ABSTRACT
An exciting tool emerged a few years ago as a result of work carried out by the Boston Consulting Group. This tool started its life as the 'Boston effect' and it is probably better known nowadays as the 'product portfolio' or more broadly the 'business portfolio'. The 'product portfolio' concept has triggered the imagination of businessmen, consultants and academics alike. The basic concept sought to match two dimensions on a matrix. In its simplicity it paved the way for a host of modifications, extensions and developments. One of the problems that have always confronted corporate and marketing planners is the task of deciding on an optimum product mix in relation to the firm's inventory of resources, strengths and weaknesses. One fairly simple methodology is the use of the 'Pareto curve' which seeks to identify the 20" of the firm's products which may yield 80" of the company's sales or profits or some other criterion of success.
