Swot Analysis of "A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop" written by Mark Jeffery, Derek Yung includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Workshop Tech facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, IT, Marketing, Operations management, Project management, Risk management, Sales and Technology & Operations.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop casestudy better are - – digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, there is increasing trade war between United States & China, there is backlash against globalization, talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs, supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, wage bills are increasing,
technology disruption, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Workshop Tech, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Workshop Tech 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 A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Workshop Tech
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 Workshop Tech
Strengths A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Workshop Tech in A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop Harvard Business Review case study are -
Ability to lead change in Technology & Operations field
– Workshop Tech 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 Workshop Tech in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Workshop Tech is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.
Diverse revenue streams
– Workshop Tech is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop 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.
Innovation driven organization
– Workshop Tech is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Organizational Resilience of Workshop Tech
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Workshop Tech does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Analytics focus
– Workshop Tech 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 Mark Jeffery, Derek Yung 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.
Effective Research and Development (R&D)
– Workshop Tech has innovation driven culture where significant part of the revenues are spent on the research and development activities. This has resulted in, as mentioned in case study A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
High switching costs
– The high switching costs that Workshop Tech 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
- Workshop Tech 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 Workshop Tech is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Workshop Tech 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.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Workshop Tech in the sector have low bargaining power. A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Workshop Tech to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Workshop Tech has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Workshop Tech 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.
Weaknesses A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop are -
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Workshop Tech, firm in the HBR case study A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Lack of clear differentiation of Workshop Tech products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Workshop Tech 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 A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop, is just above the industry average. Workshop Tech 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.
Need for greater diversity
– Workshop Tech 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 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 Workshop Tech supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Workshop Tech vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
High dependence on star products
– The top 2 products and services of the firm as mentioned in the A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop 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 Workshop Tech has relatively successful track record of launching new products.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Workshop Tech has created an environment where the organization is dominated by functional specialists rather than management generalist. This has resulted into product oriented approach rather than marketing oriented approach or consumers oriented approach.
Workers concerns about automation
– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, Workshop Tech needs to come up with a strategy to reduce the workers concern regarding automation. Without a clear strategy, it could lead to disruption and uncertainty within the organization.
High cash cycle compare to competitors
Workshop Tech 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.
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop 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 Workshop Tech 's lucrative customers.
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop, in the dynamic environment Workshop Tech has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. Workshop Tech has reasonably good record with similar level competitors but it has struggled with new entrants taking away niches of its business.
Opportunities A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop | 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 A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop are -
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Workshop Tech 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.
Reconfiguring business model
– The expansion of digital payment system, the bringing down of international transactions costs using Bitcoin and other blockchain based currencies, etc can help Workshop Tech to reconfigure its entire business model. For example it can used blockchain based technologies to reduce piracy of its products in the big markets such as China. Secondly it can use the popularity of e-commerce in various developing markets to build a Direct to Customer business model rather than the current Channel Heavy distribution network.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Workshop Tech 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.
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. Workshop Tech can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Workshop Tech 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.
Learning at scale
– Online learning technologies has now opened space for Workshop Tech 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.
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. Workshop Tech can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Workshop Tech can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Workshop Tech operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Technology & Operations sector.
Redefining models of collaboration and team work
– As explained in the weaknesses section, Workshop Tech is facing challenges because of the dominance of functional experts in the organization. A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop 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.
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. Workshop Tech 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. Workshop Tech 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.
Loyalty marketing
– Workshop Tech 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.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Workshop Tech has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Workshop Tech to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop case study. Workshop Tech can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Buying journey improvements
– Workshop Tech can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop 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.
Threats A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop are -
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 Workshop Tech.
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. Workshop Tech 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.
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. Workshop Tech can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Workshop Tech 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.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Workshop Tech is facing in Technology & Operations sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop, Workshop Tech 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. Workshop Tech needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Technology & Operations industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Workshop Tech 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.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Workshop Tech has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Technology & Operations industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Workshop Tech 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.
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 Workshop Tech business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Workshop Tech 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.
Environmental challenges
– Workshop Tech 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. Workshop Tech can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Technology & Operations industry.
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 A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop 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 A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop 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 A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop 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 A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop 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 A&D High Tech: Technology Portfolio Management: Microsoft Project Workshop 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 Workshop Tech needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
