So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Strategy & Execution
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue
This case pairing was designed for use in the Darden School's Global MBA for Executives program in the core Leadership and Organizations course and is also suitable for MBA, EMBA, and Executive Education courses in a module covering transformational leadership or human resources strategy. In this case, Henson's decision whether to stick with SingleStop is revealed.
Authors :: Lynn A. Isabella, Gerry Yemen, Kent Hepler
Swot Analysis of "So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue" written by Lynn A. Isabella, Gerry Yemen, Kent Hepler includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Singlestop Henson's facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Work-life balance and Strategy & Execution.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue casestudy better are - – digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, increasing transportation and logistics costs, geopolitical disruptions, increasing household debt because of falling income levels, technology disruption, increasing energy prices, there is increasing trade war between United States & China,
supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Singlestop Henson's, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Singlestop Henson's 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 So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Singlestop Henson's
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 Singlestop Henson's
Strengths So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Singlestop Henson's in So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue Harvard Business Review case study are -
Strong track record of project management
– Singlestop Henson's is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
High brand equity
– Singlestop Henson's has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Singlestop Henson's to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Singlestop Henson's 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.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Singlestop Henson's 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 So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Training and development
– Singlestop Henson's has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue 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.
Diverse revenue streams
– Singlestop Henson's is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue 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.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Singlestop Henson's in the sector have low bargaining power. So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Singlestop Henson's to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Strategy & Execution industry
– So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Singlestop Henson's to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Strategy & Execution industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Singlestop Henson's to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Singlestop Henson's is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.
Learning organization
- Singlestop Henson's 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 Singlestop Henson's is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Singlestop Henson's has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Singlestop Henson's 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.
Digital Transformation in Strategy & Execution segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Singlestop Henson's digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Singlestop Henson's 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 So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue are -
No frontier risks strategy
– After analyzing the HBR case study So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue, 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.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Singlestop Henson's 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.
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Singlestop Henson's 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.
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 Singlestop Henson's supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Singlestop Henson's vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Need for greater diversity
– Singlestop Henson's 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.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Singlestop Henson's is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Strategy & Execution segment. Singlestop Henson's needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Singlestop Henson's to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
High bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, Lynn A. Isabella, Gerry Yemen, Kent Hepler suggests that, Singlestop Henson's 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.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Singlestop Henson's 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. Singlestop Henson's 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.
Workers concerns about automation
– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, Singlestop Henson's 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.
High dependence on star products
– The top 2 products and services of the firm as mentioned in the So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue 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 Singlestop Henson's has relatively successful track record of launching new products.
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue, it seems that the employees of Singlestop Henson's 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.
Opportunities So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue | 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 So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue are -
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Singlestop Henson's 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 So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Singlestop Henson's to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Buying journey improvements
– Singlestop Henson's can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue 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 Singlestop Henson's 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 Singlestop Henson's to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Singlestop Henson's can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Singlestop Henson's 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 Singlestop Henson's can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
Developing new processes and practices
– Singlestop Henson's can develop new processes and procedures in Strategy & Execution industry using technology such as automation using artificial intelligence, real time transportation and products tracking, 3D modeling for concept development and new products pilot testing etc.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Singlestop Henson's 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.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Singlestop Henson's 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.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Singlestop Henson's 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, So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
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. Singlestop Henson's can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Singlestop Henson's 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.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Singlestop Henson's has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Singlestop Henson's to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue case study. Singlestop Henson's can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Singlestop Henson's to increase its market reach. Singlestop Henson's 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.
Threats So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue are -
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Singlestop Henson's 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.
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. Singlestop Henson's 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.
Environmental challenges
– Singlestop Henson's 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. Singlestop Henson's can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Strategy & Execution industry.
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. Singlestop Henson's needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Strategy & Execution industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
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.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue, Singlestop Henson's 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 .
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Singlestop Henson's is facing in Strategy & Execution sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Singlestop Henson's with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Singlestop Henson's 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.
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 Singlestop Henson's.
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 Singlestop Henson's business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Singlestop Henson's 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 So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue .
Regulatory challenges
– Singlestop Henson's 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.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue 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 So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue 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 So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue 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 So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue 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 So Long to SingleStop? (B): Epilogue 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 Singlestop Henson's needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.