Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Communication
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow
Companies communicate and operate across vast social and geographical spaces. The way that valuable knowledge is shared and transferred across these spaces is essential for creating and sustaining a healthy culture of innovation. To facilitate this, managers must look beyond formal organizational structures to the informal networks of ties and relationships that employees form across functions and divisions. Through his research, IESE Prof. Marco Tortoriello has identified a number of strategies for bolstering these informal networks. The first step is to institute boundary-spanning operations, which means identifying people within the organization who have the right set of features to serve as conduits for knowledge transfer within and between units. Next, the broader network context needs to be developed to support boundary-spanning outcomes. This means ensuring that the ties that link the company's informal networks are sufficiently strong and with appropriate range to channel vital knowledge between units. By far the most important step involves creating the "best" network conditions that will support the transfer of knowledge across different parts of the organization, which may facilitate better conditions for innovation.
Swot Analysis of "Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow" written by Marco Tortoriello includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Knowledge Informal facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, and Communication.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow casestudy better are - – geopolitical disruptions, supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , increasing transportation and logistics costs, technology disruption, talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, increasing energy prices,
competitive advantages are harder to sustain because of technology dispersion, cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Knowledge Informal, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Knowledge Informal 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 Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Knowledge Informal
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 Knowledge Informal
Strengths Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Knowledge Informal in Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow Harvard Business Review case study are -
Operational resilience
– The operational resilience strategy in the Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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)
– Knowledge Informal 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 Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
Organizational Resilience of Knowledge Informal
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Knowledge Informal does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Digital Transformation in Communication segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Knowledge Informal digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Knowledge Informal 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
- Knowledge Informal 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 Knowledge Informal is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Ability to lead change in Communication field
– Knowledge Informal 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 Knowledge Informal in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Knowledge Informal 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 Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Diverse revenue streams
– Knowledge Informal is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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.
Strong track record of project management
– Knowledge Informal is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Training and development
– Knowledge Informal has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Communication industry
– Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Knowledge Informal to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Communication industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Knowledge Informal to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
High switching costs
– The high switching costs that Knowledge Informal 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.
Weaknesses Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow are -
Aligning sales with marketing
– It come across in the case study Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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 Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as Knowledge Informal is planning to shift buying processes online.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Knowledge Informal is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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 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 Knowledge Informal supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Knowledge Informal vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Knowledge Informal, firm in the HBR case study Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
High dependence on star products
– The top 2 products and services of the firm as mentioned in the Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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 Knowledge Informal has relatively successful track record of launching new products.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Knowledge Informal 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. Knowledge Informal 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.
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow, is just above the industry average. Knowledge Informal 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 Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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 Knowledge Informal 's lucrative customers.
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Knowledge Informal 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 strategic competitive environment developments
– As Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow HBR case study mentions - Knowledge Informal 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.
Need for greater diversity
– Knowledge Informal 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.
Opportunities Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow | 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 Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow are -
Buying journey improvements
– Knowledge Informal can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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.
Loyalty marketing
– Knowledge Informal 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.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Knowledge Informal 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 Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Knowledge Informal to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
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. Knowledge Informal can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
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 Knowledge Informal 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.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Knowledge Informal 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 Knowledge Informal to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Developing new processes and practices
– Knowledge Informal 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.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Knowledge Informal to increase its market reach. Knowledge Informal 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.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Knowledge Informal 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 Knowledge Informal can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Knowledge Informal in the field of marketing communication. It will bring down the cost of doing business, provide technology platform to build new products in the Communication segment, and it will provide faster access to the consumers.
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. Knowledge Informal 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 Communication industry because of Covid-19 restrictions. Some of this behavior will stay once things get back to normal. Knowledge Informal 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. Knowledge Informal 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.
Threats Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow, Knowledge Informal 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 .
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Knowledge Informal with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
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. Knowledge Informal 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
– Knowledge Informal 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.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Knowledge Informal 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
– Knowledge Informal 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. Knowledge Informal can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Communication industry.
Increasing wage structure of Knowledge Informal
– 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 Knowledge Informal.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Knowledge Informal 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.
Regulatory challenges
– Knowledge Informal needs to prepare for regulatory challenges as consumer protection groups and other pressure groups are vigorously advocating for more regulations on big business - to reduce inequality, to create a level playing field, to product data privacy and consumer privacy, to reduce the influence of big money on democratic institutions, etc. This can lead to significant changes in the Communication industry regulations.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Knowledge Informal has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Communication industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Knowledge Informal 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.
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. Knowledge Informal can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
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 Knowledge Informal business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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 Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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 Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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 Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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 Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow 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 Knowledge Informal needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.