SWOT Analysis of Robin Hood - Essay Example

Robin Hood I. SWOT Analysis Strengths: In considering the strengths of Robin Hood and his band of men there are a number of notable factors. One of the notable strengths is the associates Robin Hood’s has in management positions, as well as his management structure. In these regards, Will Scarlett is able to gather intelligence information and shadow the sheriff to prevent surprise actions, as well as collect travel information on rich merchants; Little John is able to provide discipline to the organization as well as combat skills in the form of archery training; Scarlock is able to manage finances; and Much the Miller’s son provisions the organization. 2. Weaknesses: One of the notable weaknesses of this case is the type of associates Robin Hood has allowed into his organization. While he began allowing only men with a strong sense of justice and legitimate grievance with the sheriff into the organization, he veered from this policy. Believing that there was strength in numbers, he has allowed any individual to join; in these regards, it’s highly likely that a number of individuals in his organization are of questionable moral character and are more detrimental to the organization than beneficial. 3. Opportunities: There are a number of opportunities that Robin Hood and his organization have. The first of which is the control they have over the forest and its use as a route of transport. This has given Robin Hood and his men the ability to reap considerable property from theft and could potentially be utilized as a means of collecting consistent taxes from travelers. Another opportunity is the motivated nature of Robin Hood’s followers; many having legitimate grievances against the sheriff they will be more dedicated and willing to go to extremes to see that they succeed and the sheriff fails. Finally, the barons’ growing resentment with Prince John and their attempt to conspire with Robin Hood is a solid opportunity. 4. Threats: The threats include the growing size of Robin Hood’s organization and the increasing difficulty in supplying the large number of these individuals with supplies. Another threat includes that of the potential of alienating the farmers that travel through the forest by charging them a tax. Finally, the last threat includes that of the potential that in conspiring against Prince John could result in failure and then cause greater amounts of retribution to be levied against Robin Hood and his band of men. II. Major Issues There are a number of major issues that Robin must address. The first issue concerns whether his organization should levy a tax on travelers attempting to pass through the forest. The next issue concerns whether Robin Hood and his organization should join with the barons to conspire against Prince John in their quest to reinstate King Richard the Lionhearted to the throne. In regards to the first issue, it’s clear that a tax must be instituted if Robin Hood’s organization is going to persist into the future. In this regard, the concern regarding farmers rejecting the tax and turning against Robin Hood can be addressed by attempting to institute a sliding scale tax against travelers, so that farmers who consistently use the forest will be charged considerably less money than the rich bankers and merchants with whom Robin Hood and his organization would like to rob anyways. It’s also clear that Robin Hood needs to become more discerning in whom he allows into his organization as the policy of allowing anyone has placed them in a dilemma where they can no longer supply the organization adequate resources. Regarding whether Robin Hood and his organization should join with the barons in conspiring against Prince John it’s clear that he should at least take some action against Prince John, however perhaps not as openly as would be originally desired. In these regards, Robin Hood should not openly support the barons but carefully seek means of aiding him without openly announcing his outward willingness to conspire against the baron. III. Environmental Concerns There are a number of environmental concerns that must be addressed in regards to the Joseph Lampel’s Robin Hood case study. The most pressing and notable concern is that of the degradation of the forest that Robin Hood and his men have occupied. It’s clear that in housing an entire organization of individuals within a forest, the ecosystem will be significantly altered by all the individuals residing within it. It’s clear that as these individuals are all outlaws and have grievances with the Sheriff of Nottingham they must attain a great majority of the supplies for the subsistence from the land which they reside, Sherwood Forest. In these regards, the large amount of these individuals residing within Robin Hood’s band of men is depleting Sherwood Forest of all its wild animals, fruit, and other edible resources. In these regards, it’s clear that in continuing to allow individuals into his organization without first ensuring that they adequately have supplies and resources to support these men will continue to be problematic for Robin Hood and his organization. Another concern regards the means of developing housing and shelter for these individuals. Even if Robin Hood and his organization were able to procure adequate food and subsistence resources from surrounding farms, towns, cities, or travelers, his organization would still have to contend with the ever growing challenge of the depletion of the forest through the building of shelters and simply general use of the increased number of participants. It follows that in continuing to allow this large amount of individuals to continue to join Robin Hood’s organization, there will be a long term environmental challenge as the forest will be gradually depleted of its resources and the individuals seeking shelter from the Sheriff of Nottingham therein will be forced to disband or seek shelter elsewhere. Outside of these environmental concerns there are also environmental concerns in terms of the larger concept of the surrounding area. In these regards, Robin Hood and his organization have a large amount of concerns. Perhaps the most overriding concern regards that of Robin Hood’s contentious relations with the Sheriff of Nottingham. In these regards Robin Hood’s organization exists within an extremely volatile environment with frequent skirmishes. The environment is indicated to be coming to a head as well as the Sheriff has began to become savvy to Robin Hood’s rebellious behavior and has organized in greater regard in an attempt to prevent his further robberies. The Sheriff of Nottingham has also joined forces with Prince John and other strong political powers in opposition to Robin Hood’s organization. The culmination of these actions makes it a highly volatile environment for Robin Hood and his men. It’s clear that the political environment is such that it will eventually lead to a crucial confrontation between the Sheriff of Nottingham and Robin Hood and his growing organization. To compound matters, the Sheriff of Nottingham has alienated many barons who have decided to mount a conspiracy to overthrow him and reinstate the imprisoned King Richard the Lionhearted; they have gone to Robin Hood and sought his aid in this conspiracy. These matters have further contributed to the environment’s volatility such that Robin Hood is worried that aiding in these actions will jeopardize his future; conversely, they increase the pressure on the Sheriff to oust Robin Hood and resolve the tensions in the environment. Read More