SWOT Implications for USA Today - Special Academic Support

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Summary

A SWOT analysis assesses an institutions internal strengths and vulnerabilities and external possibilities and threats. Internal assessment is used to discover the companys resources, abilities, areas of expertise, and competitiveness. The goal of a SWOT matrix is for an entity to use the understanding it has of its internal and external contexts to determine its approach (Benzaghta et al., 2021). USA Today is the most widely distributed daily newspaper, founded by Allen H. Neuharth, chairman of Gannett Co., Inc., with over 1.8 million subscribers (Pattabhiramaiah et al., 2018). USA Today is up against competitive pressure from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. This report outlines an in-depth SWOT analysis of USA Today in terms of news and information delivery and practical advice on making tactical decisions. Additionally, the research evaluates the benefits and limitations of the abilities and risks identified and provides recommendations on mitigating them.

Problems and Opportunities for USA Today

Stiff Competition from other Print and Digital Media (Problem)

In commerce, competition refers to the battle or rivalry between businesses that sell identical items and target the same core demographic to raise purchases, profitability, and customer base in comparison to others. USA Today competes directly with other businesses in the media and information sector, such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. They sell similar merchandise to the same population and seek an equal potential market opportunity. The advantage of intense rivalry for USA Today is that it promotes utilizing the corporations services (Namugenyi et al., 2019). Purchase of the companys items would generally increase due to the growth in opponents. As a result, circulation will be, quality becomes superior, and most significantly, consumers can afford it at a competitive cost.

One of the foundations of marketing is competitive pricing, in which USA Today bases its pricing policies on the valuations of rivals. Wherever this pricing method is applied, the firm discovers that the marketplace has enormous consumption rates and that a dollar significantly impacts the bottom line. Furthermore, competitiveness has increased the efficiency of USA Todays productivity. When a business encounters rivalry from other companies, it seeks to improve its performance (Namugenyi et al., 2019). USA Today makes greater use of its capabilities, guaranteeing that it incurs little loss and thereby captures the market faster.

Thus, this indicates that the firm is operating at peak efficiency, resulting in a healthier bottom line. On the other hand, competitiveness erodes a firms market share and client base even more if the desire for the enterprises goods and services is initially low. Additionally, intense competition may compel a firm to reduce its pricing to remain competitive, lowering the revenue on each item produced and sold (Mukherjee, 2018). As a result of the proliferation of companies in the news and information sector in the United States of America and the expansion of enterprises offering comparable models, the industry is inundated.

The alternative solution for USA Today to survive the stiff competition without losing its market base is opting for enhanced technology in manufacturing and disseminating its information services. Sophisticated innovations, such as machine learning and 3D printing, are transforming the production landscape by cutting manufacturing costs, increasing operational speed, and reducing errors. According to an analysis on digitalization, the greatest substantial influence of technology is done through redesigning a companys internal procedures. For example, technology may streamline all back-office activities, resulting in improved, faster, and more cost-effective approaches (Lipovich, 2021). As a result of the dramatic continued expansion, the firms key rivals are forced to undergo an organizational restructuring and a significant systems development endeavor to mitigate the damage. Moreover, when a corporation employs predictive modeling to analyze customer experiences, comprehend its clients demands, and maximize its advertising strategy, it can develop lasting competitiveness over rivals who are flailing in the dark.

Rise of Social Media Sites (Opportunity)

Rapid technological advancements and intense rivalry define the corporate landscape of today. As a result, no commercial company can hope to surpass others by adopting an ad hoc strategy to the industry. Social networking is no longer optional for business. It is critical to reach out to their customers, gain important ideas, and grow their business (Etter et al., 2019). Among the advantages of social media for organizations is that online posts and advertisements are critical for driving visitors to a firms website. By publishing fantastic information from its website or blog on its digital profiles, USA Today establishes a terrific approach to gaining visitors as soon as a new piece is published. For example, news and information organizations use their Instagram profiles to showcase narrative text and drive subscribers to the complete article.

Additionally, social networking platforms enable potential buyers to demonstrate an interest in the company and services in a simple and low-commitment manner. Inbound marketing is such a critical component of social media for businesses in that several social networking sites offer marketing techniques dedicated to creating buzz (Etter et al., 2019). For instance, USA Today may use Facebook lead ads to connect consumers intrigued by its editorial content with a few presses. The drawbacks of online platforms are discussed in greater detail in the following section of the research. First, there is always a possibility of receiving unfavorable client feedback and comments, as satisfying everyone is difficult (Etter et al., 2019). Each scathing critique on social media gets accessible to all of USA Todays users, including existing and potential consumers.

Second, the volume of content consumed via social media platforms expands. As a result, consumers rapidly become tired and frustrated and constantly need something fresh. For a firm to maintain a continual level of engagement with its users and acquire new members, it will need to build something new virtually every day (Etter et al., 2019). Finally, one area of contention is that digital networks are a treasure store of vital information regarding company tactics. Regrettably, USA Todays clients and adversaries may witness how it attracts and retains consumers, what concepts it develops and experiments with, and how it gathers endorsements and promotional tactics.

The alternative to USA Today improving its online presence while minimizing social networking sites dangers to its business activities is creating its company website. USA Todays website is its prime real property, and it controls what displays on it. Therefore, it may consider increasing the number of website visitors. According to Roy et al. (2017), a significant digital footprint achieved through a well-established Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tactic and execution can be more successful than media platforms. When a firm has a well-designed and easy-to-use webpage, its clients feel secure using its offerings. They anticipate they will have the same fantastic experience in all aspects of the organization.

Today, any credible business is expected to have an electronic presence. Potential clients are likely to be suspicious of any firm that lacks contact information, a homepage, and an email account. These are effective techniques for communicating essential information about the entity to clients and resolving any concerns they may have (Roy et al., 2017). Additionally, a personal website eliminates administrative costs associated with releasing intelligence on third-party social media platforms. Cutting these overhead expenses will also enable USA Today to reduce its prices, providing the company with a genuine competitive advantage.

As with other websites, a corporations website is prone to experiencing downtime. Any commercial homepage that malfunctions can cost the organization business prospects (Roy et al., 2017). Customers who visit the site may become irritated by frequent crashes and unreliability. These types of technological issues also have a detrimental effect on the search engine outcomes of USA Today. Additionally, if clients have a horrible experience on an organizations website, they may publish negative evaluations about the brand on the agencys website or in open forums (Roy et al., 2017). Individuals who are newer to the enterprise and want to interact can completely stop operating if they view such complaints; eventually, this can negatively influence the ventures reputation.

Rising Printing and Production Costs (Challenge)

Due to pandemic-related constraints, the costs of raw materials, transportation, logistics, and purchasing have skyrocketed. Cost rises are linked to supply failing to keep up with increased demand, which results in price hikes. Additionally, unanticipated downturns in many parts of the world due to epidemics and isolated occurrences exacerbate the issue for printing production industry stakeholders. The advantage of higher production and manufacturing costs in the print industry is that it makes it difficult for new companies to enter the news and information industry (Weedon, 2017). Therefore, this would mean that such firms are restricted or denied from entering the industry due to the alleviated prices incurred in processing goods and services. Hence, this, in turn, leads to reduced competition within the industry as few players are engaging in print business activities.

One of the limitations of increased production costs is that it leads to a business high commodity pricing. In an inflationary climate, increased production costs might compel a corporation to increase product pricing, even if raw materials and labor prices remain stable. Businesses must earn enough revenue from their commodities to cover facility costs, and the only way to do so is at the pricing at which they market their goods. As a result, failing to contain rising production costs may force a business out of the industry. Moreover, with the greater prices charged on a commodity due to the higher costs associated with its manufacturing, demand reduces, thus affecting the firms profitability in the long term.

To minimize the expenses incurred in printing, USA Today can opt for 3Dimensional (3D) printing. 3D printing, also referred to as additive production, is a process that uses a computer-generated design to build a three-dimensional element layer-by-layer (Ngo et al., 2018). Businesses are becoming more interested in 3D printing as demand grows for some of the groundbreaking capabilities that technology may deliver. Several of the advantages of 3D printing are highlighted in this paper. 3D utilizes strong and lightweight components in its construction, making it productive. Although polyethylene is the most frequently used substance for 3D printing, various metals can also be employed. However, plastics have merits over metals due to their reduced weight (Ngo et al., 2018). Thus, this is especially critical in the manufacturing and print media sectors, where weight savings can increase fuel economy.

Additionally, because 3D printing is a one-step processing technique, it eliminates the effort and inherent expenses of creating using several types of equipment. 3D printers may be set up and left to work on their own, eliminating the need for administrators to be around the entire time (Ngo et al., 2018). As a result, this fabrication technique can also help minimize material expenses, as it employs only the quantity of material necessary for the product, with little or no waste. The drawback of additive manufacturing processes is that, while they can manufacture objects from various polymers and metals, the raw material selection is not extensive (Ngo et al., 2018). As a result, not all metals or plastics can be sufficiently thermally regulated to enable 3D printing. Many of these printing components are not recyclable, and only a small percentage are consumer safe. While big pieces require post-processing, most 3D printed parts necessitate some cleanup to extract binders from the structure and flatten the surface to obtain the desired quality (Ngo et al., 2018). Thus, while 3D printing enables the rapid creation of parts, post-processing might impede the manufacturing process.

Environmental Concerns (Problem)

Paper manufacturing is an energy-intensive operation, and the paper sector is the worlds fifth-largest energy client, accounting for a sizable portion of global energy consumption. One redemptive quality of the paper business is that it contributes less than 1% of carbon dioxide emissions due to its extensive use of sustainable power sources and biomass (Bertini et al., 2022). Habitat destruction is one of the most serious issues confronting the paper industry. It has the potential to affect ecosystems, soil nutrients, and aquatic habitats. Additionally, trees operate as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide from the surrounding environment and utilizing it through photosynthesis. As a result, fewer trees result in a higher accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which significantly contributes to rising temperatures.

Another factor to take into account is the carbon footprint of a newspaper. In their study, Bertini et al. (2022) enumerated that weekend newspapers edition in the USA that ware discarded after use had a carbon footprint of 4.1 kilograms. Online media has less noticeable ecological consequences than conventional mainstream journalism. While it is vital to examine the energy consumed by the gadget used to read newspapers, corporations must also evaluate the power consumed by the publications databases and WiFi antennas (Bertini et al., 2022). Much electronic equipment includes rare metals such as palladium and cadmium, which are not typically recycled in large quantities.

The alternative option that USA Today can pursue is green printing, which has proven to be sustainable and environmentally friendly over the years. For one thing, ecological printing processes have the potential to be more cost-efficient than conventional printing techniques (Miyanaji et al., 2018). Additionally, green printing processes produce the same high-quality results as traditional printing. Sustainable publishing minimizes garbage, removes dangerous substances, and safeguards the atmosphere against further degradation. Even though the long-term profits are excellent, the initial expenditure is still a significant issue with green printing. Numerous print enterprises desire to employ environmentally friendly production strategies but cannot finance the initial price. The cost may be higher based on the extent to which a business wants to include eco-friendly innovations in its production line.

References

Benzaghta, M. A., Elwalda, A., Mousa, M. M., Erkan, I., & Rahman, M. (2021). SWOT analysis applications: An integrative literature review. Journal of Global Business Insights, 6(1), 55-73.

Bertini, M., Buehler, S., Halbheer, D., & Lehmann, D. R. (2022). Carbon footprinting and pricing under climate concerns. Journal of Marketing, 86(2), 186-201.

Etter, M., Ravasi, D., & Colleoni, E. (2019). Social media and the formation of organizational reputation. Academy of management review, 44(1), 28-52.

Lipovich, I. (2021). Council post: How to use technology to gain a sustainable Competitive Advantage. Web.

Miyanaji, H., Orth, M., Akbar, J. M., & Yang, L. (2018). Process development for green part printing using binder jetting additive manufacturing. Frontiers of Mechanical Engineering, 13(4), 504-512.

Mukherjee, S. (2018). Challenges to Indian micro small scale and medium enterprises in the era of globalization. Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, 8(1), 1-19.

Namugenyi, C., Nimmagadda, S. L., & Reiners, T. (2019). Design of a SWOT analysis model and its evaluation in diverse digital business ecosystem contexts. Procedia Computer Science, 159, 1145-1154.

Ngo, T. D., Kashani, A., Imbalzano, G., Nguyen, K. T., & Hui, D. (2018). Additive manufacturing (3D printing): A review of materials, methods, applications and challenges. Composites Part B: Engineering, 143, 172-196.

Pattabhiramaiah, A., Sriram, S., & Sridhar, S. (2018). Rising prices under declining preferences: The case of the US print newspaper industry. Marketing Science, 37(1), 97-122.

Roy, G., Datta, B., & Basu, R. (2017). Trends and future directions in online marketing research. Journal of Internet Commerce, 16(1), 1-31.

Weedon, A. (2017). Victorian Publishing: The Economics of Book Production for a Mass Market 1836-1916. Routledge.

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