix and IFE Matrix. A minimum of 10 external key
success factors and 10 internal key success factors should be included in the QSPM.
Step 2 Assign weights to each key external and internal factor. These weights are identi-
cal to those in the EFE Matrix and the IFE Matrix. The weights are presented in a
straight column just to the right of the external and internal critical success factors.
Step 3 Examine the Stage 2 (matching) matrices, and identify alternative strategies that
the organization should consider implementing. Record these strategies in the top
row of the QSPM. Group the strategies into mutually exclusive sets if possible.
Step 4 Determine the Attractiveness Scores (AS) defined as numerical values that indi-
cate the relative attractiveness of each strategy in a given set of alternatives.
Attractiveness Scores (AS) are determined by examining each key external or inter-
nal factor, one at a time, and asking the question “Does this factor affect the choice
of strategies being made?” If the answer to this question is yes, then the strategies
should be compared relative to that key factor. Specifically, Attractiveness Scores
should be assigned to each strategy to indicate the relative attractiveness of one
strategy over others, considering the particular factor. The range for Attractiveness
Scores is 1 = not attractive, 2 = somewhat attractive, 3 = reasonably attractive, and