Microsoft Corporation is a US-based global technology company with headquarters in Richmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, Microsoft’s mission is ‘to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more’. Microsoft employs more than 130 000 people internationally. During the fiscal year 2018 the tech giant generated USD 110.4 billion in revenue and USD 35.1 billion in operating income. Microsoft produces a wide range of products and services related to productivity and business processes and to support digital work and life of customers. Some of its products and services have become highly popular in the global scale. For example, more than 135 million people use Office 365 commercial every month and Outlook Mobile is installed into more than 100 million iOS and Android devices worldwide. Similarly, Microsoft Teams is used by more than 300 organizations worldwide, including 87 of the Fortune 100 and nowadays there are nearly 700 million devices around the world with active Windows 10. In 2014, Satya Nadella replaced Steve Ballmer as CEO of Microsoft. Since taking over the top job, Nadella has focused on ‘humanising’ the company by improving its organizational culture and he also enhanced the coordination of efforts across the departments and groups of the company. Microsoft business strategy can be classified as product differentiation. The company develops advanced technological products and services and sells them for premium costs. Moreover, Microsoft business strategy is currently focused on “cloud-first, mobile-first”, growth through mergers and acquisitions and exploring business opportunities related to augmented and virtual reality. Recently, the multinational technology company has also included ‘tech intensity’ as one of the important pillars of its business strategy Microsoft Corporation Report contains the application of the major analytical strategic frameworks in business studies such as SWOT, PESTEL, Porter’s Five Forces, Value Chain analysis, Ansoff Matrix and…
The table below illustrates ZARA SWOT analysis template Strengths 1. Attractive design of products 2. Strong international presence with more than 2,200 stores in 96 countries[1] 3. Globally 24th most valuable brand with the brand value of more than 18,5 billion[2] 4. Short product development time: from concept to shop shelf in just 2 weeks[3] Weaknesses 1. Ineffective marketing strategy with minimum marketing budget 2. Presence of gaps in the product range 3. Higher employee attrition rate compared to industry average 4. Ineffective cost structure Opportunities 1. Increasing online presence of the brand with the focus on social media 2. Strengthening presence in emerging economies 3. Establishing collaborations with celebrity designers 4. Entering lifestyle products business using current competitive advantages Threats 1. Intensifying competition from high end fashion merchandisers locally and globally 2. The loss of appeal within target customer segment 3. Failure to meet fashion tastes and preferences of millenials 4. Intensifying imitation of counterfeit Zara products How to use ZARA SWOT Analysis template above Expand each point above into one or more paragraphs with discussions and analysis. Additional points related to ZARA strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats not listed above can also be included if you think they are relevant points and add value to the work. You will need to support your arguments with references from reliable sources such as annual report of the company, industry journals and magazines and government publications. Your discussions will need to include statistical data and preferably charts and graphs with references to the sources. You can also find many examples for the application of SWOT analysis using the case studies of famous global brands here. [1] Forbes (2018) Available at: https://www.forbes.com/companies/zara/#130432337487 [2] Interbrand 2017 Rankings (2018) Available at: https://www.interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2017/ranking/zara/ [3] Zara supply chain analysis – the secret behind Zara’s retail success (2018)…
By John Dudovskiy
Category: Beauty & Fashion
The table below illustrates Virgin Group SWOT analysis template Strengths 1. Charismatic leadership by Sir Richard Branson 2. Highly diversified successful businesses within Virgin Group portfolio serving 53 million customers worldwide[1] 3. Effective marketing strategy 4. Extensive management experience and capabilities across a wide range of industries Weaknesses 1. Vulnerability due to ‘spillover effect’ of negative publicity, because the group has more than 60 businesses with Virgin brand name.[2] 2. Lack of focus on specific product and service categories 3. Customer perception of being expensive brand 4. Financial problems of Virgin Atlantic Opportunities 1. Investments in e-commerce in artificial intelligence (AI) 2. Concentrating only on most profitable product and service categories, i.e. narrowing focus 3. Increasing presence in emerging economies such as China and India 4. Finding and utilising new sources of competitive advantage Threats 1. Leadership issues after the departure of Richard Branson 2. Negative economic implications of Brexit on UK-based businesses 3. Financial problems due to overly risk-taking approach to new businesses 4. Intensification of the loss of brand identity How to use Virgin Group SWOT Analysis template above Expand each point above into one or more paragraphs with discussions and analysis. Additional points related to Virgin Group strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats not listed above can also be included if you think they are relevant points and add value to the work. You will need to support your arguments with references from reliable sources such as annual report of the company, industry journals and magazines and government publications. Your discussions will need to include statistical data and preferably charts and graphs with references to the sources. You can also find many examples for the application of SWOT analysis using the case studies of famous global brands here. [1] About US (2018) Virgin, Available at: https://www.virgin.com/virgingroup/content/about-us [2] About…
By John Dudovskiy
Category: Airline
The table below illustrates KFC SWOT analysis template Strengths 1. Second largest restaurant chain globally with more than 21000 outlets in 130 countries[1] 2. Fourth the Most Valuable Brand in fast food industry worldwide with brand value of USD 15,1 billion[2] 3. Original 11 herbs and spices recipe 4. Faster growth rate in developing countries compared to major competitors Weaknesses 1. KFC food is considered unhealthy 2. Negative publicity involving the quality of food 3. Ineffective marketing strategy 4. High employee turnover[3] Opportunities 1. New product development with the focus on healthy food 2. Ordering online and home delivery 3. Greater integration of social media into marketing strategy 4. Further cost reduction opportunities via greater technology integration in manufacturing processes Threats 1. Fast food market saturation in developed countries 2. Increasing customer awareness about negative health implications of fast food 3. Intensifying competition from local fast food chains 4. Failure to meet millennial tastes and preferences How to use KFC SWOT Analysis template above Expand each point above into one or more paragraphs with discussions and analysis. Additional points related to KFC strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats not listed above can also be included if you think they are relevant points and add value to the work. You will need to support your arguments with references from reliable sources such as annual report of the company, industry journals and magazines and government publications. Your discussions will need to include statistical data and preferably charts and graphs with references to the sources. You can also find many examples for the application of SWOT analysis using the case studies of famous global brands here. [1] WHAT MADE US GREAT IS STILL WHAT MAKES US GREAT (2018) KFC, Available at: https://www.kfc.com/about [2] Statista (2018) Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/273057/value-of-the-most-valuable-fast-food-brands-worldwide/ [3] Lazarri, Z. (2018)…
By John Dudovskiy
Category: Catering
The table below illustrates Ford Motor Company SWOT analysis template Strengths 1. Brand value of almost USD 14 billion[1] 2. Effective R&D strategy with R&D investments of USD8 billion in 2017 alone[2] 3. Extensive range of patent ownership with more than 13500 patents[3] 4. Market share of 14,8% in the US[4] Weaknesses 1. Product recall frequency higher than industry average 2. Weaker position in developing markets 3. Weaker production capabilities compared to major competitors such as Toyota, Volkswagen, and General Motors 4. Lack of appeal among younger customers Opportunities 1. Increasing presence in developing markets 2. Greater focus on alternative fuel vehicles 3. Greater integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous driving 4. Benefiting from digital marketing to a greater extent Threats 1. Another global economic and/or financial crisis 2. Further intensification of competition 3. Oil prices fluctuations may have adverse impact on sales 4. Regulatory changes unfavourable to automobile industry How to use Ford Motor Company SWOT Analysis template above Expand each point above into one or more paragraphs with discussions and analysis. Additional points related to Ford Motor Company strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats not listed above can also be included if you think they are relevant points and add value to the work. You will need to support your arguments with references from reliable sources such as annual report of the company, industry journals and magazines and government publications. Your discussions will need to include statistical data and preferably charts and graphs with references to the sources. You can also find many examples for the application of SWOT analysis using the case studies of famous global brands here. [1] Interbrand (2018) Available at: https://www.interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2018/ranking/ford/ [2] Ford’s research and development expenditures from FY 2013 to FY 2017 (2018) Statista, Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/260867/fords-research-development-expenditures/ [3] CBInsights (2018) Available at: https://www.cbinsights.com/investor/ford-motor-company-patents…
By John Dudovskiy
Category: Automobile
The table below illustrates Qatar Airways SWOT analysis template Strengths 1. Market leadership in luxury travel segment serving more than 150 destinations in all six continents[1] 2. High level of customer loyalty 3. Cross-cultural awareness in service provision 4. Strong backing from the government of Qatar Weaknesses 1. Massive operational expenses 2. Brand image has been damaged due to CEO’s sexist controversial remarks[2] 3. Lack of domestic flights in Qatar i.e. extensive reliance on external market 4. Low employee morale due to controversial HR practices Opportunities 1. Increase in demand of luxury travel from emerging economies such as China and India 2. Application of brand extension business strategy 3. Increase in demand thanks to 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar 4. Formation of strategic alliances with other companies in travel industry Threats 1. Political instability in Qatar due to its location in the middle of conflict zones 2. Intensification of competition 3. Further increase in fuel prices 4. New environmental regulations can have negative implications on airline industry How to use Qatar Airways SWOT Analysis template above Expand each point above into one or more paragraphs with discussions and analysis. Additional points related to Qatar Airways strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats not listed above can also be included if you think they are relevant points and add value to the work. You will need to support your arguments with references from reliable sources such as annual report of the company, industry journals and magazines and government publications. Your discussions will need to include statistical data and preferably charts and graphs with references to the sources. You can also find many examples for the application of SWOT analysis using the case studies of famous global brands here. [1] About Qatar Airways (2018) Available at: https://www.qatarairways.com/en/about-qatar-airways.html [2] Kollewe, J. (2018) “Qatar Airways…
By John Dudovskiy
Category: Airline
The table below illustrates Louis Vuitton SWOT analysis template Strengths 1. High level of brand recognition and brand value of USD 33,6 billion[1] 2. Effective implementation of celebrity endorsement strategy 3. Efficient collaboration with top designers worldwide 4. High level of customer loyalty Weaknesses 1. Overly expensive product prices 2. Lack of product innovation over the years 3. Weak online presence and online sales 4. Limited distribution channel – selling products through own stores only Opportunities 1. Potential in Asia in general and in China and India in particular 2. Formation of strategic collaboration with other companies in other industries targeting the same customer segment 3. Revamping the brand image to make it more attractive to Millenials and Generation Z 4. Development of new products and services applying Louis Vuitton competitive advantages Threats 1. Increase in the cases of counterfeit of Louis Vuitton products 2. Global economic and/or financial crisis similar to crisis of 2008 – 2010 3. Intensification of competition, specifically from emerging economies 4. Increase in the popularity of substitute fashion products and services How to use Louis Vuitton SWOT Analysis template above Expand each point above into one or more paragraphs with discussions and analysis. Additional points related to Louis Vuitton strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats not listed above can also be included if you think they are relevant points and add value to the work. You will need to support your arguments with references from reliable sources such as annual report of the company, industry journals and magazines and government publications. Your discussions will need to include statistical data and preferably charts and graphs with references to the sources. You can also find many examples for the application of SWOT analysis using the case studies of famous global brands here. [1] Most Valuable Brands (2018) Forbes,…
By John Dudovskiy
Category: Beauty & Fashion
The table below illustrates Costa Coffee SWOT analysis template Strengths 1. High level of international presence – the 2nd largest coffee chain globally with 3,401 stores across 31 countries 2. Largest coffee chain in the UK with 1,357 high street stores, 1,032 franchise stores and 7,100 Express machines[1] 3. Reputation for high quality coffee 4. Wider product range compared to its main competitor Starbucks Weaknesses 1. Inefficient marketing strategy 2. More expensive compared to Starbucks 3. Costa competitive advantage hard to sustain (can be imitated by new competitors) 4. Decline of sales by 1.5% in Q3, 2017 in UK[2] Opportunities 1. Pursuing more aggressive international market expansion strategy 2. Formation of strategic alliances with other business in catering industry 3. Development of new healthier caffeine products 4. Benefiting from the competitive advantages of its new parent company – Coca Cola Company Threats 1. Increasing prices of raw material i.e. coffee beans 2. Increasing indirect competition 3. Coffee being perceived as unhealthy beverage 4. Disruptions in supply chain How to use Costa Coffee SWOT Analysis template above Expand each point above into one or more paragraphs with discussions and analysis. Additional points related to Costa Coffee strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats not listed above can also be included if you think they are relevant points and add value to the work. You will need to support your arguments with references from reliable sources such as annual report of the company, industry journals and magazines and government publications. Your discussions will need to include statistical data and preferably charts and graphs with references to the sources. You can also find many examples for the application of SWOT analysis using the case studies of famous global brands here. [1] Kollewe, J. (2018) “Costa Coffee loses its froth as sales fall” The Guardian, Available…
By John Dudovskiy
Category: Catering
Tesla Inc. (formerly Tesla Motors Inc.) is an alternative fuel vehicles manufacturer founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in Palo Alto, California, USA. The company produces fully electric vehicles, energy generation and storage systems and also installs and maintains such systems and sells solar electricity. Tesla’s mission statement is ‘to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy’. The electric automaker operates stores and galleries in the US and 35 other countries worldwide and employs more than 70,500 people globally. In 2020, Tesla achieved operating margin of 6,3% which is the highest in the industry. The electric automaker had an operating cash flow less capex (free cash flow) of USD 2.8 billion during the same period. In the last quarter of 2020 alone, Tesla had USD 4.9 billion increase in cash and cash equivalents. Free cash flow during the same period reached USD 1.9 billion. Tesla business strategy integrates focus on electric cars and ownership of distribution of products. Moreover, the company stresses the low cost of ownership of Tesla electric vehicles as one of the solid bases of its competitive advantage. The alternative fuel vehicles manufacturer has a divisional organizational structure and its divisions include energy, engineering and production, HR and communications, legal and finance, sales and software. Tesla organizational culture, on the other hand, is associated with ambitious innovation, adherence of First Principles method of decision making and lack of bureaucracy throughout the company. Tesla possesses a set of competitive strengths. These include the first mover advantage, increasing numbers of vehicles sales, expertise in innovation and a high level of brand recognition at an international level. At the same time, there are certain issues that cast a doubt over long-term growth prospects of the electric automaker. These points of concern for Tesla include overly expensive price…