Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M6510

BCG

BCG
BusinessHigh supportManagement
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Stars: high growth, high share (burn cash for growth). Cash Cows: low growth, high share (cash cows). Question Marks: high growth, low share (gamble). Dogs: low growth, low share (discard). Scaffold role: cash flow transfusion logic. Use money earned by "Cash Cows" to support "Stars" and "Question Marks", decisively kill "Dogs". Without Cash Cows, Stars will starve; without Stars, the company has no future.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Cash flow transfusion logic. Use money earned by "Cash Cows" to support "Stars" and "Question Marks", decisively kill "Dogs". Without Cash Cows, Stars will starve; without Stars, the company has no future.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Based on "cash flow portfolio". Businesses are classified into four types by market growth rate (vertical) and relative market share (horizontal): Cash Cows supply cash, Stars require investment, Question Marks require decisions, Dogs are divested.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Practice this model in one real situation:

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Source support: Explicit

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