Microsoft-Strategic Management Process
Strategic Management Process
Strategic management
analyzes the major steps taken by the firms or organization top management
keeping the owner in confidence, involving resources and performance in
external environments. It specifies the organization’s mission, vision,
objectives; developing policies and plan. It also contains the steps needed to
achieve the objective through proper planning. Five major steps for company to
follow while developing strategy (Burgelman et al, 2001)
· Assessing the competitors and market condition
·
Goal
setting and strategy making according to company’s current position
·
Reassessing
the goals regularly (Quarterly) to show the progress of implementation
·
Searching
for the alternatives or change in the strategy
·
Evaluating
and controlling the business process.
Importance of
strategic management process
For company to operate
under variable market conditions, it is necessary that it has planning. The assessment
of competitor gives company a chance to see their position in market with respect
to competitors. The steps of goal setting also motivate the employee of the
organization to achieve the mutually agreed objectives. Reassessing the
strategy helps the company to look after alternatives if planned strategy does
not work as per plan. Evaluating and controlling helps in assessing the
strategy implementation process and deviation in the process.
Microsoft strategy
implementation- Achieving the Competitive advantage by positioning (Carroll, P. 1996)
Horizontal Scope
The main products/ services
include language (Software) and operating systems/languages applications. The
main products attracted about 90% of revenue in the year1999.
Vertical Scope
The operating system,
of the company is popularly known as Windows, has business model in the retail
and OEM (original equipment manufacturer, such as Compaq) channels. The sales volume
appears predominantly from OEMs. The business of software is done through
OEM’s, applications through many channels that consist of corporate site
licenses, computer companies, various retails channels and the internet.
Geographic Scope
The revenue originated
from several channels throughout the globe. The South Pacific and American
region claims for 40% of total revenue in 2001. OEM sales accounted for 30% and
remaining30 percentage. Come from the rest part of the globe.
Microsoft strategy
Product market mix
Model for applying the strategy- Microsoft model
SWOT Analysis
The assessment of Microsoft’s strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats is as follows
Strengths
q Presence of powerful leadership
q Availability of large reserves of cash which is needed for quick
development by acquisition and research and development of technologies
q Good experience of the variable market
q Already having good market share in the field of operating systems
and applications software
Weaknesses
q Proprietary software that is code of platform is not open and open
movement in the field of software is getting much popularity
q The present model is not support sustainable growth because after selling
the main product, selling upgrades is only option left
q Large size of organization make any move to be problematic
Opportunities
q There is large option left in the Internet and Web Services
q Another option exist in the field of proliferation of devices
q Emerging field exist in the field of media Convergence
q Microsoft can explore the Communications field
q Renting software can become
new source of income.
Threats
q Open Source Movement poses much threat to window software
q DOJ (Department of Justice) as many cases is pending against the
company
References
Burgelman, RA.,
Maidique, MA. and Wheelright, SC., 2001. “Strategic Management of Technology
and Innovation.” McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Carroll, P.
1996. “Inside Microsoft: The Untold Story of How the Internet Forced Bill
Gates to Reverse Course.” Business Week, July 15.
Munro, N. 2000.
“A Window in Microsoft’s Strategy.” National Journal, 32(43): 3336.
Patricia Seybold
Group, 2001. “Understanding Microsoft's Strategy: .NET, XP and Beyond.”
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