Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Strategy & Execution
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited
"In the last two years Ujaala Borderline had lost two key accounts and lost in the bidding process for a third large account. Ujaala Borderline's CEO and Executive VP Corporate Sales (Indian and MNC business) had just left a meeting with the firm's largest client - Sweekar Iron and Steel. Sweekar's CEO had informed them that he was taking his firm's business from Ujaala Borderline and going with another provider. The CEO had pointed out several servicing issues that had occurred over the last two years and considered that these issues had been ignored. First, there were errors in policies and several problems with delivery. Second, because of Ujaala Borderline's many organizational changes, managers at Sweekar were required to interact with several Ujaala Borderline staff - this issue was compounded by the claim from each Ujaala Borderline staff member that they owned the Sweekar account. Third, there were several mistakes in quotes. Fourth, Sweekar had three different relationship managers in four years because of the high staff turnover at Ujaala Borderline. Finally, a recent claim had not been settled to Sweekar's satisfaction. As the CEO left the meeting, he wondered what had happened. He had recently been profiled in a national newspaper as the CEO of the leading general insurer in India but now felt that he was embroiled in changes that he knew he had created. As he was thinking about the meeting with Sweekar's CEO and recent events he almost collided with an auto rickshaw. If Dhirender had not shouted a warning there probably would have been a collision. The CEO now realized that Ujaala Borderline had many problems and he knew that he had to act quickly and decisively to turn things around or else his job was at risk."
Swot Analysis of "Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited" written by W. Glenn Rowe, Lyn Purdy, Uhnat Kohli includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Ujaala Borderline facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Influence, Leadership and Strategy & Execution.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited casestudy better are - – talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs, increasing commodity prices, there is increasing trade war between United States & China, challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , competitive advantages are harder to sustain because of technology dispersion, increasing government debt because of Covid-19 spendings,
digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, geopolitical disruptions, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Ujaala Borderline, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Ujaala Borderline 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 Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Ujaala Borderline
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 Ujaala Borderline
Strengths Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Ujaala Borderline in Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited Harvard Business Review case study are -
Strong track record of project management
– Ujaala Borderline is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Diverse revenue streams
– Ujaala Borderline is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited 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.
Ability to lead change in Strategy & Execution field
– Ujaala Borderline 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 Ujaala Borderline in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Ujaala Borderline 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.
Innovation driven organization
– Ujaala Borderline is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Analytics focus
– Ujaala Borderline 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 W. Glenn Rowe, Lyn Purdy, Uhnat Kohli 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.
Operational resilience
– The operational resilience strategy in the Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited 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.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Ujaala Borderline has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Ujaala Borderline 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.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Ujaala Borderline in the sector have low bargaining power. Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Ujaala Borderline to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Ujaala Borderline is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited 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 Ujaala Borderline 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.
Digital Transformation in Strategy & Execution segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Ujaala Borderline digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Ujaala Borderline 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 Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited are -
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 Ujaala Borderline supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Ujaala Borderline vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Ujaala Borderline is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Ujaala Borderline is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Strategy & Execution segment. Ujaala Borderline needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Ujaala Borderline to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Ujaala Borderline 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 strategic competitive environment developments
– As Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited HBR case study mentions - Ujaala Borderline 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.
High dependence on star products
– The top 2 products and services of the firm as mentioned in the Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited 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 Ujaala Borderline has relatively successful track record of launching new products.
Lack of clear differentiation of Ujaala Borderline products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Ujaala Borderline needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited, it seems that the employees of Ujaala Borderline 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, W. Glenn Rowe, Lyn Purdy, Uhnat Kohli suggests that, Ujaala Borderline 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.
Products dominated business model
– Even though Ujaala Borderline 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 - Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.
High cash cycle compare to competitors
Ujaala Borderline 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.
Opportunities Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited | 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 Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited are -
Buying journey improvements
– Ujaala Borderline can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited 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.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Ujaala Borderline 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.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Ujaala Borderline 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, Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Ujaala Borderline to increase its market reach. Ujaala Borderline 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 Ujaala Borderline 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 Ujaala Borderline to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
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 Ujaala Borderline in the consumer business. Now Ujaala Borderline can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
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. Ujaala Borderline 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. Ujaala Borderline 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.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Ujaala Borderline 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.
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. Ujaala Borderline 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 Ujaala Borderline 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.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Ujaala Borderline 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.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Ujaala Borderline has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Ujaala Borderline to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited case study. Ujaala Borderline can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Manufacturing automation
– Ujaala Borderline 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.
Threats Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited are -
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. Ujaala Borderline needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Strategy & Execution industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
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 Ujaala Borderline in the Strategy & Execution sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
Increasing wage structure of Ujaala Borderline
– 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 Ujaala Borderline.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Ujaala Borderline 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.
Regulatory challenges
– Ujaala Borderline 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.
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.
Environmental challenges
– Ujaala Borderline 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. Ujaala Borderline can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Strategy & Execution industry.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Ujaala Borderline is facing in Strategy & Execution sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
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 Ujaala Borderline.
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. Ujaala Borderline can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Ujaala Borderline has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Strategy & Execution industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Ujaala Borderline 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
– Ujaala Borderline 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.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited, Ujaala Borderline 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 .
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited 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 Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited 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 Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited 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 Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited 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 Ujaala Borderline General Insurance Company Limited 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 Ujaala Borderline needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.