Strategic Analysis (SWOT, PESTEL and Porter) of Barclays Group Plc

Introduction
1. Background

Barclays group PLC is a big global financial services provider operating in Europe, the Americas, Australia, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. It is engaged in retail banking, credit cards, corporate banking, investment banking, and wealth management. It made up of two clusters such as; Global Retail Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, Wealth Management, each of which has a number of business units. And the group centre, which comprises all Barclays essential support. The group operates through its subsidiary Barclays Bank PLC, with its 300 years of historical existence, the group operates in over 50 countries and employs 147,500 people and has a merger with Absa group in South Africa.
The group business model emphasizes on its practice of integrated global banking strategy being the best model to serve its customers and clients as well as optimising risk adjusted returns for its shareholders. Thus, the group moves, lends, invest and protects money for more than 38 million customers and clients worldwide. It is the third largest bank in the world in terms of assets and the one of the largest financial services provider in the world with a core tier one ratio of 11 per cent. It is the third largest bank in the United Kingdom based on market capitalization.
The bank’s headquarter is at One Churchill Place in Canary Wharf, in London, England United Kingdom, having moved there in May 2005 from Lombard Street in the City of London.
1.1 Objectives
Staying close and offering the best solutions to customers and clients while managing their risks.
Build a bank that is diversified and balanced by geography and business line, by customers and by funding sources.
Operate profitability throughout the crisis, offering security as well as stability to the financial system as a whole.
Ensures to retain financial discipline required to deliver returns.
Progressively maintaining a solid capital base
Improving returns and delivery selective income growth
Demonstrating its credentials as a global citizen.
To achieve these objectives, the plan entails analysis of the market environments of the bank and identified strategies designed to bring success. Then follow by the implantation and control mechanisms aimed at ensuring that the desired results are achieved. www.barclays.com
2. Analysis of the Market Environment
2.1 External Analysis