GE/McKinsey Matrix
Also known as: GE Nine-Box Matrix, Industry Attractiveness-Business Strength Matrix
A portfolio analysis framework that evaluates business units or products on two composite dimensions — Industry Attractiveness and Business Unit Strength — to guide investment, hold, and divestment decisions.
Quick Reference
Memory Aid
3x3 grid: How attractive is the industry? How strong are we? Invest where both are high.
TL;DR
Score business units on Industry Attractiveness and Business Unit Strength using weighted criteria. Plot on a 3x3 matrix. Invest in top-left, manage selectively on diagonal, harvest/divest bottom-right.
What Is GE/McKinsey Matrix?
The GE/McKinsey Matrix is an improved version of the BCG Matrix that plots your business units on a 3x3 grid based on how attractive their industry is and how strong your position is in that industry. This tells you where to invest, where to hold, and where to divest.
Our portfolio strategy should not be based on any simple, single-factor analysis. We need to look at each business in terms of the attractiveness of the industry in which it competes and the strength of its competitive position within that industry.
— Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric
Unlike the BCG Matrix, which uses only market growth and market share, the GE/McKinsey Matrix uses composite scores for Industry Attractiveness (market size, growth rate, profitability, competitive intensity, technology requirements, etc.) and Business Unit Strength (market share, brand strength, production capacity, profit margins, technology capability, etc.). Business units are plotted as circles sized by market size, with a pie slice showing market share. The 3x3 grid creates nine cells with three strategy zones: Invest/Grow (top-left), Selectivity/Earnings (diagonal), and Harvest/Divest (bottom-right).
GE/McKinsey Nine-Box Matrix
A 3x3 grid with Industry Attractiveness (High/Medium/Low) on the vertical axis and Business Unit Strength (Strong/Average/Weak) on the horizontal axis. Business units are plotted as circles sized proportionally to market size, with pie slices showing market share. Three strategy zones are color-coded.
Business Unit Strength
Origin & Context
Developed by McKinsey for GE as an improvement on the BCG Matrix, which was seen as too simplistic. The nine-box matrix uses multiple factors for each axis rather than single metrics.
Core Components
Industry Attractiveness
A composite score based on multiple external factors that determine how attractive an industry is.
Example
Factors: market size ($50B), growth rate (12%), profit margins (25%), competitive intensity (moderate), regulatory barriers (low).
Business Unit Strength
A composite score based on multiple internal factors that determine competitive position.
Example
Factors: market share (22%), brand recognition (high), technology capability (strong), cost position (average).
Strategy Zones
Three zones prescribing different strategic approaches based on grid position.
Example
Invest/Grow (top-left 3 cells), Selectivity (diagonal 3 cells), Harvest/Divest (bottom-right 3 cells).
When GE first used this matrix in the early 1970s, it had over 150 business units. The matrix helped CEO Reg Jones and later Jack Welch make portfolio decisions that transformed GE from a sprawling conglomerate into a focused powerhouse. Welch famously used the matrix to support his strategy of being #1 or #2 in every market, divesting businesses that fell in the lower-right cells.
When to Use GE/McKinsey Matrix
Multi-business portfolio management
Problem it solves: Provides a more nuanced portfolio analysis than the BCG Matrix for diversified corporations.
Real-World Application
GE used this matrix to manage its portfolio of 150+ business units, guiding billions in annual capital allocation decisions.
Strategic investment prioritization
Problem it solves: Helps organizations decide where to concentrate limited resources for maximum strategic return.
Real-World Application
A conglomerate used the matrix to evaluate 12 divisions, discovering that two divisions in the Harvest/Divest zone were consuming 30% of corporate investment with declining returns.
Use weighted scoring for both axes. Not all factors matter equally — assign weights based on strategic relevance, then score each factor and calculate weighted composites.
How to Apply GE/McKinsey Matrix: Step by Step
Before You Start
- →Detailed data on each business unit's performance and market
- →Industry analysis for each market the company operates in
- →Leadership team for scoring and weighting
Define Scoring Criteria
Select 5-8 factors for each axis (Industry Attractiveness and Business Unit Strength).
Tips
- ✓Use factors specific to your industry context
Common Mistakes
- ✗Using generic factors without customizing to your context
Assign Weights
Weight each factor based on its strategic importance (weights must sum to 100%).
Tips
- ✓Use leadership team consensus for weights
Common Mistakes
- ✗Giving all factors equal weight
Score Each Business Unit
Score each business unit on each factor (e.g., 1-5 scale).
Tips
- ✓Use data, not opinions, wherever possible
Common Mistakes
- ✗Letting politics influence scoring
Plot and Analyze
Calculate weighted scores, plot units on the 3x3 matrix, and assign strategic prescriptions.
Tips
- ✓Show unit size by market size and slice by market share for richer visualization
Common Mistakes
- ✗Making rigid resource allocation decisions based solely on matrix position
Value & Outcomes
Primary Benefit
Provides a more nuanced portfolio analysis than simpler matrices, guiding resource allocation with multiple strategic factors.
Additional Benefits
- ✓Accommodates multiple factors beyond market share and growth
- ✓Creates a structured framework for portfolio discussions
What You'll Learn
- →How to evaluate business units using composite strategic scores
- →How to make resource allocation decisions across a diversified portfolio
Typical Outcomes
Best Practices
📋 Preparation
- •Customize scoring criteria for your industry
- •Gather objective data for scoring
🚀 Execution
- •Use weighted scoring, not equal weights
- •Score collaboratively with the leadership team
🔄 Follow-Up
- •Review annually as market conditions change
- •Track whether strategic prescriptions are being followed
💎 Pro Tips
- •Plot the matrix over multiple years to show how business units are moving — this reveals strategic momentum
The GE/McKinsey Matrix is more nuanced than the BCG Matrix but also more subjective. The quality of the analysis depends on the quality of the scoring criteria and weights.
GE's Portfolio Transformation
Jack Welch used the GE/McKinsey Matrix to evaluate GE's entire portfolio in the 1980s. Businesses in unattractive industries where GE had weak positions — such as housewares and small appliances — were divested. Businesses in attractive industries where GE was strong — such as medical equipment, jet engines, and financial services — received heavy investment. This systematic approach helped GE increase its market capitalization from $14 billion to over $400 billion during Welch's tenure.
— McKinsey Quarterly retrospective
Limitations & Pitfalls
Highly subjective — results depend on factor selection, weights, and scoring
Mitigation: Use data-driven scoring and leadership team consensus to reduce bias
Does not capture synergies between business units
Mitigation: Supplement with a synergy analysis that evaluates inter-unit value creation
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