Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Organizational Development
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B)
Supplements the (A) case. The (B) case presents the final outcome of the events. Reveals how Keller is able to turn around perceptions about him and forge relationships with key decision makers. Includes reflections and lessons learned from all parties and Keller's actual 2005 year-end and self evaluations on the project.
Authors :: Boris Groysberg, Christopher Marquis, Ayesha Kanji
Swot Analysis of "Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B)" written by Boris Groysberg, Christopher Marquis, Ayesha Kanji includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Keller Keller's facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Competition, Leadership, Organizational culture, Organizational structure, Project management and Organizational Development.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) casestudy better are - – increasing government debt because of Covid-19 spendings, challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs, there is increasing trade war between United States & China, increasing transportation and logistics costs, competitive advantages are harder to sustain because of technology dispersion, technology disruption,
banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, increasing household debt because of falling income levels, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B)
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Keller Keller's, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Keller Keller's 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 Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Keller Keller's
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 Keller Keller's
Strengths Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Keller Keller's in Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) Harvard Business Review case study are -
Effective Research and Development (R&D)
– Keller Keller's 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 Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Keller Keller's are driving operational speed, building greater agility, and keeping the organization nimble to compete with new competitors. It helps are organization to ideate new ideas, and execute them swiftly in the marketplace.
Analytics focus
– Keller Keller's 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 Boris Groysberg, Christopher Marquis, Ayesha Kanji 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.
High brand equity
– Keller Keller's has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Keller Keller's to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Training and development
– Keller Keller's has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) 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.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Organizational Development industry
– Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Keller Keller's to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Organizational Development industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Keller Keller's to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Innovation driven organization
– Keller Keller's is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Keller Keller's is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.
Ability to lead change in Organizational Development field
– Keller Keller's 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 Keller Keller's in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Keller Keller's 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 Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Learning organization
- Keller Keller's 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 Keller Keller's is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Strong track record of project management
– Keller Keller's is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Weaknesses Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) are -
Lack of clear differentiation of Keller Keller's products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Keller Keller's needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
Aligning sales with marketing
– It come across in the case study Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) that the firm needs to have more collaboration between its sales team and marketing team. Sales professionals in the industry have deep experience in developing customer relationships. Marketing department in the case Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as Keller Keller's is planning to shift buying processes online.
High bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, Boris Groysberg, Christopher Marquis, Ayesha Kanji suggests that, Keller Keller's 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.
High dependence on existing supply chain
– The disruption in the global supply chains because of the Covid-19 pandemic and blockage of the Suez Canal illustrated the fragile nature of Keller Keller's supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B), it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Keller Keller's vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Keller Keller's 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. Keller Keller's 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.
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B), in the dynamic environment Keller Keller's has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. Keller Keller's has reasonably good record with similar level competitors but it has struggled with new entrants taking away niches of its business.
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B), is just above the industry average. Keller Keller's 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.
Interest costs
– Compare to the competition, Keller Keller's has borrowed money from the capital market at higher rates. It needs to restructure the interest payment and costs so that it can compete better and improve profitability.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Keller Keller's is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Organizational Development segment. Keller Keller's needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Keller Keller's 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, Keller Keller's is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) has high operating costs in the. This can be harder to sustain given the new emerging competition from nimble players who are using technology to attract Keller Keller's 's lucrative customers.
Opportunities Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) | 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 Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) are -
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 Keller Keller's in the consumer business. Now Keller Keller's can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Loyalty marketing
– Keller Keller's has focused on building a highly responsive customer relationship management platform. This platform is built on in-house data and driven by analytics and artificial intelligence. The customer analytics can help the organization to fine tune its loyalty marketing efforts, increase the wallet share of the organization, reduce wastage on mainstream advertising spending, build better pricing strategies using personalization, etc.
Developing new processes and practices
– Keller Keller's 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.
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. Keller Keller's can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Keller Keller's can make experimentation a productive activity and build a culture of innovation using approaches such as – mining transaction data, A/B testing of websites and selling platforms, engaging potential customers over various needs, and building on small ideas in the Organizational Development segment.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Keller Keller's 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
– Keller Keller's 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.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Keller Keller's 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.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Keller Keller's 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 Keller Keller's to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Buying journey improvements
– Keller Keller's can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) 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.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Keller Keller's 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.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Keller Keller's to increase its market reach. Keller Keller's will be able to reach out to new customers. Secondly 5G will also provide technology framework to build new tools and products that can help more immersive consumer experience and faster consumer journey.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Keller Keller's can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Keller Keller's operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Organizational Development sector.
Threats Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) are -
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Keller Keller's can face lack of demand in the market place because of Fed actions to reduce inflation. This can lead to sluggish growth in the economy, lower demands, lower investments, higher borrowing costs, and consolidation in the field.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B), Keller Keller's 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 .
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 Keller Keller's.
Increasing wage structure of Keller Keller's
– 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 Keller Keller's.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Keller Keller's is facing in Organizational Development sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Keller Keller's with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
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. Keller Keller's needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Organizational Development industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
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 Keller Keller's business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
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 Keller Keller's in the Organizational Development sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Keller Keller's 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.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Keller Keller's has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Organizational Development industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Keller Keller's needs to keep up with the evolution of technology in the Organizational Development 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.
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
– Keller Keller's 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. Keller Keller's can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Organizational Development industry.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) 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 Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) 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 Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) 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 Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) 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 Tim Keller at Katzenbach Partners LLC (B) 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 Keller Keller's needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
