The purpose of a sales company value-chain analysis is to increase production efficiency so that a company can deliver maximum value for the least possible cost. As the sales company value chain diagram below illustrates, the term value chain refers to the various business activities and processes involved in creating a product or performing a service. A value chain can consist of multiple stages of a product or service's lifecycle, including research and development, sales, and everything in between. The goal of most companies is to gain a competitive advantage in the market by increasing value and lowering costs. The value chain method is a way to identify the best path to enhance value for the customer.