Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Sales & Marketing
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less
Supplement to case W16649. Somnath Chakrabarti is affiliated with Indian Institute of Management Kashipur. B. S. Kiran is affiliated with Indian Institute of Management Kashipur.
Swot Analysis of "Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less" written by Somnath Chakrabarti, B. S. Kiran includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Kashipur W16649 facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Customers, International business, Leadership, Organizational culture, Project management and Sales & Marketing.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less casestudy better are - – technology disruption, central banks are concerned over increasing inflation, supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs, there is increasing trade war between United States & China, challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, customer relationship management is fast transforming because of increasing concerns over data privacy,
there is backlash against globalization, increasing commodity prices, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Kashipur W16649, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Kashipur W16649 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 Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Kashipur W16649
3. Assessing feasibility of the new initiative in Sales & Marketing field.
4. Making a Sales & Marketing topic specific business decision
5. Set goals for the organization
6. Organizational restructuring of Kashipur W16649
Strengths Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Kashipur W16649 in Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less Harvard Business Review case study are -
Diverse revenue streams
– Kashipur W16649 is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less 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.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Sales & Marketing industry
– Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Kashipur W16649 to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Sales & Marketing industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Kashipur W16649 to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
High switching costs
– The high switching costs that Kashipur W16649 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.
Learning organization
- Kashipur W16649 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 Kashipur W16649 is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Kashipur W16649 in the sector have low bargaining power. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Kashipur W16649 to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Strong track record of project management
– Kashipur W16649 is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Kashipur W16649 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 Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Analytics focus
– Kashipur W16649 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 Somnath Chakrabarti, B. S. Kiran 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.
Digital Transformation in Sales & Marketing segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Kashipur W16649 digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Kashipur W16649 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.
Superior customer experience
– The customer experience strategy of Kashipur W16649 in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Operational resilience
– The operational resilience strategy in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less 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.
High brand equity
– Kashipur W16649 has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Kashipur W16649 to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Weaknesses Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less are -
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less, it seems that the employees of Kashipur W16649 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.
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 Kashipur W16649 supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Kashipur W16649 vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
High cash cycle compare to competitors
Kashipur W16649 has a high cash cycle compare to other players in the industry. It needs to shorten the cash cycle by 12% to be more competitive in the marketplace, reduce inventory costs, and be more profitable.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Kashipur W16649, firm in the HBR case study Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Products dominated business model
– Even though Kashipur W16649 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 - Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Kashipur W16649 is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Sales & Marketing segment. Kashipur W16649 needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Kashipur W16649 to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less 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 Kashipur W16649 's lucrative customers.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Kashipur W16649 is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Kashipur W16649 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. Kashipur W16649 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.
Lack of clear differentiation of Kashipur W16649 products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Kashipur W16649 needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
No frontier risks strategy
– After analyzing the HBR case study Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less, it seems that company is thinking about the frontier risks that can impact Sales & Marketing 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.
Opportunities Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less | 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 Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less are -
Developing new processes and practices
– Kashipur W16649 can develop new processes and procedures in Sales & Marketing 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.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Kashipur W16649 to increase its market reach. Kashipur W16649 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.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Kashipur W16649 can build a diversified supply chain model across various countries in - South East Asia, India, and other parts of the world. This reconfiguration of global supply chain can help, as suggested in case study, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Kashipur W16649 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 Kashipur W16649 to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Manufacturing automation
– Kashipur W16649 can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Sales & Marketing 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.
Finding new ways to collaborate
– Covid-19 has not only transformed business models of companies in Sales & Marketing industry, but it has also influenced the consumer preferences. Kashipur W16649 can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
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 Kashipur W16649 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.
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 Kashipur W16649 in the consumer business. Now Kashipur W16649 can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Kashipur W16649 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 Kashipur W16649 can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
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. Kashipur W16649 can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
Changes in consumer behavior post Covid-19
– Consumer behavior has changed in the Sales & Marketing industry because of Covid-19 restrictions. Some of this behavior will stay once things get back to normal. Kashipur W16649 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. Kashipur W16649 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.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Kashipur W16649 can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Kashipur W16649 operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Sales & Marketing sector.
Threats Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less are -
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Kashipur W16649 is facing in Sales & Marketing sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Environmental challenges
– Kashipur W16649 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. Kashipur W16649 can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Sales & Marketing industry.
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. Kashipur W16649 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.
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.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Kashipur W16649 in the Sales & Marketing industry. The Sales & Marketing industry is already at various protected from local competition in China, with the rise of trade war the protection levels may go up. This presents a clear threat of current business model in Chinese market.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Kashipur W16649 has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Sales & Marketing industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Kashipur W16649 needs to keep up with the evolution of technology in the Sales & Marketing 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.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Kashipur W16649 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.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Kashipur W16649 with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
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 Kashipur W16649 in the Sales & Marketing sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
Increasing wage structure of Kashipur W16649
– 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 Kashipur W16649.
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. Kashipur W16649 needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Sales & Marketing industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
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.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Kashipur W16649 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.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less 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 Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less 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 Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less 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 Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less 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 Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (B): Doing More with Less 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 Kashipur W16649 needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
