SWOT
Analysis
S W O T
What is SWOT Analysis?
Acronym for Strengths,
Strengths Weaknesses, Opportunities, and
Threats.
Technique is credited to Stanford
University in the 1960s and
1970s.
Planning tool used to understand
Oppurtunity
SWOT Weakness
Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, & Threats
Analysis involved in a project / business.
Used as framework for
organizing and using data and
information gained from
situation analysis of internal and
external environment.
Technique that enables a group /
Threats individual to move from everyday
problems / traditional strategies
to a fresh perspective.
What is SWOT Analysis?
STRENGTHS
Characteristics of the business or a team
that give it an advantage over others in
the industry.
Positive tangible and intangible
attributes, internal to an organization.
Beneficial aspects of the organization
or the capabilities of an organization,
which includes human competencies,
process capabilities, financial
resources, products and services,
customer goodwill and brand loyalty.
Examples - Abundant financial resources,
Well-known brand name, Economies of
scale, Lower costs [raw materials or
processes], Superior management talent,
Better marketing skills, Good distribution
skills, Committed employees.
What is SWOT Analysis?
OPPORTUNITIES
Chances to make greater profits in the
environment - External attractive factors
that represent the reason for an
organization to exist & develop.
Arise when an organization can take
benefit of conditions in its
environment to plan and execute
strategies that enable it to become
more profitable.
Organization should be careful and
recognize the opportunities and grasp
them whenever they arise. Opportunities
may arise from market, competition,
industry/government and technology.
Examples - Rapid market growth, Rival
firms are complacent, Changing customer
needs/tastes, New uses for product
discovered, Economic boom, Government
deregulation, Sales decline for a substitute
product .
What is SWOT Analysis?
WEAKNESSES
Characteristics that place the firm at a
disadvantage relative to others.
Detract the organization from its
ability to attain the core goal and
influence its growth.
Weaknesses are the factors which do
not meet the standards we feel they
should meet. However, weaknesses
are controllable. They must be
minimized and eliminated.
Examples - Limited financial resources,
Weak spending on R & D, Very narrow
product line, Limited distribution, Higher
costs, Out-of-date products / technology,
Weak market image, Poor marketing skills,
Limited management skills, Under-trained
employees.
What
SWOT is- THREAT
ANALYSIS SWOT Analysis?
THREATS
External elements in the environment that
could cause trouble for the business -
External factors, beyond an organization’s
control, which could place the
!
organization’s mission or operation at risk.
Arise when conditions in external
environment jeopardize the reliability
and profitability of the organization’s
business.
Compound the vulnerability when they
relate to the weaknesses. Threats are
uncontrollable. When a threat comes, the
stability and survival can be at stake.
Examples - Entry of foreign competitors,
Introduction of new substitute products,
Product life cycle in decline, Changing
customer needs/tastes, Rival firms adopt
new strategies, Increased government
regulation, Economic downturn.
Aim of SWOT Analysis?
To help decision makers
share and compare ideas.
To bring a clearer
common purpose and
understanding of factors
S W for success.
To organize the
important factors linked
to success and failure in
the business world.
To analyze issues that
have led to failure in the
past.
O T To provide linearity to
the decision making
process allowing
complex ideas to be
presented systematically.
How to conduct SWOT Analysis?
1. Analyze Internal & 2. Perform SWOT Analysis 3. Prepare Action Plans
External Environment & Document
How to conduct SWOT Analysis?
1. Analyse Internal & External Environment
How to conduct SWOT Analysis?
How to conduct SWOT Analysis?
3. Prepare Action Plan
Once the SWOT analysis has been completed, mark each point with:
Things that MUST be addressed immediately
Things that can be handled now
Things that should be researched further
Things that should be planned for the future
Benefits & Pitfalls of SWOT Analysis
Benefits of SWOT Analysis
Benefits of
SWOT
Analysis
Knowing the Competition Forecasting
Reviews a company's competitors & Provides a variety of information
benchmarks against them to critical to forecasted variables.
configure strategies that will put Threats, for e.g., can impact a
the company in a competitive Decision Making Tool business's forecast. By
advantage. understanding the company's
Provides well-rounded
advantages & disadvantages,
information that prompt
forecasts will be more accurate.
well-informed decisions.
Benefits & Pitfalls of SWOT Analysis
Benefits of SWOT Analysis
Besides the broad benefits, here are few more benefits of conducting SWOT Analysis:
Helps in setting of objectives for strategic planning
Provides a framework for identifying & analyzing strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities & threats
Provides an impetus to analyze a situation & develop suitable strategies
and tactics
Basis for assessing core capabilities & competencies
Evidence for, and cultural key to, change
Provides a stimulus to participation in a group experience
Benefits & Pitfalls of SWOT Analysis
Pitfalls of SWOT Analysis
Can be very subjective. Two people rarely come up with the same final
version of a SWOT. Use it as a guide and not as a prescription.
May cause organizations to view circumstances as very simple due to
which certain key strategic contact may be overlooked.
Categorizing aspects as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats
might be very subjective as there is great degree of uncertainty in market.
To be effective, SWOT needs to be conducted regularly. The pace of
change makes it difficult to anticipate developments.
The data used in the analysis may be based on assumptions that
subsequently prove to be unfounded [good and bad].
It lacks detailed structure, so key elements may get missed.
EXAMPLE:
Mc Donald’s SWOT Analysis
Mc Donald’s
SWOT Analysis INTERNAL
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
• Ranks very high on the Fortune Magazine's most • Failing pizza test market thus limiting the
admired list ability to compete with pizza providers.
• Community oriented • High training costs due to high turnover.
• Global operations all over the world • Minimal concentration on organic foods.
• Cultural diversity in the foods • Not much variation in seasonal products .
• Excellent location • Quality concerns due to franchised operations.
• Assembly line operations. • Focus on burgers / fried foods not on healthier
• Use of top quality products options for their customers.
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
• Opening more joint ventures. • Marketing strategies that entice people from
• Being more responsive to healthier options. small children to adults.
• Advertising wifi services in the branches. • Lawsuits for offering unhealthy foods.
• Expanding on the advertising on being • Contamination risks that include the threat of
more socially responsible e-coli containments.
• Expansions of business into newly developed • The vast amount of fast food restaurants that
parts of the world. are open as competition.
• Open products up to • Focus on healthier dieting by consumers.
allergen free options • Down turn in economy affecting the ability to eat
such as peanut free. that much.
EXTERNAL
