Xiangxing International (8157) SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / MBA Resources

Introduction to SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix for Xiangxing International (Hong Kong)

Based on various researches at Oak Spring University , Xiangxing International is operating in a macro-environment that has been destablized by – central banks are concerned over increasing inflation, cloud computing is disrupting traditional business models, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, geopolitical disruptions, increasing government debt because of Covid-19 spendings, digital marketing is dominated by two big players Facebook and Google, banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, increasing commodity prices, there is backlash against globalization, etc

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Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Xiangxing International

SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University, we believe that Xiangxing International can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Xiangxing International, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Xiangxing International 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.

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SWOT Objectives / Importance of SWOT Analysis and SWOT Matrix

SWOT analysis of Xiangxing International can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning of Xiangxing International
2. Improving business portfolio management of Xiangxing International
3. Assessing feasibility of the new initiative in Hong Kong
4. Making a Waste Management Services sector specific business decision
5. Set goals for the organization
6. Organizational restructuring of Xiangxing International

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Strengths of Xiangxing International | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis

The strengths of Xiangxing International are -

Innovation driven organization

– Xiangxing International is one of the most innovative firm in Waste Management Services sector.

High switching costs

– The high switching costs that Xiangxing International 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.

Diverse revenue streams

– Xiangxing International is present in almost all the verticals within the Waste Management Services industry. This has provided Xiangxing International 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.

Operational resilience

– The operational resilience strategy of Xiangxing International comprises – understanding the underlying the factors in the Waste Management Services 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.

Low bargaining power of suppliers

– Suppliers of Xiangxing International in the Services sector have low bargaining power. Xiangxing International has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Xiangxing International to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.

Highly skilled collaborators

– Xiangxing International has highly efficient outsourcing and offshoring strategy. It has resulted in greater operational flexibility and bringing down the costs in highly price sensitive Waste Management Services industry. Secondly the value chain collaborators of Xiangxing International have helped the firm to develop new products and bring them quickly to the marketplace.

Strong track record of project management in the Waste Management Services industry

– Xiangxing International 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 Waste Management Services industry

- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Xiangxing International digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Xiangxing International 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.

Cross disciplinary teams

– Horizontal connected teams at the Xiangxing International 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.

High brand equity

– Xiangxing International has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Xiangxing International to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.

Organizational Resilience of Xiangxing International

– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing Xiangxing International does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.

Sustainable margins compare to other players in Waste Management Services industry

– Xiangxing International has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Xiangxing International to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Waste Management Services industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Xiangxing International to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.

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Weaknesses of Xiangxing International | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis

The weaknesses of Xiangxing International are -

High bargaining power of channel partners in Waste Management Services industry

– because of the regulatory requirements in Hong Kong, Xiangxing International 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 Waste Management Services industry.

Increasing silos among functional specialists

– The organizational structure of Xiangxing International is dominated by functional specialists. It is not different from other players in the Waste Management Services industry, but Xiangxing International needs to de-silo the office environment to harness the true potential of its workforce. Secondly the de-silo will also help Xiangxing International to focus more on services in the Waste Management Services industry rather than just following the product oriented approach.

Workers concerns about automation

– As automation is fast increasing in the Waste Management Services industry, Xiangxing International 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.

Slow to harness new channels of communication

– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Xiangxing International is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication can help Xiangxing International to provide better information regarding Waste Management Services products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.

High operating costs

– Compare to the competitors, Xiangxing International has high operating costs in the Waste Management Services industry. This can be harder to sustain given the new emerging competition from nimble players who are using technology to attract Xiangxing International lucrative customers.

Slow to strategic competitive environment developments

– As Xiangxing International is one of the leading players in the Waste Management Services industry, it takes time to assess the upcoming competitions. This has led to missing out on atleast 2-3 big opportunities in the Waste Management Services industry in last five years.

Slow decision making process

– As mentioned earlier in the report, Xiangxing International has a very deliberative decision making approach. This approach has resulted in prudent decisions, but it has also resulted in missing opportunities in the Waste Management Services industry over the last five years. Xiangxing International 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.

Compensation and incentives

– The revenue per employee of Xiangxing International is just above the Waste Management Services industry average. It 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 Xiangxing International has some of the most successful models in the Waste Management Services industry, this business model has made each new product launch extremely critical for continuous financial growth of the organization. Xiangxing International should strive to include more intangible value offerings along with its core products and services.

Interest costs

– Compare to the competition, Xiangxing International 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.

Lack of clear differentiation of Xiangxing International products

– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Xiangxing International needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.

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Xiangxing International Opportunities | External Strategic Factors
What are Opportunities in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis

The opportunities of Xiangxing International are -

Better consumer reach

– The expansion of the 5G network will help Xiangxing International to increase its market reach. Xiangxing International 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.

Changes in consumer behavior post Covid-19

– consumer behavior has changed in the Waste Management Services industry because of Covid-19 restrictions. Some of this behavior will stay once things get back to normal. Xiangxing International can take advantage of these changes in consumer behavior to build a far more efficient business model. For example consumer regular ordering of products can reduce both last mile delivery costs and market penetration costs. Xiangxing International can further use this consumer data to build better customer loyalty, provide better products and service collection, and improve the value proposition in inflationary times.

Creating value in data economy

– The success of analytics program of Xiangxing International has opened avenues for new revenue streams for the organization in Waste Management Services industry. This can help Xiangxing International to build a more holistic ecosystem for Xiangxing International products in the Waste Management Services industry by providing – data insight services, data privacy related products, data based consulting services, etc.

Manufacturing automation

– Xiangxing International can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Waste Management Services sector. 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.

Harnessing reconfiguration of the global supply chains

– As the trade war between US and China heats up in the coming years, Xiangxing International 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 Xiangxing International to buy more products closer to the markets, and it can leverage its size and influence to get better deal from the local markets.

Increase in government spending

– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Xiangxing International can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Xiangxing International operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Waste Management Services sector.

Using analytics as competitive advantage

– Xiangxing International has spent a significant amount of money and effort to integrate analytics and machine learning into its operations in Waste Management Services sector. This continuous investment in analytics has enabled Xiangxing International to build a competitive advantage using analytics. The analytics driven competitive advantage can help Xiangxing International to build faster Go To Market strategies, better consumer insights, developing relevant product features, and building a highly efficient supply chain.

Reforming the budgeting process

- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Xiangxing International 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 Xiangxing International 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 Xiangxing International to hire the very best people irrespective of their geographical location.

Low interest rates

– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Xiangxing International 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.

Use of Bitcoin and other crypto currencies for transactions in Waste Management Services industry

– The popularity of Bitcoin and other crypto currencies as asset class and medium of transaction has opened new opportunities for Xiangxing International in the Waste Management Services industry. Now Xiangxing International can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.

Loyalty marketing

– Xiangxing International 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.

Finding new ways to collaborate

– Covid-19 has not only transformed business models of companies in Waste Management Services industry, but it has also influenced the consumer preferences. Xiangxing International can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.

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Threats Xiangxing International External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis

The threats of Xiangxing International are -

High dependence on third party suppliers

– Xiangxing International 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.

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.

Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution

– Xiangxing International has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Waste Management Services industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Xiangxing International needs to keep up with the evolution of technology in the Waste Management Services 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.

Consumer confidence and its impact on Xiangxing International 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 Waste Management Services industry and other sectors.

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 Xiangxing International business can come under increasing regulations regarding data privacy, data security, etc.

Barriers of entry lowering

– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry to Waste Management Services industry are lowering. It can presents Xiangxing International with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the Waste Management Services sector.

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. Xiangxing International needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Waste Management Services industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.

Regulatory challenges

– Xiangxing International 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 Waste Management Services industry regulations.

Increasing wage structure of Xiangxing International

– 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 Xiangxing International.

Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins

– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Xiangxing International 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 Xiangxing International prominent markets.

Shortening product life cycle

– it is one of the major threat that Xiangxing International is facing in Waste Management Services sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.

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.

Environmental challenges

– Xiangxing International 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. Xiangxing International can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Waste Management Services industry.

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Weighted SWOT Analysis of Xiangxing International Template, Example

Not all factors mentioned under the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats quadrants in the SWOT Analysis are equal. Managers at Xiangxing International 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 Xiangxing International 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 Xiangxing International 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 Xiangxing International 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 Xiangxing International needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.

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