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3C Analysis

💼 Business By CampusDown Wiki Editorial Team Last updated
Quick answer: 3C analysis looks at customers, competitors and the company together to find where the company can win. It was set out by former McKinsey partner Kenichi Ohmae.
Contents
  1. 1. The strategic triangle
  2. 2. Key questions
  3. 3. Links to other tools
  4. 4. Example
  5. 5. References

The strategic triangle

In The Mind of the Strategist (1982), Kenichi Ohmae argued that strategy is shaped by three players: customers, competitors and the corporation. A good strategy finds company strengths that meet customer needs better than rivals do.

Key questions

  • Customer: market size and growth, segments, buying criteria and hidden needs
  • Competitor: main rivals and shares, strengths and weaknesses, substitutes and entrants
  • Company: resources, capabilities, brand, cost structure and differentiation

External (customer, competitor) and internal (company) findings feed the opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses of SWOT analysis, and then STP and the 4P marketing mix.

Example

If cola customers grow health-conscious, rivals push zero-calorie lines and the company has a strong brand and distribution, the key success factor may be expanding low-sugar products under the core brand.

References

  1. Ohmae, K. (1982). The Mind of the Strategist: The Art of Japanese Business. McGraw-Hill.
  2. Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Marketing Management (15th ed.). Pearson.
  3. Porter, M. E. (1980). Competitive Strategy. Free Press.

Reports and materials that use this theory (Korean)

There are no materials dedicated to this theory yet, but you can search related reports in the CampusDown library (Korean).

Find more reports · Search '3C 분석' on CampusDown →
SWOT AnalysisSWOT analysis explained: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, the TOWS matrix, links with Porter's Five Forces and PEST, origins, criticisms, and how to write a SWOT report.💼 BusinessAdams' Equity TheoryAdams' equity theory explained: comparing one's ratio of outcomes to inputs with others, reactions to under- and over-reward, six ways people restore equity, and its link to organisational justice.💼 BusinessBehavioral Theories of LeadershipBehavioral theories of leadership explained: research on what effective leaders do rather than who they are. Covers Lewin's styles, Ohio State's initiating structure and consideration, Michigan's task and relationship orientations and the Managerial Grid.💼 BusinessBusiness Model CanvasThe Business Model Canvas explained: Osterwalder and Pigneur's one-page tool for designing a business model. Covers the nine blocks from customer segments and value propositions to cost structure, the order for filling them in and the Lean Canvas.💼 Business

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This article was last updated on October 15, 2026. It is based on widely recognized original works and textbooks; when citing it in a paper, please check the original sources listed in the references.