The shaping strategy approach is most suitable for environments which are unpredictable but malleable. These environments usually exist in new industries where there are no established leaders or rules of competition. Many companies can enter these low barrier industries and introduce innovative business models, products, and services. Mature markets may also be ready to be disrupted if they are overserving major customer segments or not serving customers. The disruption is usually through business model innovation.

The adaptive strategy approach is most suitable for environments that are unpredictable and difficult to change. In these environments, it is difficult for companies to achieve sustainable competitive advantage pursuing the classical approach. Instead, companies aim to achieve a series of transient or short-term advantages by continually monitoring their environments and adjusting their objectives, updating their strategies, modifying their resources, and reconfiguring their capabilities.

The adaptive strategy approach is evolutionary, necessitating the creation of solution hypotheses and testing them through experiments, then selecting promising options and scaling them up. The emphasis here lies in creating strategic flexibility. BCG research has identified strategy tools that can be used with the adaptive approach. These strategy tools include time-based competition, first mover advantage, dynamic capabilities, strategy as simple rules, adaptive advantage, and transient competitive advantage.

The classical strategy approach is most suitable for stable environments which are predictable, where the rules of competition or conduct are well-established, making them non-malleable. These predictable and non-malleable environments are continuations of the past. Hence, the bases for achieving sustainable competitive advantage are known and can be achieved through competitive positioning using differentiation or cost leadership through scale.

The shaping strategy approach emphasizes collaboration through the orchestration of activities with other players in the ecosystem. Shapers engage, orchestrate, and evolve. Shapers first engage other players in the ecosystem in the creation of a shared vision for the industry. Subsequently, they orchestrate the collaborative activities through a platform. Lastly, they evolve the platform by scaling it up. BCG research has identified five strategy tools which can be used with the shaping approach. These strategy tools include S-curve, ecosystem strategy, co-opetition, open innovation, and shared value framework.