Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Finance & Accounting
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Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case)
When students have the English-language PDF of this Brief Case in a coursepack, they will also have the option to purchase an audio version.Groupe Ariel evaluates a proposal from its Mexican subsidiary to purchase and install cost-saving equipment at a manufacturing facility in Monterrey. The improvements will allow the plant to automate recycling and remanufacturing of toner and printer cartridges, an important part of Ariel's business in many markets. Ariel corporate policy requires a discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis and an estimate for the net present value (NPV) for capital expenditures in foreign markets. A major challenge for the analysis is deciding which currency to use, the Euro or the peso. The case introduces techniques of discounted cash flow valuation analysis in a multi-currency setting and can be used to teach basic international parity conditions related to the value of operating cash flows. Subjects Include: Project Evaluation, Cross-Border, Capital Budgeting, Net Present Value, Foreign Exchange, Securities Analysis, Parity Condition, DCF Valuation, and Exchange Rate.
Swot Analysis of "Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case)" written by Timothy A. Luehrman, James Quinn includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Ariel Parity facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Budgeting, Cross-cultural management, Currency, Financial analysis, Project management and Finance & Accounting.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) casestudy better are - – there is increasing trade war between United States & China, increasing household debt because of falling income levels, banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, increasing energy prices, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, technology disruption, increasing government debt because of Covid-19 spendings,
cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, central banks are concerned over increasing inflation, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case)
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Ariel Parity, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Ariel Parity 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 Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Ariel Parity
3. Assessing feasibility of the new initiative in Finance & Accounting field.
4. Making a Finance & Accounting topic specific business decision
5. Set goals for the organization
6. Organizational restructuring of Ariel Parity
Strengths Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Ariel Parity in Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) Harvard Business Review case study are -
High brand equity
– Ariel Parity has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Ariel Parity to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Analytics focus
– Ariel Parity 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 Timothy A. Luehrman, James Quinn 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.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Ariel Parity has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Ariel Parity 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.
Operational resilience
– The operational resilience strategy in the Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) Harvard Business Review case study comprises – understanding the underlying the factors in the industry, building diversified operations across different geographies so that disruption in one part of the world doesn’t impact the overall performance of the firm, and integrating the various business operations and processes through its digital transformation drive.
Digital Transformation in Finance & Accounting segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Ariel Parity digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Ariel Parity has successfully integrated the four key components of digital transformation – digital integration in processes, digital integration in marketing and customer relationship management, digital integration into the value chain, and using technology to explore new products and market opportunities.
Learning organization
- Ariel Parity 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 Ariel Parity is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Finance & Accounting industry
– Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Ariel Parity to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Finance & Accounting industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Ariel Parity to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Diverse revenue streams
– Ariel Parity is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) 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.
Effective Research and Development (R&D)
– Ariel Parity 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 Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
Ability to lead change in Finance & Accounting field
– Ariel Parity is one of the leading players in its industry. Over the years it has not only transformed the business landscape in its segment but also across the whole industry. The ability to lead change has enabled Ariel Parity in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Training and development
– Ariel Parity has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) 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.
Organizational Resilience of Ariel Parity
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Ariel Parity does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Weaknesses Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) are -
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Ariel Parity 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.
Products dominated business model
– Even though Ariel Parity 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 - Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.
No frontier risks strategy
– After analyzing the HBR case study Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case), it seems that company is thinking about the frontier risks that can impact Finance & Accounting 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.
Lack of clear differentiation of Ariel Parity products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Ariel Parity needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
High bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, Timothy A. Luehrman, James Quinn suggests that, Ariel Parity 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.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Ariel Parity is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Finance & Accounting segment. Ariel Parity needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Ariel Parity to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Ariel Parity is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Ariel Parity, firm in the HBR case study Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case), it seems that the employees of Ariel Parity don’t have comprehensive understanding of the firm’s strategy. This is reflected in number of promotional campaigns over the last few years that had mixed messaging and competing priorities. Some of the strategic activities and services promoted in the promotional campaigns were not consistent with the organization’s strategy.
Need for greater diversity
– Ariel Parity 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.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Ariel Parity has a very deliberative decision making approach. This approach has resulted in prudent decisions, but it has also resulted in missing opportunities in the industry over the last five years. Ariel Parity even though has strong showing on digital transformation primary two stages, it has struggled to capitalize the power of digital transformation in marketing efforts and new venture efforts.
Opportunities Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) | 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 Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) are -
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Ariel Parity 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.
Manufacturing automation
– Ariel Parity can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Finance & Accounting 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.
Identify volunteer opportunities
– Covid-19 has impacted working population in two ways – it has led to people soul searching about their professional choices, resulting in mass resignation. Secondly it has encouraged people to do things that they are passionate about. This has opened opportunities for businesses to build volunteer oriented socially driven projects. Ariel Parity can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
Reconfiguring business model
– The expansion of digital payment system, the bringing down of international transactions costs using Bitcoin and other blockchain based currencies, etc can help Ariel Parity to reconfigure its entire business model. For example it can used blockchain based technologies to reduce piracy of its products in the big markets such as China. Secondly it can use the popularity of e-commerce in various developing markets to build a Direct to Customer business model rather than the current Channel Heavy distribution network.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Ariel Parity can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Ariel Parity operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Finance & Accounting sector.
Buying journey improvements
– Ariel Parity can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) suggest that firm can provide automated chats to help consumers solve their own problems, provide online suggestions to get maximum out of the products and services, and help consumers to build a community where they can interact with each other to develop new features and uses.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Ariel Parity can leverage digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate the production process, customer analytics to get better insights into consumer behavior, realtime digital dashboards to get better sales tracking, logistics and transportation, product tracking, etc.
Developing new processes and practices
– Ariel Parity can develop new processes and procedures in Finance & Accounting 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.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Ariel Parity has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Ariel Parity to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) case study. Ariel Parity can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Finding new ways to collaborate
– Covid-19 has not only transformed business models of companies in Finance & Accounting industry, but it has also influenced the consumer preferences. Ariel Parity can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Ariel Parity 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 Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Ariel Parity to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Ariel Parity can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
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 Ariel Parity in the consumer business. Now Ariel Parity can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Threats Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) are -
Regulatory challenges
– Ariel Parity needs to prepare for regulatory challenges as consumer protection groups and other pressure groups are vigorously advocating for more regulations on big business - to reduce inequality, to create a level playing field, to product data privacy and consumer privacy, to reduce the influence of big money on democratic institutions, etc. This can lead to significant changes in the Finance & Accounting industry regulations.
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 Ariel Parity.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Ariel Parity with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
Environmental challenges
– Ariel Parity 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. Ariel Parity can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Finance & Accounting industry.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Ariel Parity is facing in Finance & Accounting sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
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.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case), Ariel Parity may face longer learning curve for training and development of existing employees. This can open space for more nimble competitors in the field of Finance & Accounting .
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Ariel Parity has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Finance & Accounting industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Ariel Parity needs to keep up with the evolution of technology in the Finance & Accounting sector. According to Mckinsey study top managers believe that the adoption of technology in operations, communications is 20-25 times faster than what they planned in the beginning of 2019.
Increasing wage structure of Ariel Parity
– 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 Ariel Parity.
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Ariel Parity can face downward pressure on margins from increasing competition from international players. The international players have stable revenue in their home market and can use those resources to penetrate prominent markets illustrated in HBR case study Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) .
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. Ariel Parity needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Finance & Accounting industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
Instability in the European markets
– European Union markets are facing three big challenges post Covid – expanded balance sheets, Brexit related business disruption, and aggressive Russia looking to distract the existing security mechanism. Ariel Parity will face different problems in different parts of Europe. For example it will face inflationary pressures in UK, France, and Germany, balance sheet expansion and demand challenges in Southern European countries, and geopolitical instability in the Eastern Europe.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Ariel Parity 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.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) 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 Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) 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 Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) 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 Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) 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 Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border Valuation (Brief Case) 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 Ariel Parity needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.