Module 1 Reinforcement Activity
SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis for Craftmania, a national chain of 600 arts and crafts stores
What are the implications for HR?
Strengths
Appealing, well-designed stores
Fun, hip advertising
Quality merchandise
Helpful associates
Effective promotional events
Opportunities
Online shopping
Craft classes and “expert” associates
Extended shopping hours
Growth of digital photography
© SHRM
Weaknesses
Higher prices than some competitors
Located primarily in suburban areas
Hard to find daytime sales associates
High turnover among sales associates
Out-of-stock problems on popular items
Decline in demand for silk/dried flowers
Threats
Major retail stores with craft departments
Other craft chains
Module 1, Activity 1, Slide 1
Module 1 Reinforcement Activity
SWOT Analysis
Some implications for HR:
• Recruiters will have to step up efforts to find daytime sales associates—
perhaps through nontraditional sources or flexible scheduling options.
• If the company decides to extend its store hours, HR will also have to
determine how many new employees might be needed and how to
cover the additional hours. A decline in the floral arrangement area
might also mean possible layoffs or reassignments. Increased demand
in framing might require additional help in that department.
• HR also will need to examine the reason for the high turnover and come
up with a plan to improve retention.
• The fact that customers want educated sales help also has implications
for training.
© SHRM
Module 1, Activity 1, Slide 2
Module 1 Reinforcement Activity
Strategic Orientation
Which type of strategy
is the organization
pursuing?
Cost leadership
Focus
Operational excellence
Human capital
advantage
© SHRM
Outdoor Sports provides
sporting goods for serious
fishers and hunters. It offers:
• Robust inventory
• In-store clinics
• Sales associates who are
hunting and fishing
enthusiasts
• An indoor firing range and a
fishing pond, so equipment
can be tried before purchase.
Module 1, Activity 2, Slide 3
Module 1 Reinforcement Activity
Strategic Orientation
Which type of strategy
is the organization
pursuing?
Cost leadership
Focus
Operational excellence
Human capital
advantage
© SHRM
Outdoor Sports provides
sporting goods for serious
fishers and hunters. It offers:
• Robust inventory
• In-store clinics
• Sales associates who are
hunting and fishing
enthusiasts
• An indoor firing range and a
fishing pond, so equipment
can be tried before purchase.
Module 1, Activity 2, Slide 4
Module 1 Reinforcement Activity
Strategic Orientation
Which type of strategy
is the organization
pursuing?
Cost leadership
Focus
Operational excellence
Human capital
advantage
© SHRM
Trident Tools provides
low-cost, quality tools to
automotive repair
shops. The company
has negotiated
favorable deals with its
suppliers and produces
the majority of its tools
offshore.
Module 1, Activity 2, Slide 5
Module 1 Reinforcement Activity
Strategic Orientation
Which type of strategy
is the organization
pursuing?
Cost leadership
Focus
Operational excellence
Human capital
advantage
© SHRM
Trident Tools provides
low-cost, quality tools to
automotive repair
shops. The company
has negotiated
favorable deals with its
suppliers and produces
the majority of its tools
offshore.
Module 1, Activity 2, Slide 6
Module 1 Reinforcement Activity
Strategic Orientation
Which type of strategy
is the organization
pursuing?
Cost leadership
Focus
Operational excellence
Human capital
advantage
© SHRM
Thisnthat.com is an etailer that sells home
furnishings. Margins are
low and competition
stiff, so the organization
focuses on keeping
inventories low and
processing and fulfilling
orders as quickly and
accurately as possible.
Module 1, Activity 2, Slide 7
Module 1 Reinforcement Activity
Strategic Orientation
Which type of strategy
is the organization
pursuing?
Thisnthat.com is an etailer that sells home
furnishings. Margins are
low and competition
stiff, so the organization
Cost leadership
focuses on keeping
Focus
inventories low and
Operational excellence processing and fulfilling
orders as quickly and
Human capital
accurately as possible.
advantage
© SHRM
Module 1, Activity 2, Slide 8
Module 1 Reinforcement Activity
Strategic Orientation
Which type of strategy
is the organization
pursuing?
Cost leadership
Focus
Operational excellence
Human capital
advantage
© SHRM
Financial Search specializes
in placing economics and
finance professionals in
director-level and above jobs.
They offer:
• Recruiters with extensive
HR experience who are
members of their local
SHRM chapter
• Better-than-industry
guarantees on all of its
placements.
Module 1, Activity 2, Slide 9
Module 1 Reinforcement Activity
Strategic Orientation
Which type of strategy
is the organization
pursuing?
Cost leadership
Focus
Operational excellence
Human capital
advantage
© SHRM
Financial Search specializes
in placing economics and
finance professionals in
director-level and above jobs.
They offer:
• Recruiters with extensive
HR experience who are
members of their local
SHRM chapter
• Better-than-industry
guarantees on all of its
placements.
Module 1, Activity 2, Slide 10