Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Technology & Operations
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks
This set of cases (labeled A through M [UV1898 through UV1911]) presents various vignettes, each with a specific dilemma about genetic testing and the ethical issues and difficult decisions that this testing presents to patients, doctors, employers and employees. "A Note on the Human Genome Project" (UV1911) is about genetic testing which provides background and information on the issues.
Swot Analysis of "Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks" written by R. Edward Freeman, Stacy Pierce includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Testing Genetic facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Health and Technology & Operations.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks casestudy better are - – talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs, there is backlash against globalization, increasing transportation and logistics costs, central banks are concerned over increasing inflation, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, increasing commodity prices, competitive advantages are harder to sustain because of technology dispersion,
increasing household debt because of falling income levels, wage bills are increasing, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Testing Genetic, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Testing Genetic 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 Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Testing Genetic
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 Testing Genetic
Strengths Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Testing Genetic in Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks Harvard Business Review case study are -
Organizational Resilience of Testing Genetic
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Testing Genetic does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Analytics focus
– Testing Genetic is putting a lot of focus on utilizing the power of analytics in business decision making. This has put it among the leading players in the industry. The technology infrastructure suggested by R. Edward Freeman, Stacy Pierce can also help it to harness the power of analytics for – marketing optimization, demand forecasting, customer relationship management, inventory management, information sharing across the value chain etc.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Testing Genetic in the sector have low bargaining power. Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Testing Genetic to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Digital Transformation in Technology & Operations segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Testing Genetic digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Testing Genetic 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.
Training and development
– Testing Genetic has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks 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 Testing Genetic in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Testing Genetic is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Testing Genetic 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
– Testing Genetic has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Testing Genetic 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 Testing Genetic 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 Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks 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.
Strong track record of project management
– Testing Genetic is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Weaknesses Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks are -
Need for greater diversity
– Testing Genetic 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.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Testing Genetic is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks 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 Testing Genetic 's lucrative customers.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Testing Genetic is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Technology & Operations segment. Testing Genetic needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Testing Genetic to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
High cash cycle compare to competitors
Testing Genetic 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 Testing Genetic, firm in the HBR case study Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Slow to strategic competitive environment developments
– As Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks HBR case study mentions - Testing Genetic 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.
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks, is just above the industry average. Testing Genetic 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.
High dependence on star products
– The top 2 products and services of the firm as mentioned in the Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks 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 Testing Genetic has relatively successful track record of launching new products.
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks, it seems that the employees of Testing Genetic 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.
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Testing Genetic 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.
Opportunities Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks | 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 Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks are -
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Testing Genetic 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, Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
Loyalty marketing
– Testing Genetic 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.
Learning at scale
– Online learning technologies has now opened space for Testing Genetic 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.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Testing Genetic 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.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Testing Genetic 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.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Testing Genetic 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 Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Testing Genetic to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Testing Genetic can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
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. Testing Genetic can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
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. Testing Genetic 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. Testing Genetic 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.
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 Testing Genetic in the consumer business. Now Testing Genetic can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Redefining models of collaboration and team work
– As explained in the weaknesses section, Testing Genetic is facing challenges because of the dominance of functional experts in the organization. Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks case study suggests that firm can utilize new technology to build more coordinated teams and streamline operations and communications using tools such as CAD, Zoom, etc.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Testing Genetic 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.
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. Testing Genetic can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
Threats Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks are -
Environmental challenges
– Testing Genetic 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. Testing Genetic can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Technology & Operations industry.
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 Testing Genetic in the Technology & Operations sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
Increasing wage structure of Testing Genetic
– 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 Testing Genetic.
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.
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 Testing Genetic business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Testing Genetic 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 dependence on third party suppliers
– Testing Genetic 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.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Testing Genetic with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Testing Genetic 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.
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 Testing Genetic.
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. Testing Genetic needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Technology & Operations industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks, Testing Genetic 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 .
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.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks 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 Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks 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 Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks 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 Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks 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 Genetic Testing and the Puzzles We Are Left To Solve (L): Employer DNA Banks 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 Testing Genetic needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.