Swot Analysis of "When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note" written by Juan Alcacer includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Strengthen Module facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, and Strategy & Execution.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note casestudy better are - – there is backlash against globalization, increasing energy prices, cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, customer relationship management is fast transforming because of increasing concerns over data privacy, wage bills are increasing,
competitive advantages are harder to sustain because of technology dispersion, there is increasing trade war between United States & China, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Strengthen Module, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Strengthen Module 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 When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Strengthen Module
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 Strengthen Module
Strengths When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Strengthen Module in When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note Harvard Business Review case study are -
Highly skilled collaborators
– Strengthen Module 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 When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Strengthen Module has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Strengthen Module 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 Strengthen Module in the sector have low bargaining power. When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Strengthen Module to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Strong track record of project management
– Strengthen Module is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Learning organization
- Strengthen Module 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 Strengthen Module is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Strengthen Module is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note 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 brand equity
– Strengthen Module has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Strengthen Module to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Analytics focus
– Strengthen Module 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 Juan Alcacer 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 lead change in Strategy & Execution field
– Strengthen Module 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 Strengthen Module 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 Strengthen Module 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
– Strengthen Module is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Strategy & Execution industry
– When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Strengthen Module to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Strategy & Execution industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Strengthen Module to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Weaknesses When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note are -
Need for greater diversity
– Strengthen Module 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.
High cash cycle compare to competitors
Strengthen Module 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 Strengthen Module 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 - When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.
Lack of clear differentiation of Strengthen Module products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Strengthen Module needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Strengthen Module is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Strengthen Module 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.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Strengthen Module is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Strategy & Execution segment. Strengthen Module needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Strengthen Module to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
High bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, Juan Alcacer suggests that, Strengthen Module 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.
Interest costs
– Compare to the competition, Strengthen Module 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.
No frontier risks strategy
– After analyzing the HBR case study When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note, 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.
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note, is just above the industry average. Strengthen Module 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.
Opportunities When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note | 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 When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note are -
Buying journey improvements
– Strengthen Module can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note 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.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Strengthen Module 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 Strengthen Module to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Strengthen Module 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.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Strengthen Module has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Strengthen Module to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note case study. Strengthen Module can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Strengthen Module 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.
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. Strengthen Module can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
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. Strengthen Module 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. Strengthen Module 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.
Loyalty marketing
– Strengthen Module 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.
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 Strengthen Module in the consumer business. Now Strengthen Module can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Strengthen Module can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Strengthen Module operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Strategy & Execution sector.
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. Strengthen Module can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
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 Strengthen Module 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 Strengthen Module 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.
Threats When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note are -
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Strengthen Module 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 When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note .
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Strengthen Module has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Strategy & Execution industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Strengthen Module 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.
Increasing wage structure of Strengthen Module
– 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 Strengthen Module.
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.
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. Strengthen Module 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.
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.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Strengthen Module is facing in Strategy & Execution sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
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 Strengthen Module in the Strategy & Execution sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Strengthen Module 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 When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note, Strengthen Module 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 .
Regulatory challenges
– Strengthen Module 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.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Strengthen Module 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.
Environmental challenges
– Strengthen Module 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. Strengthen Module can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Strategy & Execution industry.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note 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 When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note 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 When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note 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 When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note 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 When to Enter? Timing Location Strategies to Strengthen Competitive Advantage, Module Note 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 Strengthen Module needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
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