The Ansoff Matrix: A Legendary Tool, But with Two Logical Problems

5 Pages Posted: 6 Mar 2018 Last revised: 26 May 2020

See all articles by John Dawes

John Dawes

University of South Australia - Ehrenberg-Bass Institute; UniSA Business

Date Written: February 27, 2018

Abstract

The Ansoff Matrix has been widely taught as part of business education for over 50 years. It portrays growth options as a 2 x 2 matrix of options, with one axis representing products (existing / new) and the representing markets (existing / new). Two logical problems arise from the matrix. Both problems relate to assumptions or interpretations pertaining to newness. If we assume a new product really is new to the firm, in many cases a new product will simultaneously take the firm into a new, unfamiliar market. In that case, one of the Ansoff quadrants, namely diversification, is redundant. Alternatively, if a new product does not necessarily take the firm into a new market, then the combination of new products into new markets does not always equate to diversification, in the sense of venturing into a completely unknown business - which the model, and many subsequent interpretations of the model in textbooks, assumes.

Keywords: Ansoff Matrix, Growth, Diversification, New Product Strategy

JEL Classification: M31

Suggested Citation

Dawes, John, The Ansoff Matrix: A Legendary Tool, But with Two Logical Problems (February 27, 2018). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3130530 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3130530

John Dawes (Contact Author)

University of South Australia - Ehrenberg-Bass Institute ( email )

GPO Box 2471
Adelaide, 5001
Australia

HOME PAGE: http://www.johndawes.info

UniSA Business ( email )

Adelaide, South Australia 5001
Australia

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
15,102
Abstract Views
34,594
Rank
506
PlumX Metrics