Strategic Analysis and Intelligence Report: MGT812, University

This report undertakes a comprehensive analysis of strategic intelligence and its application in contemporary business entities. It begins with an executive summary highlighting the significance of strategic analysis and the utility of various strategic management tools. The report then delves into four case studies: Boost Juice, Qantas Airlines, Coles, and Harvey Norman, each representing different business scenarios. For each case, the report identifies the major challenges faced, the strategic analysis tools employed (SWOT, PESTLE, BCG matrix), and the role of business analysts or management in the process. The analysis reveals the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for each company, as well as the effectiveness of the chosen strategic tools. The report also discusses the limitations of each tool and how the companies have leveraged the analysis to improve their business strategies and outcomes. The conclusion summarizes the key findings, emphasizing the importance of adapting strategic analysis to specific business situations and the crucial role of strategic intelligence in ensuring long-term viability and sustainability. References are provided to support the analysis.

Running head: STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
Strategic analysis
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

1STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
Executive summary
The aim of this report is to discuss about the utility and advantages of the strategic analysis and
intelligence for the contemporary business entities. In addition, the applicability of different
strategic management tools is also discussed in this report based on the different business
situations. The four major companies namely Harvey Norman, Coles, Qantas Airlines and Boost
Juice are identified for different business situations and the utility of the strategic analysis is
discussed from their perspectives. It is identified that different strategic analysis tools are having
different sets of applicability for different organizations.

2STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Case study 1: Boost Juice................................................................................................................3
Case study 2: Qantas airlines...........................................................................................................4
Case study 3: Coles..........................................................................................................................5
Case study: Harvey Norman............................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
Reference.........................................................................................................................................9

3STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
Introduction
In the current business scenario, complexities are getting more for the contemporary
business entities with the emergence of different factors and elements. In this case, it is important
for these entities to initiate different strategic analysis process and practices (Abraham, 2013).
On the basis of these processes, business strategy is designed and negative and positive business
factors are identified. However, it should also be noted that different organizations are facing
different business situations and thus the strategic intelligence and analysis process should also
be different and according to the respective situations (Zott & Amit, 2013). This report will
discuss about the major four organizations, which are suing different strategic analysis process
and tools. In addition, the main challenges being faced by them, utility of the chosen analytical
tool and the role of the analyst will be discussed. Hence, the overall effectiveness of the business
analysis process can be identified.
Case study 1: Boost Juice
Boost juice is one of the leading fruit juice bars in the Australian region with offering
different and diverse product ranges. They are also having significant foreign market operations
as well. However, in the recent time, the challenges in terms of competition are getting increased
for Boost Juice. This is due to the reason that Australia market is witnessing the inflow of the
global brands. Hence, coupling with the inflow of the global brands, emergence of domestic fruit
juice bars in Australia is causing challenges for Boost Juice (Tan & Carrillo, 2017). In addition,
it is also identified that another major challenge for Boost Juice is coping up with the change in
the taste and preferences pattern of the customers. This refers to the fact that customers are
getting more varied and diversified over the different tastes and flavors of the fruit drinks. In this
case, it is a major challenge for Boost Juice to cater to the customers with their limited product
variants.
The issues that are being faced by Boost Juice should be properly reviewed and the extent
to which the current business approach of Boost Juice is effective should also be identified. In
addition, they should also have the idea and understanding about the potential opportunities,
which can be tapped. In this case, it is recommended that SWOT analysis will be the most
effective choice of strategic tool for Boost Juice. This is due to the reason that with the help of

4STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
the SWOT analysis, Boost Juice will be able to identify the major strengths and weaknesses in
their current practices along with identifying the future opportunities and threats. Hence, the
business strategies can be designed by Boost Juice for their long term viability and sustainability.
On the other hand, it should also be noted that business analyst is having an important role to
play making the maximum out of the SWOT analysis because he will be one to be responsible in
putting all the business elements in the analysis and ensuring its accuracy. However, a limitation
is also identified regarding the one dimensional approach of the business analyst. This is mainly
due to the reason that even though Boost Juice is having their operations in the foreign countries,
Australian regions are their core and major business area (Merat & Bo, 2013). Thus, the inputs
from their business analysts are majorly from the Australian perspectives, which reduced the
effectiveness of the SWOT analysis. Still there are multiple factors identified for Boost Juice
from the analysis.
With the help of the SWOT analysis, Boost Juice is being able to identify the areas of
improvement and the areas that should be further leveraged. One of their areas of improvement
identified is the limited market distribution. In addition, it is also identified that the major
opportunity for Boost Juice is the increasing awareness among the customers regarding the
benefits of fruit juices over the carbonated soft drinks (Catron et al., 2013). Hence, their
weakness of limited distribution is mitigated and extensive market distribution helped in gaining
the maximum opportunity from the positive customer sentiments in the market. Thus, it can be
concluded that implementation of SWOT analysis as the chosen strategic tool helped Boost Juice
in ensuring their long term business viability.
Case study 2: Qantas airlines
Qantas airlines are the largest and flag carrier of Australia and it is also the oldest running
airliners in the country. In terms of the worldwide data, Qantas airlines are one of the top most
airliners in the world in terms of passenger volume, revenue, destinations and fleet size.
However, the current uncertainties in the global airline sector are also affecting the business
potentialities of Qantas airlines as well. One of their major challenges identified is the global
political turbulence (Homsombat, Lei & Fu, 2014). Qantas airlines are operating across the world
and political turbulence between the countries is affecting their routes and traffics. In addition,

5STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
the growing economical downturn is also creating challenges for Qantas airlines. There are
multiple other external business challenges being faced by them.
As Qantas airlines are majorly facing the external business challenges, it is recommended
that PESTLE analysis tool will be the most effective. This is due to the reason that with the help
of the PESTLE analysis, the major external dimensions such as political, legal economical and
social factors can be identified, which are determining the business of Qantas airlines and further
strategies can be implemented accordingly. Each of the dimensions of the PESTLE analysis will
cover the of business challenges for Qantas airlines. However, in the case of strategic analysis of
Qantas airlines, the role of the management will be more important over the role of the business
strategist or analyst due to the fact that entire global operations will be involved and strategies
should also be designed on the basis of the global factors (Arjomandi & Seufert, 2014). Hence, it
is not possible for the business analyst to consider each of the global factors for Qantas airlines.
The key role of the management is to identify the relevant factor in each of the dimensions of
PESTLE analysis and strategize according to the identified elements. However, it should also be
noted that diverse and conflicting factors should be considered by the management in doing the
PESTLE analysis. This is due to the reason that global factors will be based from different
regions and external business factors in different regions are also different. It is the responsibility
of the management of Qantas airlines to consider each of the diverse factors in the analysis.
With the help of the PESTLE analysis, Qantas airlines are being able to identify the
major issues and trends that should be prevented and the areas of potentialities. For example,
they have identified and destinations in the developing and emerging markets should be given
maximum focus over the oil rich Middle Eastern region (Ho, 2014). This helped Qantas airlines
in gaining the maximum from their business operation along with avoiding the probable business
risks. Another improvement identified for Qantas airlines is in terms of customer service
delivery. This is due to the reason that social factors and trends are properly identified and the
service process is designed accordingly. This ensured that the services of Qantas airlines are
meeting the current social trends and expectations of the targeted customers.
Case study 3: Coles

6STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
Coles is the leading retail chain store in Australia and they are just behind the market
leader Woolworths in terms of market share in the country. As they are competing in the highly
competitive retail segment, Coles is facing the challenge of rapid change in the taste and
preference pattern of the customers. In addition, managing the favorable sales volume of each of
the products being sold by them is also a major challenge for Coles. It should be noted that
products, which are not high sales volume are creating issues in terms of stock clearance. Coles
are incurring loss in selling them at the discounted prices (Knox, 2015). The last major challenge
that is identified for Coles is the return from the investment in promotion. This refers to the fact
that huge investment in the extensive promotional activities is important to stay ahead in the
competition in the retail market. However, Coles is facing the challenge of ensuring the positive
return on investment from some of their low selling items.
On the basis of the above identified challenges for Coles, it is identified that BCG matrix
will be the most effective one due to the reason that with the help of this matrix, Coles will be
able to segregate their products in different segments based on their sales growth rate and initiate
the strategic intent accordingly. The BCG matrix is based on the market share and market growth
rate of the products. Hence, Coles will be able to identify the products, which are growing in the
market and which are not. This will help to invest accordingly on the profitable items and
removing the loss making items. Business strategist will play the important role in this project
because strategist will be able segregate the products on the basis of their growth rate and market
share (Olstad et al., 2017). However, it should also be noted that the business strategist should be
considerable towards the future potentialities of the products prior to putting them in the BCG
matrix. This is due to the reason that calculation of the market growth rate of the products should
include the future probabilities. Any products might have low growth rate in the current time but
is having the potentialities of growing in the future. These products should not be removed from
the portfolio.
The major advantage from the initiation of the BCG matrix for Coles is the accurate
investment in the profitable products. This is due to the reason that products with having the
favorable growth rate, market share and future opportunities will be selected for further
investments and loss making products will be separated. Hence, the business revenue got
increased for Coles along with the mitigation of the challenge of stock clearance (Sohel et al.,

7STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
2014). With the absence of the loss making and low selling products, Coles are not facing the
challenge of selling at discounted price for stock clearance. This is denoting the fact that this
analytical tool clearly improved the situation for Coles.
Case study: Harvey Norman
Harvey Norman is a large scale Australian retailer of consumer electronic products. They
are operating in a segment where number of global and domestic players is competing. The
major challenge for Harvey Norman in their business operation is the dependency on the
suppliers. This is due to the reason that Harvey Norman is basically reselling the manufactured
consumer goods and they are not manufacturing by own. Hence, their pricing is depended on the
original equipment manufacturers (Psaros & Seamer, 2015). In addition, they are also facing the
challenge of balancing between the competitive pricing for the end customers and increasing cost
of supplies. With the increase in the competition and alternative choices for the end customers, it
is becoming more challenging for Harvey Norman to maintain their market share and staying
ahead in the competition.
In this case, it is suggested that Porter five forces will be the best and effective strategic
tool for Harvey Norman. This is due to the reason that with the help of the Porter five forces
analysis, competitive forces such as power of the suppliers and buyers will get determined along
with the impacts of the new entrants and substitute brands. Based on this, the competitive
scenario of the industry where Harvey Norman is currently operating can be identified.
Accordingly, the business practices of Harvey Norman can be determined and power of the
competitive forces will get reduced (Dobbs, 2014). In the case of Harvey Norman, the most
important role to be played in this project will be their business analysts because they will be
able to have the understanding about the intensity of the competitive forces in the market.
Moreover, business analysts will also play the role of determining the strategies of Harvey
Norman for reducing the bargaining power and intensity of the competitive forces.
The major advantage from the implementation of the Porter five forces analysis for
Harvey Norman is the determination of the position of them against the competitive forces. The
result of this analysis helped Harvey Norman to clear the understanding about how they fare
against their competitive forces. Thus, the number of offered brands in the stores of Harvey

8STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
Norman got increased to reduce the dependency from the few suppliers. For example, televisions
from more variety of brands are being sold now through the Harvey Norman stores compared to
the previous. This reduced the bargaining power of the suppliers. In addition, the customer
service delivery process of Harvey Norman also got improved and it is being differentiated from
their competitors to create distinctiveness among the customers and reducing their bargaining
power.
Conclusion
This report concludes that strategic analysis is one of the most important aspects to be
followed by the contemporary business entities in the current time. With the effective strategic
analysis, each of the identified companies in this report is being able to identify the areas of
improvement and strategized accordingly for ensuring the long term business viability. It is
identified in this report that the different companies are facing different level of challenges and
thus their strategic analysis tool is also different based on the situation.

9STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
Reference
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