Identification and Matrix Analysis of an Organization

Introduction

“Cargill is an international marketer, processor and distributor of agricultural, food, financial and industrial products and services.” (Kneen, 2002, p. 1) Cargill is one of the leading global companies today in the food and agricultural industries (MarketWatch, 2010). Cargill was established in 1865 and has since grown to employe 142,000 employees in 67 countries and is currently the largest privately held company in the US (Cargill: Our History, 2014). Because Cargill is such a massive company this paper will focus of the food ingredients systems platform better known as FIS (pronounced fizz) within the company.

According to Armstrong (2012), a SWOT analysis is one of the most analytical used tools. He explains that this type of analysis is a “looking in” and “looking out” approach that encompasses internal business elements as well as external elements. Coate (2007), states that a SWOT analysis is the “fundamental methodology” for devising the organizations strategy. I will briefly discuss and describe each strength, weakness, opportunity and threat listed in the matrix above.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

1. Company size. Cargill is a huge company, Kneen (2002), states that the organization is expanding into every facet of the “global food system”. Cargill News Center (2014), reports that the second quarter net earnings of $556 million. FIS is reported to be the largest contributor to these results.

2. Global presence. Cargill operates its FIS businesses on a multinational level. From Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate in Brazil, Cargill Foods India, Cargill Specialty Asia to Cargill Texturing Solutions (Cargill:Our Business, 2014) the breadth of the company is huge.

3. Large customer base. “ 'We are the flour in...

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...ernley (2012), states that there is a risk of overlooking the organizational culture during strategic planning. Walsh (2012) recommends aligning the strategy with the corporate culture. By keeping the corporate culture at the forefront while undertaking the planning process it will not fall off and be forgotten, thus damaging the culture the organization has worked hard to achieve.

Walsh (2012), identifies “customer engagement” (p. 11) as a crucial area that often is bypassed. The pitfall of not communicating with the customers can be drastic. Fernley (2012), recommenders placing the customer at the front of the businesses activities and goals which will reflect the value the business places on the customer. By involving the key stakeholder, the customer, the company runs the risk of missing an angle or a point of view that is important (Raymond, 2014).