Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Communication
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014
Significant negotiation-related achievements from the career of Ambassador Tommy Koh of Singapore are highlighted in brief form along with elements of his background and career. In light of these accomplishments, Koh was selected as the recipient of the 2014 Great Negotiator Award, presented by the Program on Negotiation, an interuniversity consortium of Harvard, MIT, and Tufts that is based at the Harvard Law School. Summaries of several of Koh's negotiations are presented in order to stimulate further research and analysis. Among numerous other activities, the episodes described include his leadership in forging the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA), the development and ratification of a charter for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the resolution of territorial and humanitarian disputes in the Baltics and Asia, and successful chairmanship of two unprecedented global megaconferences: the Third U.N. Conference on the Law of the Sea and the U.N. Conference on the Environment and Development, also known as the Earth Summit.
Swot Analysis of "Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014" written by James K. Sebenius, Laurence A. Green includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Koh U.n facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, International business, Marketing, Negotiations and Communication.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 casestudy better are - – geopolitical disruptions, there is increasing trade war between United States & China, wage bills are increasing, increasing commodity prices, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, increasing household debt because of falling income levels,
central banks are concerned over increasing inflation, supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Koh U.n, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Koh U.n 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 Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Koh U.n
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 Koh U.n
Strengths Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Koh U.n in Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 Harvard Business Review case study are -
Organizational Resilience of Koh U.n
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Koh U.n does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
High brand equity
– Koh U.n has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Koh U.n to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Analytics focus
– Koh U.n 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 James K. Sebenius, Laurence A. Green 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.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Koh U.n has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Koh U.n 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.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Koh U.n in the sector have low bargaining power. Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Koh U.n to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Ability to lead change in Communication field
– Koh U.n 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 Koh U.n in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Innovation driven organization
– Koh U.n is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Communication industry
– Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Koh U.n to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Communication industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Koh U.n to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Learning organization
- Koh U.n 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 Koh U.n is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Koh U.n 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 Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Koh U.n 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
– Koh U.n has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 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.
Weaknesses Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 are -
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Koh U.n 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. Koh U.n 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.
Aligning sales with marketing
– It come across in the case study Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 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 Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as Koh U.n is planning to shift buying processes online.
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 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 Koh U.n 's lucrative customers.
High bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, James K. Sebenius, Laurence A. Green suggests that, Koh U.n is facing high bargaining power of the channel partners. So far it has not able to streamline the operations to reduce the bargaining power of the value chain partners in the industry.
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014, in the dynamic environment Koh U.n has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. Koh U.n has reasonably good record with similar level competitors but it has struggled with new entrants taking away niches of its business.
Slow to strategic competitive environment developments
– As Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 HBR case study mentions - Koh U.n 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 Koh U.n is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Communication segment. Koh U.n needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Koh U.n to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
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 Koh U.n supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Koh U.n vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Products dominated business model
– Even though Koh U.n 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 - Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.
Need for greater diversity
– Koh U.n 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.
Interest costs
– Compare to the competition, Koh U.n 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.
Opportunities Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 | 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 Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 are -
Redefining models of collaboration and team work
– As explained in the weaknesses section, Koh U.n is facing challenges because of the dominance of functional experts in the organization. Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 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.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Koh U.n 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, Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
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. Koh U.n 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. Koh U.n 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.
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. Koh U.n can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
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. Koh U.n 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 Koh U.n has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Koh U.n to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 case study. Koh U.n can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Manufacturing automation
– Koh U.n can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Communication 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.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Koh U.n 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 Communication segment.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Koh U.n 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 Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Koh U.n to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Developing new processes and practices
– Koh U.n 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.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Koh U.n 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 Koh U.n 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.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Koh U.n 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.
Threats Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 are -
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. Koh U.n 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.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Koh U.n 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.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014, Koh U.n 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 .
High level of anxiety and lack of motivation
– the Great Resignation in United States is the sign of broader dissatisfaction among the workforce in United States. Koh U.n needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Communication industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
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.
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 Koh U.n.
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 Koh U.n with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
New competition
– After the dotcom bust of 2001, financial crisis of 2008-09, the business formation in US economy had declined. But in 2020 alone, there are more than 1.5 million new business applications in United States. This can lead to greater competition for Koh U.n in the Communication sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Koh U.n has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Communication industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Koh U.n 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.
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 Koh U.n business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Koh U.n 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.
Environmental challenges
– Koh U.n 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. Koh U.n can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Communication industry.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 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 Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 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 Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 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 Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 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 Tommy Koh: Background and Major Accomplishments of the Great Negotiator, 2014 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 Koh U.n needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
