Individual Assignment 3 Signature Assignment Recommendations f

Individual Assignment 3: ***Signature Assignment
Recommendations for increasing value, creativity and
innovation in a specific company.
Due Week 7 (Sunday night midnight)
Value 300 points
Length: 12-15 pages (page count does not include appendices,
title page, visual display or references).
With Signature Assignments that are due on Week 7 all students
must turn in their papers at the due date and no late papers will
be graded for points, as the term is over, and students and
faculty must prepare for the next term.
Be sure you include information from the Isaksen and Magretta
text books and cite using APA. Citations should be short. The
citations from both books must be direct applications from the
text. This means that you do not use the textbook to define
concepts like (creativity, innovation, creative problem solving)
but you use the textbook to apply what you have learned.
Remember using the textbooks to define concepts is
undergraduate work.
Note: This final assignment is worth approximately ⅓ of your
grade. Be very careful to follow the Rubric and the instructions
below. In this paper students are to show mastery of all that
they have learned through application of those concepts from
this class into this final assignment. Review the Course
Learning Outcomes found below as great papers will give
indications that learning has occurred in each of the following
six categories :
1. Examine existing personal creativity skills and cultivate
additional personal creativity skills in both personal and
professional settings.
2. Analyze the connection between creativity, leadership and
bringing value and solving problems within the workplace.
3. Analyze the need for increasing creative thought in a

complex global environment including designing strategies to
increase cash, profit and growth through understanding
competitive dynamics.
4. Identify the various business segments and the different or
similar ways that each segment drives for profitability through
creativity and resultant innovation.
5. Analyze and apply decision matrices especially Michael
Porter’s work for creative opportunities, or to mitigate risk
and/or legal considerations in the global marketplace including
compliance with Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
6. Develop collaborative processes across stakeholders,
including customers and suppliers to increase creativity and
innovation.
Students will begin this final paper by reviewing the comments
and suggestions from their instructor from Assignment 2, which
was the outline for many issues addressed in this final paper.
The instructor will review Assignment 2 before grading
Assignment 3 to be sure that all suggestions from that paper
have been incorporated into the final paper.
This paper will follow all APA guidelines and will be: Double
Spaced, Times New Roman, APA Headings, Title Page,
References and APA citations. This is an example of an APA
sample paper. Long quotes are not to be used in this paper, thus,
all quotes should be from seven to twelve words and must use
APA citations. This is a research paper with recommendations.
After reading assigned chapters in Isaksen and Magretta and
course materials compare and contrast what you thought about
creativity and innovation before this class and after this class.
Reflect on what you learned and create an Action Plan where
you could more fully engage in creativity and innovation with
the knowledge learned in the text. Use APA headings. Sources
(must be current - five years) other than the textbook can
include: New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Harvard
Business Review, Wired Magazine, etc. Current Academic

sources are encouraged as they are relevant and recent (all
sources listed above can be found in the Brandman Library).
Current Academic sources are encouraged only as they are
relevant and recent (also in the Brandman Library).. Use the
guide below for your paper.
This final paper will include research on the industry in which
your team worked, and the research gathered on the individual
business chosen by the student. This paper will be easier if
students choose American publicly held companies (company on
the American Stock Exchange or NASDAQ) as financial
information is readily available on those companies. Students
may use this or other sources
In the analysis section students are to examine how creativity
and innovation have impacted the business. Based upon
research and analysis students are to design strategies to
increase cash, profit and growth through understanding
innovation and competitive dynamics within the global
marketplace. Students will analyze and apply decision matrices
for creative opportunities, and/or to mitigate risk and/or legal
considerations in the global marketplace. One method that
students will develop are collaborative processes across
stakeholders, including customers and suppliers to increase
creativity and innovation and profitability. This paper will also
include a visual representation of their strategy to increase
creativity and innovation within the business.
Introduction
Will include research on the industry in which your team
worked, and the research gathered on the individual business
chosen by the student. The introduction will clearly point to the
Action Plan and will show the analyses that the student has
chosen. The introduction is written after the analysis and action
plan as until those sections are written the student does not
know what they are introducing. The information from
Assignment 2 in this class will be referred to in the introduction
especially the history and position of the business within the
industry, the history of innovation (successful and unsuccessful)

The introduction is never more than ¾ of one page, so be
succinct.
Analysis
The Analysis section will be written first and ranges from 10 to
12 pages in length. The Analysis will be divided into three
sections of approximately equal length (three to four pages for
each of the three sections, Risk, ). Students do not need to use
the exact three major headings below, but they are
recommended.
Risk
The research from Assignment 2 on risk can be included and
expanded upon here (but not copied and pasted). The risk that
the student identifies for this paper will be clearly explained
using data analysis (not opinion). The risks will generally
include a risk that can be solved using the material from this
course (creativity, innovation collaboration between
stakeholders). So risk factors for having “old machinery” or for
something general like “bad management” would not qualify for
this paper.
Competition
Again, starting with the information gathered in Assignment 2
for this class, research further and analyze what the competition
within the same industry is doing that may be better than the
business that the student choose. Opportunities often come from
an honest analysis of the competition. The competition chosen
does not need to be the largest competitors, but need to be a
company that is competing for roughly the same customers.
Identify ways that the competition is more collaborative,
creative and or innovative. Most students will choose three
competitors to analyze. It will be easier if students choose
competitors who are publicly held as financial information is
readily available. This portion of the assignment lends itself to
a graph or chart that is followed by analysis (the variables on
the left may vary with each business.)
Chosen company

Competitor 1
Competitor 2
Competitor 3
Recent innovation or creativity
Profitability of recent innovation or creativity
Profitability of company - or growth within market sector over
the last five years.
Remember the section on competition will be three to four
pages long and a chart is to provide clarity but is not sufficient
in and of itself. To find out more about profitability look for
recent articles, securities and exchange
Collaboration
In the above competition section through research the student
may find that competitors are more strongly collaborative in
some creative and interesting ways. This three to four page
section of paper will highlight the opportunities that have been
found in the research from the risk and competition sections
above. Remember this is not the Action Plan (see below) so
students do not make recommendations here, but show the data
in depth and analyze some of the stronger synergies that have
resulted in increased profitability.
Action Plan

Students will develop a plan with exact steps that will be taken
to develop collaborative thinking across stakeholders, customers
and suppliers to increase creativity and innovation. This Action
Plan will include information from the text and from the
students own lessons learned in this class about creativity and
innovation. Within this Action Plan students can place
themselves within the company that they have chosen and
assume that they are part of the Action Plan. The Action Plan is
from ¾ of a page to two pages long. The Action Plan is
measurable and uses SMART goals. Remember the Action Plan
is built in part on what you have learned in this class about your
own ability to be a creative problem solver.
Visual Representation
Students are to turn the Action Plan into a Visual
Representation, The visual representation should be no more
than one page and no less than a quarter of a page. The visual
representation may use any of the following technology (use the
free versions). Students are to embed the Visual Representation
into the ONE WORD DOCUMENT that will be turned in (in
other words students can’t submit the visual representation in
another document or attachment as for Signature Assignments
only ONE WORD DOCUMENT can be graded. Be creative here,
there is a million ways to do this “right.”
This is a place for students to show their new found creativity!
Padlet
Mindmeister
Lucidchart
Infogram
References
Follow APA guidelines and cite all research that has been used
in the paper. Students cannot include references for sources not
cited in the paper.

Individual Assignment 3 Rubric
Criteria
Exemplary
Proficient
Developing
Emerging
Not Completed
**Introduction and Thesis
10%
Intro
30
Engaging opening introduces the paper’s general topic and
inspires thinking about the topic. Writer explains that they will
bring options and opportunities that bring value. The
Introduction is easily identifiable, well phrased, and lets the
reader know that major supporting points; the idea offered in
the thesis reflects sound critical, analytical thinking.
26
Opening introduces the paper’s general topic but may not
stimulate thinking about the topic. Writer states his or her
position on the current topic in a thesis statement.
22

Opening is logically organized, but may lack development;
paper’s topic is clear, but needs to be developed to engage the
reader. Thesis statement lacks development.
18
Opening is poorly organized and/or lacks development. Thesis
statement is weak or missing.
0
No opening introduction
Analysis
25%
Analysis
75
A comprehensive analysis of research, demographic data,
competitive analysis, risk competition and collaboration are
utilized. Makes it clear that the goal of analysis to bring value.
65
An analysis of research, demographic data, competitive
analysis, competition, collaboration and risk are utilized.
Makes it clear that the goal of analysis to bring value.
55
A somewhat brief analysis of research, demographic data,
competitive analysis, competition, collaboration and risk are
45
A weak attempt at analysis and research, demographic data,
competitive analysis, competition collaboration and risk are
0
No analysis provided
Creative and Innovative thinking
20%
C&I Thinking
60

Students apply creative and innovative deep thinking to the
outline. The textbook and course materials are applied in an
interesting and creative manner.
52
Students show some creative and innovative thinking to the
outline. Course materials are applied.
44
Students somewhat show creative thinking to the outline.
Course materials are somewhat applied.
36
Students do not demonstrate a deep understanding of creative
and innovative techniques or strategies.
0
Paper is missing creative and innovative techniques and
strategies
Business and Scholarly Sources
5%
Sources
15
Effectively integrates credible academic or business sources
into the outline; in-text citations are presented in accurate APA
style; paper includes APA style “References” page, listing
authoritative sources; utilizes an appropriate balance of quoted
material and the writer’s analysis; all source material is
accurately quoted, paraphrased or summarized to give authors
credit for ideas. Block and direct quotes are used sparingly and
effectively.
13
Generally incorporates credible academic or business sources
into the outline; most in-text source citations reflect accurate
APA style. “References” page lists authoritative primary and/or
secondary sources but may contain minor errors in APA style;
there may be a minor imbalance between quoted material and

the writer’s analysis. Block and direct quotes are generally used
sparingly and appropriately
11
Occasionally incorporates credible academic sources into the
outline; adherence to APA style guidelines may be inconsistent
but does not compromise the integrity of the paper;
“References” page lists several authoritative secondary sources
and generally follows APA style guidelines. Occasionally block
and direct quotes are over utilized and/or not used
appropriately.
9
Does not integrate credible academic sources into the outline
inconsistent adherence to APA guidelines for in-text citations,
which may compromise integrity of the paper; inaccurate or
missing “References” page. Block and direct quotes are over
utilized and/or not used appropriately.
0
No business or scholarly sources provided
Visual Representation
10%
Visual
30
Creatively and clearly demonstrates the Action Plan. Shows a
deep understanding of the material and successful technology is
applied.
26
Clearly demonstrates the Action Plan with a deep understanding
of the material. Successfully applies technology.
22
Demonstrate the Action Plan with deep understanding of the
material and applies technology.
18
The Action Plan is either highly creative but hard to understand
or easy to understand but does not necessarily apply to the
Action Plan.

0
No creativity or clarity of action plan
Action Plan
15%
Action Plan
45
Summarizes the topic and the ways to bring value, restating the
major supporting points and findings/analysis from each section
of the paper, with the purpose of supporting the thesis; states
conclusion(s) based on research; ways to take action or to be
open to another way of thinking.
39
Summarizes the topic and ways to bring value, restating the
supporting points and findings/analysis from each section of the
paper, states conclusion(s) based on the research.
33
Vaguely summarizes the topic and opinion or argument.
27
Does not summarize the topic and opinion or argument. Brings
in new data.
0
No action plan provided
Grammar
5%
Grammar
15
Effective syntax and grammar demonstrate a mastery of writing
conventions and serves the author’s purpose; writing is free of
misspellings and punctuation errors.
13

Syntax and grammar demonstrate mastery of writing
conventions but may be awkward; a few misspellings or
punctuation errors are present.
11
Awkward syntax and grammar may impair clarity; misspellings,
run-on sentences, sentence fragments, or other errors are
present throughout the paper.
9
Frequent syntax, grammar, and/or spelling errors impair clari ty;
numerous run-on sentences, sentence fragments, or other errors
impair meaning throughout the paper.
0
No adherence to this criteria
Formatting
10%
Formatting
30
Title of the paper clearly reflects its content. The title and other
document formatting demonstrate. APA headings are carefully
adhered to.
26
Title of the paper reflects its content. The title and other
document formatting demonstrate general adherence to APA
style guidelines. APA headings are carefully adhered to.
22
Title of the paper vaguely reflects its content. The title and
other document formatting only occasionally demonstrate
adherence to APA style guidelines. APA headings are adhered
to.
18
Title of the paper does not reflect its content. The title and

other document formatting does not demonstrate adherence to
APA style guidelines. More than three errors in APA headings.
0
No APA formatting used

0007-6813/$ — see front matter # 2017 Kelley
School of Business, Indiana University. Published by Elsevier
Inc. All rights reserved.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2017.11.010
Copyright 2017 by Kelley School of Business, Indiana
University. For reprints, call HBS Publishing at (800) 545-7685.
BH888
Business Horizons (2018) 61, 285—296
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
ScienceDirect
www.elsevier.com/locate/bushor
Circle mapping your firm’s growth strategy
Vincent Bruni-Bossio *, Norman T. Sheehan, Chelsea R.
Willness
Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan,
Saskatoon SK S7N 5A7, Canada
* Corresponding author
E-mail addresses: [email protected]
(V. Bruni-Bossio), [email protected] (N.T. Sheehan),
[email protected] (C.R. Willness)

KEYWORDS
Growth strategy;
Knowledge
visualization;
Value proposition;
Customer segments;
Resources and
capabilities
Abstract This article offers an innovative graphical approach to
facilitating an
interactive discussion about identifying and assessing potential
growth opportu-
nities. Our approach, circle mapping, visually conceptualizes
growth as occupying
space, where market space is defined by a set of concentric
circles. The circle
presently occupied by the firm is defined by its current set of
customers and the value
proposition offered to them, while the outer concentric circles
represent growth
opportunities that are defined by new customers and value
propositions. The process
of circle mapping prompts leadership teams to formulate a
growth strategy by
visually mapping the value proposition for future customers in
relation to the firm’s
capacity to access the resources and capabilities needed to
successfully occupy those
spaces. The model allows leaders to conceptualize growth
strategies, such as
leveraging success in one circle to target consumers in another.
It can also allow
leaders to evaluate the rewards and risks associated with
different growth oppor-
tunities, while the visual aspect of the model assists with

overcoming some common
challenges of applying strategy frameworks to develop new
strategies. By having
leaders visually depict and justify where and why they want to
grow, circle mapping
helps firms conceptualize a profitable future and then
confidently move toward that
space.
# 2017 Kelley School of Business, Indiana University.
Published by Elsevier Inc. All
rights reserved.
1. Visualizing growth strategies
Developing effective growth options for a firm
is difficult due to the information overload
associated with evaluating multiple options in
today’s competitive environment. Generating
growth strategies involves simultaneously being
aware of multiple environmental factors and
trends, competitors, customer value propositions,
government regulations, etc. The ability to inte-
grate these into profitable strategy is a daunting
task for many leaders (Eppler & Platts, 2009). In our
experience, leaders struggle to assimilate the in-
formation needed to generate growth options that
successfully exploit the company’s resources and
capabilities. This discussion is further complicated D
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This document is authorized for educator review use only by
Justin Barnes, Washington State University until Jan 2022.
Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright.
[email protected] or 617.783.7860
http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1016/j.bushor.2017
.11.010&domain=pdf

286 V. Bruni-Bossio et al.
as leaders are typically given large amounts of data
derived from various strategy frameworks. We
have witnessed leaders struggling to cope with
information overload, watching them satisfice by
only focusing on what they understand. This
typically results in incremental improvements
to the firm’s current strategy because it is easier
to formulate and explain small changes than to
conceptualize and explain how the firm’s resources
and capabilities may be leveraged to generate
growth in tomorrow’s markets.
To address the challenges of generating
profitable growth options, we turned to the
writings by Sun Tzu in The Art of War on occupying
space. Unlike conventional military strategists,
Sun Tzu avoided direct confrontation with
enemies because such confrontations are often
unpredictable and may result in potentially

damaging losses. Instead, Sun Tzu promoted the
idea of overtaking enemies by occupying the
space around them through a series of small wins
(Sun Tzu, 1910/2005). By combining Sun Tzu’s
ideas with the literature on value propositions,
we developed a conceptual growth-mapping tool
called circle mapping. Growth in circle mapping is
not about defeating competitors but rather
identifying attractive spaces to occupy, where
the space is defined in terms of new value
propositions and/or new customers. While Sun
Tzu speaks of tactically beating back the enemy
to occupy geographical space, in business we speak
of beating rivals to occupy the cognitive space of
target customers. Circle mapping is a visual tool
that simplifies the ideation process for senior
management teams when thinking about future
spaces so that they can develop effective growth
options. Research shows that visual mapping tools
lead to generation of higher-quality alternatives
by mitigating the cognitive and social challenges
faced by teams of senior leaders, as well as
enhancing buy-in to the growth strategy that is
ultimately selected (Eppler & Platts, 2009).
Currently, leaders and practitioners attempting
to generate growth opportunities use several well-
known, traditional strategic frameworks to analyze
their firm’s external environment (e.g., Porter’s
Five Forces (Porter, 2008), PESTEL (Aguilar, 1967))
and internal environment (e.g., resource-based
view (Barney, 1991), value chain analysis (Porter,
1985)). While these existing frameworks are effec-
tive for scanning the firm’s internal and external
landscape, they can be enhanced by using a tool
that helps to identify growth opportunities. A key

strength of circle mapping is that it is a strategy
development tool that builds on and complements
tools like PESTEL, Porter’s Five Forces, VRIO, and
value chain analysis, which are strategy analysis
frameworks.
By breaking down the analysis of the firm’s
environment into smaller, manageable parts, tradi-
tional strategy frameworks help leaders generate
lists of relevant factors to consider when developing
a strategy. These frameworks provide the data
needed to develop effective strategies, but we
argue this data needs to be placed in a visual tool
to enable an effective discussion of growth options.
As we later describe, when leaders use circle map-
ping to draw concentric circles beyond the one they
currently occupy, they are building and testing new
growth strategies with their senior leadership team.
In the sections that follow, we briefly discuss the
concept of growth through space and the need to
link value propositions to the firm’s resources and
capabilities to create an effective growth strategy.
We then describe how circle mapping works and why
it works in terms of leveraging key principles of
strategy and space, and the benefits of using
knowledge visualization to conceptually map the
firm’s growth possibilities. Last, we offer steps for
applying circle mapping and illustrate with a case
example from practice. For each step, we also
provide guiding questions to facilitate the
leadership team’s progression through the circle
mapping process.
2. Circle mapping origins

2.1. The principle of occupying space
The idea of occupying space can be traced to early
Chinese military writings by Sun Tzu (1910/2005) in
The Art of War. Sun Tzu advocates for winning
through a series of small encounters with the overall
goal of occupying space, rather than conquering
the enemy through one decisive battle. Sun Tzu’s
idea directly aligns with the Chinese game called
Go. The objective of Go is to tactically place stones
on the board with the purpose of occupying as
much space as possible (Lai, 2004). In contrast,
traditional Western thinking tends to view warfare
and strategy like a chess game (Lai, 2004) in which
the goal is to take out as many opponents as possible
while moving forward. The idea of occupying space
is a change in mindset for many senior management
teams that typically follow a chess-like logic of
attacking competitors head-on, rather than
following the logic espoused by Sun Tzu and used
in the game of Go.
We analogize Sun Tzu’s concept of fighting for
geographic space that is occupied by enemy troops
to businesses fighting for customers’ cognitive D
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287 Circle mapping your firm’s growth strategy
space that is occupied by rival offerings. Both
conceptions of space are fluid. The geographic
space shifts as the enemy moves and repositions
its troops, and the customers’ cognitive space shifts
due to changes in technology and rivals’ actions. In
business, firms enter consumers’ cognitive space by
offering a value proposition that includes the
attributes desired by consumers and must compete
with rivals offering similar value propositions.

Customers’ perceptions of the rival offerings
ultimately shape their decisions about which
offering they will purchase.
Sun Tzu’s concept of space empowers CEOs to
move beyond the idea that growth strategy involves
moving from the current situation to a defined
future target, as shown in Figure 1A. We argue that
successful strategies should include multiple
pathways to growth, while recognizing that these
opportunities can only occur if CEOs have a tool that
encourages a discussion of a full range of options.
Applying Sun Tzu’s ideas to business prompts
leaders to view growth as a series of smaller
conquests, following any number of pathways to
occupy new customer spaces, as shown in Figure 1B,
rather than assuming that a company should move
straight to their future target (Figure 1A).
To illustrate the concept of growth using multiple
pathways, we offer the example of 3twenty Modu-
lar, a company that started in 2009 with the idea of
building modular houses and offices out of used
shipping containers. Offering modular construction
allowed the company to compete on the basis of
lower price, delivery speed, customization, porta-
bility, and durability. The founders’ ultimate goal
when they started the firm1 was to build residential
units; however, they quickly discovered that the
residential housing industry was too competitive
so they focused instead on building work camps
for the mining sector. The decision to supply modu-
lar housing to the mining, oil, and gas industries was
triggered by a customer looking for specific value
proposition attributes (i.e., portable housing that is
customizable, inexpensive, and durable).

In 2012, the company diversified its revenue
stream when it started a rental division to lease
office trailers and car washes at construction sites.
Then, in 2013, 3twenty Modular won a major con-
tract to create large-scale barracks for a Canadian
military base, which expanded the size of the work
camps it traditionally supplied to exploration camps
1 Based on statements by the founders (McCrea & Willoughby,
2017) in a public presentation about the origin and growth of
their firm, as well as company information available on their
website: https://www.3twenty.ca/
Figure 1A. Conventional approach to growth strategy
Figure 1B. Occupying new customer spaces
and mining sites. In 2014, the firm shifted to
building modular office buildings, portable school
classrooms, and smaller residential units such as
cabins. By 2016, non-shipping container work
accounted for 67% of sales with recurring revenue
from over 100 rental office trailers and car washes.
By early 2017, the company was poised to expand
into full residential housing, thus realizing its origi -
nal goal using multiple pathways. 3twenty Modular
achieved its original goal only because it followed a
process of growing through multiple customer
spaces. If 3twenty Modular had focused solely on
targeting the residential housing market space, the
company most likely would have failed (Figure 2).
Circle mapping offers leaders the ability to map a
series of concentric circles where each circle
defines different sets of attributes that make up

the value proposition of future customers. Since the
concept of occupying space involves expanding out-
ward in any direction, circle mapping offers new
opportunities to compete against current and fu-
ture competitors. The above example demonstrates
that growth between circles typically progresses by
the introduction of new offerings (e.g., modular
housing led to demand for rentals and then a full-
scale modular work camp). Consumers’ cognitive
spaces can overlap, which creates opportunity for a
value proposition that may appeal to another set of D
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Figure 2. Circle maps for 3twenty Modular
customers (e.g., the attributes of customization,
durability, and low cost also appeal to buyers of
modular offices and portable school classrooms).
This raises the possibility of leveraging resources
and capabilities to grow from one consumer space
to another, which we discuss in Section 2.2.
2.2. Aligning resources and capabilities to
deliver value propositions
To successfully deliver a value proposition, leaders
must identify the attributes of a compelling value
proposition that are specifically targeted at a size-
able group of customers who desire them. Leaders
must also ensure the firm has access to the requisite
resources (e.g., property, equipment, people,
financial) and capabilities (e.g., marketing, recruit-
ing, negotiating) needed to deliver these attributes
reliably. If any of these components are missing, the
firm will either fail to deliver the value proposition
or it will deliver a value proposition that is not

relevant to the customer segment targeted. Align-
ment is critical. For example, a firm can have
resources and capabilities to deliver a value propo-
sition, but not enough customers who are interested
in the value proposition. Similarly, if a firm designs a
value proposition for a group of customers that is
interested but it lacks the resources and capabili-
ties to deliver the value proposition, it will again fail
in its strategy. Success is dependent on alignment
between attributes of the value proposition for a
customer group, as well as the firm possessing and
mobilizing the necessary resources and capabilities.
Our approach draws on the value proposition
literature that defines value propositions in terms
of the key attributes of a product or service that
drive customer purchases (Lancaster, 1966; see also
Kim & Mauborgne, 2005). The attributes of a value
proposition can be functional (e.g., product
quality) or emotional (e.g., prestige). Separating
value propositions into their individual attributes is
useful for assessing whether the firm can access
the specific resources and capabilities needed to
deliver each attribute of the new value proposition.
To understand how forecasting the attributes of
future value propositions can assist leaders to stra-
tegically allocate a firm’s future resources and
capabilities for growth, consider the example of a
customer who buys a car from a dealership rather
than a private seller. Customers who prefer shop-
ping at a dealership may do so because they value
the interaction with the dealer’s sales staff, the
ability to test drive the vehicle, and the potential to
obtain financing, warranties, and service–— these

are all attributes of the dealer’s customer value
proposition. Understanding which of these attrib-
utes this segment of customers values most will
assist the dealership in understanding how to
allocate its resources and capabilities. Is it advan-
tageous for the dealer to invest more in training
high-level sales staff, or should it provide different
financing options? Customers who value the
relationship with sales staff may be very different
from customers who see financing as a critical part
of the deal.
2.3. How circle mapping was developed
We developed circle mapping to meet specific
business challenges around growth through a series
of consulting engagements in for-profit, nonprofit,
economic development, and public sector organiza-
tions over a period of 5 years. It emerged because
we discovered that conventional approaches to
strategic analysis, which typically analyze the
current state of the firm’s internal and external
landscape, can be enhanced with a visual tool that
can synthesize information for discussing growth
opportunities. To examine its resonance and effec-
tiveness, we used a case-based approach of creating
meaning by listening to participants’ descriptions of
their reality and observing their actions (Baxter &
Jack, 2008; see also Lather, 1992). This provides
practical, concrete knowledge that retains a
nuanced depiction of a reality (Flyvbjerg, 2006).
In the initial stages of its refinement and testing,
circle mapping received very positive feedback
from senior managers and directors because it
was visual, easy to understand, and promoted

an in-depth discussion of growth opportunities.
Managers also felt that conceptualizing growth by D
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comparing future value propositions with needed
resources and capabilities promoted an intuitive
understanding of what was required to grow
successfully. Through practice, we revised the
framework to articulate the concentric logic to best
elicit effective discussions for planning a growth
strategy, and subsequently streamlined the identi-
fiers of each circle (e.g., current customers, next
customers, and future growth customers) to reflect
this progression. Figure 3 shows the relationship
between each circle and the progression.
3. Elements of circle mapping: The

three circles
3.1. The first circle: Current customers
The process of circle mapping examines the feasi-
bility of growth by delineating a set of concentric
circles that are each defined by different value
propositions. The first circle identifies the current
customers as those the firm is already successfully
targeting with its current value proposition using
existing resources and capabilities. The mapping
process requires that a firm articulate the specific
attributes of a value proposition offered to the
customers in this circle, and the current resources
and capabilities used to deliver this value proposi -
tion. Returning to the car dealership example,
current customers would be those who prefer a
value proposition that includes attributes such as
interacting with a sales person, test driving the car,
negotiating, consulting on financing options, and
driving home with a new vehicle.
3.2. The second circle: Next customers
The circle mapping process then identifies the next
customers as those who desire a value proposition
similar to that being offered to the current customer
but with meaningful differences in the level and/or
type of attributes. For the car dealership, this
might include those customers who want to research
vehicle options and prices online, but still prefer to
test drive the car and speak with a sales person
face-to-face. In assessing this circle, the dealership
must assess whether it has the online capabilities to
meet this demand and whether investing in these

capabilities is worth the return these potential (next)
customers might bring. In recent years, many car
companies have tried to attract this type of customer
with website capabilities that allow customization
of vehicle orders with particular specifications and
add-on features (e.g., Toyota’s build and price
interface).
3.3. Outer circles: Future growth
customers
Circle mapping identifies future growth customers
as those desiring a value proposition that requires
significant adaptation or addition to the firm’s
current set of resources and capabilities in order
to deliver this new customer value proposition.
Entering this circle represents a significant
investment in resources, but may also yield
significant rewards. The car dealership may want
to offer electric or hydrogen fuel cell cars, which
include a value proposition that is related to,
but different from, conventional fuel-powered
vehicles. Movement to this circle would require
updating the dealership’s parts and service
capabilities, changes to marketing and communi-
cations with customers, and potentially new
salespeople who understand the product. The
company may also need to provide after-purchase
assistance beyond what is needed for a traditional
car, or lobby the government to provide abundant
vehicle charging/fueling stations and tax relief
when purchasing electric/hydrogen vehicles. Again,
the dealer would need to assess the risk and return
Figure 3. Circle maps of current, next, and future growth
customers

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of allocating resources and capabilities to this
emerging customer segment.
4. Benefits of circle mapping
By asking leaders to conceptualize growth as
occupying space, circle mapping promotes a
strategic discussion of how to adapt a firm’s
business to offer new value propositions to new
target customers. Conventionally, a growth strategy
to enter new markets involves offering new
products to existing customers (i.e., market
development) or new products to new customers
(i.e., diversification) (Ansoff, 1965). Inherent in this
type of growth strategy is the need to expand a
firm’s core business to target the needs of new

customer segments (Zook & Allen, 2003). Circle
mapping assists leaders with strategy formulation
by visually prompting a discussion of the different
pathways toward which resources and capabilities
can be directed to deliver future value propositions.
Below we outline how knowledge visualization is
integral to overcoming cognitive blinders and other
challenges faced by leaders when discussing
strategy. We also provide an explanation for how
aligning resources and capabilities to occupy a
future space assists leaders engaged in the process
of growth strategy formulation. The overall result is
that circle mapping stimulates an interactive
discussion about strategic options in terms of their
desirability, feasibility, riskiness, and profitability.
4.1. Leveraging knowledge visualization
with circle mapping
The strategy development process can be plagued
by information overload (Eppler & Platts, 2009) as
leaders must simultaneously assess their resources
and capabilities, macro trends, rivals’ strategies,
performance data, and more. Eppler and Platts
(2009) identify three specific types of challenges
that occur in the strategic planning process:
cognitive challenges (i.e., how managers think
about strategy), social challenges (i.e., the need
to communicate and coordinate strategy in
organizations that involve complex networks and
perspectives), and emotional challenges (i.e., the
struggle to motivate people at different levels and
ensure engagement throughout the organization).
Ultimately, strategy tools need to provide
decision-relevant information that can be “ sampled,

retrieved, and integrated” (Oppenheimer & Kelso,
2015, p. 283). Knowledge visualization improves
the effectiveness of strategy tools as it enhances
the ability to “ create, assess, reference or transfer
insights, experiences, attitudes, values, expecta-
tions, perspectives, opinions, and predictions”
(Eppler & Burkhard, 2007, pp. 112— 113). Knowledge
visualization assists with the creation of new and
innovative ideas, and can be particularly useful in
strategy because it enables recall, reconstruction,
and application of information (Eppler & Burkhard,
2007).
Using knowledge visualization in a group
process can be enhanced by using templates and
sketches (Eppler, Hoffmann, & Bresciani, 2011;
Suthers, 2001). Eppler and Platts (2009, pp. 44)
demonstrate that visual representation of data is
superior to verbal or written data for overcoming
“ paralyses by analyses” and evaluation biases,
and it can also increase participants’ creativity.
This is supported by research showing that
teams using a combination of visual sketches
with other tools are particularly effective in
achieving a higher level of objectivity and creativity
(Eppler et al., 2011).
Circle mapping exemplifies knowledge visualiza-
tion by integrating multiple levels of knowledge in a
graphic–— essentially creating what Eppler and
Platts (2009) describe as a conceptual map–— that
enables complex transfers of nuanced information
(Eppler & Burkhard, 2007). As a method of knowl-
edge visualization, circle mapping mitigates the
cognitive challenges of strategy by encouraging

leaders to jointly create a visual articulation of
their future strategy. Leaders use a discussion for-
mat to both identify value propositions in each
circle and the resources and capabilities needed
to occupy each circle. This places leaders and their
executive teams in the active role of developing the
visual frame, which enhances creativity and buy-in
across the team.
Circle mapping can also help to address social
challenges, including divergent views, incomplete
communication, and difficulty coordinating action
steps (Eppler & Platts, 2009). By facilitating a
discussion of possible future growth strategies,
circle mapping provides a platform for fleshing
out different perspectives and arriving at mutual
understanding of both the future challenges
and the possible strategies–— all of which are
demonstrated benefits of conceptual maps
(Eppler & Platts, 2009). For so-called emotional
challenges or issues of employee engagement,
circle mapping provides a more active platform
for engaging multiple stakeholders in the strategy
development process, and creates a visual
representation of the strategy that is both
informational and motivational (Eppler & Platts,
2009). D
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4.2. Strategic advantages of aligning
strategy and space
Traditionally, the customer value proposition has
been considered an exchange of value between
a firm and its targeted customers for a price
(Anderson & Narus, 1998). A company’s growth
strategy involves developing compelling value
propositions that are attractive to customer
segments in future market spaces. The concept of
circle mapping evolves this thinking to align with a
service-dominant logic, where customers decide if
they desire the offering (Vargo, Maglio, & Akaka,
2008). This changes a leader’s perspective from
“Here is our product, will customers buy it?” to
“What do our customers need and can we provide
it?” In order to successfully develop compelling
value propositions for a future market, circle map-
ping combines customer centricity (Sheth, Sisodia,
& Sharma, 2000) with a market-driven approach
whereby companies define the space they are en-
tering in terms of meeting the customers’ needs
with the firm’s new value propositions (Gnecchi,
2009). A value proposition delivery system outlines
the resources and capabilities needed to efficiently
and effectively create value for customers (Vargo
et al., 2008). Circle mapping expands on this by
incorporating the notion of adapting resources and
capabilities to meet the value expectations of the

customers targeted within the new market space.
This component answers a vital question: “Can we
provide it?”
The process of circle mapping ensures that the
decision to target future customers involves a
strategic assessment by leaders of how well the
firm can align or adapt resources and capabilities
to meet the expectations of these future custom-
ers. This requires forecasting both the future needs
of customers and the future resources and capabili-
ties of a firm to profitably meet those needs. The
resource-based view (RBV) assesses the company’s
resources and capabilities relative to those of
current competitors to determine whether a
competitive advantage exists (Barney, 1991). The
RBV does not assess, however, whether the firm’s
resources and capabilities would be successful in
new market spaces (Priem & Butler, 2001). Circle
mapping extends RBV by asking whether the
firm’s current resources and capabilities can be
leveraged to produce new value propositions to
serve customers in new circles.
A common framework to identify growth
opportunities using value propositions is Kim and
Mauborgne’s (2005) Blue Ocean Strategy. The goal
of Blue Ocean Strategy is to make the competition
irrelevant by using visual tools, such as a strategy
canvas, as part of a four-step process to identify
new or revised versions of products/services that
can be introduced into markets where there are not
any direct rivals. Circle mapping extends Blue
Ocean Strategy in three ways:

1. Blue Ocean Strategy only focuses on competing
where there are no competitors, while circle
mapping allows managers to consider entering
market spaces where there are competitors.
2. It addresses a critique by Kraaijenbrink (2012),
who argues that Blue Ocean Strategy encourages
managers to ‘swim too far’ and misjudge their
firm’s strengths or weaknesses as represented by
the current set of resources and capabilities.
Circle mapping addresses this shortcoming by
evaluating the ability of the firm’s resources
and capabilities to deliver new value proposi-
tions.
3. We have found that circle mapping is easier to
explain and use with leaders than Blue Ocean’s
four-step process.
By prompting the assessment of how a firm’s future
resources and capabilities can be leveraged strate-
gically over time to successfully deliver new value
propositions, circle mapping provides a roadmap
for growth. Firm resources, such as specialized
knowledge, patents, and manufacturing plants,
along with capabilities such as communications
and marketing, can all be leveraged from one circle
to focus on targeting new customers in the next
circle. Circle mapping enables an intuitive compar-
ison of the firm’s current situation with its future
aspirations, which further promotes discussion of
the various options for achieving long-term growth
and the associated risks. The visual cost-benefit
analysis demonstrates that the greater rewards
associated with movement into the outer circles
also come with the cost of committing more re-

sources and capabilities. This discussion highlights
the firm’s readiness for growth by reflecting on
different strategic options and determining
whether allocation of resources to a specific
circle offers a strategic platform to compare the
cost-benefit of each proposed growth option.
5. Circle mapping steps: How to use
this tool
We outline a step-by-step approach to circle
mapping using an example from a small consulting
firm. Although the firm had developed a good D
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reputation for providing training and consulting
services to local businesses and organizations, it
wanted to significantly grow its revenues. Circle
mapping was used by the firm’s leaders to create
a growth strategy to increase revenues and
profitability by selling a greater proportion of
high-margin consulting services (see Figure 4).
For each step below, we describe the circle mapping
process and outline how circle mapping was applied
to generate growth effectively in the consulting
firm. We then provide guiding questions that leaders
may use to facilitate a discussion through each step.
5.1. Step 1: Determine value propositions
of different customer circles
The first step of circle mapping involves preparing
the leadership team to think differently about
strategic growth. Rather than using goals and
targets to represent future growth and asking
managers to achieve these, circle mapping offers
a visual and spatial frame to ignite a discussion of
growth options. To achieve this, the leadership
team first needs to define the value propositions

offered to current and future customers. In our
consulting work, we have found that leaders are
an ideal source to identify the value propositions
and customers in the circles because, as experts,
they can ask and answer significant questions: Who
are the right customers to target and what
attributes do these customers want? Once the
current and future customers and their associated
value propositions are identified, they should be
placed onto the circle map. The future customers
and value propositions that are characterized by
greater rewards (offering better returns with higher
risk) should be placed in the outer circle(s). Each
circle should also include a label. Since a firm’s
leadership team has its own understanding of the
industry in which it operates, it is best suited to
assign meaningful labels to customer types that are
relevant to their industry. Consumer data and
industry experts can assist leaders in determining
the attributes of value propositions for current
customer groups while forecasting tools, such as
a strategy canvas (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005) or stra-
tegic value curve analysis (Sheehan & Bruni-Bossio,
2015) can assist with developing future value
propositions (see Table 1 for questions that can
guide the team through Step 1).
In our case example, during Step 1 of the process,
the leaders of the consulting firm determined
the value proposition (current and future) for
customers in each circle and placed them according
to their current and potential rewards. The circle
map developed for the company included labeling
each type of customer with a title that made sense
to the leaders illustrating a progression of rewards

(shown in Figure 4).
Figure 4. Circle maps for consulting firm
5.2. Step 2: Identify future resources and
capabilities needed to deliver future
value propositions
Step 1 concludes with a visual representation of the
firm’s current and future value propositions and
customers, and the team must now determine what
is needed to deliver the value proposition to these
customers and whether the firm is capable of
delivering it. To do this, the firm’s leaders must
discern whether the current resources and capabil-
ities can be adapted to deliver the attributes of the
new value proposition in an outer circle. This should
also involve a discussion around feasibility and the
trade-offs of targeting one circle over another.
Using the circle map, the leadership team must
co-create a visual outline that lists the key
resources and capabilities needed for each circle,
and assess whether they can feasibly adapt the
resources and capabilities over time (see Table 2).
Returning to our case example, leaders of the
consulting firm used the circle map as a guide during
growth brainstorming discussions and generated a
list of key resources (e.g., trainers, consultants,
intellectual property) and capabilities (e.g.,
marketing, sales, proposal writing) needed to
target each circle. When considering how to match
resources and capabilities with customer types in
the outer circles (e.g., national firms), a recruit-
ment plan was devised to ensure the firm had access D

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Table 1. Example questions for circle mapping: Step 1
Questions
1. What customer(s) do you rely on most for revenue
generation today?
2. What are the attributes of the value proposition
demanded by these customers?
3. What label describes the common thread among these
customers and value propositions?
4. What customer(s) would you want to target as the
next step in the evolution of this business?
5. What are the attributes of the value proposition of
this next customer?
customers and their value propositions?
7. Which customer(s) would you want to target as the
long-term goal of this business?
8. What are the attributes of the value proposition of

this future customer?
customers and their value propositions?
Sample Answers
Small organizations looking to grow revenues and
enhance efficiencies
Tools, training, explanation, ‘handholding through the
change process’
Not-for-profit organizations and small businesses
Larger organizations focused on growth or experiencing
threats from new competitors
More sophisticated analysis, ongoing client
relationships, state-of-the-art solutions
Economic development agencies and government-
owned corporations
Large for-profit companies and government-owned
corporations looking to enhance current success
State-of-the-art solutions, timely service, and high-level
reporting
National and international corporations
Note: Sample answers are provided using the consulting firm in
our case example to illustrate.
to people with the capabilities needed to serve the

new target customers. This involved recruiting
consultants and trainers with specialized expertise
and writers with experience writing consulting
project proposals for these larger customers. These
individuals were recruited months before there
were consulting engagements for them to work
on. Since there was a considerable lag time in
getting contracts, sales calls were targeted at
future customers concurrently with networking
for experienced professionals to ensure work would
be available once customers were on board. At the
same time, a new marketing strategy was imple-
mented that involved creating sales brochures,
contacts, and initiatives that could apply to winning
projects from clients across multiple circles.
5.3. Step 3: Select the most favorable
growth scenario
This step involves engaging the team in a discussion
of the risks and rewards of each growth option
(e.g., stay in the current circle, move to the next
circle, or move to a circle further out). Rewards are
determined using forecasting and other analytics,
while risks represent the assessment by leaders of
how much adaptation of resources and capabilities
is needed along with the tangible and intangible
costs of resource allocation. Staying in the current
circle could be considered a low risk, low reward
growth strategy. Successfully targeting a new
customer segment in the next circle requires
successful alignment of resources and capabilities
to deliver the attributes of that customer’s
value proposition. Longer-term growth strategy
includes assessing the true feasibility of targeting

customers in outer circles against potential
rewards. Leaders must assess if customers in a
given circle add enough value to be targeted with
future resources and capabilities. We recommend
examining the risks and rewards of each circle as a
standalone process in a brainstorming discussion.
Once each circle (and the customer/value
proposition and resources and capabilities within
it) has been considered, the risk and reward analysis
can be expanded by juxtaposing the allocation of
resources and capabilities between circles. The
concentric logic assists in this analysis because
outer circles are potentially more risky, more costly,
and more rewarding than those closer to the center
(see Table 3).
In the case example, the consulting firm’s leaders
compared possible combinations of customers in
the future against the resources and capabilities
needed to serve these customers. Discussion
revealed that the best course of action was to
continue serving nonprofit and small business
clients (i.e., current customers) with limited
resource allocation for the purpose of generating
cash flow. Capital, time, and resources were then
directed at occupying the space of economic
development agencies and small corporations D
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Questions Sample Answers
1. For each circle, what resources and For not-for-profit
organizations and small businesses
capabilities are needed to deliver the value
proposition? � Trainers and consultants with basic
consulting skills and knowledge of
management tools
Economic development agencies and government-owned
corpora-
tions
� Experienced consultants with an MBA or other

credentials, proposal writing
skills, enhanced marketing knowledge
�
Create a new marketing campaign to reach these clients
National and international firms
� High-level marketing to these clients, consultants with
national reputa-
tions, and ability to build and maintain high-level
relationships with clients
2. Does our firm have these resources and Non-profits and
small businesses
capabilities? � Yes, no need for additional resources or
capabilities
corporations
� No, the firm needs to acquire and/or develop these
National and international firms
� No, the firm needs to acquire and/or develop these
3. If not, what fi would our rm have to do to
Simultaneously develop and execute a plan to do the following:
acquire
�
or develop these resources a. and continue to serve
current customers
capabilities, and how long would this take? b. create marketing

materials targeted at firms identified in the growth
areas
c. perform business development in the growth areas and
win contracts
from firms in these areas
d. recruit consultants that support the expanded scope of
clients
(i.e., next customers), and winning contracts
from government-owned corporations (i.e., future
growth customers).
This process focused on leveraging success in the
inner circles (small firms and economic agencies) to
win consulting contracts from firms in the outer
circles (national and international firms). Circle
mapping assisted with the realization that once
government-owned corporations were successfully
targeted, the same consultants, trainers, and
proposal writers could be used to target national
and international firms. In other words, growth in
the outer circles would not need to focus on
recruitment, but rather on refinement of the
processes used by the consultants, trainers, and
proposal writers.
The successful implementation of a growth
strategy in the consulting firm increased revenues
by 300% over a 3-year period. Many government-
owned corporations had been successfully targeted

and resources were already being deployed toward
winning jobs from national and international firms.
The consulting firm’s leaders agreed that circle
mapping was beneficial as it allowed them to
map a feasible path to profitable growth for two
primary reasons. First, it helped them generate
ideas and provided a path to access new
opportunities, and second, it facilitated creativity
in planning and developing the strategy. The
leaders remarked about the simplicity of the
mapping process and how it made it easier to
conceptualize opportunities that they might not
otherwise have considered. Perhaps most
importantly, they felt it put them ‘in the driver’s
seat’ in the strategic process versus reacting to
their competitors passively. D
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Questions Sample Answers
1. What are the potential risks and rewards
associated with each circle?
For not-for-profit organizations and small businesses
� Stagnation and inability to meet partners’ growth objectives
corporations; national and international firms
� The biggest risk is the opportunity cost from the time and
effort
spent recruiting new consultants and developing relationships
with
growth area clients. Other threats include reputational risk if we
win business but are unable to deliver what we promised to the
clients.
� Rewards include more engaging projects, increased reputation
of
the firm, higher-value contracts, and revenue diversification.
2. Are there any circles that offer rewards that Yes, all of the

outer circles:
outweigh the risks? � Economic development agencies
� Government-owned corporations
� National and international firms
3. Can we allocate resources and capabilities to Balance
opportunities with recruitment: make sure new
these circles while still ensuring we can serve our consultants
are ready and available when the contracts are
current customers? If so, how long will this take? won.
4. Which circle should we target as the next step Economic
development agencies
for growth?
5. Are there circles we want to prepare to occupy Leverage
success with economic development agencies to
in the future by starting to develop resources and pursue
government-owned corporations, followed by national
capabilities? and international firms.
6. Potential obstacles in circle
mapping
Circle mapping is a strategy visualization tool that
facilitates a process for generating high-reward
growth possibilities in the outer circles. The tool
is appropriate for firms in all industries where
customers have preferences beyond just paying
the lowest price. If the battle for consumers is
based solely on having a basic offering at the lowest
price, then the tool is not applicable. However, if

there is a significant set of customers who are
willing to pay for a differentiated offering, then
circle mapping is an appropriate tool to generate
growth options. Firms that offer more than one
value proposition are a special case. These types
of firms need to prepare circle maps for each value
proposition offered as the discussion of each
value proposition will lead to generating different
opportunities for growth.
Ambitious leaders are cautioned against
attempting to grow too quickly or to occupy too
many circles at the same time, either of which may
strain their firm’s resources and capabilities.
Successful growth involves a tradeoff of scope
and reach (Burgelman & Doz, 2001), sustaining
the firm’s current performance while leveraging
the resources and capabilities in new market
spaces. Circle mapping can help identify the risks
and opportunities involved in moving into new
spaces, but leaders must avoid focusing only on
opportunities while ignoring risks.
A limitation of circle mapping is its reliance on
the amount and quality of data available to the
senior management team regarding the potential
of its resources and capabilities to produce new
offerings, and preferences of consumers and rivals’
value propositions in the outer circles. Like all
strategy formulation tools, circle mapping is only
as effective as the assumptions that are brought to
the table. The process must be accompanied by
due diligence to ensure that assumptions about
the target market, attributes of the customer value
proposition, and the resources and capabilities

needed to deliver the value proposition are well
understood. Last, the firm must be able to fund the D
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growth initiatives and have the requisite organiza-
tion structure and reporting systems to effectively
implement them.
7. A new tool for development
Circle mapping assists leaders with the difficult
task of generating and evaluating growth
opportunities by combining Sun Tzu’s idea of
occupying space with marketing and strategy

literature on value propositions. Circle mapping
engages knowledge visualization to mitigate
cognitive challenges when formulating strategy
by generating multiple potential pathways for
growth. As a conceptual map, it mitigates social
challenges by promoting multiple perspectives in
the strategy, and it reduces emotional challenges
by assisting with communication and information
sharing.
By prompting leaders to think about growth as
occupying space, circle mapping conceptualizes
growth as aligning future value propositions
with the firm’s future resources and capabilities.
Circle mapping ignites strategy development by
simplifying a long-term growth strategy into an
intuitive diagram that leaders can use to generate
strategic decisions about how to grow. By having
leaders visually depict and justify where and why
they want to grow, circle mapping helps firms
conceptualize a profitable future and then
confidently move toward it.
Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank Dr. Marjorie
Delbaere and Ed Pas for their insights and
suggestions.
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Sheth, J. N., Sisodia, R. S., & Sharma, A. (2000). The
antecedents
and consequences of customer-centric marketing. Journal of
the Academy of Marketing Science, 28(1), 55—66.
Sun Tzu. (1910/2005). Sun Tzu on the art of war: The oldest
military treatise in the world (L. Giles, translator). Project
Gutenberg edition released December 28, 2005; Original
translation of 6th century BC work published 1910. Available
at http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17405
Suthers, D. D. (2001). Towards a systematic study of
representa-
tional guidance for collaborative learning discourse. Journal
of Universal Computer Science, 7(3), 254—277.
Vargo, S. L., Maglio, P. P., & Akaka, M. A. (2008). On value
and value co-creation: A service systems and service
logic perspective. European Management Journal, 26(3),
145—152.
Zook, C., & Allen, J. (2003). Growth outside the core. Harvard

Business Review, 81(12), 66—75.
D
o
N
ot
C
op
y
or
P
os
t
Circle mapping your firm’s growth strategy 1. Visualizing
growth strategies 2. Circle mapping origins 2.1. The
principle of occupying space 2.2. Aligning resources and
capabilities to deliver value propositions 2.3. How circle
mapping was developed 3. Elements of circle mapping: The
three circles 3.1. The ﬁrst circle: Current customers 3.2.
The second circle: Next customers 3.3. Outer circles:
Future growth customers 4. Beneﬁts of circle mapping 4.1.
Leveraging knowledge visualization with circle mapping 4.2.
Strategic advantages of aligning strategy and space 5.
Circle mapping steps: How to use this tool 5.1. Step 1:

Determine value propositions of different customer circles
5.2. Step 2: Identify future resources and capabilities
needed to deliver future value propositions 5.3. Step 3:
Select the most favorable growth scenario 6. Potential
obstacles in circle mapping 7. A new tool for
developmentReferences
8
Research, Analysis, and Outline for Final Paper
Name
Course
Institution
Name
Introduction
The company chosen for this paper is Tesla Inc. which operates
in the motor vehicle and automotive industry. Tesla was
founded in 2003 and it became public company in 2010. Elon
Musk is the CEO of the company and its stock have been
growing over the years. Aurum (2010) asserts that Tesla
remains a leader in the automobile industry and it keeps giving
its customers and roll-out of new car models with unique
features to increase their satisfaction. This has sharpened its

competitive edge in the market. However, with the increased
use of technology and growing competition in the motor vehicle
industry, Tesla stands the risk of losing its top position in the
industry if it does not innovate. The company has the
opportunity of increasing creativity and innovation using
technology. This paper analyzes the history of Tesla in its
industry and in innovation, its competitors, its risks, and the
opportunities available for Tesla. The paper will conclude by
providing a recommendation of the strategies Tesla can
implement to increase creativity and innovation while
increasing its profits.
Analysis
Risk
The loss of a competitive advantage is a serious risk that many
companies are staring at. With the growth in technology,
companies are innovating new products and automating their
systems to achieve flexibility in service delivery. This has
increased competition in the business environment. Porter
(2015) asserts that almost 90% of companies are after a strong
competitive advantages to survive and stay floating in this age
and era when technology has taken over every part of the
business sector. Without a competitive advantage, a company
cannot dominate the market segments and increase its
performance.
Tesla must be able to produce goods and services that are better
than those of its competitors and satisfy consumers to guarantee
its success in the modern market. Risks of threats from existing
and new competitors are high if Tesla does not have a sharp
competitive edge. According to Clausen and Olteanu (2020),
with the increased demand for electric vehicles, Tesla needs to
be highly competitive to meet the demands of its customers. It
has many competitors such Volkswagen, Ford, Nio, General
Motors, and BYD. It has to maintain its competitive advantage
to succeed in the automotive industry.
Tesla needs to be creative and innovate to stay highly

competitive in the market, increase its sales, and achieve
superior margins compared to its rivals. Every organization is
after becoming a giant in the industry and without a strong
competitive advantage, this cannot be achieved.
Competition
Tesla is currently facing competition from both existing and
new entrants in the automotive industry. Since day one, Tesla
has always remained on the top of its competitors such as
Volkswagen, Ford, Nio, General Motors, and BYD. The
company has turned to an innovation producer due to its ability
to utilize technology more than any other company in the
automotive industry. According to Clausen and Olteanu (2020),
no other company in the automotive industry has been able to
achieve such cutting edge technology, let alone the use artificial
intelligence.
However, competitors such as Volkswagen have recognized the
high demand for electric vehicles in the market and they are
offering their cars to customers at cheaper prices. Volkswagen
is a giant that Tesla has to watch. Companies such as Nio are
focusing on the international market and producing high class
electric cars that meet general consumer needs. There is also a
high risk of new entrants as emerging technologies are pushing
evolving companies to be more innovative and offer electric
cars that meet customer demands.
To address existing competitors and new entrants, Tesla needs
to increase its good attitude towards innovation in order to
attract clients globally. With technology, things in the
automotive industry are moving at a high rate. Tesla has to
utilize technology to its advantage because all its competitors
and new entrants are using technology as the main tool.
Leadership in innovation is one component that will make it
easy for Tesla to remain highly competitive in this
technological world of business.
History and Position of the Business within the Industry

Since its foundation in 2003, Tesla has been a serious and
growing force in the motor vehicle and automotive industry.
The company has been growing and giving customers new
models of electric vehicles that meet their needs. Currently,
Tesla has taken the lead position in becoming the leading
electric vehicles manufacturer in the industry. BMW has been
fighting hard to take the top position in the industry but Tesla
seems to be empowered enough. According to HD Auto Desk
(2022), the sales of Tesla have already increased by 49% in the
first quarter of 2022 and it is ahead of BMW which its main
competitor.
Economically, electric cars are now connected to the economy
and they are gaining popularity each passing day. Constant
economic growth has contributed to the growth of Tesla over
the years. The demand for Tesla’s cars has grown at a very high
rate. Aurum (2021) states that “in 2020, Tesla’s vehicle
deliveries alone were about 500,000 units worldwide – and it’s
only planning to go further”. According to Global Newswire
(2021), the electric vehicle market is expected to hit $1.5
trillion by 2025.
History of Innovation
Tesla is considered a pioneer in innovation. The founders of the
company are known for their great innovative minds in the
previous companies they had worked for. Tesla became a public
company in 2010 and it has been expanding since then ue its
great ability to innovate. The CEO of the company Elon Musk is
the founder of PayPal. Investors of Tesla such as Larry Page
and Sergey Brin are co-founders of Google. Tesla believes that
in the modern-day world, innovation is key to sharpening the
company’s competitive edge. Suroso and Asis (2015) assert that
it is through innovation that a company can set itself apart from
its competitors.
Tesla Motors has always worked hard to maintain its
competitive advantage over the other car manufacturers by
remaining active in innovation. The company has made its

vehicles’ model and structures align with the traditional fuel
models by effectively using technology to innovate. Tesla
provides products and services that are adjacencies to expand
their portfolio. The expanded portfolio has solidified Tesla’s
technological advantage over its competitors.
Currently, Tesla is arguably the most innovative company in the
world and by deploying technologies such as Artificial
Intelligence (AI), it has become a leader in automakers.
Through its numerous innovations, Tesla aims to utilize
technology and innovation to change the way people travel and
capture the world. No other company in the automotive industry
has been able to achieve such a cutting edge technology, let
alone the use artificial intelligence.
Risk Analysis
With the growth in technology, every company is working to
outdo Tesla and the company is at the risk of losing its
competitive advantage. In 2021, BMW surpassed Tesla and
became the leader in the manufacture and sell of Electric
Vehicles. Tesla is at risk of losing its superiority and it needs to
introduce necessary strategies to maintain its strong competitive
position in the market. “Tesla must go further in meeting
customer demands” (Aurum, 2021). It needs to increase its sales
and profit margins to stay ahead of its competitors.
Tesla has the opportunity to utilize the current technologies to
increase its creativity and innovation. According to Kim (2020),
every company is introducing new products day-in-day-out to
increase their competitive advantage by meeting the needs of
the customers and increasing their satisfaction. The company
needs to implement a culture of innovation and get more ideas
to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in its operations. All car
lovers and share buyers are always on the look-out for the next
great product by Tesla. The company has to innovate
continuously to ensure it always has something to offer to its
loyal customers.
Recommendations/Conclusions

Tesla has been a leader in the automotive industry but with the
growth in technology and increased competition, the company
risks losing its competitive advantage. Companies such as BMW
and Volkswagen are gaining a sharp competitive edge in the
industry and this is a big risk for Tesla. Even though Tesla has
maintained a good attitude towards innovation, the company
needs to utilize technology more, be creative, and innovate
continuously to stay at the top of the game. Introducing new
products with unique features that meet customer demands is
key to ensuring Tesla maintains its position in the industry. It
needs to possess an innovative mind to manage innovation and
use it successfully to achieve company success.
References
Aurum (2021). How Tesla Became the Most Innovative
Company in The World. Retrieved from
https://www.aurumbureau.com/how-tesla-became-the-most-
innovative-company-in-the-world/
Clausen, J., & Olteanu, Y. (2020). Tesla als Start-up in der
Automobilbranche: Vom Pleitekandidat zum Gamechanger (No.
199). Working Paper Forschungsförderung.
HD Auto Desk (2022). Tesla Takes Lead Position in Race Top
Luxury Car Brand in US. Retrieved from

https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto/news/tesla-takes-lead-
position-in-race-to-become-top-luxury-car-brand-in-us-
41646910983978.html
Kim, H. (2020). Analysis of How Tesla Creates Core Innovation
Capability. International Journal of Business and Management,
15(6), 42-61.
Suroso, E., & Azis, Y. (2015, May). Defining mainstreams of
innovation: a literature review. In International Conference on
Economics and Banking (iceb-15) (pp. 387-398). Atlantis Press.
Porter, M. (2015). The competitive advantage of the inner city.
In The city reader (pp. 358-371). Routledge.

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