The matrix was developed in the early 1970s by Bruce Henderson to help companies allocate resources between business units. It categorizes units as stars, cash cows, dogs, or question marks based on their relative market share and growth rate. Stars have high share and growth but also consume significant cash. Cash cows have high share but low growth, generating more cash than they use. Dogs have low share and growth, breaking even. Question marks have high growth but low share, consuming cash with little return. The matrix is intended to help companies invest strategically in units with the most potential.

2. Matrix is developed by Bruce D. Henderson of
the Boston Consulting Group in the early
1970.
This matrix helps the company allocate
resources and is used as an analytical tools in
brand marketing, product management,
strategic management and portfolio analysis

4. The business units or products that have the best
market share and generate the most cash are
considered stars. Monopolies and first-to-market
products are frequently termed stars. However,
because of their high growth rate, stars also
consume large amounts of cash. This generally
results in the same amount of money coming in
that is going out. Stars can eventually become cash
cows if they sustain their success until a time when
the market growth rate declines. Companies are
advised to invest in stars.

5. Cash cows are the leaders in the marketplace
and generate more cash than they consume.
These are business units or products that
have a high market share, but low growth
prospects.

6. Dogs are units or products that have both a
low market share and a low growth rate. They
frequently break even, neither earning nor
consuming a great deal of cash. Dogs are
generally considered cash traps because
businesses have money tied up in them, even
though they are bringing back basically
nothing in return. These business units are
prime candidates for divestiture

7. These parts of a business have high growth
prospects but a low market share. They are
consuming a lot of cash but are bringing little
in return. In the end, question marks, also
known as problem children, lose money.
However, since these business units are
growing rapidly, they do have the potential to
turn into stars. Companies are advised to
invest in question marks if the product has
potential for growth, or to sell if it does not.

8. 1. Systematic analysis
2. Summery of information
3. Optimum resource allocation
4. Maximization of shareholder’s wealth
5. It sets performance levels

9. 1. Problem of division of company
2. Difficulty of allocation of cash
3. Misleading pointers
4. Inaccuracy of simple models