Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Leadership & Managing People
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S.
Equality of opportunity is endorsed universally even though, or more likely because, it can mean such different things to different people. What definition of equality of opportunity ought to figure into policy decisions? How close, or far, is the United States from providing equal opportunity? Instructors may also obtain a Teaching Note, written by this case's author, that provides suggestions for using this case effectively in the classroom.
Swot Analysis of "Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S." written by Matthew C. Weinzierl, Alastair Su includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Equality Opportunity facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, and Leadership & Managing People.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. casestudy better are - – supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , there is backlash against globalization, central banks are concerned over increasing inflation, increasing energy prices, geopolitical disruptions, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, wage bills are increasing,
challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, increasing household debt because of falling income levels, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S.
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Equality Opportunity, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Equality Opportunity 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 Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Equality Opportunity
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 Equality Opportunity
Strengths Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Equality Opportunity in Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. Harvard Business Review case study are -
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Equality Opportunity 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.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Equality Opportunity has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Equality Opportunity 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.
Innovation driven organization
– Equality Opportunity is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Training and development
– Equality Opportunity has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. 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.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Leadership & Managing People industry
– Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Equality Opportunity to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Leadership & Managing People industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Equality Opportunity to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Superior customer experience
– The customer experience strategy of Equality Opportunity in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Operational resilience
– The operational resilience strategy in the Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. 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
– Equality Opportunity is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Digital Transformation in Leadership & Managing People segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Equality Opportunity digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Equality Opportunity 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.
Ability to lead change in Leadership & Managing People field
– Equality Opportunity 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 Equality Opportunity 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)
– Equality Opportunity 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 Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
Analytics focus
– Equality Opportunity 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 Matthew C. Weinzierl, Alastair Su 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.
Weaknesses Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. are -
Ability to respond to the competition
– As the decision making is very deliberative, highlighted in the case study Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S., in the dynamic environment Equality Opportunity has struggled to respond to the nimble upstart competition. Equality Opportunity has reasonably good record with similar level competitors but it has struggled with new entrants taking away niches of its business.
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 Equality Opportunity supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S., it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Equality Opportunity vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Equality Opportunity 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. Equality Opportunity 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 dependence on star products
– The top 2 products and services of the firm as mentioned in the Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. HBR case study still accounts for major business revenue. This dependence on star products in has resulted into insufficient focus on developing new products, even though Equality Opportunity has relatively successful track record of launching new products.
High bargaining power of channel partners
– Because of the regulatory requirements, Matthew C. Weinzierl, Alastair Su suggests that, Equality Opportunity 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.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Equality Opportunity 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.
No frontier risks strategy
– After analyzing the HBR case study Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S., 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.
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S., is just above the industry average. Equality Opportunity 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.
Lack of clear differentiation of Equality Opportunity products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Equality Opportunity needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
Interest costs
– Compare to the competition, Equality Opportunity 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.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Equality Opportunity is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
Opportunities Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. | 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 Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. are -
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Equality Opportunity to increase its market reach. Equality Opportunity 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
– Equality Opportunity 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.
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Equality Opportunity 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.
Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains
– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Equality Opportunity 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, Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S., to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Equality Opportunity can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Equality Opportunity has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Equality Opportunity to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. case study. Equality Opportunity can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Learning at scale
– Online learning technologies has now opened space for Equality Opportunity 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.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Equality Opportunity can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Equality Opportunity operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Leadership & Managing People sector.
Buying journey improvements
– Equality Opportunity can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. 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.
Finding new ways to collaborate
– Covid-19 has not only transformed business models of companies in Leadership & Managing People industry, but it has also influenced the consumer preferences. Equality Opportunity can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
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 Equality Opportunity 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.
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 Equality Opportunity in the consumer business. Now Equality Opportunity can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Developing new processes and practices
– Equality Opportunity 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.
Threats Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. are -
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 Equality Opportunity.
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. Equality Opportunity can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Equality Opportunity is facing in Leadership & Managing People sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Increasing wage structure of Equality Opportunity
– 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 Equality Opportunity.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Equality Opportunity 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.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Equality Opportunity 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.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S., Equality Opportunity 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 .
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. Equality Opportunity needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Leadership & Managing People industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Equality Opportunity 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 Equality Opportunity in the Leadership & Managing People sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Equality Opportunity 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 Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. .
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Equality Opportunity has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Leadership & Managing People industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Equality Opportunity 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.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Equality Opportunity 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.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. 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 Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. 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 Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. 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 Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. 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 Equality of Opportunity and Outcome in the U.S. 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 Equality Opportunity needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.