Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Technology & Operations
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia
LaGrange, GA was the first city in the world to offer free Internet access to citizens. The city manager and mayor must assess the project and decide whether to continue. This case chronicles the city's efforts to build a telecommunications infrastructure and offer broadband Internet access to its citizens. Students are presented with information concerning adoption and use of the system and must decide whether the project has been successful and whether further continuation is warranted.
Authors :: F. Warren McFarlan, Garret W. Meader, Mark Keil
Swot Analysis of "Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia" written by F. Warren McFarlan, Garret W. Meader, Mark Keil includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Lagrange Citizens facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Internet, IT, Project management and Technology & Operations.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia casestudy better are - – increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, customer relationship management is fast transforming because of increasing concerns over data privacy, challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, wage bills are increasing, increasing energy prices, increasing household debt because of falling income levels, central banks are concerned over increasing inflation,
cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, there is backlash against globalization, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Lagrange Citizens, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Lagrange Citizens 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 Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Lagrange Citizens
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 Lagrange Citizens
Strengths Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Lagrange Citizens in Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia Harvard Business Review case study are -
Digital Transformation in Technology & Operations segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Lagrange Citizens digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Lagrange Citizens 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.
Innovation driven organization
– Lagrange Citizens is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Lagrange Citizens 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.
High switching costs
– The high switching costs that Lagrange Citizens 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.
Operational resilience
– The operational resilience strategy in the Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia 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.
Training and development
– Lagrange Citizens has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia 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.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Technology & Operations industry
– Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Lagrange Citizens to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Technology & Operations industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Lagrange Citizens to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Diverse revenue streams
– Lagrange Citizens is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia 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.
Learning organization
- Lagrange Citizens 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 Lagrange Citizens is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
High brand equity
– Lagrange Citizens has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Lagrange Citizens to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Lagrange Citizens is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.
Superior customer experience
– The customer experience strategy of Lagrange Citizens in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Weaknesses Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia are -
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia, it seems that the employees of Lagrange Citizens 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 operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia has high operating costs in the. This can be harder to sustain given the new emerging competition from nimble players who are using technology to attract Lagrange Citizens 's lucrative customers.
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 Lagrange Citizens supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Lagrange Citizens vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
High bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, F. Warren McFarlan, Garret W. Meader, Mark Keil suggests that, Lagrange Citizens 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.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Lagrange Citizens is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Technology & Operations segment. Lagrange Citizens needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Lagrange Citizens to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
High cash cycle compare to competitors
Lagrange Citizens 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.
No frontier risks strategy
– After analyzing the HBR case study Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia, 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.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Lagrange Citizens 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. Lagrange Citizens 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.
Products dominated business model
– Even though Lagrange Citizens 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 - Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.
Need for greater diversity
– Lagrange Citizens 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.
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia, in the dynamic environment Lagrange Citizens has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. Lagrange Citizens has reasonably good record with similar level competitors but it has struggled with new entrants taking away niches of its business.
Opportunities Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia | 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 Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia are -
Manufacturing automation
– Lagrange Citizens 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.
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. Lagrange Citizens can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Lagrange Citizens 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.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Lagrange Citizens can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Lagrange Citizens operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Technology & Operations sector.
Finding new ways to collaborate
– Covid-19 has not only transformed business models of companies in Technology & Operations industry, but it has also influenced the consumer preferences. Lagrange Citizens can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Lagrange Citizens 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 Technology & Operations segment.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Lagrange Citizens 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 Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Lagrange Citizens to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Learning at scale
– Online learning technologies has now opened space for Lagrange Citizens 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.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Lagrange Citizens 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.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Lagrange Citizens has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Lagrange Citizens to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia case study. Lagrange Citizens can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Lagrange Citizens 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, Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Lagrange Citizens in the field of marketing communication. It will bring down the cost of doing business, provide technology platform to build new products in the Technology & Operations segment, and it will provide faster access to the consumers.
Developing new processes and practices
– Lagrange Citizens can develop new processes and procedures in Technology & Operations 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.
Threats Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia are -
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Lagrange Citizens 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.
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. Lagrange Citizens needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Technology & Operations industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
Regulatory challenges
– Lagrange Citizens 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 Technology & Operations industry regulations.
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Lagrange Citizens 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 Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia .
Increasing wage structure of Lagrange Citizens
– 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 Lagrange Citizens.
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. Lagrange Citizens 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.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Lagrange Citizens 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.
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 Lagrange Citizens business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Lagrange Citizens with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Lagrange Citizens has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Technology & Operations industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Lagrange Citizens 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.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Lagrange Citizens 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.
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 Lagrange Citizens.
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.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia 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 Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia 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 Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia 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 Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia 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 Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia 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 Lagrange Citizens needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.