Chapter 3 The External Assessment

Chapter 3
The External Assessment
Strategic Management:
Concepts and Cases. 9th edition
Fred R. David
PowerPoint Slides by
Anthony F. Chelte
Western New England College
Ch.3-1
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

External Strategic Management Audit

Also called:
– Environmental scanning
– Industry analysis

Ch.3-2
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall


External Strategic Management Audit
External Audit:
– Identification and evaluation of trends and
events beyond control of single firm






Increased foreign competition
Populations shifts
Aging society
Information technology
Computer revolution
Ch.3-3
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall


Nature of External Audit
Purpose:
– Development of Finite List:
• Opportunities
• Threats to be avoided

Ch.3-4
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Key External Forces
Five (5) broad categories:
1. Economic forces
2. Social, cultural, demographic, &
environmental forces
3. Political, governmental, and legal forces
4. Technological factors
5. Competitive forces
Ch.3-5
Fred R. David

Prentice Hall

Relationships Between Key External Forces
and an Organization

Key
External
Forces

Competitors
Suppliers
Distributors
Creditors
Customers
Employees
Communities
Managers
Stockholders
Labor Unions
Special Interest Groups

Products
Services

Opportunities
&
Threats

Ch.3-6
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Performing an External Audit
Gather competitive intelligence on factors:
– Social
– Cultural
– Demographic
– Environmental
– Economic
– Political, legal, governmental
– technological

Ch.3-7
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Performing an External Audit
Sources of information include:
– Internet
– Libraries (corporate, university, public)
– Suppliers
– Distributors
– Customers
– Competition
Ch.3-8
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Performing an External Audit
Key factors:
– Vary over time
– Vary by industry


Ch.3-9
Fred R. David
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Performing an External Audit
Variables include:










Market share
Breadth of competing products
World economies

Foreign affiliates
Proprietary account advantages
Price competitiveness
Technological advancements
Interest rates
Pollution abatement

Ch.3-10
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Key External Factors
Key External Factors:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Oriented to long-term & annual objectives
Measurable

Applicable to all competing firms
Hierarchical



Overall company
Divisional or functional areas
Ch.3-11
Fred R. David
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Economic Forces
Monitor Key Economic Variables:










Availability of credit
Level of disposable income
Interest rates
Inflation rates
Money market rates
Federal government budget deficits
Gross domestic product trend
Consumption patterns
Ch.3-12
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Monitor Key Economic Variables:











Unemployment trends
Worker productivity levels
Value of the dollar in world markets
Stock market trends
Foreign countries’ economic conditions
Import/export factors
Demand shifts for goods/services
Income differences by region/customer
Ch.3-13
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Monitor Key Economic Variables:












Price fluctuations
Exportation of labor & capital
Monetary policies
Fiscal policies
Tax rates
ECC policies
OPEC policies
LDC policies
Ch.3-14
Fred R. David
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Social, Cultural, Demographic &
Environmental Forces
Major impact on:
– Products
– Services
– Markets
– customers

Ch.3-15
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Monitor Key Variables









Life expectancy rates
Per capita income
Attitudes toward business
Average disposable income
Buying habits
Ethical concerns
Attitudes toward saving
Ch.3-16
Fred R. David
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Monitor Key Variables









Racial equality
Average level of education
Government regulation
Attitudes toward customer service
Attitudes toward product quality
Energy conservation
Social responsibility
Ch.3-17
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Monitor Key Variables








Value placed on leisure time
Recycling
Waste management
Air & water pollution
Ozone depletion
Endangered species
Ch.3-18
Fred R. David
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Political, Govt., & Legal Forces
Government Regulation
• Key opportunities & key threats





Antitrust legislation (Microsoft)
Tax rates
Lobbying efforts
Patent laws
Ch.3-19
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Political, Govt., & Legal Forces
Increasing Global Interdependence


Impact of political variables
– Formulation of Strategies
– Implementation of Strategies

Ch.3-20
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Political, Govt., & Legal Forces
Increasing Global Interdependence


Strategists in a global economy


Forecast political climates
• Legalistic skills
• Diverse world cultures

Ch.3-21
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Political, Govt., & Legal Forces
Globalization of Industry
• Worldwide trend toward similar
consumption patterns
• Global buyers & sellers
• E-commerce
• Instant transmission of money &
information across continents
Ch.3-22
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Political, Govt., & Legal Forces
Key Political, govt., & legal variables:








Government regulation/deregulation
Tax law changes
Special tariffs
Political Action Committees (PACs)
Voter participation rates
Number of patents
Changes in patent laws
Ch.3-23
Fred R. David
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Technological Forces
Revolutionary technological forces:


Profound impact on organizations


Internet
• Semiconductors
• XML technologies
• UWB communications
Ch.3-24
Fred R. David
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Technological Forces
Internet changes the nature of opportunities and
threats -•






Alters life cycle of products
Increases speed of distribution
Creates new products and services
Eases limitations of geographic markets
Alters economies of scale
Changes entry barriers
Ch.3-25
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Competitive Forces

Collection and evaluation of information on
competitors is essential for successful
strategy formulation

Ch.3-26
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Competitive Forces

Competition in virtually all industries can be
described as intense.

Ch.3-27
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Competitive Forces
Identifying rival firms










Strengths
Weaknesses
Capabilities
Opportunities
Threats
Objectives
Strategies
Ch.3-28
Fred R. David
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Competitive Analysis: Porter’s FiveForces Model
Potential development
of substitute products

Bargaining power
of suppliers

Rivalry among
competing firms

Bargaining power
of consumers

Potential entry of new
competitors
Ch.3-29
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Industry Analysis (EFE)
External Factor Evaluation Matrix
Summarize & evaluate:
Economic

Demographic

Governmental

Social

Environmental

Technological

Cultural

Political

Competitive

Ch.3-30
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Industry Analysis (EFE)
Five-Step process:


List key external factors (10-20)
Opportunities



& threats

Assign weight to each (0 to 1.0)
Sum

of all weights = 1.0
 (not important to very important)
Ch.3-31
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Industry Analysis (EFE)


Five-step process:



Assign 1-4 rating to each factor



• Firm’s current strategies response to the
factor
• Response poor - superior

Multiply each factor’s weight by its rating
• Produces a weighted score

Ch.3-32
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Industry Analysis (EFE)
Five-step process:


Sum the weighted scores for each
Determines

the total weighted score
for the organization.



Highest possible weighted score for
the organization is 4.0; the lowest,
1.0. Average = 2.5
Ch.3-33
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall


Factor

Weight Rating Weighted
score

Opportunities
High-end in-home entertainment sales are growing nationally

0.15

4

0.60

Forecast for continued growth of expensive housing in Dade &
Broward counties
Wealthy foreigners buy expensive entertainment equipment for
their homes in South Florida
Current customers refer new prospects with little prompting

0.16

4

0.64

0.07

3

0.21

0.12

3

0.36

Direct mailing lists are available by household income

0.06

3

0.18

0.13

1

0.13

New technologies such as satellite broadcast compete with
current technologies
Declining incomes in South Florida versus the U.S.

0.10

1

0.10

0.08

2

0.16

South Florida highly dependent on trade with Latin America

0.07

1

0.07

Economy depends on air transport, a volatile industry

0.06

2

0.12

Threats
Large chains could expand upward into their niche

Total

1.00

2.57
Ch.3-34

Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Industry Analysis (EFE)

Important


Understanding of the factors used in the
EFE Matrix is more important than the
actual weights and ratings assigned.

Ch.3-35
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

Industry Analysis (CPM)
Competitive Profile Matrix




Identifies firm’s major competitors
and their strengths & weaknesses
in relation to a sample firm’s
strategic position
Major weakness – major strength
Ch.3-36
Fred R. David
Prentice Hall

(CPM)
Avon
Critical Success
Factor

L’Oreal

Procter
& Gamble

Weight Rating Score Rating Score Rating Score

Advertising

0.20

Product Quality

0.10

Price Competition

0.10

Management

0.10

Financial Position

0.15

Customer Loyalty

0.10

Global Expansion

0.20

Market Share

0.05

Total

1.00

1
4
3
4
4
4
4
1

0.20

0.40
0.30
0.40
0.60
0.40
0.80
0.05

3.15

4
4
3
3
3
4
2
4

0.80

3

0.60

0.40

3

0.30

0.30

4

0.40

0.30

3

0.30

0.45

3

0.45

0.40

2

0.20

0.40

2

0.40

0.20

3

0.15

3.25

2.80
Ch.3-37

Fred R. David
Prentice Hall