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Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis

Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution

Case Study Description of Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution


Describes the actions taken by HP's CEO Mark Hurd in his first two years leading the company.

Authors :: Robert A. Burgelman, Philip Meza

Topics :: Strategy & Execution

Tags :: Mergers & acquisitions, SWOT Analysis, SWOT Matrix, TOWS, Weighted SWOT Analysis

Swot Analysis of "Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution" written by Robert A. Burgelman, Philip Meza includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Hurd Mark facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Mergers & acquisitions and Strategy & Execution.


Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution casestudy better are - – central banks are concerned over increasing inflation, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, increasing energy prices, increasing government debt because of Covid-19 spendings, challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , there is increasing trade war between United States & China, banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, technology disruption, etc



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Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution


SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Hurd Mark, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Hurd Mark 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 Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Hurd Mark
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 Hurd Mark




Strengths Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis

The strengths of Hurd Mark in Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution Harvard Business Review case study are -

Diverse revenue streams

– Hurd Mark is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution 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.

Training and development

– Hurd Mark has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution 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

– Hurd Mark has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Hurd Mark to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.

Analytics focus

– Hurd Mark 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 Robert A. Burgelman, Philip Meza 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.

Ability to recruit top talent

– Hurd Mark is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.

High switching costs

– The high switching costs that Hurd Mark 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

- Hurd Mark 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 Hurd Mark is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.

Digital Transformation in Strategy & Execution segment

- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Hurd Mark digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Hurd Mark 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.

Organizational Resilience of Hurd Mark

– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Hurd Mark does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.

Operational resilience

– The operational resilience strategy in the Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution 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.

Effective Research and Development (R&D)

– Hurd Mark 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 Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.

Strong track record of project management

– Hurd Mark 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 Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis

The weaknesses of Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution are -

High bargaining power of channel partners

– Because of the regulatory requirements, Robert A. Burgelman, Philip Meza suggests that, Hurd Mark 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.

Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy

– From the instances in the HBR case study Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution, it seems that the employees of Hurd Mark 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.

Workers concerns about automation

– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, Hurd Mark 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.

Increasing silos among functional specialists

– The organizational structure of Hurd Mark is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Strategy & Execution segment. Hurd Mark needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Hurd Mark to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.

Aligning sales with marketing

– It come across in the case study Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution 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 Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as Hurd Mark is planning to shift buying processes online.

High cash cycle compare to competitors

Hurd Mark 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.

Products dominated business model

– Even though Hurd Mark 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 - Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.

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 Hurd Mark supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Hurd Mark vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.

Interest costs

– Compare to the competition, Hurd Mark 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.

Low market penetration in new markets

– Outside its home market of Hurd Mark, firm in the HBR case study Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution 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, Hurd Mark is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.




Opportunities Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution | 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 Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution are -

Using analytics as competitive advantage

– Hurd Mark 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 Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Hurd Mark to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.

Manufacturing automation

– Hurd Mark 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.

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 Hurd Mark 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.

Learning at scale

– Online learning technologies has now opened space for Hurd Mark 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.

Increase in government spending

– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Hurd Mark can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Hurd Mark operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Strategy & Execution sector.

Reforming the budgeting process

- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Hurd Mark can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.

Lowering marketing communication costs

– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Hurd Mark in the field of marketing communication. It will bring down the cost of doing business, provide technology platform to build new products in the Strategy & Execution segment, and it will provide faster access to the consumers.

Leveraging digital technologies

– Hurd Mark 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.

Creating value in data economy

– The success of analytics program of Hurd Mark has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Hurd Mark to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution case study. Hurd Mark can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.

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. Hurd Mark can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.

Low interest rates

– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Hurd Mark 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.

Redefining models of collaboration and team work

– As explained in the weaknesses section, Hurd Mark is facing challenges because of the dominance of functional experts in the organization. Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution 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.

Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities

– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Hurd Mark 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 Hurd Mark to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.




Threats Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis


The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution 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 Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution, Hurd Mark 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 .

Trade war between China and United States

– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Hurd Mark 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.

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 Hurd Mark business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.

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. Hurd Mark can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.

Shortening product life cycle

– it is one of the major threat that Hurd Mark is facing in Strategy & Execution sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.

Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution

– Hurd Mark has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Strategy & Execution industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Hurd Mark 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.

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.

Increasing wage structure of Hurd Mark

– 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 Hurd Mark.

Stagnating economy with rate increase

– Hurd Mark 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.

Environmental challenges

– Hurd Mark 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. Hurd Mark can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Strategy & Execution industry.

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 Hurd Mark.

Consumer confidence and its impact on Hurd Mark 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.

Barriers of entry lowering

– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Hurd Mark 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 Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution 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 Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution 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 Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution 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 Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution 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 Mark Hurd at HP: Driving Strategic Execution 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 Hurd Mark needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.



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