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Porter’s Five Forces analytical framework developed by Michael Porter (1979)[1] represents five individual forces that shape an overall extent of competition in the industry. WeWork Porter’s Five Forces is illustrated in figure below: Porter’s Five Forces Threat of new entrants in WeWork Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Threat of new entrants into the flexible workspace industry is significant. The following are the major factors that affect the threat of new entrants into the flexible workspace industry. 1. Time of entry. Increasing numbers of start-ups and solopreneurs are increasing demand for flexible workspace. Furthermore, COVID-19 pandemic has proved the inefficiency of committing to long-term traditional real estate lease agreements for many businesses. Instead, companies of all sizes increasingly prefer to flexible workspace to accommodate their changing needs for desks throughout the year. This tendency may motivate new players to enter the industry. 2. Massive capital requirements. Leasing real estate and furnishing them into creative open space is expensive. Investors may not be keen to finance such business proposals due to low profit margins and long payback periods of their investment. Massive capital requirement is a serious barrier for new entrants. WeWork’s co-founder and former CEO Adam Neumann was able to raise billions of dollars for the business by positioning the company as an internet technology company, rather than real estate company it is. 3. Lack of technological barrier. Unlike technological and manufacturing businesses there are no know-how barriers to enter the flexible workspace industry. There is no secret formula or advanced software a company needs to develop to enter the industry. Massive capital requirement is the only barrier and the absence of other barriers may attract new players into the industry. Bargaining power of buyers in WeWork Porter’s Five Forces Analysis The bargaining power of buyers in flexible workspace sector…
WeWork marketing communication mix comprises communication channels to communicate the marketing message to the target customer segment. These channels are print and media advertising, sales promotions, events and experiences, public relations and direct marketing. WeWork Print and Media Advertising The global flexible workspace provider uses print and media advertising extensively. The company uses TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, billboards and posters to convey their markeing message to potential customers. Specifically, WeWork print and media advertisements aim to encourage entrepreneurs and business owners to re-image their workspace to be a flexible and creatively designed to make the work process a highly rewarding experience. Recently, WeWork India started a brand campaign, ‘Great Inspires Great’, launching a series of three product films featuring their core products ‘On-demand’, ‘Managed Office’, and ‘Space as a Service’[1]. WeWork Sales Promotions Sales promotions can be defined as a marketing strategy where a company uses short-term campaigns to spark interest and create demand for a product, service or other offers. We work is not famous for using various forms of sales promotions techniques. The global flexible workspace provider occasionally offers free gifts as a sales promotion strategy. For example, in 2020 WeWork offered one month trial gift for new All Access subscription members. The global flexible workspace provider does not use seasonal sales promotions, discount vouchers, money off coupons, competitions, discount vouchers, loyalty program sales promotions methods. This is due to nature of products and services the company offers. WeWork Inc. Report contains a full analysis of WeWork marketing communication mix and WeWork marketing strategy in general. The report illustrates the application of the major analytical strategic frameworks in business studies such as SWOT, PESTEL, Porter’s Five Forces, Value Chain analysis, Ansoff Matrix and McKinsey 7S Model on WeWork. Moreover, the report contains analyses of WeWork leadership,…
WeWork marketing mix (WeWork 7Ps of marketing) comprises elements of the marketing mix that consists of product, place, price, promotion, process, people and physical evidence. Product Element in WeWork Marketing Mix (WeWork 7Ps of Marketing) WeWork offers the following three products and services: Space as a service. Coworking space for small to medium sized businesses and flexible space solutions for enterprise companies. WeWork access. Workspaces around the world by the hour, day, or month through monthly subscription All Access product or pay-as-you-go On Demand product. Services within access category are similar to a gym membership model in a way that membership sales are not limited by the desk capacity within premises. WeWork Workplace. Workspace management software solution. It is software for landlords for online booking of desks, offices, collaboration hubs, and meeting rooms, in addition to providing meaningful utilization analytics, and helping to optimize space across assets. Place Element in WeWork Marketing Mix (WeWork 7Ps of Marketing) The co-working giant has a network of 756 locations in 38 countries, including 277 locations in the US as of December 2021. Customers can find information regarding the address of each location on company’s website and purchase WeWork products and services in any of these locations. Furthermore, customers can book flexible workspace using WeWork app at a time and place that is convenient to them. Price Element in WeWork Marketing Mix (WeWork 7Ps of Marketing) WeWork pricing strategy includes the following elements: Flexible pricing. The co-working giant applies a wide range of pricing options such as daily pay-as-you-go, as well as, monthly and yearly membership fees. Global flexible workspace provider can also offer custom payment plan for its large enterprise customers. Geographical pricing. As mentioned the workspace provider operates in 38 countries and prices vary in each country to…
WeWork segmentation, targeting and positioning is an important tool for the global flexible workspace provider to develop right products and services for right customers. Segmentation involves dividing customers into different groups according to their common needs and common characteristics. Targeting implies selecting specific groups among the population to sell products and services to. Positioning refers to developing elements of the marketing mix that best resonates with the needs and wants of the target customer segment. WeWork uses the following types of positioning: 1. Functional positioning. Functional positioning refers to positioning of products and services that are aimed at solving specific problems customers are facing. Businesses needed flexible workspace solutions without commitment of lengthy and expensive lease. Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey saw commercial opportunity in this problem and established WeWork with functional positioning in 2010. 2. Multi-segment positioning. The co-working giant offers services to more than one customer segment in terms of their workspace needs. For example, ‘Space as a service’ category is developed for small and medium sized businesses and enterprise companies. ‘WeWork Access’ category, on the other hand, aims to attract different customer segment, namely sole entrepreneurs at the early stages of their journey in business. The following table illustrates WeWork segmentation, targeting and positioning: Type of segmentation Segmentation criteria WeWork target customer segment Geographic Region 38 countries worldwide Density Mainly urban areas Demographic Age 18-65 Gender Males & Females Life-cycle stage Bachelor Stage: young, single people not living at home Newly Married Couples: young, no children Full Nest I: youngest child under six Full Nest II: youngest child six or over Full Nest III: older married couples with dependent children Empty Nest I: older married couples, no children living with them Occupation Self-employed, professionals, senior manager, executives, business owners Behavioral Degree of loyalty ‘Hard core loyals’ ‘Soft core loyals’ ‘Switchers’ Benefits…
Co-founder and former CEO Adam Neumann had a compelling vision for WeWork ecosystem. It has been noted that “Neumann has even expressed a desire to one day have entire WeWork communities, where everything from your apartment to the school your children attend is brought to you by WeWork”[1] The main components of the ecosystem as envisioned by Neumann include the following: WeGrow private school. The curriculum featuring ‘conscious entrepreneurship’, the school was actually the brand child of Adam Neumann’s wife Rebecah. WeGrow school closed only a year later after enrolling around 100 children in 2018 for the tuition cost of up to USD 42k.[2] WeMrkt physical store. Opened in 2010, WeMrkt physical store offered products such as Icelandic yogurt and chickpea snacks sourced from WeWork member companies. Powered by We. A range of services that transform data to design. These services include helping clients find the right physical space, construction, custom office decor, software to manage building operations, back-end data on the efficiency of the office space, and even WeWork employees physically on-site to help with community programs.[3] HQ by WeWork. Private and personalized headquarters for medium sized businesses. WeWork Labs. An initiative to assist early-stage start-ups with growth through education, mentorship, and an agile workspace. The program was shut down in 2022. Rise by We. A premium fitness concept presented as an ultimate wellness club. WeLive. Furnished, community-oriented shared living apartment suite rentals, offering amenities in select US metropolitan areas. Almost all of the initiatives listed above that were planned as important components as WeWork ecosystem have failed. However, it is important to note that in most cases the failure may not be an indication of flaw of respective ideas. Rather, the failure of these initiatives can be attributed to the following main two reasons: 1. Poor leadership. It is now…
WeWork marketing strategy is based on the following principles: 1. Effective use of social media marketing. The global flexible workspace provider efficiently uses social media marketing through viral marketing, localized Facebook ads appealing to the needs and wants of the local customer segment. Furthermore, there are many YouTube videos with positive customer testimonials for using WeWork co-working spaces with positive implications on the brand image. 2. Celebrity endorsement. Although the leadership style of the co-founder and former CEO Adam Neumann had proved to be devastating for the company, he was able to engage in celebrity endorsement in cost-effective manner. Celebrities such as Drake, Ashton Kutcher and Hugh Jackman were spotted in WeWork headquarters with positive implications to the brand image. The co-working giant continued with celebrity endorsement even after the departure of Neumann. 3. Focus on the product and place. Within the framework of 7Ps of marketing WeWork focuses on product and place elements of the marketing mix to a greater extend compared to other elements. The global flexible workspace provider offers workspace as a service – creatively designed, furnished, flexible and without long-term commitments. This is the unique selling proposition for WeWork. The co-working giant has a network of 756 locations worldwide, including 277 locations in the US as of December 2021. 4. Effective market segmentation and positioning. The co-working giant uses functional and multi-segment positioning techniques and targets customers mainly in urban areas in 38 countries worldwide. In terms of occupational segmentation criteria WeWork targets self-employed individuals, professionals, senior managers, executives and business owners. 5. Integrated use of marketing communication mix. The co-working and office space operator uses several marketing communication channels such as print and media advertising, sales promotions, events and experiences and public relations in integrated way to communicate marketing message to the target customer segment.…
WeWork PESTEL analysis is a strategic analytical tool and the acronym stands for political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors affecting the global flexible workspace provider. Political Factors in WeWork PESTEL Analysis Political factors that can affect workspace providers such as WeWork are multiple and include government stability, tax policies, lobbying and level of bureaucracy. Co-working providers are also affected by corruption, freedom of press, activities of trade unions and other factors. Government stability Government stability plays an important role on the long-term growth prospects of WeWork. The global flexible workspace provider operates 756 locations in 38 countries[1]. Changes in government policies may impact WeWork’s ability to secure office space, enter in lease agreements and manage its workforce. Furthermore, government instability or war such us the one currently going on in Ukraine can result in the loss of WeWork properties with direct implications on the bottom line. Tax Policies WeWork is subject to tax policies in all 38 countries it operates. The co-working giant is directly affected by corporate taxes. The higher the corporate taxes, the higher is the cost of doing business in any particular region. Moreover, favourable treatment of leases in some countries increases the company’s profitability, considering that the workspace provider leases the majority of its locations. Despite its huge size, in the past WeWork had benefited from tax breaks intended for small businesses. Specifically, by 2019 the company had received about GBP 2 million tax refund on property taxes it had paid in UK.[2] Lobbying Lobbying can affect the performance and growth prospects of the global flexible workspace provider. It is an attempt by individuals or organizations to influence government decisions. Potentially lobbying can benefit co-working and flexible working sector through tax befits for leasing arrangements and providing other benefits…
SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to organizations. The following table illustrates WeWork SWOT analysis: Strengths 1. Strong liquidity 2. International presence 3. Experience 4. Brand recognition Weaknesses 1. Business has not achieved profitability 2. High level of indebtedness 3. Damaged company image 4. Business model easy to replicate Opportunities 1. Entering into strategic collaborations 2. Strengthening WeWork ecosystem 3. Finding new sources of competitive advantage 4. Increasing marketing efficiency Threats 1. Inability of Sandeep Mathrani to turn around the business 2. Members seeking payment concessions or deferrals or cancellations 3. Emergence of new competitors with innovative business models 4. Changes in customer attitudes towards shared workspace WeWork SWOT Analysis Strengths in WeWork SWOT Analysis 1. WeWork has a strong liquidity. As of December 31, 2021, the company had access to USD2.0 billion of liquidity in the form of cash and commitments from its lenders. Strong liquidity offers a range of benefits for the workspace provider such as ability to meet short-term debts and dealing with unforeseen circumstances. 2. The global flexible workspace provider operates a network of 756 locations in 38 countries as of December 2021. Global presence offers a range of advantages for the workspace provider. These include economies of scale, access to local talent and opportunity to increase revenues. 3. WeWork had to deal with a range of serious issues such as ineffective management, severely flawed corporate culture and starting many initiatives at the same time. These setbacks damaged the brand image to a considerable extent. At the same time, it can be argued that the process of having to go through these problems have been a valuable experience for employees at all levels. Specifically, thanks to these issues WeWork employees at all levels are more mature now and they…
WeWork Ansoff Matrix is a marketing planning model that helps co-working and office space operator to determine its product and market strategy. Ansoff Matrix illustrates four different strategy options available for businesses. These are market penetration, product development, market development and diversification. WeWork Ansoff Growth Matrix Within the scope of Ansoff Matrix, WeWork uses all four growth strategies in an integrated manner: 1. Market penetration. Market penetration refers to selling existing products to existing markets. WeWork engages in market penetration strategy extensively. The global flexible workspace provider uses print and media marketing in general and social media marketing in particular to increase its penetration into the market. 2. Product development. This involves developing new products to sell to existing markets. WeWork engages in new product development rarely. WeWork Workplace software for landlords for online booking of desks, offices, collaboration hubs, and meeting rooms is one of the very few noteworthy cases of new product development by the co-working giant. 3. Market development. Market development strategy is associated with finding new markets for existing products. New market development is one of the main growth strategies for WeWork. Starting only with one location in Manhattan, USA in 2011, the workspace provider has expanded to a network of 756 locations in 38 countries, including 277 locations in the US as of December 2021. 4. Diversification. Diversification involves developing new products to sell to new markets and this is considered to be the riskiest strategy. WeWork does not engage in diversification business strategy, but it may do so in the future. WeWork Inc. Report contains the above analysis of WeWork Ansoff Matrix. The report illustrates the application of the major analytical strategic frameworks in business studies such as SWOT, PESTEL, Porter’s Five Forces, Value Chain analysis and McKinsey 7S Model on WeWork. Moreover,…
A documentary released by Hulu on April 1st 2021 provides an insight on WeWork organizational culture and its serious shortcomings under the leadership of co-founder and former CEO Adam Neumann. At that time corporate culture at WeWork was notorious for ‘frat-boy’ culture, sexual abuse, motivational mantras and free beer. The co-working giant organized annual employee retreat on a remote island. The company engaged in tracking employees at mandatory, alcohol-fuelled company events and an onboarding process that made all new employees shout WeWork until red in the face. New CEO, real estate veteran Sandeep Mathrani who took helm in February 2020 brought maturity and discipline into the company with direct implications on organizational culture of WeWork. Dubbed as ‘anti-Adam Neumann’ the new CEO was quick to put a stop at extravagant company events and cut costs in many other ways. Under the new leadership the global flexible workspace provider has committed to zero tolerance to discrimination and abuse at workplace in any form and these changes are more than welcomed by stakeholders. Mr. Mathrani is committed to change the important components of WeWork organizational culture in the following ways: Values. Mathrani specified the following values to be central for the co-working and office space operator: Do the right thing Strive to be better, together Be entrepreneurial Give gratitude Be human, be kind Attitudes. New CEO expects mature and more responsible attitude towards the work from employees at all levels. Norms and expectations. Employees are expected to work hard, deliver results and be considerate towards their co-workers. Discrimination and abuse is no longer tolerated at the co-working giant. Rituals, symbols and routines. Extravagant rituals such as shouting WeWork at company gatherings, ordering coffee from WeWork’s in-house barista and many others popular under Adam Neumann were put to stop permanently. WeWork…