Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Global Business
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology
There are few industries in which the effects of technological innovation be seen as clearly as they can in the healthcare industry. Developments in devices, services and networks are in turn creating even more opportunities and innovation. This case looks specifically at developments in Stem Cell-related technologies, and the impact these might have on the treatment of certain diseases. With a particular focus on the treatment of diabetes, the case looks at the market potential of such innovations and the challenges the industry might expect to encounter going forward.
Swot Analysis of "Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology" written by Philip Parker, Min Hyae Kim includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Stem Cell facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Technology and Global Business.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology casestudy better are - – geopolitical disruptions, increasing transportation and logistics costs, challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, technology disruption, there is increasing trade war between United States & China, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs,
cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, increasing energy prices, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Stem Cell, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Stem Cell 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 Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Stem Cell
3. Assessing feasibility of the new initiative in Global Business field.
4. Making a Global Business topic specific business decision
5. Set goals for the organization
6. Organizational restructuring of Stem Cell
Strengths Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Stem Cell in Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology Harvard Business Review case study are -
High brand equity
– Stem Cell has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Stem Cell to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Superior customer experience
– The customer experience strategy of Stem Cell in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Digital Transformation in Global Business segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Stem Cell digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Stem Cell 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.
Learning organization
- Stem Cell 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 Stem Cell is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Stem Cell is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.
Analytics focus
– Stem Cell 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 Philip Parker, Min Hyae Kim 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
– Stem Cell 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 Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Global Business industry
– Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Stem Cell to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Global Business industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Stem Cell to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Ability to lead change in Global Business field
– Stem Cell 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 Stem Cell in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Stem Cell has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Stem Cell 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.
Innovation driven organization
– Stem Cell is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Stem Cell 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.
Weaknesses Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology are -
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology, is just above the industry average. Stem Cell 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 operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology 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 Stem Cell 's lucrative customers.
No frontier risks strategy
– After analyzing the HBR case study Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology, it seems that company is thinking about the frontier risks that can impact Global Business strategy. But it has very little resources allocation to manage the risks emerging from events such as natural disasters, climate change, melting of permafrost, tacking the rise of artificial intelligence, opportunities and threats emerging from commercialization of space etc.
High 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 Stem Cell supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Stem Cell vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Stem Cell, firm in the HBR case study Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology, it seems that the employees of Stem Cell 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.
Slow to strategic competitive environment developments
– As Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology HBR case study mentions - Stem Cell 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.
Lack of clear differentiation of Stem Cell products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Stem Cell needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Stem Cell 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. Stem Cell 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.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Stem Cell 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.
Aligning sales with marketing
– It come across in the case study Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology that the firm needs to have more collaboration between its sales team and marketing team. Sales professionals in the industry have deep experience in developing customer relationships. Marketing department in the case Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as Stem Cell is planning to shift buying processes online.
Opportunities Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology | 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 Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology are -
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Stem Cell can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
Manufacturing automation
– Stem Cell can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Global Business 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 Global Business industry because of Covid-19 restrictions. Some of this behavior will stay once things get back to normal. Stem Cell 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. Stem Cell 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.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Stem Cell to increase its market reach. Stem Cell 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.
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 Stem Cell 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.
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 Stem Cell in the consumer business. Now Stem Cell can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Stem Cell 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.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Stem Cell has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Stem Cell to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology case study. Stem Cell can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Stem Cell in the field of marketing communication. It will bring down the cost of doing business, provide technology platform to build new products in the Global Business segment, and it will provide faster access to the consumers.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Stem Cell to expand its talent hiring zone. According to McKinsey Global Institute, 20% of the high end workforce in fields such as finance, information technology, can continously work from remote local post Covid-19. This presents a really great opportunity for Stem Cell to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Stem Cell 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 Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Stem Cell to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Developing new processes and practices
– Stem Cell can develop new processes and procedures in Global Business industry using technology such as automation using artificial intelligence, real time transportation and products tracking, 3D modeling for concept development and new products pilot testing etc.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Stem Cell 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.
Threats Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology are -
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. Stem Cell 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.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Stem Cell 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.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology, Stem Cell may face longer learning curve for training and development of existing employees. This can open space for more nimble competitors in the field of Global Business .
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 Stem Cell business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
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 Stem Cell in the Global Business sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
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 Stem Cell.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Stem Cell in the Global Business industry. The Global Business 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.
Easy access to finance
– Easy access to finance in Global Business field will also reduce the barriers to entry in the industry, thus putting downward pressure on the prices because of increasing competition. Stem Cell can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Stem Cell is facing in Global Business sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Increasing wage structure of Stem Cell
– 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 Stem Cell.
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.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Stem Cell has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Global Business industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Stem Cell needs to keep up with the evolution of technology in the Global Business 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.
Environmental challenges
– Stem Cell 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. Stem Cell can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Global Business industry.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology 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 Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology 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 Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology 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 Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology 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 Still A Long Way to Go: A Case for Stem Cell Technology 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 Stem Cell needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
