Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
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Case Study Description of Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond?
In September 2008, Google and its Open Handset Alliance (OHA) partner, T-Mobile, launched the first Android-enabled smartphone in the U.S. market. Android was a new, open source, operating system for the wireless industry, developed by the OHA, a group which Google brought together in November of the previous year. The introduction of an open source operating system specifically designed for mobile telecommunications had the potential to make a substantial impact on the marketplace. The case describes the mobile telecommunications industry landscape Google faced, and the incentives that the dominant search engine provider would have for initiating the Android project. The case also describes the challenges facing Google, and the Android operating system. By studying the dynamics of the wireless industry available in the case, one may consider whether Google had the potential to become a Cross Boundary Disruptor (XBD) in the wireless industry.
Authors :: Robert A. Burgelman, Amanda Silverman, Christof Wittig, David W. Hoyt
Swot Analysis of "Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond?" written by Robert A. Burgelman, Amanda Silverman, Christof Wittig, David W. Hoyt includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Android Google facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Strategy and Strategy & Execution.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? casestudy better are - – central banks are concerned over increasing inflation, competitive advantages are harder to sustain because of technology dispersion, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, geopolitical disruptions, challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, there is backlash against globalization, wage bills are increasing,
increasing energy prices, increasing commodity prices, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond?
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Android Google, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Android Google 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 Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Android Google
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 Android Google
Strengths Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Android Google in Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? Harvard Business Review case study are -
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Android Google 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.
Strong track record of project management
– Android Google is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Training and development
– Android Google has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? 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.
Effective Research and Development (R&D)
– Android Google 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 Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Android Google 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 Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Organizational Resilience of Android Google
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Android Google does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Innovation driven organization
– Android Google is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Learning organization
- Android Google 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 Android Google is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Strategy & Execution industry
– Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Android Google to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Strategy & Execution industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Android Google to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Ability to lead change in Strategy & Execution field
– Android Google 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 Android Google 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 Android Google in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Android Google is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.
Weaknesses Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? are -
Aligning sales with marketing
– It come across in the case study Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? 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 Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as Android Google is planning to shift buying processes online.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Android Google 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.
High dependence on star products
– The top 2 products and services of the firm as mentioned in the Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? HBR case study still accounts for major business revenue. This dependence on star products in has resulted into insufficient focus on developing new products, even though Android Google has relatively successful track record of launching new products.
Lack of clear differentiation of Android Google products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Android Google needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Android Google 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. Android Google 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.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Android Google is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
Need for greater diversity
– Android Google 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.
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond?, it seems that the employees of Android Google 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 bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, Robert A. Burgelman, Amanda Silverman, Christof Wittig, David W. Hoyt suggests that, Android Google 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 Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond?, 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.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Android Google is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Strategy & Execution segment. Android Google needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Android Google to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
Opportunities Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? | 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 Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? are -
Use of Bitcoin and other crypto currencies for transactions
– The popularity of Bitcoin and other crypto currencies as asset class and medium of transaction has opened new opportunities for Android Google in the consumer business. Now Android Google can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Learning at scale
– Online learning technologies has now opened space for Android Google 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.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Android Google has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Android Google to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? case study. Android Google can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Android Google 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, Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond?, 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 Android Google 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 Android Google to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Loyalty marketing
– Android Google has focused on building a highly responsive customer relationship management platform. This platform is built on in-house data and driven by analytics and artificial intelligence. The customer analytics can help the organization to fine tune its loyalty marketing efforts, increase the wallet share of the organization, reduce wastage on mainstream advertising spending, build better pricing strategies using personalization, etc.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Android Google 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 Android Google 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.
Redefining models of collaboration and team work
– As explained in the weaknesses section, Android Google is facing challenges because of the dominance of functional experts in the organization. Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? 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.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Android Google to increase its market reach. Android Google 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.
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. Android Google can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
Buying journey improvements
– Android Google can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? suggest that firm can provide automated chats to help consumers solve their own problems, provide online suggestions to get maximum out of the products and services, and help consumers to build a community where they can interact with each other to develop new features and uses.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Android Google 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.
Threats Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? are -
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Android Google with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
Environmental challenges
– Android Google 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. Android Google 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 Android Google.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Android Google 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.
Regulatory challenges
– Android Google needs to prepare for regulatory challenges as consumer protection groups and other pressure groups are vigorously advocating for more regulations on big business - to reduce inequality, to create a level playing field, to product data privacy and consumer privacy, to reduce the influence of big money on democratic institutions, etc. This can lead to significant changes in the Strategy & Execution industry regulations.
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. Android Google can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
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. Android Google 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 Android Google is facing in Strategy & Execution sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond?, Android Google 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 .
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 Android Google in the Strategy & Execution sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Android Google 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.
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 Android Google business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
Increasing wage structure of Android Google
– 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 Android Google.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? 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 Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? 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 Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? 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 Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? 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 Google's Android: Will It Shake Up the Wireless Industry in 2009 and Beyond? 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 Android Google needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
