Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Strategy & Execution
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward?
Madhymam was a Malayalam-language newspaper headquartered in Kerala, India. Launched by a conservative Islamic trust, much of the newspaper's coverage and content were dictated by the trust's conservative values. Though the high quality of Madhymam's content was widely appreciated, this did not translate into the anticipated sales revenues. At least part of this shortfall was because of Madhymam's public image as a pro-Muslim newspaper - an image that the newspaper's management team had been making efforts to shed. Driven by its vision of becoming the largest newspaper in India, the management of Madhymam had been exploring various options to stimulate readership and sales. The task was made more difficult by the trust's exclusionary policies on advertising, stiff competition from major local players, the entry of national players and the proliferation of regional news channels. In light of such challenges, how should Madhymam move forward? Authors are affiliated with Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode.
Swot Analysis of "Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward?" written by M.K. Nandakumar, Debi Prasanna Pati, Chandra Sekhar Satpathy, Biswarup Saha includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Madhymam Newspaper facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, and Strategy & Execution.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? casestudy better are - – cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, wage bills are increasing, increasing household debt because of falling income levels, geopolitical disruptions, customer relationship management is fast transforming because of increasing concerns over data privacy, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, central banks are concerned over increasing inflation,
technology disruption, supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward?
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Madhymam Newspaper, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Madhymam Newspaper 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 Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Madhymam Newspaper
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 Madhymam Newspaper
Strengths Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Madhymam Newspaper in Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? Harvard Business Review case study are -
High brand equity
– Madhymam Newspaper has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Madhymam Newspaper to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Madhymam Newspaper has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Madhymam Newspaper 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 Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? 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.
Innovation driven organization
– Madhymam Newspaper is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Madhymam Newspaper 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 Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Learning organization
- Madhymam Newspaper 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 Madhymam Newspaper is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Madhymam Newspaper in the sector have low bargaining power. Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Madhymam Newspaper to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Strong track record of project management
– Madhymam Newspaper is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Ability to lead change in Strategy & Execution field
– Madhymam Newspaper 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 Madhymam Newspaper in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Superior customer experience
– The customer experience strategy of Madhymam Newspaper in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Madhymam Newspaper 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.
Digital Transformation in Strategy & Execution segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Madhymam Newspaper digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Madhymam Newspaper 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.
Weaknesses Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? are -
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Madhymam Newspaper has not been able to do capital spending to the tune of the competition. This has resulted into fewer innovations and company facing stiff competition from both existing competitors and new entrants who are disrupting the industry using digital technology.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Madhymam Newspaper is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward?, it seems that the employees of Madhymam Newspaper 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.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Madhymam Newspaper 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, Madhymam Newspaper 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 bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, M.K. Nandakumar, Debi Prasanna Pati, Chandra Sekhar Satpathy, Biswarup Saha suggests that, Madhymam Newspaper 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.
Workers concerns about automation
– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, Madhymam Newspaper needs to come up with a strategy to reduce the workers concern regarding automation. Without a clear strategy, it could lead to disruption and uncertainty within the organization.
Need for greater diversity
– Madhymam Newspaper 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.
Products dominated business model
– Even though Madhymam Newspaper 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 - Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward?, is just above the industry average. Madhymam Newspaper 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.
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? 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 Madhymam Newspaper 's lucrative customers.
Opportunities Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? | 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 Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? are -
Leveraging digital technologies
– Madhymam Newspaper 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.
Buying journey improvements
– Madhymam Newspaper can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? 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.
Developing new processes and practices
– Madhymam Newspaper 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.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Madhymam Newspaper 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, Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward?, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
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. Madhymam Newspaper 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 Madhymam Newspaper 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.
Redefining models of collaboration and team work
– As explained in the weaknesses section, Madhymam Newspaper is facing challenges because of the dominance of functional experts in the organization. Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? case study suggests that firm can utilize new technology to build more coordinated teams and streamline operations and communications using tools such as CAD, Zoom, etc.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Madhymam Newspaper can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Madhymam Newspaper operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Strategy & Execution sector.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Madhymam Newspaper 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 Strategy & Execution segment.
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 Madhymam Newspaper in the consumer business. Now Madhymam Newspaper can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Madhymam Newspaper has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Madhymam Newspaper to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? case study. Madhymam Newspaper can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Madhymam Newspaper to increase its market reach. Madhymam Newspaper 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.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Madhymam Newspaper 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 Madhymam Newspaper to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Threats Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? are -
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward?, Madhymam Newspaper may face longer learning curve for training and development of existing employees. This can open space for more nimble competitors in the field of Strategy & Execution .
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Madhymam Newspaper has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Strategy & Execution industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Madhymam Newspaper 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.
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.
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 Madhymam Newspaper business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Madhymam Newspaper 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.
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Madhymam Newspaper 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 Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? .
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Madhymam Newspaper 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 Madhymam Newspaper 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.
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. Madhymam Newspaper 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.
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. Madhymam Newspaper needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Strategy & Execution industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
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 Madhymam Newspaper.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Madhymam Newspaper with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? 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 Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? 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 Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? 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 Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? 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 Madhyamam Newspaper: Which Way Forward? 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 Madhymam Newspaper needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.