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 - – digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, increasing household debt because of falling income levels, central banks are concerned over increasing inflation, increasing transportation and logistics costs, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models,
customer relationship management is fast transforming because of increasing concerns over data privacy, technology disruption, 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 -
Successful track record of launching new products
– Lagrange Citizens has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Lagrange Citizens 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 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.
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.
Organizational Resilience of Lagrange Citizens
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Lagrange Citizens does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
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.
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.
Strong track record of project management
– Lagrange Citizens is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Ability to lead change in Technology & Operations field
– Lagrange Citizens 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 Lagrange Citizens in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
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.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Lagrange Citizens 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 Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
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.
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.
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 -
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Lagrange Citizens 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.
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 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.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Lagrange Citizens, firm in the HBR case study Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Lagrange Citizens is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
Aligning sales with marketing
– It come across in the case study Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia that the firm needs to have more collaboration between its sales team and marketing team. Sales professionals in the industry have deep experience in developing customer relationships. Marketing department in the case Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as Lagrange Citizens is planning to shift buying processes online.
Interest costs
– Compare to the competition, Lagrange Citizens 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.
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.
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.
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.
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia, is just above the industry average. Lagrange Citizens 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 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 -
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Lagrange Citizens 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 Lagrange Citizens to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Buying journey improvements
– Lagrange Citizens can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia 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.
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.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Lagrange Citizens to increase its market reach. Lagrange Citizens 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.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Lagrange Citizens can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
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 -
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Free Internet Initiative in LaGrange, Georgia, Lagrange Citizens may face longer learning curve for training and development of existing employees. This can open space for more nimble competitors in the field of Technology & Operations .
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.
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.
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. Lagrange Citizens can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
Environmental challenges
– Lagrange Citizens 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. Lagrange Citizens can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Technology & Operations industry.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Lagrange Citizens in the Technology & Operations sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Lagrange Citizens 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.
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.
