Swot Analysis of "The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term" written by Richard G. Hamermesh, Thomas R. Eisenmann, Joseph Fuller includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Overview Entrepreneurial facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term casestudy better are - – increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, wage bills are increasing, geopolitical disruptions, cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, increasing energy prices, challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies,
central banks are concerned over increasing inflation, increasing commodity prices, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Overview Entrepreneurial, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Overview Entrepreneurial 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 The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Overview Entrepreneurial
3. Assessing feasibility of the new initiative in Innovation & Entrepreneurship field.
4. Making a Innovation & Entrepreneurship topic specific business decision
5. Set goals for the organization
6. Organizational restructuring of Overview Entrepreneurial
Strengths The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Overview Entrepreneurial in The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term Harvard Business Review case study are -
Ability to lead change in Innovation & Entrepreneurship field
– Overview Entrepreneurial 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 Overview Entrepreneurial in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Overview Entrepreneurial 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 The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Innovation driven organization
– Overview Entrepreneurial is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
High switching costs
– The high switching costs that Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Overview Entrepreneurial has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
Analytics focus
– Overview Entrepreneurial 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 G. Hamermesh, Thomas R. Eisenmann, Joseph Fuller 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.
Digital Transformation in Innovation & Entrepreneurship segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Overview Entrepreneurial digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Overview Entrepreneurial is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.
High brand equity
– Overview Entrepreneurial has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Overview Entrepreneurial to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Innovation & Entrepreneurship industry
– The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Overview Entrepreneurial to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Overview Entrepreneurial to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Diverse revenue streams
– Overview Entrepreneurial is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term 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.
Effective Research and Development (R&D)
– Overview Entrepreneurial 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 The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
Weaknesses The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term are -
Products dominated business model
– Even though Overview Entrepreneurial 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 - The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Overview Entrepreneurial is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term 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 Overview Entrepreneurial 's lucrative customers.
Workers concerns about automation
– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, Overview Entrepreneurial 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 Overview Entrepreneurial products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Overview Entrepreneurial needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
High cash cycle compare to competitors
Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
Interest costs
– Compare to the competition, Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term, in the dynamic environment Overview Entrepreneurial has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. Overview Entrepreneurial has reasonably good record with similar level competitors but it has struggled with new entrants taking away niches of its business.
Aligning sales with marketing
– It come across in the case study The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term 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 The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as Overview Entrepreneurial is planning to shift buying processes online.
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Overview Entrepreneurial, firm in the HBR case study The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Opportunities The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term | 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 The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term are -
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. Overview Entrepreneurial can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
Learning at scale
– Online learning technologies has now opened space for Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
Buying journey improvements
– Overview Entrepreneurial can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term 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.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Overview Entrepreneurial in the field of marketing communication. It will bring down the cost of doing business, provide technology platform to build new products in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship segment, and it will provide faster access to the consumers.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Overview Entrepreneurial has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Overview Entrepreneurial to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term case study. Overview Entrepreneurial can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Overview Entrepreneurial to increase its market reach. Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Overview Entrepreneurial can make experimentation a productive activity and build a culture of innovation using approaches such as – mining transaction data, A/B testing of websites and selling platforms, engaging potential customers over various needs, and building on small ideas in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship segment.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Overview Entrepreneurial can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Overview Entrepreneurial operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Innovation & Entrepreneurship sector.
Loyalty marketing
– Overview Entrepreneurial 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 Innovation & Entrepreneurship industry because of Covid-19 restrictions. Some of this behavior will stay once things get back to normal. Overview Entrepreneurial 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. Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
Developing new processes and practices
– Overview Entrepreneurial can develop new processes and procedures in Innovation & Entrepreneurship 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.
Threats The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term are -
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.
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 Overview Entrepreneurial business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
Regulatory challenges
– Overview Entrepreneurial 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 Innovation & Entrepreneurship industry regulations.
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
– Overview Entrepreneurial high dependence on third party suppliers can disrupt its processes and delivery mechanism. For example -the current troubles of car makers because of chip shortage is because the chip companies started producing chips for electronic companies rather than car manufacturers.
Environmental challenges
– Overview Entrepreneurial 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. Overview Entrepreneurial can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship industry.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Overview Entrepreneurial in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship industry. The Innovation & Entrepreneurship 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.
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 Overview Entrepreneurial in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Overview Entrepreneurial is facing in Innovation & Entrepreneurship sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Overview Entrepreneurial 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.
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. Overview Entrepreneurial needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Innovation & Entrepreneurship industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Overview Entrepreneurial has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Overview Entrepreneurial needs to keep up with the evolution of technology in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship 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.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term 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 The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term 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 The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term 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 The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term 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 The Entrepreneurial Manager: Course Overview, 2015 Winter Term 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 Overview Entrepreneurial needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.