Thursday 14 November 2013

THE 2 x 2 HIGH-LOW PRESENTATION STRUCTURE



By
TAMAL DATTA CHAUDHURI
                                                 Principal & Professor, Finance and Economics
While teaching a course on Concepts of Management, I rediscovered the usefulness of a 2x2 high low presentation structure. I feel that it provides the reader with clarity on the issues at hand and provides the policy maker with areas of intervention. The structure helps one collate ones thoughts in a systematic manner and then helps in positioning. Since it is a bounded structure, it prevents one from getting ones thoughts go haywire. The structure helps one think logically. Although it is 2 dimensional, while many issues can be multidimensional, it is a useful presentation tool. In the following I will provide a few examples of such simple structures, some well known borrowed from various sources, and some of my own.
Example 1: The BCG matrix
Market Growth

High
Low
High
Stars
Cows
Low
?
Dogs
Competitive Position

Example 2: The Risk Return matrix
Risk

High
Low
High
To enter
Null set
Low
Null set
Crowded space
          Return
Example 3: Dimensions of Strategy
Quality of Strategy

High
Low
High
Rare  
Shareholders favorite
Low
Management wants it
Avoid
Ease of assessment /Easy to understand

Example 4: Decisions leading to Strategy
Control

High
Low
High
Game theory/oligopoly
Managing to survive
Low
Making choices/casting a vote
Buying stocks
     Performance 

Example 5: Interventions for literacy
Affordability

High
Low
High
Will shine
Society to intervene
Low
Family intervention
Socioeconomic background responsible
          Willingness
Example 1: Education/Competence mapping
Alignment

High
Low
High
Will succeed
Can overcome and succeed
Low
Will survive in routine jobs
Will get frustrated and may fail
     Competence