Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Strategy & Execution
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder
Examines the attempt of the Grove Foundation's Grove Scholars Program to promote access to vocational education and training as well as increase the esteem accorded to this education and career pathway. Initiated by former Intel chairman Andy Grove and his wife Eva Grove, the program aims to have a disproportionate impact in selected communities by providing high-profile scholarships to high school juniors, seniors, and community college students to pay for their vocational education and training at community colleges and other institutions. Key foundation personnel, including the Groves, consider how well they have been performing toward their mission.
Swot Analysis of "Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder" written by Robert A. Burgelman, Philip Meza includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Grove Vocational facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Social enterprise, Strategy and Strategy & Execution.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder casestudy better are - – talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs, increasing transportation and logistics costs, competitive advantages are harder to sustain because of technology dispersion, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, there is backlash against globalization, customer relationship management is fast transforming because of increasing concerns over data privacy,
challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, wage bills are increasing, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Grove Vocational, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Grove Vocational 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 Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Grove Vocational
3. Assessing feasibility of the new initiative in Strategy & Execution field.
4. Making a Strategy & Execution topic specific business decision
5. Set goals for the organization
6. Organizational restructuring of Grove Vocational
Strengths Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Grove Vocational in Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder Harvard Business Review case study are -
High switching costs
– The high switching costs that Grove Vocational 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
- Grove Vocational 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 Grove Vocational is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Strategy & Execution industry
– Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Grove Vocational to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Strategy & Execution industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Grove Vocational to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Strong track record of project management
– Grove Vocational is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Grove Vocational in the sector have low bargaining power. Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Grove Vocational to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Grove Vocational has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Grove Vocational 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 Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder 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.
Organizational Resilience of Grove Vocational
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Grove Vocational does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Grove Vocational 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 Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Training and development
– Grove Vocational has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder 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 brand equity
– Grove Vocational has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Grove Vocational to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Grove Vocational 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.
Weaknesses Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder are -
High bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, Robert A. Burgelman, Philip Meza suggests that, Grove Vocational 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.
No frontier risks strategy
– After analyzing the HBR case study Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder, it seems that company is thinking about the frontier risks that can impact Strategy & Execution 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.
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder 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 Grove Vocational 's lucrative customers.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Grove Vocational 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. Grove Vocational 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.
Need for greater diversity
– Grove Vocational 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.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Grove Vocational 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.
Interest costs
– Compare to the competition, Grove Vocational 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.
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 Grove Vocational supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Grove Vocational vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Grove Vocational, firm in the HBR case study Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Grove Vocational is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder 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 to strategic competitive environment developments
– As Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder HBR case study mentions - Grove Vocational 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.
Opportunities Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder | 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 Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder are -
Buying journey improvements
– Grove Vocational can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder 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.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Grove Vocational 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 Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Grove Vocational to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Finding new ways to collaborate
– Covid-19 has not only transformed business models of companies in Strategy & Execution industry, but it has also influenced the consumer preferences. Grove Vocational can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Grove Vocational 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, Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
Learning at scale
– Online learning technologies has now opened space for Grove Vocational to conduct training and development for its employees across the world. This will result in not only reducing the cost of training but also help employees in different part of the world to integrate with the headquarter work culture, ethos, and standards.
Manufacturing automation
– Grove Vocational can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Strategy & Execution 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.
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 Grove Vocational in the consumer business. Now Grove Vocational can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Grove Vocational to increase its market reach. Grove Vocational 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.
Developing new processes and practices
– Grove Vocational can develop new processes and procedures in Strategy & Execution 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.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Grove Vocational can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
Changes in consumer behavior post Covid-19
– Consumer behavior has changed in the Strategy & Execution industry because of Covid-19 restrictions. Some of this behavior will stay once things get back to normal. Grove Vocational 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. Grove Vocational 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.
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 Grove Vocational 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, Grove Vocational can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Grove Vocational operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Strategy & Execution sector.
Threats Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder are -
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Grove Vocational with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Grove Vocational in the Strategy & Execution industry. The Strategy & Execution 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.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Grove Vocational 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 acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Grove Vocational has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Strategy & Execution industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Grove Vocational needs to keep up with the evolution of technology in the Strategy & Execution 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.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Grove Vocational 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.
Easy access to finance
– Easy access to finance in Strategy & Execution field will also reduce the barriers to entry in the industry, thus putting downward pressure on the prices because of increasing competition. Grove Vocational 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 Grove Vocational in the Strategy & Execution sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
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.
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Grove Vocational 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 Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder .
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 Grove Vocational business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, 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.
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. Grove Vocational needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Strategy & Execution industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Grove Vocational is facing in Strategy & Execution sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder 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 Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder 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 Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder 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 Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder 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 Grove Scholars Program: Putting Rungs Back on the Ladder 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 Grove Vocational needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.