Market entry frameworks often feel too generic when facing niche industries or ambiguous data. I’ve heard consulting veterans use decision trees to structure these cases, but how exactly does that differ from standard frameworks? Need concrete examples of breaking down a complex expansion scenario into logical branches without getting lost in analysis paralysis. What are the make-or-break nodes that actually matter in final recommendations?
decision trees without industry-specific exit ramps are just fancy flowcharts. real ones have kill switches: ‘if regulatory approval <70% likelihood → abort’. everything else is academic masturbation.
Effective decision trees require: 1) 3-5 key gates (regulation, TAM accessibility, CapEx viability) 2) Quantifiable thresholds for each node 3) Defined data requirements per branch. Example: For healthcare expansion, first branch is always FDA pathway feasibility - all other analysis is irrelevant without clearance.
Bombed a case until a VP told me to treat every market entry like buying a house: ‘inspection contingencies’ (regulatory risks), ‘neighborhood comps’ (competitive landscape), ‘renovation costs’ (implementation feasibility). Suddenly the tree built itself. Mocked that analogy in 3 interviews - got 3 offers.