A company's ability to expand its market presence by delivering value to emerging and immature markets is influenced by its ability to develop a rich and differentiated value net within these emerging markets. Techniques are disclosed for making resource placement decisions in an objective manner, using results from a value chain analysis. Geographies or locations that are candidates for the resource placement are analyzed in terms of a set of criteria which, in preferred embodiments, are directed toward identifying strengths and weaknesses of each location as part of an overall value chain.