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Client SWOT Analysis Literature & Language Essay Paper

Essay Instructions:

Northeastern University's Experiential Network team is thrilled to formally introduce the Signode Canada Group (10 students, that are us) of PBR 6135 (that is course: Public Relations Planning & Strategy) to Jon Fowkes of Signode Canada ULC to collaborate on a short-term XN partnership! The project description is below.



Strategic Communication Plan for Global Organization



Description:



A Canadian organization is a global manufacturer of steel and plastic strapping, stretch film, pressure sensitive carton sealing tape and the application equipment and accessory products for each. The organization seeks support to create increased B2B awareness and better communicate with the target audience and decision makers. Organizational leaders currently maintain a limited web and social media presence and desire a collaboration with students to increase brand awareness by increasing digital reach.



Final Deliverable: 



The desired outcome of this collaboration is a strategic communication plan to increase the current digital footprint and better reach key stakeholders/decision makers. The deliverable will include platforms to participate on, website content recommendations, cost analysis and perceived benefits of the investment.



Assignment:



A tool often employed in the situational awareness/environmental scanning phase of the strategic public relations plan is the SWOT analysis. This research tool delves into the internal strengths (S) and weakness (W) of an organization, as well as the opportunities (O) and threats (T) it encounters from external players.



 



This is a long-term assignment. For this week’s assignment, prepare a SWOT analysis for the client.

Essay Sample Content Preview:
Signode Canada: Client SWOT Analysis 
Author’s Name
The Institutional Affiliation
Course Number and Name
Instructor Name
Assignment Due Date
SWOT Analysis
Introduction
Signode Canada is a global manufacturer and a leading transit-packaging provider. It was founded in 1913 and became a member of the Illinois Tools Work in 1986. However, in 2014 The Carlyle Group acquired it CITATION Sig18 \l 1033 (Signode Industrial Group, 2018). Signode has around 7000 employees and operates across six continents. They produce a variety of protective packaging materials. In addition to the packaging material, they make packaging tools and equipment. Signode Canada is at the forefront of customer-focused innovation in the packaging industry and has revolutionized the industry (Signode, n.d.).
Strengths
The strengths of Signode Canada lie within their effective utilization of the five significant resources and capabilities at their disposal. These include human resources, financial resources, physical resources such as land, operations, and processes, and experiences. Signode Canada has achieved an optimal combination of these resources, which has given them a significant edge over their competitors.
Signode Canada has a well-established brand that allows them to retain customers and also increase their market share. It dominates the domestic market. The positive repute of Signode Canada helps in achieving performance-driven marketing goals. Since it helps in increasing the sales of the company, they have successfully built-up good brand repute due to their excellent quality and services CITATION Dav16 \l 1033 (London, 2016). The products allow their customers to increase productivity while reducing costs. The quality of products is a critical factor in differentiating them from the competitors. When coupled with the services and variety of products, the premium prices become justified. 
Signode Canada has a stable supply chain. They have a dependable relationship with every supplier in each segment of the supply chain. It helps them become more cost-effective and move a step closer to achieving economies of scale. The strong relationships help mitigate any risks and allow for more control of the supply chain CITATION Jon \l 1033 (Davies, n.d.). A dependable supply chain relationship will lower procurement costs and help Signode Canada achieve a competitive advantage.  
Signode Canada has achieved a first-mover advantage in its domestic market. They are focused on research and development. It has enabled them to introduce new products into their domestic markets and move into untapped market segments. They have used the switching cost to their advantage by introducing new products to retain the customers CITATION Eva20 \l 1033 (Tarver, 2020). Signode Canada enjoys a large market share, and by offering premium products, they invest in research and development. 
Signode Canada has introduced innovation into their product lines and marketing techniques too. They have been successful in the introduction of these products into domestic and international markets across six continents. The key to their success lies in using different marketing strategies. It is a way to introduce the latest innovation in the packaging industry. Signode Canada also focuses on sustainability. They work tirelessly to reduce their waste and appropriately dispose of it. They focus on designing their products to require limited wasteful and non-biodegradable material. These activities enable them to be eligible for government-issued incentives for waste reduction and energy conservation (Smart Property, 2019).
Weaknesses
The discussion on weaknesses focuses on the internal factors that Signode Canada may lack. Similar to strengths, it is also dependent on the allocation of five key resources. A weakness would stem from inefficient usage of either one or more resources.
Signode Canada has a low digital presence. They are not using digital and social media to their advantage. Signode Canada needs to realize that their customers and competitors are using it, and if Signode Canada does not catch up, they will be at a significant disadvantage. Digital presence allows a company to reach a much larger audience with little investment (Luttrell & Capizzo, 2018). Signode Canada’s competitors are using traditional marketing methods, which incur more cost and does not have the reach of digital presence (Quart Soft, 2015). Furthermore, Signode Canada is not focused on customer service and after-sale services.
They have cultivated strong relations with the suppliers but have not yet adopted a system to manage internally. Signode Canada does not efficiently manage their inventory. Inventory management is a critical component for every manufacturing company. If it is ineffective, then it increases the overall operational costs of the companies. Inventory management helps a company forecast and track trends, which is not possible if it is inefficient. If the company produces too much inventory, then they face an increase in holding costs. However, if they do not manufacture enough, they run the risk of losing their customers (Channel Grabber, 2018).
Although Signode Canada has expanded into different markets across the globe, they have confined the majority of their operations and expansion within their domestic market. It has created a monotonous workforce, as it lacks diversity. In the changing global environment, inclusivity is a vital element. A culturally limited workforce lacks the different perspectives and insights that could help increase market share CITATION Lau \l 1033 (Clarke, n.d.). Furthermore, it can hinder sales in international markets. 
The culture of a company helps shape the actions and activities of a company. Unfortunately, the organizational culture of Signode Canada is very competitive CITATION Sar17 \l 1033 (Harbour, 2017). The competition does not motivate the employees, but they focus on how to outdo others. Competition is interdepartmental, and it can have adverse effects on the overall productivity of the company.
Opportunities
Unlike strengths and weaknesses, the opportunities are dependent on the external environment. The changes in technological, political, and economic factors all influence the external environment...
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