When the Tone of an Email Went

Wrong Case Analysis and Case

Solution
Posted by Peter Williams on Aug-09-2018

Introduction of When the Tone of an Email Went

Wrong Case Solution

The When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong case study is a Harvard Business
Review case study, which presents a simulated practical experience to the reader
allowing them to learn about real life problems in the business world. The When the
Tone of an Email Went Wrong case consisted of a central issue to the organization,
which had to be identified, analysed and creative solutions had to be drawn to tackle
the issue. This paper presents the solved When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong
case analysis and case solution. The method through which the analysis is done is
mentioned, followed by the relevant tools used in finding the solution.

The case solution first identifies the central issue to the When the Tone of an Email
Went Wrong case study, and the relevant stakeholders affected by this issue. This is
known as the problem identification stage. After this, the relevant tools and models
are used, which help in the case study analysis and case study solution. The tools
used in identifying the solution consist of the SWOT Analysis, Porter Five Forces
Analysis, PESTEL Analysis, VRIO analysis, Value Chain Analysis, BCG Matrix
analysis, Ansoff Matrix analysis, and the Marketing Mix analysis. The solution
consists of recommended strategies to overcome this central issue. It is a good idea
to also propose alternative case study solutions, because if the main solution is not
found feasible, then the alternative solutions could be implemented. Lastly, a good
case study solution also includes an implementation plan for the recommendation
strategies. This shows how through a step-by-step procedure as to how the central
issue can be resolved.

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Problem Identification of When the Tone of an Email
Went Wrong Case Solution

Harvard Business Review cases involve a central problem that is being faced by the
organization and these problems affect a number of stakeholders. In the problem
identification stage, the problem faced by When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong is
identified through reading of the case. This could be mentioned at the start of the
reading, the middle or the end. At times in a case analysis, the problem may be
clearly evident in the reading of the HBR case. At other times, finding the issue is the
job of the person analysing the case. It is also important to understand what
stakeholders are affected by the problem and how. The goals of the stakeholders
and are the organization are also identified to ensure that the case study analysis
are consistent with these.

Analysis of the When the Tone of an Email Went

Wrong HBR Case Study

The objective of the case should be focused on. This is doing the When the Tone of
an Email Went Wrong Case Solution. This analysis can be proceeded in a step-by-
step procedure to ensure that effective solutions are found.

 In the first step, a growth path of the company can be formulated that lays
down its vision, mission and strategic aims. These can usually be developed
using the company history is provided in the case. Company history is helpful
in a Business Case study as it helps one understand what the scope of the
solutions will be for the case study.
 The next step is of understanding the company; its people, their priorities and
the overall culture. This can be done by using company history. It can also be
 done by looking at anecdotal instances of managers or employees that are
usually included in an HBR case study description to give the reader a real
feel of the situation.
 Lastly, a timeline of the issues and events in the case needs to be made.
Arranging events in a timeline allows one to predict the next few events that
are likely to take place. It also helps one in developing the case study
solutions. The timeline also helps in understanding the continuous challenges
that are being faced by the organisation.

SWOT analysis of When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong

An important tool that helps in addressing the central issue of the case and coming
up with When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong HBR case solution is the SWOT
analysis.

 The SWOT analysis is a strategic management tool that lists down in the form
of a matrix, an organisation's internal strengths and weaknesses, and external
opportunities and threats. It helps in the strategic analysis of When the Tone
of an Email Went Wrong.
 Once this listing has been done, a clearer picture can be developed in regards
to how strategies will be formed to address the main problem. For example,
strengths will be used as an advantage in solving the issue.

Therefore, the SWOT analysis is a helpful tool in coming up with the When the Tone
of an Email Went Wrong Case Study answers. One does not need to remain
restricted to using the traditional SWOT analysis, but the advanced TOWS matrix or
weighted average SWOT analysis can also be used.

Porter Five Forces Analysis for When the Tone of an Email Went
Wrong

Another helpful tool in finding the case solutions is of Porter's Five Forces analysis.
This is also a strategic tool that is used to analyse the competitive environment of the
industry in which When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong operates in. Analysis of
the industry is important as businesses do not work in isolation in real life, but are
affected by the business environment of the industry that they operate in. Harvard
Business case studies represent real-life situations, and therefore, an analysis of the
industry's competitive environment needs to be carried out to come up with more
holistic case study solutions. In Porter's Five Forces analysis, the industry is
analysed along 5 dimensions.

 These are the threats that the industry faces due to new entrants.
 It includes the threat of substitute products.
 It includes the bargaining power of buyers in the industry.
 It includes the bargaining power of suppliers in an industry.
 Lastly, the overall rivalry or competition within the industry is analysed.

This tool helps one understand the relative powers of the major players in the
industry and its overall competitive dynamics. Actionable and practical solutions can
then be developed by keeping these factors into perspective.

PESTEL Analysis of When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong

Another helpful tool that should be used in finding the case study solutions is the
PESTEL analysis. This also looks at the external business environment of the
organisation helps in finding case study Analysis to real-life business issues as in
HBR cases.

 The PESTEL analysis particularly looks at the macro environmental factors

that affect the industry. These are the political, environmental, social,
technological, environmental and legal (regulatory) factors affecting the
industry.
 Factors within each of these 6 should be listed down, and analysis should be
made as to how these affect the organisation under question.
 These factors are also responsible for the future growth and challenges within
the industry. Hence, they should be taken into consideration when coming up
with the When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong case solution.

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VRIO Analysis of When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong
This is an analysis carried out to know about the internal strengths and capabilities of
When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong. Under the VRIO analysis, the following
steps are carried out:

 The internal resources of When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong are listed
down.
 Each of these resources are assessed in terms of the value it brings to the
organization.
 Each resource is assessed in terms of how rare it is. A rare resource is one
that is not commonly used by competitors.
 Each resource is assessed whether it could be imitated by competition easily
or not.
 Lastly, each resource is assessed in terms of whether the organization can
use it to an advantage or not.

The analysis done on the 4 dimensions; Value, Rareness, Imitability, and

Organization. If a resource is high on all of these 4, then it brings long-term
competitive advantage. If a resource is high on Value, Rareness, and Imitability, then
it brings an unused competitive advantage. If a resource is high on Value and
Rareness, then it only brings temporary competitive advantage. If a resource is only
valuable, then it’s a competitive parity. If it’s none, then it can be regarded as a
competitive disadvantage.

Value Chain Analysis of When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong

The Value chain analysis of When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong helps in
identifying the activities of an organization, and how these add value in terms of cost
reduction and differentiation. This tool is used in the case study analysis as follows:

 The firm’s primary and support activities are listed down.

 Identifying the importance of these activities in the cost of the product and the
differentiation they produce.
 Lastly, differentiation or cost reduction strategies are to be used for each of
these activities to increase the overall value provided by these activities.
Recognizing value creating activities and enhancing the value that they create allow
When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong to increase its competitive advantage.

BCG Matrix of When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong

The BCG Matrix is an important tool in deciding whether an organization should

invest or divest in its strategic business units. The matrix involves placing the
strategic business units of a business in one of four categories; question marks,
stars, dogs and cash cows. The placement in these categories depends on the
relative market share of the organization and the market growth of these strategic
business units. The steps to be followed in this analysis is as follows:

 Identify the relative market share of each strategic business unit.

 Identify the market growth of each strategic business unit.
 Place these strategic business units in one of four categories. Question Marks
are those strategic business units with high market share and low market
growth rate. Stars are those strategic business units with high market share
and high market growth rate. Cash Cows are those strategic business units
with high market share and low market growth rate. Dogs are those strategic
business units with low market share and low growth rate.
 Relevant strategies should be implemented for each strategic business unit
depending on its position in the matrix.

The strategies identified from the When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong BCG
matrix and included in the case pdf. These are either to further develop the product,
penetrate the market, develop the market, diversification, investing or divesting.

Ansoff Matrix of When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong

Ansoff Matrix is an important strategic tool to come up with future strategies for
When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong in the case solution. It helps decide
whether an organization should pursue future expansion in new markets and
products or should it focus on existing markets and products.

 The organization can penetrate into existing markets with its existing
products. This is known as market penetration strategy.
  The organization can develop new products for the existing market. This is
known as product development strategy.
 The organization can enter new markets with its existing products. This is
known as market development strategy.
 The organization can enter into new markets with new products. This is
known as a diversification strategy.

The choice of strategy depends on the analysis of the previous tools used and the
level of risk the organization is willing to take.

Marketing Mix of When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong

When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong needs to bring out certain responses from
the market that it targets. To do so, it will need to use the marketing mix, which
serves as a tool in helping bring out responses from the market. The 4 elements of
the marketing mix are Product, Price, Place and Promotions. The following steps are
required to carry out a marketing mix analysis and include this in the case study
analysis.

 Analyse the company’s products and devise strategies to improve the product
offering of the company.
 Analyse the company’s price points and devise strategies that could be based
on competition, value or cost.
 Analyse the company’s promotion mix. This includes the advertisement,
public relations, personal selling, sales promotion, and direct marketing.
Strategies will be devised which makes use of a few or all of these elements.
 Analyse the company’s distribution and reach. Strategies can be devised to
improve the availability of the company’s products.

When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong Blue Ocean Strategy

The strategies devised and included in the When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong
case memo should have a blue ocean strategy. A blue ocean strategy is a strategy
that involves firms seeking uncontested market spaces, which makes the
competition of the company irrelevant. It involves coming up with new and unique
products or ideas through innovation. This gives the organization a competitive
advantage over other firms, unlike a red ocean strategy.

Competitors analysis of When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong

The PESTEL analysis discussed previously looked at the macro environmental

factors affecting business, but not the microenvironmental factors. One of the
microenvironmental factors are competitors, which are addressed by a competitor
analysis. The Competitors analysis of When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong looks
at the direct and indirect competitors within the industry that it operates in.

 This involves a detailed analysis of their actions and how these would affect
the future strategies of When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong.
 It involves looking at the current market share of the company and its
competitors.
 It should compare the marketing mix elements of competitors, their supply
chain, human resources, financial strength etc.
 It also should look at the potential opportunities and threats that these
competitors pose on the company.

Organisation of the Analysis into When the Tone of an Email Went

Wrong Case Study Solution

Once various tools have been used to analyse the case, the findings of this analysis
need to be incorporated into practical and actionable solutions. These solutions will
also be the When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong case answers. These are
usually in the form of strategies that the organisation can adopt. The following step-
by-step procedure can be used to organise the Harvard Business case solution and
recommendations:

 The first step of the solution is to come up with a corporate level strategy for
the organisation. This part consists of solutions that address issues faced by
the organisation on a strategic level. This could include suggestions, changes
or recommendations to the company's vision, mission and its strategic
objectives. It can include recommendations on how the organisation can work
towards achieving these strategic objectives. Furthermore, it needs to be
 explained how the stated recommendations will help in solving the main issue
mentioned in the case and where the company will stand in the future as a
result of these.
 The second step of the solution is to come up with a business level strategy.
The HBR case studies may present issues faced by a part of the organisation.
For example, the issues may be stated for marketing and the role of a
marketing manager needs to be assumed. So, recommendations and
suggestions need to address the strategy of the marketing department in this
case. Therefore, the strategic objectives of this business unit (Marketing) will
be laid down in the solutions and recommendations will be made as to how to
achieve these objectives. Similar would be the case for any other business
unit or department such as human resources, finance, IT etc. The important
thing to note here is that the business level strategy needs to be aligned with
the overall corporate strategy of the organisation. For example, if one
suggests the organisation to focus on differentiation for competitive advantage
as a corporate level strategy, then it can't be recommended for the When the
Tone of an Email Went Wrong Case Study Solution that the business unit
should focus on costs.
 The third step is not compulsory but depends from case to case. In some
HBR case studies, one may be required to analyse an issue at a department.
This issue may be analysed for a manager or employee as well. In these
cases, recommendations need to be made for these people. The solution may
state that objectives that these people need to achieve and how these
objectives would be achieved.

The case study analysis and solution, and When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong
case answers should be written down in the When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong
case memo, clearly identifying which part shows what. The When the Tone of an
Email Went Wrong case should be in a professional format, presenting points clearly
that are well understood by the reader.

Alternate solution to the When the Tone of an Email

Went Wrong HBR case study
It is important to have more than one solution to the case study. This is the alternate
solution that would be implemented if the original proposed solution is found
infeasible or impossible due to a change in circumstances. The alternate solution for
When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong is presented in the same way as the
original solution, where it consists of a corporate level strategy, business level
strategy and other recommendations.

Implementation of When the Tone of an Email Went

Wrong Case Solution

The case study does not end at just providing recommendations to the issues at
hand. One is also required to provide how these recommendations would be
implemented. This is shown through a proper implementation framework. A detailed
implementation framework helps in distinguishing between an average and an above
average case study answer. A good implementation framework shows the proposed
plan and how the organisations' resources would be used to achieve the objectives.
It also lays down the changes needed to be made as well as the assumptions in the
process.

 A proper implementation framework shows that one has clearly understood

the case study and the main issue within it.
 It shows that one has been clarified with the HBR fundamentals on the topic.
 It shows that the details provided in the case have been properly analysed.
 It shows that one has developed an ability to prioritise recommendations and
how these could be successfully implemented.
 The implementation framework also helps by removing out any
recommendations that are not practical or actionable as these could not be
implemented. Therefore, the implementation framework ensures that the
solution to the When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong Harvard case is
complete and properly answered.

Recommendations and Action Plan for When the

Tone of an Email Went Wrong case analysis
For When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong, based on the SWOT Analysis, Porter
Five Forces Analysis, PESTEL Analysis, VRIO analysis, Value Chain Analysis, BCG
Matrix analysis, Ansoff Matrix analysis, and the Marketing Mix analysis, the
recommendations and action plan are as follows:

 When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong should focus on making use of its
strengths identified from the VRIO analysis to make the most of the
opportunities identified from the PESTEL.
 When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong should enhance the value creating
activities within its value chain.
 When the Tone of an Email Went Wrong should invest in its stars and cash
cows, while getting rid of the dogs identified from the BCG Matrix analysis.
 To achieve its overall corporate and business level objectives, it should make
use of the marketing mix tools to obtain desired results from its target market.