Swot Analysis of "Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai" written by William C. Kirby, Erica M Zendell includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Shanghai Perspectives facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, and Leadership & Managing People.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai casestudy better are - – there is increasing trade war between United States & China, increasing transportation and logistics costs, there is backlash against globalization, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, increasing household debt because of falling income levels, central banks are concerned over increasing inflation, talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs,
increasing commodity prices, technology disruption, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Shanghai Perspectives, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Shanghai Perspectives 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 Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Shanghai Perspectives
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 Shanghai Perspectives
Strengths Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Shanghai Perspectives in Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai Harvard Business Review case study are -
Training and development
– Shanghai Perspectives has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai 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.
Organizational Resilience of Shanghai Perspectives
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Shanghai Perspectives does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Innovation driven organization
– Shanghai Perspectives is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Learning organization
- Shanghai Perspectives 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 Shanghai Perspectives is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Shanghai Perspectives in the sector have low bargaining power. Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Shanghai Perspectives to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Highly skilled collaborators
– Shanghai Perspectives 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 Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Shanghai Perspectives is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Leadership & Managing People industry
– Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Shanghai Perspectives to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Leadership & Managing People industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Shanghai Perspectives to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Shanghai Perspectives has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Shanghai Perspectives 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.
High switching costs
– The high switching costs that Shanghai Perspectives 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.
Ability to lead change in Leadership & Managing People field
– Shanghai Perspectives 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 Shanghai Perspectives in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Diverse revenue streams
– Shanghai Perspectives is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai 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.
Weaknesses Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai are -
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai 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 Shanghai Perspectives 's lucrative customers.
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai, is just above the industry average. Shanghai Perspectives 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.
Products dominated business model
– Even though Shanghai Perspectives 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 - Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Shanghai Perspectives is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Leadership & Managing People segment. Shanghai Perspectives needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Shanghai Perspectives to focus more on services rather than just following the product oriented approach.
Need for greater diversity
– Shanghai Perspectives 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.
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai, it seems that the employees of Shanghai Perspectives 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.
Aligning sales with marketing
– It come across in the case study Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai 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 Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as Shanghai Perspectives is planning to shift buying processes online.
No frontier risks strategy
– After analyzing the HBR case study Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai, 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.
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai, in the dynamic environment Shanghai Perspectives has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. Shanghai Perspectives has reasonably good record with similar level competitors but it has struggled with new entrants taking away niches of its business.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Shanghai Perspectives 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. Shanghai Perspectives 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.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Shanghai Perspectives, firm in the HBR case study Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Opportunities Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai | 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 Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai are -
Manufacturing automation
– Shanghai Perspectives 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.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Shanghai Perspectives can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
Developing new processes and practices
– Shanghai Perspectives 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.
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 Shanghai Perspectives in the consumer business. Now Shanghai Perspectives can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Shanghai Perspectives has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Shanghai Perspectives to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai case study. Shanghai Perspectives can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Shanghai Perspectives 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, Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai, to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Shanghai Perspectives 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 Shanghai Perspectives to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Shanghai Perspectives to increase its market reach. Shanghai Perspectives 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
– Shanghai Perspectives 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.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Shanghai Perspectives 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.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Shanghai Perspectives 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.
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 Shanghai Perspectives 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.
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. Shanghai Perspectives can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
Threats Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai 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.
Increasing wage structure of Shanghai Perspectives
– 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 Shanghai Perspectives.
Regulatory challenges
– Shanghai Perspectives 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.
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. Shanghai Perspectives needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Leadership & Managing People industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
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. Shanghai Perspectives can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Shanghai Perspectives 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.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Shanghai Perspectives has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Leadership & Managing People industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Shanghai Perspectives 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.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Shanghai Perspectives 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.
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 Shanghai Perspectives.
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 Shanghai Perspectives in the Leadership & Managing People sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
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 Shanghai Perspectives 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. Shanghai Perspectives 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.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai 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 Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai 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 Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai 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 Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai 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 Advanced Leadership Field Perspectives: Shanghai 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 Shanghai Perspectives needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
