Barclays Bank: Challenges, Strategies, and Implementation Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Barclays' business strategies within the UK financial industry. It begins with an introduction to business strategies and Barclays' core activities. The main body of the report delves into organizational strategies aligned with strategic definitions, followed by an examination of the challenges faced by the UK financial industry, including cybercrime, employee retention, and Brexit, and how Barclays implements strategies to address these issues. It then explores the differentiation between wholesale and retail banking in terms of infrastructure, operations, and customer expectations. The report also evaluates the effectiveness and implications of strategic option models, such as the Ansoff Matrix, in the context of Barclays. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings and a discussion of the implications for Barclays' future strategic planning and implementation.

Business Strategy

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
1- Organization strategies that fit with strategic definition.........................................................3
2- Challenges to the UK financial industry and process of strategic implementation of
Barclays.......................................................................................................................................5
3- Strategic implementation and differentiation between wholesale and retail company from
financial sector.............................................................................................................................6
4- Effectiveness and implication of strategic option model........................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Business strategies are long period planning that is planned by organization to achieve its
long term goals. It is also defined as collection of all the necessary decision that management
take and their business performing actions to achieve its goals. Barclays is one of British
multinational bank and finance provide company having its headquarter in London, England.
Barclays is undertaking four component activities corporate and personal banking and wealth
and investment management. This report will determine the strategic planning in financial
industry and various strategies used by Barclays than it will evaluate the challenges of UK
financial industry and strategy implementation to avoid the problems further explain the
differentiation of retail and wholesale in terms of operation, infrastructure and expectancy of
buyer then evaluating the strategies option models Rackoff and Ansoff and provide example
which is reflective to retail industry on financial sector of Barclays.
MAIN BODY
1- Organization strategies that fit with strategic definition
Strategic planning is a creation of specific business strategies, then implementing them
further it will evaluate the outcome of plan. The strategic plan is majorly focus on integration of
different department of organization, the strategic planning needed considerable idea that can be
implemented in company this is generally come under higher level of management. Strategic
planning having its process to make its plan. Strategies planning is the way to evaluate how
Barclays business managers financially insure the goal and objectives for short and long- terms.
In finical term strategic planning is made to manage the task, its priorities, strength operation and
many more (Wolf and Floyd, 2017). The financial strategy are mainly deal in procurement
process and effective utilization of fund. The area is mainly financial resource, analysis of cost,
accounting function etc.
Evaluating financial performance-
Barclays can improve its financial performance with regular evaluation process by
making income statement, cash flow and balance sheet. The Barclays can insect its quantitative
measure by ratios' analysis of finance.
Financial forecasting-
The company needs to analyse and make a forecast of the budget, proper allocation o
funds and activities which are going to take place. There are a lot of expensive and other

initiative measures which can be taken by the company which is not going to be effective for the
organization to have. The future sales and revenue can be forecasted with this measure as well
which is going to be good for the reputation of the organization's long run. Use of scientific
techniques must be present so that there is going to be effective working and performance of the
management would be present for better working (Serebryanskiy, Zoidov and Ponomareva,
2019). Allocation and preparation which is required in a financial industry which is required and
that will have to be maintained so that there is going to be higher operations and running which
would be there.
Capital structure planning
There must be equity and debt which needs to be structured in the company so that the
right actions are going to follow by Barclays banks to be able to maintain the trust and loyalty of
the customers. Financial working always needs a proper structure which must be present so that
there is going to be effective working and performance. There are a lot of risks which are
involved in loaning the amount which has to be controlled so that there is going to be effective
working and functioning that is going to be there. Strategic decisions have to be sound and
practical for the working of the bank so that there are going to be lesser problems which are
going to be involved in this process.
Pricing strategies-
There are a lot of loans and other offers which are being presented to the clients of the
bank which have to be worked upon so that there is going to be higher satisfaction which is
going to be present. There are a lot of measures which are involved in the customer services and
sales of the bank which has to be present so that there would be better operations and
management which is going to be there. Customers have to be provided with right interest rates
and support for the loans so that there are going to be more customers which are going to get
attracted which is good for the company to be able to expand themselves as well.
Capital structure planning is a very important aspect which Barclays must have so that
they would be able to develop and expand themselves effectively. The company is having a
strong portfolio in the market which must be maintained so that there is going to be better
functioning (Sánchez-Partida and et.al., 2017). There are a lot of banks which have started in the
market but Barclays bank has been able to capture the attention and trust of the customers which
has to be maintained for a long run in the market which is going to be good for a long run.

2- Challenges to the UK financial industry and process of strategic implementation of Barclays
Financial sector of the UK is the one that is facing several problems. There are several
reasons and changes happen in external as well as in internal factors. Changes in these factors
affect performance of financial sector of the UK. Some hot topic and reasons of this include:
climate change: Covid-19, Brexit and economic crisis. Recent shifts in technology, global events
and regulations also affecting and changing this sector to the great extent. Major challenges
include:
Cybercrime: It is stated that data breaches in financial sector are increasing year by year
and around 480% of this have been increased from 2017-18. Due to increasing rate of poverty
leaf by Covid-19, people are earning money by such unethical manner. For fostering their
family, they hack accounts of people and by getting information they take out all money from
their bank account (Campiglio and et.al., 2018). Due to this, financial sector finding problems in
gaining trust and it is affecting their image.
Employees retention: Along with customers attraction and retention, employees
retention is also one of the other main problem that this industry is facing. There is lack of
skilled workforces and for filling new IT roles and poor image, companies find problems in
attracting workforces.
Brexit: Political uncertainty direct affect financial sector. There is major education piece
for UK finance marketers to prepare for and maintaining customers loyalty (Challenges Facing
UK Finance Sector, 2020). Due to this it finds problems in operating its business.
So, from the above discussed problems, it can be said that there is requirement for Barclays of
implementing strategies accordingly.
Barclays corporate strategy: The main aim of this strategy of Barclays is to deliver
string returns by building on its own strengths as range of financial needs. For successful
implementation of all its business and operational strategies it makes an effective planning. It
evaluates and communicate about strategic plan with all its internal stakeholders and associated
members. By communicating all details it takes suggestions and approval. After communicating
about strategic plan it develops strategic implementation structure. This structure guides this
company about ways of implementation. After that, it develops implementation support policies
for making itself ethical and protecting against lawsuit. It helps Barclays in increasing
stakeholders experience and making them feel valued (Cook and et.al., 2019). It allocates

resources that are required for implementation of strategies such as human resources, technical
staff, tools and other resources. After allocating resources and preparing appropriate budget it
analyses its strategies again in a critical manner for knowing their effectiveness as well as
weaknesses. If it finds any weaknesses then immediately it makes changes and improves
strategies because after implementation it becomes difficult to make change. In last stage it
discharges functions and activities and implement its all business and other strategies (NJERI,
2018).
This process and proper monitoring helps Barclays in successful implementation of all
strategies and taking advantages of external opportunities.
3- Strategic implementation and differentiation between wholesale and retail company from
financial sector
Strategic implementation can define as procedure of executing tactics and plans which
help to drive attention of companies towards success (Chanias, Myers and Hess, 2019). These
procedures goal is to gain long term aims within a firm. It can be considered as technique
through which many organizations could develop its ventures in effective and systematic
manner. This process integrates and use new acts into existing structure of firms. It also helps by
assuring that organizational culture, key resources, workers and systems all follow plan tactics
put in place. The above term could be recognize as driving element or factor for brands in
today’s competitive market. The overall strategic implementation relies on some factors such as
people, structure, assets, systems and entire culture of chosen company.
Differences between whole sale and retail company of financial industry-
Differentiation basis Wholesale company Retail organization
Infrastructure The whole sale banking companies
like HSBC is quite different from
retail banking firms such as
Barclays. Whole sale banking refer
to investment service sold to wide
consumers such as other banks,
other government agencies, real
estate developers, financial
institution and big corporations
On the other side, retail
banking is different from
above term, as it concentrates
on small ventures and
individual customers. The
infrastructure of retail
banking firm such as HSBC
is different from whole firm.
It has matrixed management

(LE, 2020). In term of
infrastructure, Barclay and HSBC
bank organizational structure is
quite different. For example,
chosen company while operating
its venture in retail banking sector
Barclay is successfully organized
and managed into four different
core ventures; corporate, personal,
wealth and investment
management. It has wide
infrastructure that allow workers to
provide quality service to its
consumers and permit enhance
performance level while working
together.
infrastructure because it
targets individual consumers
instead of many. The
company is organized
effectively according to its
international ventures and
support functions.
Operations There are certain points accessible
through which overall
differentiation between Barclay
and whole sale bank and HSBC as
retail company has describe.
Barclay is the first United
Kingdom bank that create a whole
sale & retail image in market. It
has more than 4,750 branches in
over than 55 nations.
On the other hand, HSBC
organization has around
3,900 offices in 65 territories
and countries across Oceania,
Africa, North America, Asia
and South America. HSBC
UK bank has 594 branches in
form of operations which
firm successfully manage
with skilled team.
Customer
expectations
The consumer’s expectations from
wholesale banking is also different
from retail investment. They
expect better loan offers from
wholesale banks like Barclay,
Retail banking is known as
consumer banking it cater
financial services to
customers according to his or
her expectations. People

which is quite beneficial for each
buyer when company offer to them
as it permits them to easily pay
obtain loan.
expectation from these
companies such as HSBC to
provide wide credit limit.
They also expect that
personal loan must provide
without making high charges
or interest rate.
4- Effectiveness and implication of strategic option model
Strategic models such as Ansoff Matrix and others are considered as key tools that use in
organizational context to develop an action plan and take right approach to gain all benefits
while being operate in specific sector. Ansoffs Matrix is one of the best strategic frameworks that
is utilized in tactic stage of marketing and planning procedure of other operations of companies.
Here, it can use in context of Barclay that has operate in the UK financial industry (Cleberg,
2019).
Market penetration-
This strategic option is quite different from all the four which has been consist in chosen
model. According to this tactic, Barclay can gain competitive benefits and advantages by
focusing on selling more of its products and services to target market. It provides different
benefits to company such as allow to obtain higher market share, generate revenue and get more
profits than its rivals. It is one of the most common and easiest strategic directions that many
companies while operating its ventures within wholesale banking sector used to gain all the
benefits. It is quite effective and useful approach.
Product development-
The second tactic of Ansoff matrix model is product development through which Barclay
could retain existing group of consumers and gain the attention of new and retain them as well
for longer period of time. It is the procedure of bringing a new creation to current target segment
from concept to test through distribution. For example, Barclay bank with this strategic option
could improve their range of services and items by making improvement within it or adding
valuable features on them which people like the most and attract towards purchase like personal
loan. Firm can improve current services to invigorate an exist customers.

Market development-
It is the best progress tactic that chosen wholesale and retail company while operating in
banking or financial sector can use as it allows to develop and determine new target segment for
current items. Market development strategy as strategic option could bring benefits for Barclay
in term of increase its business size, scope and profits margin even better than other players that
operate in similar sector. This tactic selects non-buying consumers in currently targeted markets.
Furthermore, it also targets new people in form of customers in new segments, which provide
benefits in term of increasing customer base and then profitability of firm.
Diversification-
This strategy is quite complicated and risky as well. Barclay with this strategic option
could attract new people who seeks to take personal and other form of loans to make his or her
dreams fulfilled. It is one of the corporate strategies that company can use and through which
they can enter into new market with new product in order to satisfy target market.
The implication of above model is beneficial as its effectiveness can define through
implementation of different strategies.
CONCLUSION
This report concludes that the business strategies plan is made to achieve its short term
and long term plan. Generally, it includes the decision that are made to achieve Barclays
operational goals. This is further concluding that strategies plan are art to particular techniques
that are used by company for better output. The Barclays is using various strategies that is fitting
according to needs of the company. As with the help of evaluation strategy the company can
improve the finance. Forecasting help in managing the finance in more effective way as they are
pre-planned in the market and know their next step. The Barclays is facing different challenges
like cybercrime, low employee’s retention and Brexit, and they are trying to overcome this with
strategies suitable according to the situation as company have used the corporate strategy to
avoid the financial issues.

REFERENCES
Book and Journals
Online
Challenges Facing UK Finance Sector. 2020. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.thedubs.com/6-big-challenges-facing-uk-finance-marketers/>