Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Communication
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out
This case, an abridgment of the A, B, and C cases (UV3505, UV3506, UV3507), presents an operating challenge: how does an organization sustain the initial progress achieved through its new quality-improvement system. Nurses and other clinical staff feel that the culture does not support the acknowledgment of mistakes, and the operations manager is trying to ascertain whether this "blame-game" environment is the cause of the improvement slowdown or whether there are other factors. Students are asked to apply systems-thinking tools to reveal their hypotheses of the causes of the improvement problem and to critique one representation of the underlying system structure. A systems-dynamics model can be used in class or as a preparation assignment. The simulation model enables students to develop a deeper understanding of the systems-dynamics behavior. This case is best used in a class where the emphasis is on systems mapping and not on simulation modeling. It can be used to discuss and critique how the hospital manager has tackled the improvement problem and developed a model representation of the system. It can also be used to discuss how a manager assists in the quantification of systems relationships (dominated by soft variables) and in the development of a simulation model.
Swot Analysis of "Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out" written by Robert D. Landel, Derrick Moreira includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Improvement Simulation facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Health and Communication.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out casestudy better are - – challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, increasing government debt because of Covid-19 spendings, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs, wage bills are increasing, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%,
competitive advantages are harder to sustain because of technology dispersion, geopolitical disruptions, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Improvement Simulation, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Improvement Simulation 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 Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Improvement Simulation
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 Improvement Simulation
Strengths Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Improvement Simulation in Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out Harvard Business Review case study are -
Strong track record of project management
– Improvement Simulation is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Improvement Simulation 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.
Ability to lead change in Communication field
– Improvement Simulation 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 Improvement Simulation in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Innovation driven organization
– Improvement Simulation is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Communication industry
– Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Improvement Simulation to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Communication industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Improvement Simulation to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Effective Research and Development (R&D)
– Improvement Simulation 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 Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out - 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 Improvement Simulation in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
High switching costs
– The high switching costs that Improvement Simulation 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.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Improvement Simulation in the sector have low bargaining power. Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Improvement Simulation to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
High brand equity
– Improvement Simulation has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Improvement Simulation to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Organizational Resilience of Improvement Simulation
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Improvement Simulation does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Training and development
– Improvement Simulation has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out 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.
Weaknesses Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out are -
Interest costs
– Compare to the competition, Improvement Simulation 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.
Need for greater diversity
– Improvement Simulation 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.
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Improvement Simulation 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.
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out, in the dynamic environment Improvement Simulation has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. Improvement Simulation has reasonably good record with similar level competitors but it has struggled with new entrants taking away niches of its business.
Slow to strategic competitive environment developments
– As Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out HBR case study mentions - Improvement Simulation 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.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Improvement Simulation, firm in the HBR case study Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
High cash cycle compare to competitors
Improvement Simulation 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 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 Improvement Simulation supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Improvement Simulation vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Workers concerns about automation
– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, Improvement Simulation 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 dependence on star products
– The top 2 products and services of the firm as mentioned in the Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out 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 Improvement Simulation has relatively successful track record of launching new products.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Improvement Simulation is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
Opportunities Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out | 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 Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out are -
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 Improvement Simulation in the consumer business. Now Improvement Simulation 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, Improvement Simulation 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.
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. Improvement Simulation 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. Improvement Simulation 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.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Improvement Simulation has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Improvement Simulation to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out case study. Improvement Simulation can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Improvement Simulation 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 Improvement Simulation to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
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. Improvement Simulation 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, Improvement Simulation can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Improvement Simulation operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Communication sector.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Improvement Simulation 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, Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Improvement Simulation to increase its market reach. Improvement Simulation 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 Improvement Simulation 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.
Developing new processes and practices
– Improvement Simulation can develop new processes and procedures in Communication 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
– Improvement Simulation 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.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Improvement Simulation can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
Threats Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out are -
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.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Improvement Simulation has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Communication industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Improvement Simulation 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.
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 Improvement Simulation in the Communication sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Improvement Simulation high dependence on third party suppliers can disrupt its processes and delivery mechanism. For example -the current troubles of car makers because of chip shortage is because the chip companies started producing chips for electronic companies rather than car manufacturers.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Improvement Simulation with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
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. Improvement Simulation needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Communication industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Improvement Simulation 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 Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out .
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. Improvement Simulation 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.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out, Improvement Simulation 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 .
Easy access to finance
– Easy access to finance in Communication field will also reduce the barriers to entry in the industry, thus putting downward pressure on the prices because of increasing competition. Improvement Simulation can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
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 Improvement Simulation.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Improvement Simulation in the Communication industry. The Communication 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.
Environmental challenges
– Improvement Simulation 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. Improvement Simulation can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Communication industry.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out 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 Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out 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 Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out 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 Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out 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 Colby General Hospital (D): A Performance Improvement System Stalls Out 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 Improvement Simulation needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
