Studies, Performance & Problem Resolution
Our consulting service is backed by our years of experience, and follows a bespoke, multi disciplined analysis of where you are and what you can achieve.
For clients who need specific market and industry data, or need help understanding their problems
Some of our most common activities in this area are as follows.
- Develop low cost market studies for use in reviewing expansion or diversification activities.
- Develop low cost industry studies, to understand competition and demand growth projections.
- Carry out a performance review of the business or develop capability assessments. Across all aspects of the business, including culture, financial performance, systems and operational issues.
- Work with clients to provide a route cause and recommend corrective actions for problems identified by the client.
Market Studies versus Industry Studies
A market study and an industry study are closely related, but they answer different questions and focus on different levels of analysis.
Market Studies
Focused on Customers and Demand
A market study examines the specific market in which a product or service will be sold.
It focuses on customers, demand conditions, and buying behaviour.
Key Characteristics
- Who are the customers?
- How big is the market?
- What are the target customer segments?
- What do customers need, want, and prefer?
- What is the expected demand and growth rate?
- Who are the direct competitors?
- What price will customers pay?
Purpose
To understand whether a product/service can succeed in a specific market and what conditions shape customer decision-making.
Industry Studies
Focused on the Bigger Environment
An industry study looks at the entire industry ecosystem, not just one market.
It analyses the structural, economic, regulatory, and competitive environment.
Key Characteristics
- Industry size, structure, and trends
- Regulatory environment
- Technological shifts
- Supply chain structure
- Barriers to entry
- Substitutes and alternative solutions
- Industry profitability and margin pressures
- Workforce and skills landscape
Purpose
To understand how the entire industry operates, how it evolves, and whether it is attractive or risky for investment or expansion.
At Ark we can assist our clients with low cost studies, using a multitude of industry reports, demographics information, AI assisted geospatial mapping, census, ATO and ABS data.
Performance and Capability Assessments
When you need that external review
A performance and capability review provides a comprehensive assessment of how effectively a company is operating today and how well positioned it is to grow in the future. This type of review examines the strengths and weaknesses across leadership, systems, processes, workforce capability, and operational performance.
By analysing what the business does well and where it lacks maturity or capacity, decision-makers gain clarity on improvement priorities, resource needs, and potential risks that may limit growth. The end result is a practical roadmap that supports better performance, higher efficiency, and long-term sustainability.
- Evaluates the company’s core strengths and weaknesses across operational, financial, and strategic areas.
- Assesses the capability of leadership and management to support future growth.
- Reviews the skills, structure, and capacity of the workforce, identifying gaps or development needs.
- Analyses business processes to determine whether they are efficient, scalable, and consistently applied.
- Examines the effectiveness of current systems and technology, including whether they support or hinder performance.
- Identifies risks and bottlenecks that may reduce productivity or limit the company’s ability to expand.
- Benchmarks performance against industry standards or best practices.
- Highlights areas where investment—such as people, technology, or process redesign—will generate the greatest improvement.
- Provides recommendations for restructuring, capability building, and operational enhancements.
- Produces a clear, actionable plan that prioritises improvements and supports sustainable growth.
Problem Analysis
When you need a specific problem resolved.
Problem analysis is a focused process used to understand and resolve a specific issue that is impacting a business’s performance, efficiency, or outcomes.
Rather than relying on assumptions, a problem analysis works by identifying the root cause, reviewing the surrounding systems and behaviours, and assessing the downstream impact.
This structured approach allows a company to gain clarity on why the issue is occurring, what factors contribute to it, and which solutions will produce the most effective and sustainable results. The outcome is a practical, evidence-based pathway to fix the problem and prevent it from recurring.
- Clearly defines the problem, including its symptoms, scope, and impact on the business.
- Identifies and validates the root cause using evidence, data, and structured diagnostic techniques.
- Collects information from systems, staff, customers, and processes to understand all contributing factors.
- Maps the workflow or process where the problem occurs to identify breakdown points or inefficiencies.
- Reviews policies, procedures, and technology that may be influencing the issue.
- Assesses the financial, operational, and customer impacts associated with the problem.
- Tests assumptions to ensure decisions are based on facts rather than perceptions.
- Generates solution options and evaluates their effort, cost, and expected effectiveness.
- Recommends a preferred solution supported by data and clear reasoning.
- Provides a plan for implementation, monitoring, and preventing the issue from recurring.
Contact
Contact us to discuss your business planning and finance needs. We’re here to help you achieve your financial goals.
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