From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Leadership & Managing People
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling
Recent trends in advertising and social media (e.g., facial/body recognition technologies) will change how people need to think about their digital representations and privacy, as well as how managers can use these technologies to interact with customers. The term avatar is usually associated with a video game character or a pictorial representation on a social network, and among other components of the definition of the concept is the notion that users control the avatar's appearance and actions. Facial recognition and video analytic technologies being applied in public digital signage displays and on social networks like Facebook capture and create an embodied biometric database that is essentially an avatar-like profile that will be used for marketing products and supporting consumer applications. In this article we discuss the nature of these new marketing avatars, which we call mavatars, and offer a framework for understanding where and how these embodied profiles are and will be used. We also discuss and speculate how these representations and the applications they spawn will evolve; where they will be used; and the ramifications of these embodied representations for consumers, managers, and society at large.
Swot Analysis of "From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling" written by Brian E. Mennecke, Anicia Peters includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Embodied Representations facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Security & privacy and Leadership & Managing People.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling casestudy better are - – increasing transportation and logistics costs, talent flight as more people leaving formal jobs, supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , wage bills are increasing, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, there is increasing trade war between United States & China,
increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, increasing commodity prices, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Embodied Representations, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Embodied Representations 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 From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Embodied Representations
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 Embodied Representations
Strengths From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Embodied Representations in From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling Harvard Business Review case study are -
Training and development
– Embodied Representations has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling 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.
Analytics focus
– Embodied Representations 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 Brian E. Mennecke, Anicia Peters 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.
Innovation driven organization
– Embodied Representations is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling 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 Leadership & Managing People industry
– From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Embodied Representations to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Leadership & Managing People industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Embodied Representations to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Learning organization
- Embodied Representations 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 Embodied Representations is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Diverse revenue streams
– Embodied Representations is present in almost all the verticals within the industry. This has provided firm in From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling 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.
Ability to recruit top talent
– Embodied Representations is one of the leading recruiters in the industry. Managers in the From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling are in a position to attract the best talent available. The firm has a robust talent identification program that helps in identifying the brightest.
Operational resilience
– The operational resilience strategy in the From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling Harvard Business Review case study comprises – understanding the underlying the factors in the industry, building diversified operations across different geographies so that disruption in one part of the world doesn’t impact the overall performance of the firm, and integrating the various business operations and processes through its digital transformation drive.
Strong track record of project management
– Embodied Representations is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Ability to lead change in Leadership & Managing People field
– Embodied Representations 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 Embodied Representations in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
Effective Research and Development (R&D)
– Embodied Representations has innovation driven culture where significant part of the revenues are spent on the research and development activities. This has resulted in, as mentioned in case study From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
Digital Transformation in Leadership & Managing People segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Embodied Representations digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Embodied Representations has successfully integrated the four key components of digital transformation – digital integration in processes, digital integration in marketing and customer relationship management, digital integration into the value chain, and using technology to explore new products and market opportunities.
Weaknesses From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling are -
Workers concerns about automation
– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, Embodied Representations 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 From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling, 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.
Lack of clear differentiation of Embodied Representations products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Embodied Representations needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Embodied Representations has not been able to do capital spending to the tune of the competition. This has resulted into fewer innovations and company facing stiff competition from both existing competitors and new entrants who are disrupting the industry using digital technology.
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling, in the dynamic environment Embodied Representations has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. Embodied Representations 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 From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling 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 From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as Embodied Representations is planning to shift buying processes online.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Embodied Representations 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.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Embodied Representations 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. Embodied Representations 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.
High cash cycle compare to competitors
Embodied Representations 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.
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling, it seems that the employees of Embodied Representations 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.
High bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, Brian E. Mennecke, Anicia Peters suggests that, Embodied Representations 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.
Opportunities From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling | 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 From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling are -
Developing new processes and practices
– Embodied Representations 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.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Embodied Representations to increase its market reach. Embodied Representations 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.
Learning at scale
– Online learning technologies has now opened space for Embodied Representations to conduct training and development for its employees across the world. This will result in not only reducing the cost of training but also help employees in different part of the world to integrate with the headquarter work culture, ethos, and standards.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Embodied Representations can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Embodied Representations 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 Embodied Representations to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Embodied Representations 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, Embodied Representations 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.
Loyalty marketing
– Embodied Representations 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 Embodied Representations 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.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Embodied Representations 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.
Using analytics as competitive advantage
– Embodied Representations 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 From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling - to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Embodied Representations to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.
Redefining models of collaboration and team work
– As explained in the weaknesses section, Embodied Representations is facing challenges because of the dominance of functional experts in the organization. From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling 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.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Embodied Representations 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.
Threats From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling are -
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 Embodied Representations in the Leadership & Managing People sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
Regulatory challenges
– Embodied Representations 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.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Embodied Representations with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
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 Embodied Representations.
Increasing wage structure of Embodied Representations
– 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 Embodied Representations.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Embodied Representations is facing in Leadership & Managing People sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
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. Embodied Representations needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Leadership & Managing People industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling, Embodied Representations may face longer learning curve for training and development of existing employees. This can open space for more nimble competitors in the field of Leadership & Managing People .
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 Embodied Representations business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Embodied Representations 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.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Embodied Representations 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
– Embodied Representations 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. Embodied Representations can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Leadership & Managing People industry.
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.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling 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 From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling 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 From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling 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 From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling 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 From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling 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 Embodied Representations needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
Feel free to connect with us if you need business research.
You can download Excel Template of Case Study Solution & Analysis of From Avatars To Mavatars: The Role Of Marketing Avatars and Embodied Representations In Consumer Profiling