Our Top 10 Models for Strategic Planning in 2025

Model

Description

Key Features

Best Used For

Neasman's HP-L Chart

An L-Chart divided into four quadrants. Provides an objective view of personnel talent, performance, character, and mindset.

- Intellectual quotient (experience, skillsets, performance)
- Emotional quotient (character, influence, awareness)

Understanding the growth trajectory of the company based on the people's talents and performance.

SWOT Analysis

Identifies a business's internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats.

- Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

Understanding the internal and external factors that can affect an organization's success.

Balanced Scorecard

Tracks and manages performance from multiple perspectives, including financial and non-financial metrics (customer, internal processes, learning & growth).

- Objectives, Measures, Initiatives, Perspectives (Financial, Customer, Internal Processes, Learning & Growth)

Aligning an organization's strategic objectives with its actions and performance measures.

Porter's Five Forces

Analyzes an industry's competitive intensity and attractiveness by examining the threat of new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers/buyers, threat of substitutes, and rivalry among existing competitors.

- Threat of New Entrants, Bargaining Power of Suppliers, Bargaining Power of Buyers, Threat of Substitute Products or Services, Rivalry Among Existing Competitors

Gaining insights into the competitive dynamics of an industry.

Ansoff Matrix

Identifies growth strategies by considering market penetration, product development, market development, and diversification.

- Market Penetration, Market Development, Product Development, Diversification

Developing strategies for growth and expansion.

VRIO Framework

Helps businesses determine what they have of value, rarity, imitability, and organization that gives them a sustainable competitive advantage.

- Value, Rarity, Imitability, Organization

Assessing the competitive potential of an organization's resources.

Blue Ocean Strategy

Assesses whether an organization operates in a saturated "red ocean" market and how to create new demand and uncontested market space ("blue ocean").

- Value Innovation, Creating "Blue Oceans" of Uncontested Market Space

Developing innovative strategies that break away from traditional competition.

7S Model

Encourages leadership teams to explore the interconnectedness of seven elements within the company: Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Skills, Style, and Staff.

- Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Skills, Style, Staff

Analyzing organizational effectiveness and alignment.

Gap Planning

Compares an organization's current position to its desired future state (goal) and identifies the "gaps" and ways to bridge them.

- Current State Analysis, Future State Vision, Gap Identification, Action Planning

Identifying and addressing the discrepancies between current performance and desired outcomes.

Strategy Map

Visually links an organization's strategic objectives and goals in a cause-and-effect relationship, often used in conjunction with the Balanced Scorecard.

- Objectives, Cause-and-Effect Linkages, Perspectives (Financial, Customer, Internal Processes, Learning & Growth)

Communicating and visualizing the strategic plan and its interdependencies.