Swot Analysis of "First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note" written by Morgan Jerome Hallmon, Robert Siegel, Robert A. Burgelman includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Sm190 Technical facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, and Technology & Operations.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note casestudy better are - – cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, technology disruption, increasing government debt because of Covid-19 spendings, increasing commodity prices, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, there is increasing trade war between United States & China, increasing energy prices,
banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Sm190 Technical, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Sm190 Technical 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 First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Sm190 Technical
3. Assessing feasibility of the new initiative in Technology & Operations field.
4. Making a Technology & Operations topic specific business decision
5. Set goals for the organization
6. Organizational restructuring of Sm190 Technical
Strengths First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Sm190 Technical in First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note Harvard Business Review case study are -
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Technology & Operations industry
– First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Sm190 Technical to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Technology & Operations industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Sm190 Technical to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Superior customer experience
– The customer experience strategy of Sm190 Technical in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Ability to lead change in Technology & Operations field
– Sm190 Technical 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 Sm190 Technical in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Diverse revenue streams
– Sm190 Technical is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note 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 recruit top talent
– Sm190 Technical is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical 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.
Training and development
– Sm190 Technical has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note 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.
Innovation driven organization
– Sm190 Technical is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
High brand equity
– Sm190 Technical has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Sm190 Technical to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Sm190 Technical 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.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Sm190 Technical has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Sm190 Technical 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.
High switching costs
– The high switching costs that Sm190 Technical has built up over years in its products and services combo offer has resulted in high retention of customers, lower marketing costs, and greater ability of the firm to focus on its customers.
Learning organization
- Sm190 Technical 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 Sm190 Technical is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Weaknesses First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note are -
Workers concerns about automation
– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, Sm190 Technical 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.
No frontier risks strategy
– After analyzing the HBR case study First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note, it seems that company is thinking about the frontier risks that can impact Technology & Operations 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.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Sm190 Technical, firm in the HBR case study First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Need for greater diversity
– Sm190 Technical 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 dependence on star products
– The top 2 products and services of the firm as mentioned in the First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note 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 Sm190 Technical has relatively successful track record of launching new products.
Slow to strategic competitive environment developments
– As First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note HBR case study mentions - Sm190 Technical 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.
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note, it seems that the employees of Sm190 Technical 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.
Products dominated business model
– Even though Sm190 Technical 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 - First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Sm190 Technical is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Technology & Operations segment. Sm190 Technical needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Sm190 Technical to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
Lack of clear differentiation of Sm190 Technical products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Sm190 Technical needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note, is just above the industry average. Sm190 Technical 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 First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical 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 First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note are -
Manufacturing automation
– Sm190 Technical can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Technology & Operations 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.
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 Sm190 Technical in the consumer business. Now Sm190 Technical can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Loyalty marketing
– Sm190 Technical 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.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Sm190 Technical to increase its market reach. Sm190 Technical 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.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Sm190 Technical can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Sm190 Technical operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Technology & Operations sector.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Sm190 Technical 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 Sm190 Technical to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Sm190 Technical has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Sm190 Technical to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note case study. Sm190 Technical can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Sm190 Technical 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 First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Sm190 Technical to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Buying journey improvements
– Sm190 Technical can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical 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.
Changes in consumer behavior post Covid-19
– Consumer behavior has changed in the Technology & Operations industry because of Covid-19 restrictions. Some of this behavior will stay once things get back to normal. Sm190 Technical 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. Sm190 Technical 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
– Sm190 Technical 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.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Sm190 Technical 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, First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Sm190 Technical 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 First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note are -
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Sm190 Technical 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 First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical Note .
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Sm190 Technical with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
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 Sm190 Technical business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Sm190 Technical 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.
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.
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.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Sm190 Technical in the Technology & Operations industry. The Technology & Operations 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.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Sm190 Technical 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.
Easy access to finance
– Easy access to finance in Technology & Operations field will also reduce the barriers to entry in the industry, thus putting downward pressure on the prices because of increasing competition. Sm190 Technical can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
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 Sm190 Technical.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Sm190 Technical 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.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Sm190 Technical has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Technology & Operations industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Sm190 Technical needs to keep up with the evolution of technology in the Technology & Operations 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.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Sm190 Technical is facing in Technology & Operations sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical 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 First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical 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 First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical 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 First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical 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 First Solar, Inc. in 2010, Technical 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 Sm190 Technical needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.