> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://stratengineai.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Run Porter's Value Chain in StratEngine

> Run Porter's Value Chain in StratEngine to see where each of your company's nine activity areas adds value or cost. Needs Professional.

Porter's Value Chain in StratEngine breaks your company into nine activity areas, from logistics and operations to procurement, and shows where each one adds value, costs too much or could set you apart. Where Porter's Five Forces looks outward at the industry, the value chain looks inward at how you operate. You need the Professional plan or higher, or a pay-as-you-go account.

<Note>
  Porter's Value Chain is included in the Professional plan and higher, and pay-as-you-go accounts can run it too. It carries the **Advanced** badge. On Free and Essential, its card shows **Upgrade** instead of **Select**. See [Strategy plans](/docs/strategy/billing/plans).
</Note>

## When to use it

* You need to cut costs and want to know which activities to look at first.
* You want to pin down which parts of the business create your competitive advantage.
* You're considering outsourcing, a new supplier or a new system and want to see the knock-on effects.

## What you get

The result opens on the **Components** tab. **Framework Summary** gives an **Executive Summary**, and **Sources** lists what the analysis cited.

Under **Framework Details**, you get one section for each activity area.

Primary activities:

* **Inbound Logistics**
* **Operations**
* **Outbound Logistics**
* **Marketing and Sales**
* **Service**

Support activities:

* **Firm Infrastructure**
* **Human Resource Management**
* **Technology Development**
* **Procurement**

Standard and Deep runs also fill the **Momentum** tab (trends affecting the company), which means Essential and higher plans, or pay-as-you-go at Standard or Deep. Deep runs add the **Assumptions** tab (what the analysis depends on, by risk), which means Professional, or pay-as-you-go at Deep. See [Work with framework results](/docs/strategy/framework-results) and [Analysis depth](/docs/strategy/analysis-depth).

## Run it

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Generate Framework">
    In the side menu, under **Quick Frameworks**, click **Generate Framework**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Porter's Value Chain">
    Under **Select Framework**, find **Porter's Value Chain** in the **Market & Product Strategy** group and click **Select**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Describe the business">
    Fill in the **Business Context** fields: company name, business summary, industry, target customer and so on. See [Generate a framework](/docs/strategy/generate-framework) for what each field needs, and for loading a saved company or autofilling from a document.

    Then, under **Framework Inputs (Optional)**, answer the questions specific to Porter's Value Chain:

    | Field | What to enter |
    | - | - |
    | **Key Suppliers/Vendors** | The suppliers, vendors or partners most critical to operations. |
    | **Distribution Channels** | How products or services reach customers: direct sales, retail partners, online, distributors. |
    | **Technology Infrastructure** | Key technologies, systems or platforms that run operations. |
    | **Customer Support Model** | How you support customers after the sale: self-service, dedicated teams, outsourced. |
    | **Cost Structure Focus** | Your largest cost categories or operating expenses. |

    Click **Continue**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick a depth and generate">
    On a subscription plan there's no depth choice here: the framework runs at the deepest depth your plan includes. On pay-as-you-go, choose **Quick Scan**, **Standard** or **Deep** under **Analysis depth**. Click **Generate Framework**. The app shows the processing time for that depth, from **\~2 min** for Quick Scan to **\~8 min** for Deep.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Related

* [Run Porter's Five Forces in StratEngine](/docs/strategy/frameworks/porters)
* [Run Strategic Pricing Pyramid in StratEngine](/docs/strategy/frameworks/strategic-pricing-pyramid)
* [Run Play to Win in StratEngine](/docs/strategy/frameworks/play-to-win)
* [Work with framework results](/docs/strategy/framework-results)


## Related topics

- [Run Porter's Five Forces in StratEngine](/docs/strategy/frameworks/porters.md)
- [Run Strategic Pricing Pyramid in StratEngine](/docs/strategy/frameworks/strategic-pricing-pyramid.md)
- [Run Profit Pools Analysis in StratEngine](/docs/strategy/frameworks/profit-pools-analysis.md)
- [Run Value Driver Tree in StratEngine](/docs/strategy/frameworks/value-driver-tree.md)
- [Run Blue Ocean Strategy in StratEngine](/docs/strategy/frameworks/blue-ocean.md)


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