Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Communication
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case
Case analysis is an effective tool for teaching, learning, and most importantly, practising the art and science of management. The case method immerses students in real-life situations, allowing them to develop their business skills by analyzing realistic situations, applying business theories and tools, and making substantiated recommendations for a course of action. However, working with cases is a pedagogical approach that is unfamiliar to most new business students and often inadequately understood by advanced students. The Case Guide Series introduces students to the case method and, in discrete notes, walks them through the tasks that are typically involved in case assignments: analyzing a case, discussing cases in class, writing case reports and giving presentations (individually and in groups), and writing case exams. A final note introduces students to the most common business tools used for case analysis. This field-tested series is best used as a complete package to orient students to the case method, but each note also stands on its own and can be used to supplement other course materials. Preparing to Discuss a Case: Discussion of cases can be used either to apply and supplement lecture material or as the main pedagogical tool. To benefit from discussion and to provide meaningful input, students need to take time to adequately prepare. Note 3 of the Case Guide Series provides students with an approach for preparing for class and participating effectively and with diplomacy in class discussions. Susan J. Van Weelden and Laurie George Busuttil are affiliated with Redeemer University College.
Authors :: Susan J. Van Weelden, Laurie George Busuttil
Swot Analysis of "Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case" written by Susan J. Van Weelden, Laurie George Busuttil includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Method Students facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Presentations, Strategic planning and Communication.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case casestudy better are - – supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , increasing household debt because of falling income levels, there is backlash against globalization, cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, geopolitical disruptions, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies,
competitive advantages are harder to sustain because of technology dispersion, wage bills are increasing, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Method Students, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Method Students 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 Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Method Students
3. Assessing feasibility of the new initiative in Communication field.
4. Making a Communication topic specific business decision
5. Set goals for the organization
6. Organizational restructuring of Method Students
Strengths Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Method Students in Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case Harvard Business Review case study are -
Ability to lead change in Communication field
– Method Students 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 Method Students in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Effective Research and Development (R&D)
– Method Students 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 Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
Superior customer experience
– The customer experience strategy of Method Students in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Organizational Resilience of Method Students
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Method Students does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Method Students is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case 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
– Method Students is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case 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.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Method Students has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Method Students 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.
Learning organization
- Method Students 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 Method Students is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Innovation driven organization
– Method Students is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Operational resilience
– The operational resilience strategy in the Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case 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.
Analytics focus
– Method Students 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 Susan J. Van Weelden, Laurie George Busuttil 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.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Method Students 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 Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Weaknesses Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case are -
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Method Students is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Method Students 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.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Method Students 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. Method Students 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.
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 Method Students supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Method Students vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case, in the dynamic environment Method Students has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. Method Students has reasonably good record with similar level competitors but it has struggled with new entrants taking away niches of its business.
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case 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 Method Students 's lucrative customers.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Method Students 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.
Interest costs
– Compare to the competition, Method Students 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.
Workers concerns about automation
– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, Method Students 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.
Lack of clear differentiation of Method Students products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Method Students needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
High bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, Susan J. Van Weelden, Laurie George Busuttil suggests that, Method Students 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.
Opportunities Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case | 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 Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case are -
Finding new ways to collaborate
– Covid-19 has not only transformed business models of companies in Communication industry, but it has also influenced the consumer preferences. Method Students can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
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. Method Students can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Method Students 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 Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Method Students to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Manufacturing automation
– Method Students can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Communication 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.
Changes in consumer behavior post Covid-19
– Consumer behavior has changed in the Communication industry because of Covid-19 restrictions. Some of this behavior will stay once things get back to normal. Method Students 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. Method Students 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
– Method Students 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.
Redefining models of collaboration and team work
– As explained in the weaknesses section, Method Students is facing challenges because of the dominance of functional experts in the organization. Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case 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.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Method Students can leverage digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate the production process, customer analytics to get better insights into consumer behavior, realtime digital dashboards to get better sales tracking, logistics and transportation, product tracking, etc.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Method Students has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Method Students to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case case study. Method Students can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
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 Method Students 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.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Method Students to increase its market reach. Method Students 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.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Method Students in the field of marketing communication. It will bring down the cost of doing business, provide technology platform to build new products in the Communication segment, and it will provide faster access to the consumers.
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 Method Students in the consumer business. Now Method Students can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Threats Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case are -
Increasing wage structure of Method Students
– 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 Method Students.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Method Students 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.
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 Method Students business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
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.
Regulatory challenges
– Method Students 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 Communication industry regulations.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Method Students 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.
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 Method Students.
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 Method Students in the Communication sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
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. Method Students 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.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Method Students has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Communication industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Method Students needs to keep up with the evolution of technology in the Communication 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.
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Method Students can face downward pressure on margins from increasing competition from international players. The international players have stable revenue in their home market and can use those resources to penetrate prominent markets illustrated in HBR case study Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case .
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. Method Students needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Communication 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 Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case, Method Students may face longer learning curve for training and development of existing employees. This can open space for more nimble competitors in the field of Communication .
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case 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 Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case 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 Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case 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 Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case 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 Student Guide to the Case Method: Note 3 - Preparing to Discuss a Case 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 Method Students needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.