Swot Analysis of "Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video" written by Anna Hofmann, Urs Mueller, C.B. Bhattacharya includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Es1431 Axel facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Social responsibility, Transparency and Leadership & Managing People.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video casestudy better are - – wage bills are increasing, banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, technology disruption, there is increasing trade war between United States & China, increasing commodity prices, cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, geopolitical disruptions,
increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, increasing household debt because of falling income levels, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Es1431 Axel, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Es1431 Axel 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 Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Es1431 Axel
3. Assessing feasibility of the new initiative in Leadership & Managing People field.
4. Making a Leadership & Managing People topic specific business decision
5. Set goals for the organization
6. Organizational restructuring of Es1431 Axel
Strengths Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Es1431 Axel in Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video Harvard Business Review case study are -
Successful track record of launching new products
– Es1431 Axel has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Es1431 Axel 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.
Strong track record of project management
– Es1431 Axel is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Organizational Resilience of Es1431 Axel
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Es1431 Axel does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Es1431 Axel 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.
Training and development
– Es1431 Axel has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video 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.
Superior customer experience
– The customer experience strategy of Es1431 Axel in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Es1431 Axel in the sector have low bargaining power. Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Es1431 Axel to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Es1431 Axel is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.
Analytics focus
– Es1431 Axel 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 Anna Hofmann, Urs Mueller, C.B. Bhattacharya 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.
High brand equity
– Es1431 Axel has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Es1431 Axel to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Ability to lead change in Leadership & Managing People field
– Es1431 Axel 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 Es1431 Axel in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
High switching costs
– The high switching costs that Es1431 Axel 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 Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video are -
High dependence on star products
– The top 2 products and services of the firm as mentioned in the Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video 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 Es1431 Axel has relatively successful track record of launching new products.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Es1431 Axel, firm in the HBR case study Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Lack of clear differentiation of Es1431 Axel products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Es1431 Axel needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
Slow to strategic competitive environment developments
– As Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video HBR case study mentions - Es1431 Axel 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.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Es1431 Axel is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Leadership & Managing People segment. Es1431 Axel needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Es1431 Axel to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
Workers concerns about automation
– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, Es1431 Axel 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 cash cycle compare to competitors
Es1431 Axel 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.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Es1431 Axel is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Es1431 Axel 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 Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video, it seems that the employees of Es1431 Axel don’t have comprehensive understanding of the firm’s strategy. This is reflected in number of promotional campaigns over the last few years that had mixed messaging and competing priorities. Some of the strategic activities and services promoted in the promotional campaigns were not consistent with the organization’s strategy.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Es1431 Axel 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. Es1431 Axel 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.
Opportunities Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video | 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 Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video are -
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Es1431 Axel in the field of marketing communication. It will bring down the cost of doing business, provide technology platform to build new products in the Leadership & Managing People segment, and it will provide faster access to the consumers.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Es1431 Axel 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, Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Es1431 Axel 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 Leadership & Managing People segment.
Loyalty marketing
– Es1431 Axel 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.
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 Es1431 Axel 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
– Es1431 Axel can develop new processes and procedures in Leadership & Managing People 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.
Changes in consumer behavior post Covid-19
– Consumer behavior has changed in the Leadership & Managing People industry because of Covid-19 restrictions. Some of this behavior will stay once things get back to normal. Es1431 Axel 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. Es1431 Axel 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.
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 Es1431 Axel in the consumer business. Now Es1431 Axel can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Es1431 Axel 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.
Manufacturing automation
– Es1431 Axel can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Leadership & Managing People 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.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Es1431 Axel 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 Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Es1431 Axel 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. Es1431 Axel can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Es1431 Axel has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Es1431 Axel to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video case study. Es1431 Axel can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Threats Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video are -
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 Es1431 Axel business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Es1431 Axel 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.
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. Es1431 Axel 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.
Increasing wage structure of Es1431 Axel
– 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 Es1431 Axel.
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 Es1431 Axel.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Es1431 Axel is facing in Leadership & Managing People sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Es1431 Axel with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Es1431 Axel 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.
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.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Es1431 Axel 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.
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Es1431 Axel 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 Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video .
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Es1431 Axel in the Leadership & Managing People industry. The Leadership & Managing People industry is already at various protected from local competition in China, with the rise of trade war the protection levels may go up. This presents a clear threat of current business model in Chinese market.
Easy access to finance
– Easy access to finance in Leadership & Managing People field will also reduce the barriers to entry in the industry, thus putting downward pressure on the prices because of increasing competition. Es1431 Axel can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video 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 Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video 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 Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video 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 Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video 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 Axel Springer and the Quest for the Boundaries of Corporate Responsibility, Video 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 Es1431 Axel needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
