EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Organizational Development
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation
In January 2003, EPCOR Utilities (EPCOR) was facing great pressure from a radical community group that wanted the company out of its community of Rossdale - where EPCOR was founded in 1891 and had been operating since. The pressure had mounted to the point that EPCOR's sole shareholder, the City of Edmonton, had asked that EPCOR prepare a long-term plan for its operations in Rossdale as part of a formal review of the land use at the site. Operations of EPCOR were $3 billion. The case encourages students to think through the senior vice-president of public and government relations job of engaging (or at least placating) the community from a philosophical level to the practical details of implementation.
Swot Analysis of "EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation" written by Pratima Bansal, Tom Ewart includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Epcor Rossdale facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Conflict, Corporate governance, Social responsibility and Organizational Development.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation casestudy better are - – challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, customer relationship management is fast transforming because of increasing concerns over data privacy, supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , wage bills are increasing, increasing commodity prices, banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies,
cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, competitive advantages are harder to sustain because of technology dispersion, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Epcor Rossdale, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Epcor Rossdale operates in.
According to Harvard Business Review, 75% of the managers use SWOT analysis for various purposes such as – evaluating current scenario, strategic planning, new venture feasibility, personal growth goals, new market entry, Go To market strategies, portfolio management and strategic trade-off assessment, organizational restructuring, etc.
SWOT Objectives / Importance of SWOT Analysis and SWOT Matrix
SWOT analysis of EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Epcor Rossdale
3. Assessing feasibility of the new initiative in Organizational Development field.
4. Making a Organizational Development topic specific business decision
5. Set goals for the organization
6. Organizational restructuring of Epcor Rossdale
Strengths EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Epcor Rossdale in EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation Harvard Business Review case study are -
Analytics focus
– Epcor Rossdale is putting a lot of focus on utilizing the power of analytics in business decision making. This has put it among the leading players in the industry. The technology infrastructure suggested by Pratima Bansal, Tom Ewart can also help it to harness the power of analytics for – marketing optimization, demand forecasting, customer relationship management, inventory management, information sharing across the value chain etc.
Strong track record of project management
– Epcor Rossdale is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
High brand equity
– Epcor Rossdale has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Epcor Rossdale to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Epcor Rossdale has highly efficient outsourcing and offshoring strategy. It has resulted in greater operational flexibility and bringing down the costs in highly price sensitive segment. Secondly the value chain collaborators of the firm in EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Innovation driven organization
– Epcor Rossdale is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Diverse revenue streams
– Epcor Rossdale is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation case study a diverse revenue stream that has helped it to survive disruptions such as global pandemic in Covid-19, financial disruption of 2008, and supply chain disruption of 2021.
Learning organization
- Epcor Rossdale is a learning organization. It has inculcated three key characters of learning organization in its processes and operations – exploration, creativity, and expansiveness. The work place at Epcor Rossdale is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Epcor Rossdale has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Epcor Rossdale has effective processes in place that helps in exploring new product needs, doing quick pilot testing, and then launching the products quickly using its extensive distribution network.
Effective Research and Development (R&D)
– Epcor Rossdale has innovation driven culture where significant part of the revenues are spent on the research and development activities. This has resulted in, as mentioned in case study EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
Training and development
– Epcor Rossdale has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation Harvard Business Review case study by analyzing – employees retention, in-house promotion, loyalty, new venture initiation, lack of conflict, and high level of both employees and customer engagement.
High switching costs
– The high switching costs that Epcor Rossdale has built up over years in its products and services combo offer has resulted in high retention of customers, lower marketing costs, and greater ability of the firm to focus on its customers.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Epcor Rossdale in the sector have low bargaining power. EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Epcor Rossdale to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Weaknesses EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation are -
Products dominated business model
– Even though Epcor Rossdale has some of the most successful products in the industry, this business model has made each new product launch extremely critical for continuous financial growth of the organization. firm in the HBR case study - EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.
High bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, Pratima Bansal, Tom Ewart suggests that, Epcor Rossdale is facing high bargaining power of the channel partners. So far it has not able to streamline the operations to reduce the bargaining power of the value chain partners in the industry.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Epcor Rossdale has created an environment where the organization is dominated by functional specialists rather than management generalist. This has resulted into product oriented approach rather than marketing oriented approach or consumers oriented approach.
No frontier risks strategy
– After analyzing the HBR case study EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation, it seems that company is thinking about the frontier risks that can impact Organizational Development strategy. But it has very little resources allocation to manage the risks emerging from events such as natural disasters, climate change, melting of permafrost, tacking the rise of artificial intelligence, opportunities and threats emerging from commercialization of space etc.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Epcor Rossdale is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Organizational Development segment. Epcor Rossdale needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Epcor Rossdale to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
High dependence on star products
– The top 2 products and services of the firm as mentioned in the EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation HBR case study still accounts for major business revenue. This dependence on star products in has resulted into insufficient focus on developing new products, even though Epcor Rossdale has relatively successful track record of launching new products.
Need for greater diversity
– Epcor Rossdale has taken concrete steps on diversity, equity, and inclusion. But the efforts so far has resulted in limited success. It needs to expand the recruitment and selection process to hire more people from the minorities and underprivileged background.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Epcor Rossdale, firm in the HBR case study EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation, in the dynamic environment Epcor Rossdale has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. Epcor Rossdale has reasonably good record with similar level competitors but it has struggled with new entrants taking away niches of its business.
Slow to strategic competitive environment developments
– As EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation HBR case study mentions - Epcor Rossdale takes time to assess the upcoming competitions. This has led to missing out on atleast 2-3 big opportunities in the industry in last five years.
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation, is just above the industry average. Epcor Rossdale needs to redesign the compensation structure and incentives to increase the revenue per employees. Some of the steps that it can take are – hiring more specialists on project basis, etc.
Opportunities EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation | External Strategic Factors
What are Opportunities in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The opportunities highlighted in the Harvard Business Review case study EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation are -
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Epcor Rossdale has spent a significant amount of money and effort to integrate analytics and machine learning into its operations in the sector. This continuous investment in analytics has enabled, as illustrated in the Harvard case study EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Epcor Rossdale to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Epcor Rossdale can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Epcor Rossdale operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Organizational Development sector.
Finding new ways to collaborate
– Covid-19 has not only transformed business models of companies in Organizational Development industry, but it has also influenced the consumer preferences. Epcor Rossdale can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
Redefining models of collaboration and team work
– As explained in the weaknesses section, Epcor Rossdale is facing challenges because of the dominance of functional experts in the organization. EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation case study suggests that firm can utilize new technology to build more coordinated teams and streamline operations and communications using tools such as CAD, Zoom, etc.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Epcor Rossdale to expand its talent hiring zone. According to McKinsey Global Institute, 20% of the high end workforce in fields such as finance, information technology, can continously work from remote local post Covid-19. This presents a really great opportunity for Epcor Rossdale to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Epcor Rossdale in the field of marketing communication. It will bring down the cost of doing business, provide technology platform to build new products in the Organizational Development segment, and it will provide faster access to the consumers.
Changes in consumer behavior post Covid-19
– Consumer behavior has changed in the Organizational Development industry because of Covid-19 restrictions. Some of this behavior will stay once things get back to normal. Epcor Rossdale can take advantage of these changes in consumer behavior to build a far more efficient business model. For example consumer regular ordering of products can reduce both last mile delivery costs and market penetration costs. Epcor Rossdale can further use this consumer data to build better customer loyalty, provide better products and service collection, and improve the value proposition in inflationary times.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Epcor Rossdale can still utilize the low interest rates to borrow money for capital investment. Secondly it can also use the increase of government spending in infrastructure projects to get new business.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Epcor Rossdale can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
Manufacturing automation
– Epcor Rossdale can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Organizational Development segment. It can use CAD and 3D printing to build a quick prototype and pilot testing products. It can leverage automation using machine learning and artificial intelligence to do faster production at lowers costs, and it can leverage the growth in satellite and tracking technologies to improve inventory management, transportation, and shipping.
Developing new processes and practices
– Epcor Rossdale can develop new processes and procedures in Organizational Development industry using technology such as automation using artificial intelligence, real time transportation and products tracking, 3D modeling for concept development and new products pilot testing etc.
Use of Bitcoin and other crypto currencies for transactions
– The popularity of Bitcoin and other crypto currencies as asset class and medium of transaction has opened new opportunities for Epcor Rossdale in the consumer business. Now Epcor Rossdale can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Epcor Rossdale has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Epcor Rossdale to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation case study. Epcor Rossdale can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Threats EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation are -
Capital market disruption
– During the Covid-19, Dow Jones has touched record high. The valuations of a number of companies are way beyond their existing business model potential. This can lead to capital market correction which can put a number of suppliers, collaborators, value chain partners in great financial difficulty. It will directly impact the business of Epcor Rossdale.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Epcor Rossdale high dependence on third party suppliers can disrupt its processes and delivery mechanism. For example -the current troubles of car makers because of chip shortage is because the chip companies started producing chips for electronic companies rather than car manufacturers.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation, Epcor Rossdale may face longer learning curve for training and development of existing employees. This can open space for more nimble competitors in the field of Organizational Development .
Backlash against dominant players
– US Congress and other legislative arms of the government are getting tough on big business especially technology companies. The digital arm of Epcor Rossdale business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
High level of anxiety and lack of motivation
– the Great Resignation in United States is the sign of broader dissatisfaction among the workforce in United States. Epcor Rossdale needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Organizational Development industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Epcor Rossdale is facing in Organizational Development sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Easy access to finance
– Easy access to finance in Organizational Development field will also reduce the barriers to entry in the industry, thus putting downward pressure on the prices because of increasing competition. Epcor Rossdale can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
New competition
– After the dotcom bust of 2001, financial crisis of 2008-09, the business formation in US economy had declined. But in 2020 alone, there are more than 1.5 million new business applications in United States. This can lead to greater competition for Epcor Rossdale in the Organizational Development sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Epcor Rossdale demand
– There is a high probability of declining consumer confidence, given – high inflammation rate, rise of gig economy, lower job stability, increasing cost of living, higher interest rates, and aging demography. All the factors contribute to people saving higher rate of their income, resulting in lower consumer demand in the industry and other sectors.
Technology disruption because of hacks, piracy etc
– The colonial pipeline illustrated, how vulnerable modern organization are to international hackers, miscreants, and disruptors. The cyber security interruption, data leaks, etc can seriously jeopardize the future growth of the organization.
Environmental challenges
– Epcor Rossdale needs to have a robust strategy against the disruptions arising from climate change and energy requirements. EU has identified it as key priority area and spending 30% of its 880 billion Euros European post Covid-19 recovery funds on green technology. Epcor Rossdale can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Organizational Development industry.
Increasing wage structure of Epcor Rossdale
– Post Covid-19 there is a sharp increase in the wages especially in the jobs that require interaction with people. The increasing wages can put downward pressure on the margins of Epcor Rossdale.
Aging population
– As the populations of most advanced economies are aging, it will lead to high social security costs, higher savings among population, and lower demand for goods and services in the economy. The household savings in US, France, UK, Germany, and Japan are growing faster than predicted because of uncertainty caused by pandemic.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation Template, Example
Not all factors mentioned under the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats quadrants in the SWOT Analysis are equal. Managers in the HBR case study EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation needs to zero down on the relative importance of each factor mentioned in the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats quadrants.
We can provide the relative importance to each factor by assigning relative weights. Weighted SWOT analysis process is a three stage process –
First stage for doing weighted SWOT analysis of the case study EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation is to rank the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. This will help you to assess the most important strengths and weaknesses of the firm and which one of the strengths and weaknesses mentioned in the initial lists are marginal and can be left out.
Second stage for conducting weighted SWOT analysis of the Harvard case study EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation is to give probabilities to the external strategic factors thus better understanding the opportunities and threats arising out of macro environment changes and developments.
Third stage of constructing weighted SWOT analysis of EPCOR Utilities Inc. (A): A Critical Community Consultation is to provide strategic recommendations includes – joining likelihood of external strategic factors such as opportunities and threats to the internal strategic factors – strengths and weaknesses. You should start with external factors as they will provide the direction of the overall industry. Secondly by joining probabilities with internal strategic factors can help the company not only strategic fit but also the most probably strategic trade-off that Epcor Rossdale needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.