Evaluation of escape room competitive position in Polish macro regions with 2d and 1d strategic group maps

Abstract

For the purpose of this article a strategic analysis of the escape room sector in Poland has been carried out for the first time, using new variants of strategic group maps. The aim of the paper is to test the technique of multi-sector 2D (two-dimensional) strategic group maps and a new version of 1D (one-dimensional) strategic group maps for the analysis and evaluation of the competitive position of selected escape rooms in Polish macro regions in 2018. In addition, the paper proposes procedures for the development of new variants of strategic group maps, as well as recommendations to escape room owners and investors in particular parts of Poland. The main scientific problem of the article is to investigate to what extent new variants of strategic group maps can be applied in strategic analysis. The hypothesis assumes that 2D (two-dimensional) and 1D (one-dimensional) strategic group maps can have various applications in strategic analysis. The conclusions of the research conducted with the use of multi-sector 2D strategic group maps contain a partial evaluation, both horizontal and vertical, of the competitive position of escape rooms. Elements of differentiation strategy of an escape room, such as the minimum price for a room, its ranking in Lockme.pl, and the game difficulty level is taken into account. Using 1D strategic group maps the research makes it possible to evaluate the situation in escape rooms in Poland by their key stakeholders, i.e. owners and clients. 1D strategic group maps included in this paper present differences and similarities between the owners' and clients' opinions about the difficulty level of escape rooms. The recognition of the existence of those differences or similarities, whether the views converge or diverge, helps in the decision-making concerning future strategies.