EFE Matrix (External Factor Evaluation)

External Factor Evaluation (EFE) matrix method is a strategic-management tool often used for assessment of current business conditions. The EFE matrix is a good tool to visualize and prioritize the opportunities and threats that a business is facing. The EFE matrix is very similar to the IFE matrix. The major difference between the EFE matrix and the IFE matrix is the type of factors that are included in the model. While the IFE matrix deals with internal factors, the EFE matrix is concerned solely with externalfactors. External factors assessed in the EFE matrix are the ones that are subjected to the will of social, economic, political, legal, and other external forces. How do I create the EFE matrix?

Developing an EFE matrix is an intuitive process which works conceptually very much the same way like creating the IFE matrix. The EFE matrix process uses the same five steps as the IFE matrix. List factors: The first step is to gather a list of external factors. Divide factors into two groups: opportunities and threats. Assign weights: Assign a weight to each factor. The value of each weight should be between 0 and 1 (or alternatively between 10 and 100 if you use the 10 to 100 scale). Zero means the factor is not important. One or hundred means that the factor is the most influential and critical one. The total value of all weights together should equal 1 or 100. Rate factors: Assign a rating to each factor. Rating should be between 1 and 4. Rating indicates how effective the firms current strategies respond to the factor. 1 = the response is poor. 2 = the response is below average. 3 = above average. 4 =

superior. Weights are industry-specific. Ratings are company-specific. Multiply weights by ratings: Multiply each factor weight with its rating. This will calculate the weighted score for each factor. Total all weighted scores: Add all weighted scores for each factor. This will calculate the total weighted score for the company. You can find more details about this approach as well as about possible values that the EFE matrix can take on the IFE matrix page. EFE matrix example

Total weighted score of 2.46 indicates that the business has slightly less than average ability to respond to external factors. (See the page on IFE matrix for an explanation of what category the 2.46 figure falls to.) What should I include in the EFE matrix? Now that we know how to construct or create the EFE matrix, let's focus on factors. External factors can be grouped into the following groups: Social, cultural, demographic, and environmental variables: Economic variables Political, government, business trends, and legal variables Below you can find examples of some factors that capture aspects external to your business. These factors may not all apply to your business, but you can use this listing as a starting point.

Social, cultural, demographic, and environmental factors... - Aging population - Percentage or one race to other races - Per-capita income - Number and type of special interest groups - Widening gap between rich & poor - Number of marriages and/or divorces - Ethnic or racial minorities - Education - Trends in housing, shopping, careers, business - Number of births and/or deaths - Immigration & emigration rates Economic factors... - Growth of the economy - Level of savings, investments, and capital spending - Inflation - Foreign exchange rates - Stock market trends

- Level of disposable income - Import and export factors and barriers - Product life cycle (see the Product life cycle page) - Government spending - Industry properties - Economies of scale - Barriers to market entry - Product differentiation - Level of competitiveness (see the Michael Porter's Five Forces model) Political, government, business trends & legal factors... - Globalization trends - Government regulations and policies - Worldwide trend toward similar consumption patterns - Internet and communication technologies (ecommerce) - Protection of rights (patents, trade marks, antitrust legislation)

- Level of government subsidies - International trade regulations - Taxation - Terrorism - Elections and political situation home and abroad Are there other models I should know about? The EFE matrix goes side by side with so-called IFE matrix. The EFE matrix together with the IFE matrix leads to the IE matrix. And, the IE matrix can be extended into so-called SPACE matrix.

The EFE Matrix (External Factor Evaluation Matrix)

The EFE matrix is the strategic tool used to evaluate firm existing strategies, EFE matrix can be defined as the strategic tool to evaluate external environment or macro environment of the firm include economic,social,technological,government, political, legal and competitive information. The EFE matrix is similar to IFE matrix the only difference is that IFE matrix evaluate the internal factors of the company and EFE matrix evaluate the external factors. The EFE matrix consists of following attributes mentioned below. External Factors External factors are extracted after deep internal analysis of external environment.

Obviously there are some good and some bad for the company in the external environment. Thats the reason external factors are divided into two categories opportunities and threats. Opportunities Opportunities are the chances exist in the external environment, it depends firm whether the firm is willing to exploit the opportunities or may be they ignore the opportunities due to lack of resources. Threats Threats are always evil for the firm, minimum no of threats in the external environment open many doors for the firm.

Maximum number of threats for the firm reduce their power in the industry. Rating Rating in EFE matrix represent the response of firm toward the opportunities and threats. Highest the rating better the response of the firm to exploit opportunities and defend the threats. Rating range from 1.0 to 4.0 and can be applied to any factor whether it comes under opportunities or threats. There are some important point related to rating in EFE matrix. * Rating is applied to each factor. *

The response is poor represented by 1.0 * The response is average is represented by 2.0 * The response is above average represented by 3.0 * The response is superior represented by 4.0 Weight Weight attribute in EFE matrix indicates the relative importance of factor to being successful in the firms industry. The weight range from 0.0 means not important and 1.0 means important, sum

of all assigned weight to factors must be equal to 1.0 otherwise the calculation would not be consider correct. Weighted Score Weighted score value is the result achieved after multiplying each factor rating with the weight. Total Weighted Score The sum of all weighted score is equal to the total weighted score, final value of total weighted score should be between range 1.0 (low) to 4.0(high). The average weighted score for EFE matrix is 2.5 any company total weighted score fall below 2.5 consider as weak. The company total weighted score higher then 2.5 is consider

as strong in position. Steps in developing the EFE matrix: 1. Identify a list of KEY external factors (critical success factors). 2. Assign a weight to each factor, ranging from 0 (not important) to 1.0 (very important). 3. Assign a 1-4 rating to each critical success factor to indicate how effectively the firms current strategies respond to the factor. (1 = response is poor, 4 = response is extremely good) 4.

Multiply each factors weight by its rating to determine a weighted score. 5. Sum the weighted scores.