What is the MACTOR matrix
The MACTOR matrix is the central tool of actor analysis: a set of tables that turn the power game of a system into comparable data. Instead of describing in words who holds sway, the matrix quantifies it (who influences whom and how much) so it can be analyzed rigorously.
It is part of the MACTOR analysis within a strategic foresight study.
Which matrices make it up
MACTOR doesn’t work with a single table, but with several that chain together. The two main ones:
| Matrix | What it crosses | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Actors × Actors (MID) | Each actor with every other | The direct influences between them: who can condition whom. |
| Actors × Objectives (MAO) | Each actor with each objective | Each actor’s position (for, against or neutral) toward each strategic objective. |
From these matrices, key indicators are derived: each actor’s degree of power, the positions weighted by real influence (not by a simple count) and the balance of forces per objective.
How to read it
- An actor with high influence and low dependence is dominant: worth having as an ally.
- An objective with balanced forces is contested: that’s where the strategy is decided.
- High convergences between actors anticipate alliances; divergences anticipate conflicts.
What matters is that everything is weighted by each actor’s real power: the opinion of an influential actor weighs more than that of a marginal one.
What it’s for
Reading the MACTOR matrix lets you anticipate who will support and who will resist each objective, and design the strategy accordingly: which actors to bring on board, which to neutralize and where the conflicts concentrate.
How to apply it
The MACTOR matrix turns the politics of a system into an actionable map. At TacticRisk we use it in our Strategic Foresight studies and explain how to build it in the Foresight Workshops.