Swot Analysis of "Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B)" written by Tsedal Neeley includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that 412002 Englishnization facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Communication, Disruptive innovation, Globalization, Internet, Leadership, Strategic planning and Leadership & Managing People.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) casestudy better are - – wage bills are increasing, there is backlash against globalization, technology disruption, increasing commodity prices, increasing government debt because of Covid-19 spendings, cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google,
increasing energy prices, increasing household debt because of falling income levels, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B)
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the 412002 Englishnization, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which 412002 Englishnization 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 Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of 412002 Englishnization
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 412002 Englishnization
Strengths Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of 412002 Englishnization in Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) Harvard Business Review case study are -
Successful track record of launching new products
– 412002 Englishnization has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. 412002 Englishnization 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 lead change in Leadership & Managing People field
– 412002 Englishnization 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 412002 Englishnization in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Ability to recruit top talent
– 412002 Englishnization is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.
Diverse revenue streams
– 412002 Englishnization is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) 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.
Training and development
– 412002 Englishnization has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) 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.
Innovation driven organization
– 412002 Englishnization is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) 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 412002 Englishnization 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.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the 412002 Englishnization 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.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of 412002 Englishnization in the sector have low bargaining power. Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps 412002 Englishnization to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
High brand equity
– 412002 Englishnization has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled 412002 Englishnization to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Analytics focus
– 412002 Englishnization 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 Tsedal Neeley 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.
Learning organization
- 412002 Englishnization 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 412002 Englishnization is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Weaknesses Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) are -
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, 412002 Englishnization 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. 412002 Englishnization 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.
Products dominated business model
– Even though 412002 Englishnization 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 - Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of 412002 Englishnization is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Leadership & Managing People segment. 412002 Englishnization needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help 412002 Englishnization to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B), in the dynamic environment 412002 Englishnization has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. 412002 Englishnization 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 Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) 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 Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as 412002 Englishnization is planning to shift buying processes online.
High cash cycle compare to competitors
412002 Englishnization 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, 412002 Englishnization is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) 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 412002 Englishnization 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.
Workers concerns about automation
– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, 412002 Englishnization 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.
No frontier risks strategy
– After analyzing the HBR case study Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B), it seems that company is thinking about the frontier risks that can impact Leadership & Managing People strategy. But it has very little resources allocation to manage the risks emerging from events such as natural disasters, climate change, melting of permafrost, tacking the rise of artificial intelligence, opportunities and threats emerging from commercialization of space etc.
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 412002 Englishnization supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B), it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left 412002 Englishnization vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Opportunities Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) | 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 Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) are -
Leveraging digital technologies
– 412002 Englishnization 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.
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. 412002 Englishnization 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. 412002 Englishnization 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.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help 412002 Englishnization to increase its market reach. 412002 Englishnization 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.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects 412002 Englishnization can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, 412002 Englishnization 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, Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B), to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, 412002 Englishnization can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that 412002 Englishnization operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Leadership & Managing People sector.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of 412002 Englishnization has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help 412002 Englishnization to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) case study. 412002 Englishnization can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Buying journey improvements
– 412002 Englishnization can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) 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.
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 412002 Englishnization in the consumer business. Now 412002 Englishnization can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at 412002 Englishnization 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.
Developing new processes and practices
– 412002 Englishnization 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.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, 412002 Englishnization 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.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– 412002 Englishnization 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 Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help 412002 Englishnization to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Threats Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) are -
Environmental challenges
– 412002 Englishnization 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. 412002 Englishnization can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Leadership & Managing People industry.
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 412002 Englishnization business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
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. 412002 Englishnization can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
Increasing wage structure of 412002 Englishnization
– 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 412002 Englishnization.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that 412002 Englishnization is facing in Leadership & Managing People sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
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.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents 412002 Englishnization with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– 412002 Englishnization has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Leadership & Managing People industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, 412002 Englishnization needs to keep up with the evolution of technology in the Leadership & Managing People 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.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– 412002 Englishnization 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
– 412002 Englishnization 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 Leadership & Managing People industry regulations.
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 412002 Englishnization.
Consumer confidence and its impact on 412002 Englishnization 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.
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, 412002 Englishnization 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 Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) .
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) 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 Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) 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 Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) 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 Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) 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 Language and Globalization: "Englishnization" at Rakuten: Results Are In! (B) 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 412002 Englishnization needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.