# 9 Making recommendations

The point of conducting a case study analysis by using a framework such as SWOT is to find ways of addressing issues or problems in organisations. This also means thinking critically about issues and coming up with convincing recommendations. The ability to do so enhances your professional communication skills. You will think about this in the next activity, which asks you to consider the recommendations Tommy makes in his analysis of Greggs.

## Activity 13

In the final activity for this course, you’re going to look at the recommendations that Tommy has made in the final paragraph of his analysis.

Read the final paragraph of Tommy’s analysis and then answer the questions that follow.

#### Final paragraph of Tommy’s text

### Recommendations

In order to improve, Greggs needs to address the weaknesses within the organisation and exploit the external opportunities highlighted in this report. The opportunity afforded by its popularity with social media influencers can be used to counter the perception of Greggs being unhealthy. The company should explore options for expansion, both in the UK as mentioned above but also overseas in countries such as Australia, utilising market research specialists to identify a suitable location or the adjustments required to make the product range appealing to a potential target market.

(Cartmell, 2024)

1. How many recommendations did Tommy make?

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### Answer

Tommy makes five recommendations:

- exploit external opportunities
- use social media influencers to counter perceptions about Greggs being unhealthy
- expand further in the UK
- expand market overseas such as Australia
- adjust product range to make it appealing to a potential target market.

2. How did using a SWOT framework enable Tommy to think through the issues posed by the business environment and come to the point where he was able to make recommendations?

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### Answer

The SWOT analysis helped Tommy to pick out certain points of relevant information, and to leave out the points that are less relevant to the company in terms of what it should do next. It gave focus and clarity to his answer. The SWOT analysis also helped him to organise his thinking and therefore his text clearly. Tommy was able to structure his answer into the four key sections of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and then write his conclusions and recommendations for a strategy based on relevant evidence.

3. Do you agree with these recommendations? Why?

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### Comment

Your view of these recommendations will depend on how much you know about this area of business. They seem to be logical recommendations based on the information in the case study text. This is because the company seems ready to grow further (nationally and internationally), and these actions are the first steps towards that goal. However, the recommendation to expand to Australia may need more evidence and thus it may not be a strong one.

You may feel that you do not have enough knowledge to make recommendations based on one text. However, it is a good idea to develop the habit of thinking things through for yourself and formulating ideas and suggestions based on SWOT analyses, as this is a key expectation when you are studying business and management.

OpenLearn - Business communication: writing a SWOT analysis
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