Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Leadership & Managing People
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL
This two-part case revolves around a mandate given by Ganesh Purandare, head of the financial services business unit at SDL, a growing software development company, to Mohua Sen, head of recruitment for the division, whereby he asks her to reduce recruitment times. For SDL, each lateral hire is done against a billable opportunity. Hence, timely or early fulfilment is critical not only to ensuring project deliverables but also for addressing the immediate billability question. Part A: Mohua Sen examines the entire process timelines and considers the feasibility of reducing recruitment times. The principles of business process re-engineering are used to study the problem of process cycle time reduction. Students are asked to provide possible solutions.
Swot Analysis of "Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL" written by Debolina Dutta includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Sdl Mohua facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, Change management, Talent management and Leadership & Managing People.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL casestudy better are - – banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, customer relationship management is fast transforming because of increasing concerns over data privacy, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, increasing transportation and logistics costs, increasing government debt because of Covid-19 spendings, challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models,
there is increasing trade war between United States & China, increasing commodity prices, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Sdl Mohua, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Sdl Mohua 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 Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Sdl Mohua
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 Sdl Mohua
Strengths Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Sdl Mohua in Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL Harvard Business Review case study are -
Highly skilled collaborators
– Sdl Mohua 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 Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL HBR case study have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.
Digital Transformation in Leadership & Managing People segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Sdl Mohua digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Sdl Mohua 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.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Leadership & Managing People industry
– Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Sdl Mohua to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Leadership & Managing People industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Sdl Mohua to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Training and development
– Sdl Mohua has one of the best training and development program in the industry. The effectiveness of the training programs can be measured in Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL 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.
Superior customer experience
– The customer experience strategy of Sdl Mohua in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Learning organization
- Sdl Mohua 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 Sdl Mohua is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Organizational Resilience of Sdl Mohua
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Sdl Mohua does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Effective Research and Development (R&D)
– Sdl Mohua 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 Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
Innovation driven organization
– Sdl Mohua is one of the most innovative firm in sector. Manager in Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL Harvard Business Review case study can use Clayton Christensen Disruptive Innovation strategies to further increase the scale of innovtions in the organization.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Sdl Mohua has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Sdl Mohua 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 brand equity
– Sdl Mohua has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Sdl Mohua to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Cross disciplinary teams
– Horizontal connected teams at the Sdl Mohua 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.
Weaknesses Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL are -
High dependence on star products
– The top 2 products and services of the firm as mentioned in the Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL 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 Sdl Mohua has relatively successful track record of launching new products.
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL 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 Sdl Mohua 's lucrative customers.
Increasing silos among functional specialists
– The organizational structure of Sdl Mohua is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Leadership & Managing People segment. Sdl Mohua needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Sdl Mohua 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 Sdl Mohua supply chain. Even after few cautionary changes mentioned in the HBR case study - Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL, it is still heavily dependent upon the existing supply chain. The existing supply chain though brings in cost efficiencies but it has left Sdl Mohua vulnerable to further global disruptions in South East Asia.
Aligning sales with marketing
– It come across in the case study Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL 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 Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL can leverage the sales team experience to cultivate customer relationships as Sdl Mohua is planning to shift buying processes online.
High cash cycle compare to competitors
Sdl Mohua 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.
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL, is just above the industry average. Sdl Mohua 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.
Slow decision making process
– As mentioned earlier in the report, Sdl Mohua 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. Sdl Mohua 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 Sdl Mohua, firm in the HBR case study Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Interest costs
– Compare to the competition, Sdl Mohua 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.
Workers concerns about automation
– As automation is fast increasing in the segment, Sdl Mohua 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.
Opportunities Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL | 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 Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL are -
Building a culture of innovation
– managers at Sdl Mohua 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.
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 Sdl Mohua in the consumer business. Now Sdl Mohua can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Sdl Mohua 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.
Creating value in data economy
– The success of analytics program of Sdl Mohua has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in the industry. This can help Sdl Mohua to build a more holistic ecosystem as suggested in the Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL case study. Sdl Mohua can build new products and services such as - data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.
Lowering marketing communication costs
– 5G expansion will open new opportunities for Sdl Mohua 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.
Developing new processes and practices
– Sdl Mohua 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.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Sdl Mohua 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.
Redefining models of collaboration and team work
– As explained in the weaknesses section, Sdl Mohua is facing challenges because of the dominance of functional experts in the organization. Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL 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.
Remote work and new talent hiring opportunities
– The widespread usage of remote working technologies during Covid-19 has opened opportunities for Sdl Mohua 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 Sdl Mohua to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.
Buying journey improvements
– Sdl Mohua can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL 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.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Sdl Mohua can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Sdl Mohua operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Leadership & Managing People sector.
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Sdl Mohua to increase its market reach. Sdl Mohua 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.
Manufacturing automation
– Sdl Mohua 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.
Threats Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL are -
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Sdl Mohua with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Sdl Mohua is facing in Leadership & Managing People sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
Technology disruption because of hacks, piracy etc
– The colonial pipeline illustrated, how vulnerable modern organization are to international hackers, miscreants, and disruptors. The cyber security interruption, data leaks, etc can seriously jeopardize the future growth of the organization.
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 Sdl Mohua in the Leadership & Managing People sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
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. Sdl Mohua 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.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Sdl Mohua 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.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Sdl Mohua has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Leadership & Managing People industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Sdl Mohua 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.
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. Sdl Mohua can utilize it by borrowing at lower rates and invest it into research and development, capital expenditure to fortify its core competitive advantage.
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. Sdl Mohua needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Leadership & Managing People industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
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 Sdl Mohua.
Stagnating economy with rate increase
– Sdl Mohua 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.
Learning curve for new practices
– As the technology based on artificial intelligence and machine learning platform is getting complex, as highlighted in case study Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL, Sdl Mohua 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 .
Increasing wage structure of Sdl Mohua
– 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 Sdl Mohua.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL 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 Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL 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 Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL 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 Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL 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 Recruiting Faster: (A) Process Innovation at SDL 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 Sdl Mohua needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.
