Ford v. Honda Ford's SWOT Analysis: Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Brand recognition Low quality scores (LeBeau, 2011) Chinese market (Forbes, 2011) Competitors Distribution Management retirements (Muller, 2012) Hybrids/fuel efficiency Weak economic conditions New Products Pensions/legacy costs US recovery? Rising costs Renewed consumer interest Distributor issues? Other BRICS High gas prices Mulally is a good leader No global mfg platform Smaller vehicles US competitors are backed by gov't In order for Ford to address these issues, the following strategic concepts should be implemented
Ford v. Honda Ford's SWOT Analysis: Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Brand recognition Low quality scores (LeBeau, 2011) Chinese market (Forbes, 2011) Competitors Distribution Management retirements (Muller, 2012) Hybrids/fuel efficiency Weak economic conditions New Products Pensions/legacy costs US recovery? Rising costs Renewed consumer interest Distributor issues? Other BRICS High gas prices Mulally is a good leader No global mfg platform Smaller vehicles US competitors are backed by gov't In order for Ford to address these issues, the following strategic concepts should be implemented
New product introductions is another one that should be utilized as well, since that is part of the company's recover strategy. The SWOT for Honda is as follows: Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Brand recognition Mature/stagnant? High growth BRICs, especially China (Yan
This created a situation where the organization is able to adapt and change. For example, following a threaten the organization, where a blogger raise concerns regarding the health content of macaroni cheese, the organization was able to respond rapidly, and announced they would be making changes to their products so that it would be healthy (Baertlein, 2014)
This can also be beneficial, due to the benefits associated with cross branding, and the way in which the Kraft name is perceived. The strong performance of the company in some areas, inability to gain consumer trust, is likely to support other products from the same company (Kotler & Armstrong, 2014)
9%, compared to 34.97% for the industry as a whole (MSN Money, 2014)
And its stakeholders are the customers, employees, suppliers and the communities (Xerox, 2011). SWOT Analysis Strengths -- These include effective communication, loyal customers, a strong management team, a strong brand equity, and a strong brand image (Mourad, 2014; Management Paradise, 2013)
Similarly, managers and employees of the organization acquire significant information from using the SWOT analysis diagram. They acquire insights into their abilities, strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities that should be utilized to improve their performance (Darvish & Zahra Najafi, 2014)
Among the strategies that should be adopted to achieve this goal, include involving the employees in making decisions related to the organizational project, adopting personal measures of ensuring tidiness and organization, and creating awareness among the employees to promote the adoption of the desired organizational strategies. Involving all the organizational stakeholders in the process will promote the creation of organizational culture of teamwork for ensuring the success of the designed organizational processes (Townsend & Liu, 2012)
SWOT analysis is a method that is used for companies and geographical regions in general in the provision of an objective rating template. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (Friesner, 2000-2010)
As far as international expansion is concerned, Southwest Airlines can make acquisition of international airlines to start serving the international markets. The strong brand image and financial strength can greatly benefit the company in establishing its Global presence in a short period of time (Cadle, Paul, & Yeates, 2010)
The heavy expenditures done on the Research and Development section are also posing pressures on its profit margins. In the future when Southwest Airlines will expand its operations to international markets, the intensity of competition and economic pressures will increase up to a great extent (Jobber, 2009)
Southwest Airlines can expend greater amount on its Research and Development section in a view to produce more advanced technologies and improve its customer services including e-ticketing and web booking services. Furthermore, Southwest Airlines can make effective marketing and promotional efforts in a view to communicate its low price traveling services and discounted offers to the potential market segment (Kotler, Brown, Burton, Deans, & Armstrong, 2010)
Another big strength of the company is its brand image among its key stakeholders which it has developed by providing the highest quality of services for more than 40 years. The low-cost strategy has helped the company in keeping itself in the row of the most competitive airlines in the world (Kurtz, MacKenzie, & Snow, 2010)
The entire fleet flies on the Boeing 737 aircrafts. It shows good supply chain relations, but adding more manufacturers in the supply chain can give it a competitive advantage in terms of cost-efficiency and broader business network (Lancaster & Withey, 2007)
B) External Analysis: a) Opportunities: Southwest Airlines has numerous opportunities to grow in the local as well as international markets. It can take advantage from its distinctive competencies and core strengths to overcome its weaknesses (McDonald, 2011)
The company has planned to internationalize its business operations in 2014 by offering its passenger and logistic services to the worldwide customers. The highly advanced, safe, and cost-efficient fleets make the Southwest Airlines one of the most successful airlines in the country (Southwest, 2012)
This continuous expansion and intensification within the industry is one of the leading opportunities for Apple Inc., as they endeavor to offer their consumers with technologically sophisticated products and services (McDonald & Keegan, 2002)
However, the primary reason behind the brand name that classify Apple from others present in the market is leading and opening a new way to the innovative and modern technologies, such as iPhone, iPad and so forth, which has become its one of its core strengths. This is particularly because the products designed are easy to use, stylish in its design and have technical elegance (Newlands & Hooper, 2009)
Macintosh computers, iPod, iPhone, iPad, iMac are few of the popular and admired range of product lines that is offered by Apple Inc. (O'GRADY, 2008)