Order custom Harvard Business Case Study Analysis & Solution. Starting just $19
Fern Fort University
Express VRIO / VRIN Analysis | Assignment Help
What is VRIO / VRIN Analysis ?
VRIO stands for – Value of the resource, Rareness of the resource, Imitation Risk, and Organizational Competence.
VRIO is a resource focused strategic analysis tool.
To build a sustainable competitive advantage the resources that –casename— needs to be valuable, rare, and difficult to imitate. Secondly the –casename— needs to possess capabilities, organizational structure, and culture to optimize the available resources usage. VRIO analysis can help organizations such as Express to do better resource allocation and build a defensible value and supply chain.
Order a Express VRIO / VRIN Analysis now
What is a Valuable Resource for Express? Defining Valuable in VRIO
A resource or capability is considered valuable for Express , if it allows the
Express to exploit opportunities or negate threats
emerging out of both the micro business environment and the macro environment. If a resource does not allow Express to minimize threats or exploit opportunities, than it doesn't contribute signficantly to building a sustainable competitive advantage for Express.
What are Rare Resources for Express? Defining Rare in VRIO
In an industry that Express operates in, valuable resources are held by number of competitors. So valuable resources themselves don’t provide a sustainable competitive advantage. Express require rare resources to compete in the industry. If Express don’t have rare resources that are required to succeed in the industry then Express won’t be able to compete successfully in the marketplace. Secondly holding rare resources can provide Express competitive advantage against players that don’t have those rare resources. HBR Case Study Solution
What is a Inimitable (Difficult to Immitate) Resource for Express? Defining Inimitable in VRIO
A valuable and rare resource can provide a competitive advantage to Express for certain period of time as all the competitors are going to try to imitate or replicate that resource. A sustained competitive advantage emerges, if the resource is difficult to imitate by the competitors. Express can create inmitability by innovating on the product side, reducing pain points on service delivery, and having an effective post sales servicing strategy.
Check out the SWOT analysis of Express
What is a Organization for Express? Defining Organization in VRIO
Even if the Express has all the valuable resources that are both rare and difficult to imitate, it won’t automatically result into a sustainable competitive advantage. The key to build the sustainable competitive advantage is to have organizational capabilities, expertise, and structure to exploit the resources. If Express is not organized based on its strengths then it won’t able to exploit all the resources that it possesses.
Resources | Value | Rare | Imitation | Organization | Competitive Advantage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alignment of Activities with Express Corporate Strategy | Yes | No | Each of the firm has its own strategy | Yes, company has organizational skills to extract the maximum out of it. | Still lots of potential to build on it |
Express Customer Network and Loyalty | Yes, 23% of the customers contribute to more than 84% of the sales revenue | Yes, firm has invested to build a strong customer loyalty | Has been tried by competitors but none of them are as successful as Express | Express is leveraging the customer loyalty to good effect | Provide Express medium term competitive advantage |
Track Record of Project Execution | Yes, especially in an industry where there are frequent cost overun | Yes, especially in the segment that Express operates in | No, none of the competitors so far has able to imitate this expertise | Yes, Express is successful at it | Providing Strong Competitive Advantage |
Customer Community of Express | Yes, as customers are co-creating products | Yes, the Express has able to build a special relationship with its customers | It is very difficult for Express competitors to imitate the culture and community dedication | Going by the data, there is still a lot of upside in building on Express customers community ecosystem | Providing Strong Competitive Advantage |
Intellectual Property Rights, Copyrights, and Trademarks | Yes, they are extremely valuable for Express to thwart competition | Yes, IPR and other rights are rare and competition of Express will find it extremely difficult to copy | Risk of imitation is low but given the margins in the industry disruption chances are high | So far the firm has not utilized the full extent of its IPR & other properties | Providing Strong Competitive Advantage |
Opportunities in the Adjacent Industries that Express can exploit & New Resources Required to Enter those Industries | Can be valuable as they will create new revenue streams | No | Can be imitated by competitors | All the capabilities of the organization are not fully utilized yet | Has potential |
Opportunities in the E-Commerce Space for Express - using Present IT Capabilities | Yes, the e-commerce space is rapidly growing and Express can exploit the emerging opportunities | No, most of the competitors are investing in IT to enter the space | The AI and inhouse analytics can be difficult to imitate | It is just the start for the organization | In the long run it can provide sustainable competitive advantage |
Vision of the Leadership for Next Set of Challenges | Yes | No | Can't be imitated by competitors of Express | Not based on information provided in the case | Can Lead to Strong Competitive Advantage |
Position among Retailers and Wholesalers – Express retail strategy | Yes, Express has strong relationship with retailers and wholesalers | Yes, Express has dedicated channel partners | Difficult to imitate though not impossible | Yes, over the years company has used it successfully | Sustainable Competitive Advantage |
Financial Resources of Express | Yes | No | Financial instruments and market liquidity are available to all the nearest competitors | Express has reasonably sound financial position | Express has relatively sustainable Competitive Advantage |
Ability to Attract Talent in Various Local & Global Markets | Yes, Express strategy is built on successful innovation and localization of products | Yes, as talent is critical to firm's growth | Difficult to imitate for the current competitors of Express | To a large extent yes | Providing Strong Competitive Advantage |
Distribution and Logistics Costs Competitiveness | Yes, as it helps Express in delivering lower costs | No | Can be imitated by competitors of Express but it is difficult | Yes | Medium to Long Term Competitive Advantage |
Sales Force and Channel Management of Express | Yes | No | Can be imitated by competitors | Still there is lot of potential to utilize the excellent sales force | Can provide Express sustainable competitive advantage. Potential is certainly there. |
Talent to Manage Regulatory and Legal Obligations | Yes | No | Can be imitated by competitors | Yes | Not critical factor |
Express SWOT Analysis, SWOT Matrix, Weighted SWOT Case Study Solution & Analysis
Books and References
Ahir Gopaldas and Anton Siebert (2022 July August) "What You’re Getting Wrong About Customer Journeys",
Harvard Business Review , 92
Linda A. Hill, Emily Tedards, and Taran Swan (2021) "Drive Innovation with Better Decision-Making", Harvard Business Review 86
Dyer, J. H., & Hatch, N. (2004). Using Supplier Networks to Learn Faster. Sloan Management Review, 45(3), 57–63
Barney, J. B. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17, 99–120
Dyer, J. H., Kale, P., & Singh, H. (2004, July–August). When to ally and when to acquire. Harvard Business Review, 109–115
MBA Admission help, MBA Assignment Help, MBA Case Study Help, Online Analytics Live Classes
Order Now
Previous VRIO / VRIN Analysis
- Pool VRIO / VRIN Analysis
- Granite Construction VRIO / VRIN Analysis
- Donaldson VRIO / VRIN Analysis
- Stifel Financial VRIO / VRIN Analysis
- Xilinx VRIO / VRIN Analysis
Next 5 VRIO / VRIN Analysis
- G-III Apparel Group VRIO / VRIN Analysis
- Kemper VRIO / VRIN Analysis
- EQT VRIO / VRIN Analysis
- Nationstar Mortgage Holdings VRIO / VRIN Analysis
- Parexel International VRIO / VRIN Analysis