Ung [Type here] Running head: DEVELOPING A SWOT 1 Developing a SWOT Name: Institution: Ung 2 DEVELOPING A SWOT Introduction The environmental analysis of any business is essential in identifying and assessing the internal and external opportunities or challenges that influence its performance in the market. The environmental scanning of a business facilitates the formulation of strategies that resonate with the prevailing market conditions. The analysis of a business environment is actualized by identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) that are critical to the market performance of a business. The internal analysis of business environmental facilitates the identification of both the strengths that increase the competitiveness of the business in the market and weaknesses that limit its performance (Kraja & Osmani, 2015). On the other hand, the external environment enables businesses to identify opportunities which they can exploit to enhance competitiveness in the market and threats that potentially hinder their continued growth or expansion. The introduction of the healthcare department and the medical matchmaker website into google family is essential for expanding the services provided by the company (Kraja & Osmani, 2015). However, the success of the new website and the services provided cannot be ascertained without analyzing its business environment. Google market leadership in innovations, vast financial and human resources, and global outreach provides the new website with an opportunity to compete with other online medical solutions. However, the efficient operation of the website is limited by the dynamic nature of technologies, intellectual property right, fluctuating global economy, legal issues, and industry changes. This paper explores and analyzes internal and external business environmental factors that may influence the performance of the medical matchmaker website. Ung 3 DEVELOPING A SWOT Internal Environment Analysis Strengths Leadership Google’s leadership in search engine technologies provides the medical matchmaker website with an opportunity to popularize its services to all market segments (Nehls, 2011). The website may exploit critical tools such as google analytics to match potential patients with the qualified physicians. Additionally, the website may take advantage of the google ads to optimize its marketing campaign. Structures The medical matchmaker website has an opportunity to exploit the extensive hardware and software structures that Google has developed over the years (Nehls, 2011). The availability of the optimal structures has the potential to reduce the operating cost of the website and the services it provides. The structures present the website with an opportunity to provide the patients with a stable and reliable platform that meet their health care needs. Innovations The market competitiveness of Google is dependent on innovation and invention of web technologies (Nehls, 2011). The medical matchmaker website can potentially increase its market competitiveness by taking advantage of innovations owned by Google. Moreover, the presence of experienced human capital at google presents the website with an opportunity to roll out new products which have the potential to increase its market competitiveness. Ung 4 DEVELOPING A SWOT Culture The success and performance of Google in the local and international market is facilitated by the adoption of organization culture that values its employees and customers (Nehls, 2011). The presence of a well-defined organization culture presents the website with a platform for enhancing employee satisfaction and customer experience which have the potential to improve its market competitiveness. Moreover, the adoption of the established culture has the potential improve the website’s customer relationship management efforts which is critical to enhancing the performance of a business. Weaknesses Technologies The process of matching patients with the right physicians from different parts of the world requires the use of technologies that guarantee the security and privacy of the data of all parties involved (Nehls, 2011). Though Google has the capacity to provide highly secure technologies for holding patients data, the available technologies are not optimized to provide health care services and may thus reduce the effectiveness of the website. Moreover, Google’s low experience with the dynamics of the healthcare industry hampers its ability to develop innovative technologies that may increase its competitiveness in the market. Processes and Systems The established systems and processes at Google limit the ability of the website to meet the dynamic needs of the healthcare services (Nehls, 2011). The alignment of the services provided by the website to the mission, vision, and business strategies of google hinders its ability to revolutionize the healthcare business by adopting innovative business processes and technologies. In essence, the establishment of a department within Google to manage the Ung 5 DEVELOPING A SWOT operation of the medical matchmaker website denies it the ability to formulate a business model that is distinct from that of the parent company. Intellectual Property The operation of the medical matchmaker website requires the use of several proprietary technologies to actualize tasks such as data gathering, optimization of the matching process, and facilitating the communication between physicians and the patients. The use of proprietary technologies has the potential to limit the ability of the website to reconfigure such technologies to enhance the quality of services provided without violating the terms of use. Moreover, the utilization of the proprietary technologies may eat into the profits generated by the website which may hinder its organic growth. External Environmental Analysis Opportunities Global The global presence of Google is an opportunity that the medical matchmaker website can exploit to make a foray into the international market (Nehls, 2011). Besides, the Google brand present the website with an adequate tool for facilitating cheap penetration of new markets. Moreover, the website can also exploit the structures set by Google to serve various market segments and consequently increase its revenues. Social The availability of various social media platforms presents the website with ample tools for personalizing its market campaign which has the potential to increase its popularity (Nehls, 2011). Additionally, social media platforms such as Google +, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube provide the website with a channel for facilitating real-time customer relationship management. Ung 6 DEVELOPING A SWOT The website can also exploit the social media to create an emotional bond with the existing and the available customers which is essential for enabling repeat business, referrals, and positive reviews. Competitive analysis Google competitiveness in the local and international market presents the website with an opportunity to leverage the strength of Google brand to outperform competitors in its market segment (Nehls, 2011). The website can exploit the technological advancement and resources possessed by Google to conquer all markets. Moreover, the huge financial and human resource capital possessed by Google provides the website with adequate tools for introducing new products in the market and revolutionizing the healthcare industry. Economic The continued demand for Google’s services has enabled it to weather global financial crises (Nehls, 2011). The demand for google advertisement services has played a critical role in increasing the revenues and consequently the profitability of the company. The medical matchmaker website can increase its business and market competitiveness by exploiting the confidence that googles commands in the market. Threats Industry changes The rapid changes in communication technologies are increasingly revolutionizing how people access the internet. However, Google’s inability to adapt to new technologies is making it lose business to its competitors such as Baidu and Bing (Nehls, 2011). The waning market competitiveness of Google may have a direct impact on the future growth of the medical matchmaker website. Ung 7 DEVELOPING A SWOT Legal and regulatory Google is increasingly being criticized due to its prohibitive methods of conducting online activities (Shinal, 2017). The company has been accused of flouting copyright laws and conducting unethical business activities (Shinal, 2017). The institution of legal actions against Google in various countries increases the vulnerability of Google brand to bad publicity which may affect its market competitiveness. On the other hand, the strict regulatory control of private data has the potential to expose the Google to bad publicity and legal actions in the event unauthorized entities access the information held by the department. Environmental The huge data centers operated by Google consume a lot of power which increases the carbon footprint of the company (Clark, 2011). The huge carbon emissions burden borne by google exposes the company to debilitating criticism by environmental organizations which may cause environmental conscious customers to shun the company’s services. The loss of potential customers may limit the growth of the medical matchmaker website both locally and in the international market. Conclusion The dynamic nature of communication technologies makes it imperative for business organizations to develop strategies for adapting their systems to emerging technologies to avoid losing their competitive edge in the market. The new healthcare department at Google will address the issue of technological changes by creating a culture of learning and accepting Ung 8 DEVELOPING A SWOT change. In addition, the department will encourage and facilitate its employees to enhance their education to gain knowledge on the emerging technologies. The supply chain of the medical matchmaker website is made of various healthcare providers, the website, and the customers. The healthcare providers supply the website with experienced physicians who are matched with patients seeking specialized medical consultation or treatment. The Google healthcare department will exploit the market confidence that Google enjoys, the experienced human resource capital, and the huge financial capital to attract qualified physicians to subscribe to the services provided by the medical matchmaker website. Additionally, the department will take advantage of the innovative culture at Google to align its business with the set goals and to adapt to new technologies that enhances employees’ satisfaction and customer experience. Moreover, the department will leverage on the structures set by Google and its global presence to make a foray into the international market that is less competitive than the United States market. The above analysis makes it clear that the healthcare department at Google is faced with various unavoidable issues that may derail its foray into the local and internal market. The major challenges which may affect the performance of the website include the increasing bad publicity of the Google brand, the waning competitiveness of Google, and static structures and systems at Google. Moreover, the lack of experience in healthcare management may deny the department and the website a competitive edge in the market. References Ung 9 DEVELOPING A SWOT Clark, D. (2011). Google discloses carbon footprint for the first time. The Guardian. Retrieved 16 April 2018, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/sep/08/googlecarbon-footprint Kraja, Y., & Osmani, E. (2015). Importance of External and Internal Environment in Creation of Competitive Advantage to SMEs. European Scientific Journal, 11(13). Nehls, E. (2011). A Business Analysis Project on Google Inc. (1st ed.). Norderstedt: GRIN Verlag. Shinal, J. (2017). It's not just Europe — Google is on the legal defensive around the globe. CNBC. Retrieved 16 April 2018, from https://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/29/googleslegal-problems-are-worldwide.html Ung 10 DEVELOPING A SWOT Appendix INTERNAL FORCES AND TRENDS STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES • culture • Technologies • Structures • Intellectual property • Innovations • Processes and systems • leadership EXTERNAL FORCES AND TRENDS OPPORTUNITIES THREATS • Global • Legal and regulatory • Social • Industry changes • Economic • Environmental • Competitive analysis
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