BCG Growth Share Matrix

The Boston Consulting Group Growth Share Matrix is a tool for determining which services or products a company should invest in, get rid of or retain. It utilizes four colorful categories, as well as various graphical charts to compare the company's products or services. The categories are as follows:
 
• Dogs - no good. They don't make much money, have a low market share and low growth rate and should be sold or otherwise liquidated.

• Cash cows - good. Predictably higher cash flows, larger market share and should be milked for as long as possible. The only down side is that they are typically seen in low growth market sectors, but their profitability makes up for this.

• Stars - good. High growth and large market share make stars better products to invest in more, since they have an opportunity to become a cash cow when the market stops growing as much.

• Question marks - basically an "I dunno." Fast-growing markets, but lower company market share, means these products could go either way.
 
Apparently they're not big dog-lovers in Boston.