Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis

Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution

Case Study Description of Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry

In today's connected economy, interorganizational relationships are increasingly important. Whether government-to-government, political party-to-political party, business-to-business, department-to-department, or some other interorganizational pairing, these relationships can provide organizations with signals used to identify and better respond to changes in their environment and in their interorganizational relationships. This enables astute organizations to not only understand how others will interpret the social signals they send, but also to shape those signals in ways that will improve their interorganizational relationships. We illustrate this herein, using the public and readily recognizable relationships involved with labor relations in the professional sports industry. We show how social signals can explain the way organizations change and adapt to their environments, and how these changes send messages to related organizations. Finally, we provide a set of recommended advice for managers based on this case analysis.

Authors :: Richard A. Posthuma, Gabriela L. Flores, Matthew A. Barlow, James B. Dworkin

Topics :: Organizational Development

Tags :: Managing people, SWOT Analysis, SWOT Matrix, TOWS, Weighted SWOT Analysis

Swot Analysis of "Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry" written by Richard A. Posthuma, Gabriela L. Flores, Matthew A. Barlow, James B. Dworkin includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Interorganizational Signals facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Managing people and Organizational Development.

Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry casestudy better are - – cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, there is increasing trade war between United States & China, customer relationship management is fast transforming because of increasing concerns over data privacy, talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs, banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, wage bills are increasing, increasing government debt because of Covid-19 spendings, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, etc

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Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry

SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Interorganizational Signals, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Interorganizational Signals 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.

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SWOT Objectives / Importance of SWOT Analysis and SWOT Matrix

SWOT analysis of Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Interorganizational Signals
3. Assessing feasibility of the new initiative in Organizational Development field.
4. Making a Organizational Development topic specific business decision
5. Set goals for the organization
6. Organizational restructuring of Interorganizational Signals

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Strengths Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis

The strengths of Interorganizational Signals in Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry Harvard Business Review case study are -

Diverse revenue streams

– Interorganizational Signals is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry 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

– Interorganizational Signals is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.

Training and development

– Interorganizational Signals has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry 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.

High switching costs

– The high switching costs that Interorganizational Signals 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.

Sustainable margins compare to other players in Organizational Development industry

– Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Interorganizational Signals to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Organizational Development industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Interorganizational Signals to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.

Organizational Resilience of Interorganizational Signals

– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Interorganizational Signals does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.

Ability to lead change in Organizational Development field

– Interorganizational Signals 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 Interorganizational Signals in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.

Digital Transformation in Organizational Development segment

- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Interorganizational Signals digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Interorganizational Signals 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.

Highly skilled collaborators

– Interorganizational Signals 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 Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.

Analytics focus

– Interorganizational Signals 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 Richard A. Posthuma, Gabriela L. Flores, Matthew A. Barlow, James B. Dworkin 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.

High brand equity

– Interorganizational Signals has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Interorganizational Signals to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.

Ability to recruit top talent

– Interorganizational Signals is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.

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Weaknesses Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis

The weaknesses of Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry are -

Interest costs

– Compare to the competition, Interorganizational Signals 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.

Compensation and incentives

– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry, is just above the industry average. Interorganizational Signals 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.

Skills based hiring

– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Interorganizational Signals 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.

Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy

– From the instances in the HBR case study Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry, it seems that the employees of Interorganizational Signals 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.

Workers concerns about automation

– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, Interorganizational Signals 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

Interorganizational Signals 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.

Slow decision making process

– As mentioned earlier in the report, Interorganizational Signals 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. Interorganizational Signals 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.

Low market penetration in new markets

– Outside its home market of Interorganizational Signals, firm in the HBR case study Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.

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 Interorganizational Signals supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Interorganizational Signals vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.

Increasing silos among functional specialists

– The organizational structure of Interorganizational Signals is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Organizational Development segment. Interorganizational Signals needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Interorganizational Signals to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.

Products dominated business model

– Even though Interorganizational Signals 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 - Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.

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Opportunities Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry | 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 Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry are -

Using analytics as competitive advantage

– Interorganizational Signals 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 Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Interorganizational Signals to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.

Better consumer reach

– The expansion of the 5G network will help Interorganizational Signals to increase its market reach. Interorganizational Signals 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.

Manufacturing automation

– Interorganizational Signals can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Organizational Development 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.

Learning at scale

– Online learning technologies has now opened space for Interorganizational Signals 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.

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 Interorganizational Signals 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.

Reforming the budgeting process

- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Interorganizational Signals can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.

Loyalty marketing

– Interorganizational Signals 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.

Changes in consumer behavior post Covid-19

– Consumer behavior has changed in the Organizational Development industry because of Covid-19 restrictions. Some of this behavior will stay once things get back to normal. Interorganizational Signals 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. Interorganizational Signals 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.

Buying journey improvements

– Interorganizational Signals can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry 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.

Leveraging digital technologies

– Interorganizational Signals 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.

Increase in government spending

– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Interorganizational Signals can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Interorganizational Signals operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Organizational Development sector.

Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains

– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Interorganizational Signals 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, Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.

Low interest rates

– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Interorganizational Signals 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.

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Threats Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis

The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry are -

Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution

– Interorganizational Signals has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Organizational Development industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Interorganizational Signals needs to keep up with the evolution of technology in the Organizational Development 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.

Easy access to finance

– Easy access to finance in Organizational Development field will also reduce the barriers to entry in the industry, thus putting downward pressure on the prices because of increasing competition. Interorganizational Signals 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 Interorganizational Signals 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.

Trade war between China and United States

– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Interorganizational Signals in the Organizational Development industry. The Organizational Development 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.

Learning curve for new practices

– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry, Interorganizational Signals may face longer learning curve for training and development of existing employees. This can open space for more nimble competitors in the field of Organizational Development .

Stagnating economy with rate increase

– Interorganizational Signals 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.

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. Interorganizational Signals 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.

Environmental challenges

– Interorganizational Signals 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. Interorganizational Signals can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Organizational Development industry.

Regulatory challenges

– Interorganizational Signals 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 Organizational Development industry regulations.

Shortening product life cycle

– it is one of the major threat that Interorganizational Signals is facing in Organizational Development sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.

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. Interorganizational Signals needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Organizational Development industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.

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.

High dependence on third party suppliers

– Interorganizational Signals 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.

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Weighted SWOT Analysis of Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry 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 Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry 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 Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry 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 Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry 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 Social Signaling and Interorganizational Relationships: Lessons Learned from the Professional Sports Industry 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 Interorganizational Signals needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.

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