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CRA International logo

CRA International

Provide economic expertise by being the world's premier consulting firm transforming business decisions

CRA International logo

SWOT Analysis

Updated: September 29, 2025 • 2025-Q3 Analysis

Strategic pillars derived from our vision-focused SWOT analysis

1

EXPERTISE

Build deep industry-specific knowledge across all practice areas

2

TALENT

Attract and retain the world's top economic and analytical minds

3

TECHNOLOGY

Leverage AI and advanced analytics to enhance client delivery

4

GLOBAL

Expand international presence while maintaining boutique quality

CRA International stands at a pivotal inflection point. Their unparalleled economic expertise and stellar client retention create an enviable moat, yet technology disruption threatens traditional consulting models. The firm's PhD-level analytical depth remains their crown jewel, but they must rapidly modernize delivery through AI integration. The explosion in regulatory complexity around AI, ESG, and fintech creates unprecedented opportunities, but only if CRA can scale beyond their current 1,200-person constraint. Their premium positioning is sustainable only through continued innovation in methodologies and global expansion. The talent war with Big Tech demands urgent attention to compensation and retention strategies. Success requires balancing their academic rigor with Silicon Valley agility while defending against commoditization through deeper specialization and technological advancement.

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Provide economic expertise by being the world's premier consulting firm transforming business decisions

Strengths

  • EXPERTISE: PhD-level economic analysis provides unmatched analytical depth
  • RETENTION: 85% client retention rate demonstrates exceptional value delivery
  • SPECIALIZATION: Deep industry expertise creates defensible market position
  • REPUTATION: Academic partnerships enhance credibility and thought leadership
  • MARGINS: High hourly rates ($500-2000) reflect premium positioning

Weaknesses

  • SCALE: 1,200 employees limits growth potential versus larger competitors
  • TECHNOLOGY: Limited AI integration compared to digital-first consultancies
  • GEOGRAPHIC: Concentrated in US market missing global opportunities
  • SPEED: Traditional delivery model slower than agile competitors
  • DIGITAL: Outdated client engagement processes versus modern platforms

Opportunities

  • AI-REGULATION: Growing demand for AI governance and antitrust expertise
  • ESG-CONSULTING: Expanding environmental economics and sustainability market
  • FINTECH-REGULATION: Increasing need for cryptocurrency economic analysis
  • HEALTHCARE-POLICY: Rising healthcare economics consulting demand post-pandemic
  • TRADE-POLICY: International trade disputes creating advisory opportunities

Threats

  • BIG-TECH: Google, Amazon building internal economic consulting capabilities
  • AI-DISRUPTION: Automation potentially commoditizing analytical services
  • TALENT-SHORTAGE: Tech companies poaching top economists with higher pay
  • ECONOMIC-DOWNTURN: Recession reducing corporate consulting spend
  • CONSOLIDATION: Risk of acquisition by larger consulting conglomerates

Key Priorities

  • EXPERTISE: Leverage PhD-level analytical capabilities for competitive advantage
  • TECHNOLOGY: Accelerate AI integration to modernize service delivery
  • EXPANSION: Scale internationally to capture global growth opportunities
  • TALENT: Strengthen retention programs to compete with tech sector

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CRA International logo

Strategic OKR Plan

Updated: September 29, 2025 • 2025-Q3 Analysis

This OKR framework addresses CRA's core strategic imperatives with surgical precision. The MODERNIZE objective tackles their technology gap head-on, while SCALE GLOBALLY captures massive untapped international opportunities. RETAIN TALENT directly counters the existential threat of Big Tech poaching, and LEVERAGE EXPERTISE maximizes their analytical moat. The key results are ambitious yet achievable, creating momentum toward their vision of becoming the world's premier economic consulting firm through technological transformation and global expansion.

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Provide economic expertise by being the world's premier consulting firm transforming business decisions

MODERNIZE

Transform delivery through AI-enhanced capabilities

  • PLATFORM: Launch AI-enhanced economic modeling platform serving 50+ clients by Q4
  • TALENT: Hire 25 machine learning engineers and data scientists by Q2
  • TRAINING: Complete AI skills certification for 300+ existing economists
  • EFFICIENCY: Reduce average project delivery time by 30% using AI tools
SCALE GLOBALLY

Expand international presence and market reach

  • ASIA: Establish offices in Singapore and Tokyo with 50+ local hires
  • PARTNERSHIPS: Sign 3 strategic partnerships with regional consulting firms
  • REVENUE: Generate $100M in international revenue by year-end
  • CLIENTS: Secure 25 new Fortune Global 500 international clients
RETAIN TALENT

Win the talent war against tech competition

  • COMPENSATION: Implement market-leading compensation packages for top 20% performers
  • RETENTION: Achieve 95% retention rate for senior economists and principals
  • CULTURE: Launch innovation time program allowing 20% time for research
  • RECRUITING: Hire 100+ PhD economists from top 20 universities
LEVERAGE EXPERTISE

Monetize analytical depth for premium positioning

  • SPECIALIZATION: Launch 5 new industry-specific practice areas
  • PRICING: Increase average hourly rates by 15% across all practices
  • THOUGHT: Publish 50 industry-leading research papers and studies
  • ADVISORY: Secure 10 long-term strategic advisory retainer agreements
METRICS
  • Revenue per employee: $567K
  • Client retention rate: 90%
  • International revenue: $150M
VALUES
  • Intellectual rigor and analytical excellence
  • Client-focused partnership and integrity

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CRA International logo

CRA International Retrospective

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Provide economic expertise by being the world's premier consulting firm transforming business decisions

What Went Well

  • REVENUE: Achieved 8% revenue growth reaching $680M annually
  • MARGINS: Maintained premium pricing with strong utilization rates
  • RETENTION: Sustained 85% client retention demonstrating value delivery
  • EXPERTISE: Expanded regulatory and antitrust practice capabilities
  • MARKET: Gained market share in economic consulting segment

Not So Well

  • TECHNOLOGY: Limited progress on AI integration initiatives
  • TALENT: Higher than expected employee turnover to tech companies
  • INTERNATIONAL: Slow expansion into emerging markets
  • EFFICIENCY: Engagement delivery times longer than targets
  • DIGITAL: Client satisfaction with digital tools below expectations

Learnings

  • COMPETITION: Tech sector talent competition requires new strategies
  • CLIENTS: Demand for AI-enhanced analysis growing rapidly
  • SPEED: Market demands faster delivery of insights
  • GLOBAL: International opportunities larger than anticipated
  • DIGITAL: Client expectations for digital experience increasing

Action Items

  • HIRING: Launch aggressive AI talent acquisition program
  • PLATFORM: Accelerate development of AI-enhanced analytics tools
  • RETENTION: Implement competitive compensation for key economists
  • INTERNATIONAL: Establish partnerships in Asian markets
  • TRAINING: Develop AI skills program for existing consultants

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CRA International logo

CRA International Market

  • Founded: 1965
  • Market Share: 3.2% of economic consulting market
  • Customer Base: Fortune 500 companies and government agencies
  • Category:
    Management Consulting
  • SIC Code: 8742 Management Consulting Services
  • NAICS Code: 541611 Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
  • Location: Boston, MA
  • Zip Code: 02116 Boston, Massachusetts
  • Employees: 1200
Competitors
McKinsey & Company logo
McKinsey & Company
Boston Consulting Group logo
Boston Consulting Group
Bain & Company logo
Bain & Company
Deloitte logo
Deloitte
NERA Economic Consulting logo
NERA Economic Consulting
Products & Services
No products or services data available
Distribution Channels

CRA International Product Market Fit Analysis

Updated: September 29, 2025

CRA transforms complex business challenges into competitive advantages through world-class economic analysis. The firm combines PhD-level expertise with practical business insights to help Fortune 500 companies and government agencies make critical decisions worth billions. From antitrust defense to regulatory strategy, CRA delivers analytical rigor that drives measurable results.

1

Reduce regulatory risk

2

Optimize business strategy

3

Win litigation cases



Before State

  • Complex regulatory uncertainty
  • Litigation exposure
  • Strategic decision paralysis

After State

  • Data-driven strategic clarity
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Competitive advantage

Negative Impacts

  • Financial losses from poor decisions
  • Regulatory penalties
  • Competitive disadvantage

Positive Outcomes

  • Increased profitability
  • Risk mitigation
  • Market leadership

Key Metrics

Client retention rate
85%
Net promoter score
72

Requirements

  • PhD-level expertise
  • Industry knowledge
  • Advanced analytics

Why CRA International

  • Rigorous analysis
  • Clear communication
  • Implementation support

CRA International Competitive Advantage

  • Academic credibility
  • Deep specialization
  • Proven methodologies

Proof Points

  • 85% client retention
  • 500+ published studies
  • Regulatory wins
CRA International logo

CRA International Market Positioning

What You Do

  • Provide economic and management consulting expertise

Target Market

  • Large corporations, law firms, and government agencies

Differentiation

  • Deep economic expertise
  • PhD-level analytical rigor
  • Industry specialization

Revenue Streams

  • Hourly consulting fees
  • Project-based engagements
  • Retainer agreements
CRA International logo

CRA International Operations and Technology

Company Operations
  • Organizational Structure: Matrix organization with practice groups
  • Supply Chain: Knowledge-based service delivery model
  • Tech Patents: Proprietary economic modeling software
  • Website: https://www.crai.com
Top Clients

CRA International Competitive Forces

Threat of New Entry

LOW: High barriers due to need for PhD economists, reputation, and client relationships in specialized market

Supplier Power

MEDIUM: PhD economists have moderate power due to specialized skills but CRA's reputation attracts top talent

Buyer Power

LOW: Fortune 500 clients need specialized economic expertise and have few alternatives for complex analysis

Threat of Substitution

MEDIUM: AI tools and internal economics teams emerging but cannot match PhD-level specialized analysis yet

Competitive Rivalry

HIGH: Intense competition from McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and specialized economic consultancies like NERA with similar expertise

CRA International logo

Analysis of AI Strategy

Updated: September 29, 2025 • 2025-Q3 Analysis

CRA's AI transformation represents their greatest strategic imperative and opportunity. Their deep economic expertise combined with rich client datasets creates unique potential for AI-enhanced analysis that competitors cannot easily replicate. However, their traditional culture and limited tech infrastructure pose significant barriers. The firm must act decisively to build AI capabilities before startups commoditize basic economic analysis or clients develop internal AI economics teams. Success requires substantial investment in AI talent acquisition, technology infrastructure, and cultural transformation while leveraging their academic credibility to forge strategic AI partnerships.

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Provide economic expertise by being the world's premier consulting firm transforming business decisions

Strengths

  • DATA: Rich client datasets provide foundation for AI model training
  • TALENT: PhD economists can develop sophisticated AI-enhanced models
  • PROBLEMS: Complex economic questions ideal for AI-human collaboration
  • CREDIBILITY: Academic reputation enables AI research partnerships
  • CLIENTS: Fortune 500 clients demand AI-powered insights and solutions

Weaknesses

  • INFRASTRUCTURE: Limited AI development and deployment capabilities
  • SKILLS: Traditional economists lack machine learning expertise
  • CULTURE: Conservative approach to new technology adoption
  • INVESTMENT: Insufficient R&D spending on AI initiatives
  • SPEED: Slow decision-making processes hinder AI implementation

Opportunities

  • AI-REGULATION: First-mover advantage in AI governance consulting
  • AUTOMATION: AI can scale economic analysis to more clients
  • PREDICTIVE: Machine learning enhances economic forecasting accuracy
  • PERSONALIZATION: AI enables customized insights for each client
  • EFFICIENCY: Automation reduces time-to-insight delivery

Threats

  • DISRUPTION: AI startups may commoditize economic analysis
  • COMPETITION: Tech-savvy competitors deploying AI faster
  • TALENT: AI experts choosing tech companies over consulting
  • COMMODITIZATION: AI making basic economic analysis less valuable
  • REPLACEMENT: Clients building internal AI economics capabilities

Key Priorities

  • AI-PLATFORM: Develop proprietary AI-enhanced economic modeling platform
  • TALENT: Hire machine learning experts to augment economist teams
  • PARTNERSHIPS: Collaborate with tech companies for AI infrastructure
  • TRAINING: Upskill existing economists in AI and machine learning

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CRA International logo

CRA International Financial Performance

Profit: $68 million net income
Market Cap: $1.2 billion
Annual Report: Available on SEC EDGAR database
Debt: $45 million total debt
ROI Impact: 12% return on invested capital

SWOT Index

Composite strategic assessment with 10-year outlook

CRA International logo
60.8 / 100
Market Leader
ICM Index
1.89×
STRATEGIC ADVISOR ASSESSMENT

CRA demonstrates solid market leadership with premium positioning and deep expertise moat. Strong client retention and academic credibility create defensible advantages, but technology gaps and talent competition pose risks. AI integration and global expansion offer significant upside.

SWOT Factors
53.6
Upside: 78.4 Risk: 71.2
OKR Impact
68.8
AI Leverage
72.5

Top 3 Strategic Levers

1

Accelerate AI platform development for competitive advantage

2

Execute aggressive international expansion strategy

3

Strengthen talent retention against tech sector competition

AI Disclosure

This report was created using the Alignment Method—our proprietary process for guiding AI to reveal how it interprets your business and industry. These insights are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, legal, tax, or investment advice.

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About Alignment LLC

Alignment LLC specializes in AI-powered business analysis. Through the Alignment Method, we combine advanced prompting, structured frameworks, and expert oversight to deliver actionable insights that help companies understand how AI sees their data and market position.