Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy
Environmental entrepreneur Andrew Mangan promoted by-product synergy (BPS) programs as a means to achieve sustainable development goals. BPS is a process that helps companies discover new ways to convert their wastes into saleable commodities. Mangan's goals were twofold: to promote wider adoption of BPS programs and to create a business out of helping companies adopt such programs. Mangan faced both business and regulatory barriers, not all of which he was able to overcome. Critical support from the EPA was granted verbally but meaningful measures were not yet implemented. Mangan also needed to develop a pricing policy and business model that would sustain Applied Sustainability. Recent developments, such as a relationship with the state of New Jersey, suggested a positive outlook, though much uncertainty remained. Mangan reflected on his decade-long struggle as he considered his options.
Swot Analysis of "Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy" written by Terry Anderson, Susan MacKenzie includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Mangan Bps facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Entrepreneurship, Government, Pricing, Sustainability and Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy casestudy better are - – technology disruption, central banks are concerned over increasing inflation, geopolitical disruptions, there is backlash against globalization, increasing commodity prices, increasing energy prices, talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs,
challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, customer relationship management is fast transforming because of increasing concerns over data privacy, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Mangan Bps, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Mangan Bps 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 Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Mangan Bps
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 Mangan Bps
Strengths Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Mangan Bps in Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy Harvard Business Review case study are -
Operational resilience
– The operational resilience strategy in the Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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.
Effective Research and Development (R&D)
– Mangan Bps 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 Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
Ability to lead change in Innovation & Entrepreneurship field
– Mangan Bps 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 Mangan Bps in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Superior customer experience
– The customer experience strategy of Mangan Bps in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Innovation driven organization
– Mangan Bps is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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 Mangan Bps 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.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Mangan Bps 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 Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Diverse revenue streams
– Mangan Bps is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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
– Mangan Bps has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Mangan Bps 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.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Mangan Bps is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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 switching costs
– The high switching costs that Mangan Bps 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.
Organizational Resilience of Mangan Bps
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Mangan Bps does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Weaknesses Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy are -
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy, in the dynamic environment Mangan Bps has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. Mangan Bps has reasonably good record with similar level competitors but it has struggled with new entrants taking away niches of its business.
Interest costs
– Compare to the competition, Mangan Bps 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.
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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 Mangan Bps 's lucrative customers.
Aligning sales with marketing
– It come across in the case study Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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 Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as Mangan Bps is planning to shift buying processes online.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Mangan Bps 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. Mangan Bps 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 Mangan Bps supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Mangan Bps vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Mangan Bps is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship segment. Mangan Bps needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Mangan Bps to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Mangan Bps has created an environment where the organization is dominated by functional specialists rather than management generalist. This has resulted into product oriented approach rather than marketing oriented approach or consumers oriented approach.
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy, it seems that the employees of Mangan Bps 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.
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Mangan Bps 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 to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Mangan Bps is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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 Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy | 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 Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy are -
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Mangan Bps 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, Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
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 Mangan Bps in the consumer business. Now Mangan Bps can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Finding new ways to collaborate
– Covid-19 has not only transformed business models of companies in Innovation & Entrepreneurship industry, but it has also influenced the consumer preferences. Mangan Bps can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
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. Mangan Bps 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. Mangan Bps 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.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Mangan Bps 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.
Redefining models of collaboration and team work
– As explained in the weaknesses section, Mangan Bps is facing challenges because of the dominance of functional experts in the organization. Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Mangan Bps 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 Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Mangan Bps to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Buying journey improvements
– Mangan Bps can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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.
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. Mangan Bps 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 Mangan Bps 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.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Mangan Bps 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 Mangan Bps to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Mangan Bps to increase its market reach. Mangan Bps will be able to reach out to new customers. Secondly 5G will also provide technology framework to build new tools and products that can help more immersive consumer experience and faster consumer journey.
Manufacturing automation
– Mangan Bps can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Innovation & Entrepreneurship 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.
Threats Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy are -
Consumer confidence and its impact on Mangan Bps 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.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Mangan Bps 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.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Mangan Bps is facing in Innovation & Entrepreneurship sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Mangan Bps 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 Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy .
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Mangan Bps 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.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Mangan Bps 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.
Regulatory challenges
– Mangan Bps 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.
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 Mangan Bps business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy, Mangan Bps may face longer learning curve for training and development of existing employees. This can open space for more nimble competitors in the field of Innovation & Entrepreneurship .
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 Mangan Bps.
Easy access to finance
– Easy access to finance in Innovation & Entrepreneurship field will also reduce the barriers to entry in the industry, thus putting downward pressure on the prices because of increasing competition. Mangan Bps can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
Environmental challenges
– Mangan Bps 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. Mangan Bps can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship industry.
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.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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 Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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 Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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 Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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 Applied Sustainability LLC: Making a Business Case for By-Product Synergy 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 Mangan Bps needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
