thesis swot analysis

SWOT Analysis

All business students are assigned to conduct SWOT analysis, usually at the earlier stages of their studies. This page focuses on the application of SWOT analysis in a business context as a part of academic assignments . This is a comprehensive SWOT resource and it contains an explanation of SWOT theory, an illustration of how to do a SWOT analysis and links to examples of SWOT analysis of major multinational brands. Moreover, SWOT analysis template further below can be used to generate SWOT tables of top multinational companies along a range of industries.

SWOT Analysis: Theory

SWOT is a strategic analytical tool for assessing strengths and weaknesses of a business, analyzing opportunities available to the business, as well as, threats faced by the business. SWOT analysis can be used at organizational and personal levels.

As it is illustrated below, strengths and weaknesses are internal, i.e. businesses are able to influence and to manipulate with their strengths and weaknesses. Opportunities and threats, on the other hand, are external. It means businesses can only react to opportunities and threats and they do not have any means to influence opportunities and threats.

SWOT analysis has important practical implications. Specifically, with findings of SWOT analysis in their hands, the senior level management identify and built upon their strengths, discover new opportunities and work upon eliminating or minimising threats to the business. Accordingly, SWOT can be a powerful aid for senior level management to develop appropriate strategy for the business.

As a strategic analytical tool, SWOT analysis has some weaknesses as well. Specifically, the application of this tool may encourage users to focus on quantity of factors, instead of focusing on a few, but the most powerful factors having the biggest impact on the business. In other words, SWOT analysis lacks guidance and provision in terms of differences in importance between factors. As a result weak strengths may appear to balance strong weaknesses.

The majority of sources explaining SWOT analysis assume that their audience is businesses aiming to improve their operational efficiency. This SWOT analysis resource is different. It explains SWOT analysis assuming that you a business student and you have been assigned to conduct SWOT analysis as a part of your assignment.

How to do SWOT Analysis

You can conduct a SWOT analysis with the following four steps:

Step 1: Selecting a company

If your assignment requires conducting a SWOT analysis, you are either given a case study company by your educational institution or you are free to analyze a company of your own choice. In the first scenario, you have no option but to conduct a SWOT analysis of the company named in your assignment instructions. However, the majority of educational institutions provide students the flexibility to conduct SWOT analysis of a company of their own choice.

Students are often tempted to conduct SWOT analysis of their employer. Choosing your employer as a case study can be a good strategy if you have an access to detailed relevant information. Please note that only descriptive information would not suffice and you will have to justify your arguments by referring to relevant quantitative data. Therefore, if you are not able to find relevant quantitative data about your employer, your best choice could be to conduct SWOT analysis of a multinational enterprise. This is due to the availability of data about the majority multinational enterprises. This portal offers up-to-date sample SWOT analyses of the most famous multinational enterprises as part of company reports .

Step 2: Finding information

If you are conducting a SWOT analysis of a small or medium sized organization such as your employer, family business or a company you are related to in some ways, approaching the company directly may prove to be an efficient strategy to obtain required information. You may try to secure a meeting with a senior level manager and explain practical implications of your SWOT analysis for the business. In other words, you may be able to convince a senior manager that results of your SWOT analysis may provide an important insight into the business and managers can act upon this knowledge to increase the efficiency of the business at various fronts.

Alternatively, if you are conducting SWOT analysis of a multinational enterprise, company annual report is usually the most comprehensive source of the relevant information. Note that annual reports highlight information about strengths of the business within the first few pages and you cannot find information about weaknesses of a company in its annual report for obvious reasons.

Information about Strengths in SWOT Analysis

Information about strengths of the company is easiest to find in your SWOT analysis. Strengths are competitive advantages of the business that made it successful in the first place. In case of small or medium sized organizations, the manager you are interviewing will be happy to discuss the strengths of the business.

In case of multinational companies, on the other hand, the first few pages of annual reports boast about competitive advantages of the business by referring to specific figures and charts. Using some of these charts in your assignment and properly referencing the source is going to increase the quality of your work.

You can determine strengths of businesses in answers to the following questions:

• What advantages does the company have?
• What does the company better than its competitors?
• What unique or low-cost resources are available to the company that are not available to its rivals?
• What Unique Selling Propositions (UPS) are associated with the company?

The following table illustrates the major strengths possessed by businesses and tips about how to discuss these strengths in your swot analysis:

Information about Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis

It may not be easy to find information about weaknesses of small and medium sized businesses. The manager you are interviewing may not want to discuss weaknesses of their business either intentionally, or they may not be aware of weaknesses. It is important for you to motivate your interviewee to discuss weaknesses of their company by asking relevant questions in a polite way.

It is easier with multinational organizations. An extensive online research can reveal relevant information about weaknesses associated with the company you are analyzing.The majority of big corporations have been involved in some kind of scandals during the past two years and you can discuss the damage of these scandals to the brand image as noteworthy weakness of the company.

For example, suppose you have chosen Coca Cola Company for your SWOT analysis assignment. If you google the term ‘Coca Cola scandal’, search results on the top relate to a scandal where the company funded obesity research that downplayed the negative health implications of Coca Cola products. Negative implications of this incident on Coca Cola brand image is brand’s weakness you can discuss in you SWOT analysis.

All arguments and numbers need to be referenced using referencing style required by your educational institution in an appropriate manner. Preference has to be given to online journals and magazines over online discussion forums and personal blogs.

Answers to the following questions can help to identify weaknesses of your case study company:

• What aspects of the business could the company improve?
• What should the company avoid?
• What factors are causing the company to lose sales?
• What aspects of products/services are customers are likely to see as weaknesses?

Major weaknesses of businesses and brief tips about discussing them in your assignment are illustrated in the following table:

Information about Opportunities in SWOT Analysis

Information about opportunities available to the business can be derived from its weaknesses in a way that businesses often have an opportunity to turn their weaknesses into strengths. At the same time, it is important that your SWOT analysis also identifies a set of opportunities that are not related to weaknesses. If you can’t think of any company-specific opportunities, you can discuss business opportunities that can be explored by any business in general, such as new product development, international market expansion and increasing the level of effectiveness of social media marketing. Interesting trends in the industry can also be opportunities for the business.

Opportunities can be identified through answering the following questions:

• What are interesting trends in the market that can be profitably explored by the company?
• What are the demographic and social changes that present new opportunities in the industry?
• Are there any government policies and regulations that can help the industry?
• Are there any opportunities for the company related to technological developments?

The following table illustrates the major opportunities available for businesses and tips about how to discuss these opportunities in your SWOT analysis:

Information about Threats in SWOT Analysis

Threats faced by the business can be classified into two categories. Firstly, there are company-specific threats that stem from company-specific factors such as the threat of losing market share due to ineffective cost structure or the threat of negative media coverage and damage to the brand image due to neglecting the importance of corporate social responsibility. Secondly, there are threats to the industry or to the economy on the whole, such as a threat of introducing tariffs to a certain range of products or the threat of a global economic and financial crisis. You will need to find information about threats belonging to both categories with more emphasis on the threats from the first category, i.e. company-specific threats.

You can identify the main threats to the business through answering the following questions:

• What are the main obstacles faced by the company?
• What are the latest developments in competitor Unique Selling Propositions?
• Does the company have substantial amount of bad debts or cash-flow problems?
• Was the company involved in any scandal recently?

Main threat facing the majority of businesses and brief tips about discussing them in your SWOT analysis are illustrated in the following table:

Step 3: Writing

You can structure your writing of SWOT analysis in the following way:

Firstly, you will need to discuss the company profile, its strategy and the most recent changes that have taken place in the company prior to presenting your SWOT analysis. The length of such a discussion depends on your assignment instructions and the total word count for your assignment.

Secondly, develop a SWOT Analysis Matrix for your chosen company. You can develop a table containing four sections headed strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Major strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of your chosen company can be presented in bullet points under respective boxes. These should be precise and verifiable statements.

Using steps 1 and 2 above, you should have long list of factors related to strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the business. Now it is time to prioritize factors to be included in your SWOT analysis by focusing on the most significant factors. The numbers of factors that should be discussed under each category depends on the total word-count for your assignment.

Thirdly, you have to discuss bullet points in your SWOT table. Your analysis needs to contain statistical data and ideally graphs and tables as well. Do not forget to reference sources, using referencing system  required by your university. Moreover, you can discuss how to address weaknesses and threats identified as a result of your SWOT analysis and get additional marks for your work.

SWOT Analysis Example

This portal contains example SWOT analysis of the following companies:

SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to organizations. The following table illustrates SWOT analysis:

SWOT Analysis Template

Please choose an industry and a company below to generate a SWOT table containing bullet points of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of your chosen company. In order to complete the SWOT analysis you will need to expand the bullet points into a couple of paragraphs with discussions and references from reliable sources to support your arguments.

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How to Write a SWOT Analysis Paper

Successful businesses and people have been conducting SWOTs since at least the mid-twentieth century and have refined the process over time. The four categories you will explore in your SWOT analysis paper are Strengths (S), Weaknesses (W), Opportunities (O), and Threats (T). You can use SWOT analysis to help you assess your position in project planning, business development , finance, relationships, or for personal growth. Since SWOT analysis papers are usually assigned in business school or associated with business planning, we will focus on the steps for writing a SWOT analysis paper for business, but keep in mind that the process can be tailored to any situation—professional or personal.

If this process sounds laborious or daunting, do not fret: As with most things, conducting a SWOT analysis will get easier the more you do it, and eventually it might become an essential part of all of your decision-making processes. As you evaluate your business's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, you will gain skills and insights that can help you evaluate yourself, your business, and various decisions you are facing.

Better than a pros and cons list

Perhaps you are thinking, This sounds just like a pros and cons list . A SWOT analysis provides more information than a simple pros and cons list, and it makes it easier to identify potential action items and areas for growth. SWOT analysis considers more than just the pros and cons of a situation: It helps you identify internal and external factors that contribute to or inhibit your success.

Strengths and Weaknesses are generally considered internal factors, so they are things that you or your company can control or can work to improve.

Opportunities and Threats are typically external factors that occur outside of your business (i.e., things that you cannot control), but they are things that could significantly affect you or your business.

Identify your objective/goal

To get the most benefit from your SWOT analysis, be as specific as possible with your objective . If you are analyzing a business, consider focusing on one particular aspect of the business.

The best way to formulate your paper is to use a SWOT analysis chart to organize your thoughts before you actually start writing.

Write down the initial strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats that come to mind when you consider the objective. Use bullet points to separate items, be specific, and remember that you do not have to write in complete sentences on this chart. To be sure that you explore all applicable points, consider the following questions:

• What does the business do best?
• What do people like about it?
• What draws people to the business?
• What does the business offer that competitors can't or don't offer?
• What puts the business at a disadvantage?
• Consider employee feedback and customer reviews: Are there any items that multiple people have identified as issues?
• In what areas does the business have less resources than competitors?
• Why do potential clients choose a competitor over you?
• What areas would you like to improve?

Be honest as you assess the business's weaknesses. Consider what aspects put your business at a disadvantage or what factors limit your growth potential. If you shy away from identifying weaknesses in this step, your SWOT analysis will not be effective or beneficial. Although it can be painful to identify weaknesses that are currently holding you back from personal or business growth, identifying and exploring these areas will give you the opportunity to improve. If you are uncertain if an item should be classified as a Weakness or a Threat , remember that Weaknesses are internal (things within the business that you can work to change) and Threats are external (things you have little or no control over). Also, accurately identifying weaknesses might help you recognize potential opportunities and/or threats.

Opportunities

• Are there any potential market trends that suggest growth in your field in the coming year?
• Does the business have any possible partnerships or sponsorships on the horizon?
• Is the business considering expanding or developing new product lines or specialties?

In addition to any obvious opportunities, look at the strengths you've listed and see if there are any ways that you can turn strengths into opportunities.

• Is the business affected by government policy? If so, are there any potential policy changes in the future?
• What obstacles prevent you from doing more business or making more sales? Be specific and list them all.
• Do you have periods of unreliable cash flow that threaten the business?
• Does the weather or season affect the business?

Once you have listed all the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, prioritize the results in each category from most impactful to least. Prioritizing your results in each of the four categories will help you visualize each item's importance so you can see how it relates to the other areas.

Writing the SWOT analysis paper

Now that you have filled out the SWOT chart and prioritized your SWOT results, you have the basic information to begin drafting your SWOT analysis paper. As with any professional paper, start with a strong introduction and state your objection and the focus of your SWOT analysis. In the next four paragraphs, describe the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats that you prioritized on your SWOT analysis chart. If you have more items for each category than can comfortably fit in a paragraph, consider condensing your list. As you review the lists in each category, eliminate redundancies and consolidate similar items. If you still have too many items to fit in one paragraph after condensing, include one to three bullet points per paragraph, and try to keep the paragraphs balanced. For example, if you write three paragraphs for strengths, try to write three paragraphs for the other three categories as well.

Once you have identified and described your SWOTs, you can use your SWOT analysis chart to develop strategies and create a plan to achieve your business goals. The analysis is the most essential part of the SWOT analysis paper, because in this portion you will create action items and develop plans that can lead to future success. Assess each of the four areas (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) and look for commonalities or links between the categories. Some things to consider during this step:

• Can you use one of your strengths to address a threat?
• Look for ways to use your strengths to minimize your weaknesses.
• How can you use your strengths to seize growth opportunities?
• Is there a way to use your strengths to overcome threats?
• Are there any weaknesses that you can address and eliminate?
• Can you balance out a weakness by pursuing one of your opportunities?
• Are your weaknesses preventing you from capitalizing on opportunities?
• Are your weaknesses enhancing the likelihood that the business will suffer from a threat? If so, look to your strengths and see if there is a way to draw from your strengths to reduce the potential impact of the threat.

As you find connections between the bullet points in the four quadrants of your chart, start writing to generate ideas that you can turn into action. You can come back to edit these sentences and perfect these ideas later, but go ahead and record the thoughts now so you do not miss any potential connections. As you identify how different bullet points relate to each other, prioritize items that will generate revenue or reduce expenditure. Now, assess the action items that you have identified and put them in the order that makes the most sense to you. You can arrange your action items in the order that you would like to address them, or you can arrange them in the order that would make the most financial impact on the business. Organize the paragraphs in this section of the paper in your preferred order.

Now that you have performed a comprehensive SWOT analysis and identified action items to enhance strengths and reduce weaknesses, write a strong conclusion paragraph summarizing the most important findings. Keep in mind the purpose of your SWOT analysis paper here: If you intend to share this information with potential investors, make sure that you present a clear vision for growth and that you are realistic about how you will address weaknesses and potential threats. The crucial last step for any paper is to proofread, edit, and revise as needed. Now that you have completed your SWOT analysis and identified action plans, consider if applying a SWOT analysis to another aspect of your business or area of your life. Make a note in your calendar and conduct another SWOT analysis on this issue in six to twelve months so you can measure progress towards your goals.

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SWOT Analysis 

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Home > Research Glossary > SWOT Analysis

What is SWOT analysis? 

SWOT analysis is a strategy used to assess the internal strengths and weaknesses , as well as external opportunities and threats, of a business, organization, or project. The name itself is an acronym of the four main elements in the analysis process.  

SWOT analysis is widely used across various industries and sectors, including business, marketing, healthcare , education, and nonprofit organizations . It is a valuable tool for assessing projects, formulating business strategies, conducting market research , and evaluating potential investments. 

The main elements of a SWOT analysis  

To conduct a SWOT analysis , businesses need to identify and evaluate each of the four components. Two components focus on the business internally while the others focus on outside factors that influence the organization: 

Strengths 

Strengths are Internal features and resources that give the organization a competitive edge or enhance its business objectives . Some common strengths are internal experts, advanced or proprietary technology, strong brand reputation , or unique product offerings. 

Weaknesses  

Weaknesses are internal factors that hinder the organization's performance or put it at a disadvantage compared to competitors. Common weaknesses may include limited financial resources, outdated technology, or lack of experienced staff. 

Opportunities 

Opportunities are external factors or trends the organization can leverage to reach its objectives. Analyzing opportunities allows businesses to capitalize on positive market conditions , new consumer trends, or emerging markets. 

Threats 

Threats are external factors that could negatively impact the organization's performance or stability. These could include increased competition, changes in laws, economic downturns , or unexpected major events or disruption .  

Advantages of SWOT analysis   

SWOT analysis provides several benefits for organizations: 

• Strategic planning: SWOT analysis allows organizations create effective strategies based on a comprehensive understanding of their internal capabilities and external environment.
• Decision making: By evaluating strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, organizations can make informed decisions about priorities, business goals, resource allocation, and other factors.
• Risk assessment: Identifying potential threats and weaknesses helps organizations proactively mitigate risks and safeguard their interests.
• Competitive advantage: Insights from a SWOT analysis enable organizations to position themselves differently from competitors and capitalize on their offerings. 

Disadvantages of SWOT analysis 

While a SWOT analysis is a valuable tool, it is not without its limitations, including: 

• Subjectivity: Individuals within an organization may have different perspectives on the same factors, leading to potential biases in the analysis or lack of agreement on next steps. 
• Lack of prioritization: Similarly, SWOT analysis does not inherently organize a strategy, which requires additional analysis and context. Subjectivity could make setting priorities difficult without this extra context. 
• Dynamic business environment: Businesses are constantly evolving, and factors that were strengths or opportunities in the past may become weaknesses or threats in the future. Therefore, SWOT analyses need to be repeated to remain current.
• Complex interdependencies: Factors in an organization are often interrelated and interconnected. Changes in one area may impact others, making it difficult to isolate and address specific issues.
• Overlooking internal culture: The organizational culture and employee mindset can significantly impact the success of strategic initiatives. It’s imperative to consider how the team will adapt to any changes and how it will impact company culture. 

Best practices for SWOT analysis implementation 

To implement a SWOT analysis structure successfully, organizations can take the following steps: 

• Involve diverse perspectives: Include stakeholders from different departments or levels—and with different backgrounds—to gather a broader range of insights and minimize biases.
• Seek external expertise: Consider seeking the input of industry experts, employing consultants , or conducting market research to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the external landscape.
• Regular updates: Review and update the SWOT analysis regularly to reflect changes and emerging trends to keep up with the ever-changing business landscape.
• Integrate with other tools: Combine SWOT analysis with other strategic planning tools, such as PESTEL analysis or Porter's Five Forces, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the business environment. Additionally, integrate specialized databases to your research to ensure you are getting accurate and up-to-date information.
• Prioritize and develop action plans: After identifying key steps, prioritize them based on their potential impact and feasibility.  

How to use LexisNexis for SWOT analysis  

LexisNexis provides research solutions that assist businesses and professionals in conducting SWOT analysis with accurate and up-to-date information, including news, legal documents, competitor data, industry reports, and market analysis. The advanced search capabilities and filters within Nexis ® Research Solutions make it easy to explore relevant data and uncover valuable insights to conduct a thorough and well-informed SWOT analysis.  

Easily and efficiently identify market trends, evaluate competitors, and assess industry dynamics to make strategic decisions based on a comprehensive SWOT analysis. 

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SWOT ANALYSIS AS A TOOL SUPPORTING THE STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AT DHL

The rise and development of DHL as an enterprise is notably admirable in the logistics industry today. For such an enterprise, regardless of the form of ownership and scope of business activity, it is necessary to effectively manage business activity by defining its management strategy. In order to fully understand the intricacies of the scope and effectiveness of the “Management strategy”, it is important to identify what constitute their strength, weakness, opportunities and threat, hence the acronym SWOT. The mainstay of this research seeks to explore the use of SWOT analysis to analyze the management system of DHL The study uses qualitative research methods in interpreting roles as defined by functions in the structure of the company in order to establish meanings which constructs social reality.

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This paper provides analysis on Cadbury, Inc and confectionery industry. The paper analyzes the external and internal forces affecting the company, the industry it operates and its business level strategy. Further, it gives detailed information about the SWOT analysis of the company. Considering the situational features such as opportunities and threats when designing the environmental analysis and making realistic marketing plan is very crucial because a company will benefit from its own strengths, eliminate its weaknesses, benefit from environmental opportunities and protect itself from environmental threats. On the simple basis of product quality and taste, Cadbury proves to be superior to other commercially available chocolate even with the seeming similarities in texture. This paper deals with two main research flows: environmental analysis and situational factors which allows organizations to compose a realistic and effective marketing plan. This study provides a framework that implement a common consensus on these research flows by specifiying some important issues for future research and by making effective strategy analysis in the confectionery industry. ŞEKERLEME ENDÜSTRİSİNE YÖNELİK STRATEJİK PLANLAMA SÜRECİNDE DURUM ANALİZİ UYGULAMASI: CADBURY, A.Ş. ÖRNEĞİ Ö z Bu çalışma, Cadbury A.Ş. ve şekerleme endüstrisi analizlerini kapsamaktadır. Çalışma, SWOT analizi yardımıyla Cadbury A.Ş.'nin içinde bulunduğu sektörü ve işletme düzeyinde stratejileri etkileyen dış ve iç kuvvetleri analiz etmektedir. Çevrenin analizi ve şirketin pazarlama planı tasarlanırken durumsal faktörler göz önünde bulundurulduğu gözlenmiştir. Cadbury A.Ş.'nin örgütsel bağlamda sahip olduğu güçlü yönlerden faydalanırken; zayıf yönlerin olumsuz etkilerini en aza indirgemeye yönelik çeşitli stratejiler kurduğu görülmüştür. Şirketin bu stratejileri, pazar fırsatlarından yararlanmasına ve herhangi bir tehditten kaçınmasına fayda sağlayacağı için oldukça önemlidir. Cadbury A.Ş.'nin ürünleri yüksek fiyatla ithal edilen atıştırmalık ve yiyeceklere kıyasla daha uygun fiyatlı ve eşit derecede rekabetçi bir alternatiftir. Cadbury A.Ş.'nin şirket stratejilerinin aynı sektörde yer alan diğer şirketlerden daha üstün ve başarılı olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Çalışma, şirketi etkileyen dış güçleri, bulunduğu sektörü ve şirketin çevresini analiz etmektedir. Böylelikle şekerleme endüstrisinin geleceği hakkında gerçekçi öngörüler sunulmakta ve sektörün dinamikleri hakkında önemli bilgilere ulaşılmaktadır. Bu çalışma gelecekteki araştırmalara şekerleme endüstrisindeki firmaların çevresel analizi için önemli alanları vurgulayan kavramsal bir çerçeve sunmaktadır.

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1/14 Resumo: Para permanecerem competitivas no cenário industrial atual, as empresas precisam realizar diagnósticos de forma sistemática a fim de prospectar estratégias de posicionamento no mercado. Além de análises globais, é necessário examinar cada uma das etapas do processo produtivo da empresa, pois todas concorrem para o sucesso do negócio, em maior ou menor grau. Considerando o diagnóstico essencial para a manutenção de uma empresa em um patamar competitivo, este trabalho tem o objetivo de propor soluções para a etapa de armazenagem e expedição de um frigorífico, com vistas ao aperfeiçoamento dos processos e atividades internas. Para isso, utilizou-se a ferramenta Análise SWOT, a qual permite organizar por ordem de relevância forças, fraquezas, oportunidades e ameaças à empresa ou à etapa de armazenagem e expedição, e correlacionar esses fatores. Para subsidiar o diagnóstico, foram utilizadas informações disponíveis na literatura e realizadas visitas in loco e entrevistas com...

JOURNAL ASRO

Avando Bastari

This requires an organization to be able to compete by always paying attention to the user's condition. Development strategy is one way to find out competitiveness in each of its power lines. To deal with user competition, especially in the face of global users, an organization must be able to establish a method as the basic foundation for the formulation of development strategies by increasing the value of competitiveness for its output or services. This strategy needs to be involved using the SWOT method as the main method to increase output, internal and external factors become the initial steps to carry out strategies to optimize business to achieve success. The use of an effective SWOT analysis can play an important role in determining the development strategy, in order to know the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced by the company in maintaining the survival and continuity of the organization. The problem that the answer in this research is looking for i...

Almaz Sandybayev , Izzet Derkan

The article discusses the theoretical and methodological approaches to analysis of factors affecting on internal and external environment for the formation of strategic business planning and management in corporate structure. The case is researched on the example of Ercan International Airport (EIA) in Northern Cyprus where a special attention is paid to the correlation approach in the formation of zones for defining a matrix of qualitative strategic analysis through assessment and impact of its practical application. From another avenue, the article has proposed two main aspects. The first is to evaluate general considerations in strategic planning and management. The second is an attempt to introduce a reputable SWOT model, a matrix for matching the environmental threats and opportunities with the company's weaknesses and especially its strengths. The elements of SWOT are considered to be viewed as veterans in strategic planning however what is contemporary and new is a way of description of links between these elements and basing strategies on them. Unquestionably, the philosophy of modern strategic management (as opposed to a traditional rationalism) is based on the system and situational approach. Business organization is seen as an "open" system. The main prerequisite for success is sought not inside but outside of it and the success of the activities associated with how quickly and successfully the organization adapts to the fast changing economic, socio-political, socio-cultural environment.

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Article • 17 min read

SWOT Analysis

Understanding your business, informing your strategy.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Key Takeaways:

SWOT stands for S trengths, W eaknesses, O pportunities, and T hreats.

A "SWOT analysis" involves carefully assessing these four factors in order to make clear and effective plans.

A SWOT analysis can help you to challenge risky assumptions, uncover dangerous blindspots, and reveal important new insights.

The SWOT analysis process is most effective when done collaboratively.

What Is a SWOT Analysis?

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, and so a SWOT analysis is a technique for assessing these four aspects of your business.

SWOT Analysis is a tool that can help you to analyze what your company does best now, and to devise a successful strategy for the future. SWOT can also uncover areas of the business that are holding you back, or that your competitors could exploit if you don't protect yourself.

A SWOT analysis examines both internal and external factors – that is, what's going on inside and outside your organization. So some of these factors will be within your control and some will not. In either case, the wisest action you can take in response will become clearer once you've discovered, recorded and analyzed as many factors as you can.

In this article, video and infographic, we explore how to carry out a SWOT analysis, and how to put your findings into action. We also include a worked example and a template to help you get started on a SWOT analysis in your own workplace.

Why Is SWOT Analysis Important?

SWOT analysis can help you to challenge risky assumptions and to uncover dangerous blindspots about your organization's performance. If you use it carefully and collaboratively, it can deliver new insights on where your business currently is, and help you to develop exactly the right strategy for any situation.

For example, you may be well aware of some of your organization's strengths, but until you record them alongside weaknesses and threats you might not realize how unreliable those strengths actually are.

Equally, you likely have reasonable concerns about some of your business weaknesses but, by going through the analysis systematically, you could find an opportunity, previously overlooked, that could more than compensate.

How to Write a SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis involves making lists – but so much more, too! When you begin to write one list (say, Strengths), the thought process and research that you'll go through will prompt ideas for the other lists (Weaknesses, Opportunities or Threats). And if you compare these lists side by side, you will likely notice connections and contradictions, which you'll want to highlight and explore.

You'll find yourself moving back and forth between your lists frequently. So, make the task easier and more effective by arranging your four lists together in one view.

A SWOT matrix is a 2x2 grid, with one square for each of the four aspects of SWOT. (Figure 1 shows what it should look like.) Each section is headed by some questions to get your thinking started.

Figure 1. A SWOT Analysis Matrix.

Swot analysis template.

When conducting your SWOT analysis, you can either draw your own matrix, or use our free downloadable template .

How to Do a SWOT Analysis

Avoid relying on your own, partial understanding of your organization. Your assumptions could be wrong. Instead, gather a team of people from a range of functions and levels to build a broad and insightful list of observations.

Then, every time you identify a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, or Threat, write it down in the relevant part of the SWOT analysis grid for all to see.

Let's look at each area in more detail and consider what fits where, and what questions you could ask as part of your data gathering.

Strengths are things that your organization does particularly well, or in a way that distinguishes you from your competitors. Think about the advantages your organization has over other organizations. These might be the motivation of your staff, access to certain materials, or a strong set of manufacturing processes.

Your strengths are an integral part of your organization, so think about what makes it "tick." What do you do better than anyone else? What values drive your business? What unique or lowest-cost resources can you draw upon that others can't? Identify and analyze your organization's Unique Selling Proposition (USP), and add this to the Strengths section.

Then turn your perspective around and ask yourself what your competitors might see as your strengths. What factors mean that you get the sale ahead of them?

Remember, any aspect of your organization is only a strength if it brings you a clear advantage. For example, if all of your competitors provide high-quality products, then a high-quality production process is not a strength in your market: it's a necessity.

Weaknesses, like strengths, are inherent features of your organization, so focus on your people, resources, systems, and procedures. Think about what you could improve, and the sorts of practices you should avoid.

Once again, imagine (or find out) how other people in your market see you. Do they notice weaknesses that you tend to be blind to? Take time to examine how and why your competitors are doing better than you. What are you lacking?

Be honest! A SWOT analysis will only be valuable if you gather all the information you need. So, it's best to be realistic now, and face any unpleasant truths as soon as possible.

Opportunities

Opportunities are openings or chances for something positive to happen, but you'll need to claim them for yourself!

They usually arise from situations outside your organization, and require an eye to what might happen in the future. They might arise as developments in the market you serve, or in the technology you use. Being able to spot and exploit opportunities can make a huge difference to your organization's ability to compete and take the lead in your market.

Think about good opportunities that you can exploit immediately. These don't need to be game-changers: even small advantages can increase your organization's competitiveness. What interesting market trends are you aware of, large or small, which could have an impact?

You should also watch out for changes in government policy related to your field. And changes in social patterns, population profiles, and lifestyles can all throw up interesting opportunities.

Threats include anything that can negatively affect your business from the outside, such as supply-chain problems, shifts in market requirements, or a shortage of recruits. It's vital to anticipate threats and to take action against them before you become a victim of them and your growth stalls.

Think about the obstacles you face in getting your product to market and selling. You may notice that quality standards or specifications for your products are changing, and that you'll need to change those products if you're to stay in the lead. Evolving technology is an ever-present threat, as well as an opportunity!

Always consider what your competitors are doing, and whether you should be changing your organization's emphasis to meet the challenge. But remember that what they're doing might not be the right thing for you to do. So, avoid copying them without knowing how it will improve your position.

Be sure to explore whether your organization is especially exposed to external challenges. Do you have bad debt or cash-flow problems, for example, that could make you vulnerable to even small changes in your market? This is the kind of threat that can seriously damage your business, so be alert.

Use PEST Analysis to ensure that you don't overlook threatening external factors. And PMESII-PT is an especially helpful check in very unfamiliar or uncertain environments.

A SWOT Analysis Example

Imagine this scenario: a small start-up consultancy wants a clear picture of its current situation, to decide on a future strategy for growth. The team gathers, and draws up the SWOT Analysis shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. A Completed SWOT Analysis.

As a result of the team's analysis, it's clear that the consultancy's main strengths lie in its agility, technical expertise, and low overheads. These allow it to offer excellent customer service to a relatively small client base.

The company's weaknesses are also to do with its size. It will need to invest in training, to improve the skills base of the small staff. It'll also need to focus on retention, so it doesn't lose key team members.

There are opportunities in offering rapid-response, good-value services to local businesses and to local government organizations. The company can likely be first to market with new products and services, given that its competitors are slow adopters.

The threats require the consultancy to keep up-to-date with changes in technology. It also needs to keep a close eye on its largest competitors, given its vulnerability to large-scale changes in its market. To counteract this, the business needs to focus its marketing on selected industry websites, to get the greatest possible market presence on a small advertising budget.

Frequently Asked Questions About SWOT Analysis

1. who invented swot analysis.

Many people attribute SWOT Analysis to Albert S. Humphrey. However, there has been some debate on the originator of the tool, as discussed in the International Journal of Business Research .

2. What Does SWOT Analysis Stand For?

SWOT Analysis stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

3. What Can a SWOT Analysis Be Used For?

SWOT analysis is a useful tool to help you determine your organization's position in the market. You can then use this information to create an informed strategy suited to your needs and capabilities.

4. How Do I Write a SWOT Analysis?

To conduct a SWOT analysis, you first need to create a 2x2 matrix grid. Each square is then assigned to one of the four aspects of SWOT. You can either draw this grid yourself or use our downloadable template to get started.

5. How Do SWOT Analysis and the TOWS Matrix compare?

While SWOT analysis puts the emphasis on the internal environment (your strengths and weaknesses), TOWS forces you to look at your external environment first (your threats and opportunities). In most cases, you'll do a SWOT Analysis first, and follow up with a TOWS Matrix to offer a broader context.

6. What Are the Biggest SWOT Analysis Mistakes?

• Making your lists too long. Ask yourself if your ideas are feasible as you go along.
• Being vague. Be specific to provide more focus for later discussions.
• Not seeing weaknesses. Be sure to ask customers and colleagues what they experience in real life.
• Not thinking ahead. It's easy to come up with nice ideas without taking them through to their logical conclusion. Always consider their practical impact.
• Being unrealistic. Don't plan in detail for opportunities that don't exist yet. For example, that export market you've been eyeing may be available at some point, but the trade negotiations to open it up could take years.
• Relying on SWOT Analysis alone. SWOT Analysis is valuable. But when you use it alongside other planning tools (SOAR, TOWS or PEST), the results will be more vigorous.

How to Use a SWOT Analysis

Use a SWOT Analysis to assess your organization's current position before you decide on any new strategy. Find out what's working well, and what's not so good. Ask yourself where you want to go, how you might get there – and what might get in your way.

Once you've examined all four aspects of SWOT, you'll want to build on your strengths, boost your weaker areas, head off any threats, and exploit every opportunity. In fact, you'll likely be faced with a long list of potential actions.

But before you go ahead, be sure to develop your ideas further. Look for potential connections between the quadrants of your matrix. For example, could you use some of your strengths to open up further opportunities? And, would even more opportunities become available by eliminating some of your weaknesses?

Finally, it's time to ruthlessly prune and prioritize your ideas, so that you can focus time and money on the most significant and impactful ones. Refine each point to make your comparisons clearer. For example, only accept precise, verifiable statements such as, "Cost advantage of $30/ton in sourcing raw material x," rather than, "Better value for money."

Remember to apply your learnings at the right level in your organization. For example, at a product or product-line level, rather than at the much vaguer whole-company level. And use your SWOT analysis alongside other strategy tools (for example, Core Competencies Analysis ), so that you get a comprehensive picture of the situation you're dealing with.

SWOT Analysis Tips

Here are four tips for getting more out of a SWOT analysis:

• Be specific. The more focused and accurate you are about the points you write down, the more useful your SWOT analysis will be.
• Work backwards. Experiment with filling in the four sections of your SWOT analysis in a different order, to stimulate new ways of thinking. Working backwards, in particular, from threats to strengths, may cast new light on the situation.
• Get together. Highlight the most useful people to contribute to your SWOT analysis, then gather information and ideas from them all.
• SWOT your competition ! To stay ahead of your competitors, carry out a regular SWOT analysis on them . Use everything you know about them to evaluate their situation, and use SWOT analysis to plan your competitive strategies accordingly.

It's also possible to carry out a Personal SWOT Analysis . This can be useful for developing your career in ways that take best advantage of your talents, abilities and opportunities.

SWOT Analysis Infographic

See SWOT Analysis represented in our infographic :

SWOT Analysis helps you to identify your organization's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

It guides you to build on what you do well, address what you're lacking, seize new openings, and minimize risks.

Apply a SWOT Analysis to assess your organization's position before you decide on any new strategy.

Use a SWOT matrix to prompt your research and to record your ideas. Avoid making huge lists of suggestions. Be as specific as you can, and be honest about your weaknesses.

Be realistic and rigorous. Prune and prioritize your ideas, to focus time and money on the most significant and impactful actions and solutions. Complement your use of SWOT with other tools.

Collaborate with a team of people from across the business. This will help to uncover a more accurate and honest picture.

Find out what's working well, and what's not so good. Ask yourself where you want to go, how you might get there – and what might get in your way.

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Personal swot analysis.

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Comments (1)

SWOT is useless. When you try it and you find Weaknesses box bulging, but Strengths & Opportunities completely empty, what can that possibly achieve?

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PESTLE Analysis

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How to Write A SWOT Analysis: 5+ Top Research Sources

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2024 by Kiesha Frue Filed Under: SWOT Analysis

If you’re looking to find out how to write a SWOT analysis, there are a few key things that you want to keep in mind. A SWOT analysis is a way to look at another company and this could be a competitor or someone who you want to do business with. What you want to do is use a SWOT analysis method that breaks down all the details on the company.

A SWOT analysis is a type of study . It focuses on four main components of a topic: strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Most SWOT analyses are written about companies, products, and industries (your topic). People use it to identify the benefits and disadvantages of their topic. And once the analysis is complete, they can immediately use their findings. I’ve written countless SWOT analyses from scratch. And in this article, I’ll explain my thought process while writing each one.

If you are going to write a SWOT analysis, there are a few key things that you have to focus on. For starters, you want to write out a detailed description of the company that you’re going to be:

• researching
• and analyzing

Find research online for your SWOT analysis

What that means is you want to get all the details you can on the company. You may want to start online and go to their website. When you go to the website try to get as much information you can about them and if you can’t find it there, you can go to sites like Wikipedia .

This can give you information on the company and it might let you know how they started. It will give you background information like the number of employees, their services, and focus. You may not always find this on their website, so researching online is a great way to get more details.

Start building your SWOT analysis

Your next step will be to start your actual SWOT analysis on your paper. You are going to put down a box with four equal boxes inside. In the first one, you can write ‘strengths’, next to that, ‘weaknesses’. Write ‘opportunities’ below the strengths and next to that write ‘threats’. That’s how to write a SWOT analysis in the beginning.

How to Write A SWOT Analysis: Strengths

As you do the research of a company, you want to look at areas where you know they’re strong. Maybe they were in the news recently because they made a lot of money or they bought another company. That’s big news that you want to list. They may have even started working on a really big deal.

For example, if you were looking at Facebook , you might say: “Wow, the Facebook stock has gone up a lot and they’ve been in the news a lot lately”. That’s a strength. It’ll be the first thing to write in your SWOT analysis.

What is a strength for your topic?

If you’re not sure what a strength means for your topic, it’ll be difficult to find them during your research phase.

It’s simple: a strength is a benefit (or advantage) for your topic. A strength may benefit the bottom line. It may increase brand recognition . It may be why customers are obsessed with your topic. Or it may be how the topic stands out above the sea of everyday products.

Examples of strengths

One of Netflix’s strengths is the ad-free content they offer customers. As a customer, you can stream Netflix’s catalog without seeing a single ad. This is also possible when using Hulu, a competitive streaming service but only if you pay a higher monthly fee. Compared to other streaming services, like TLC Go which forces you to watch upwards of 50 ads for a 40-minute television show, Netflix customers have it made.

BMW’s major strength is a luxurious brand image . People buy a BMW because it’s luxurious. Expensive. If you have one, it means you’re above the average person. You’re wealthy, desirable. Maybe even ambitious. You don’t feel the same way in a Toyota as you do in a BMW . And that’s because they have created this luxury feeling for their brand.

It may be best to think about strengths abstractly. Think about how the strength is beneficial for your topic.

Finding strengths online

To find new or relevant information, search the topic + press release.

See if your topic has created new products, mergers, or received awards. Search news sites for the topic and see what reporters are saying about it. Hopefully, it’s all good news, which you can use for this section of the SWOT analysis.

If it’s bad… well, we’ll save that for the “weaknesses” section.

Where to search online:

• Publications (New York Times, TechCrunch, other news sites)
• Forums (Reddit, Facebook)
• Press releases (Newswire, PRNewswire)
• Reviews (Amazon)

You can even search “strengths + your topic” and see what comes up. Be sure to read through and check for accuracy if it’s not from a reliable source (like say, the DailyMail).

Searching for strengths for a product

If you’re doing a SWOT analysis for a product , search for its reviews. You’ll likely find a few highly rated and lowly rated reviews.

Don’t blindly believe all the high or low reviews. In many cases, companies buy 5-star reviews. And the competition may pay someone to give poor reviews. Instead, see if you can spot a pattern among the reviews. Maybe a few people are boasting about a new feature for the product. Maybe they love how it feels.

Have you used the product?

If you have, you’ll likely have a few insights about it yourself. You’ll have looked at discussions about the product before buying it. And after using it, you’ll have some good things to say about it. Otherwise, check forums like Reddit. It’s typically real people openly discussing a product — the good, the bad, and the “meh”.

How to Write A SWOT Analysis: Weaknesses

In the next block of how to write a SWOT analysis, begin writing down the company’s weaknesses. Start looking up the weaknesses the company might have. When you look at weaknesses, you want to look at all the problems that the company has had in the news. A great example would be Walmart which has been in the news a lot because of labor issues. They’ve had problems with:

• with paying employees
• not giving high salaries

These are all weaknesses. You also want to make sure that you look at things like their stock and whether or not you are reading articles that say they’re doing well or if they’re doing poorly.

What is a weakness for your topic?

Again, as we did for strengths, realize what a weakness could be for the topic , as well as consumers (if applicable). That’s how to write a SWOT analysis correctly.

For instance, weaknesses for companies include:

• Competition
• Market saturation
• Bad reviews
• Profit decline
• Lack of diversity
• Poor economies

As for products, it may include:

• Poor reputation of the company
• Material quality

Examples of weaknesses

PepsiCo offers only a few healthy food and beverage options . With the health-conscious crowd rising up, PepsiCo should be developing more low-calorie, nutritional options for them. And yet… they’re not. This means, despite PepsiCo’s huge presence in the food and beverage industry, they’re neglecting a substantial market.

Bitcoin’s worth is declining . It’s actually at its lowest valuation in more than a year. That’s just how it works though; it’s unpredictable, like stocks.

Finding weaknesses online

If your topic is a product and you’ve used it before, you already know about issues first-hand. You’ve likely read reviews before buying or trying the product and have seen common complaints.

You can use forums to see if these complaints are still relevant. If they are, it can be included in the SWOT analysis you are writing. People are more honest about the things they don’t like about a product, so this is definitely when searching for reviews is a fantastic option for gathering info.

You can also see which publications have discussed your topic lately. Even if the topic is only briefly mentioned, consider adding it to the weakness section (when applicable).

Where to search for weaknesses

• Publications (New York Times, TechCrunch, News sites)
• Use your own experience (if applicable)

You can create a quick list of the faults of the topic. They might not all make it into the final draft of the analysis. But it’s good to have a list, particularly of the leading issues or complaints against your topic. Because this section can be highly informative for SWOT analysis’ next section called opportunities.

How to Write A SWOT Analysis: Opportunities

Your next step of how to write a SWOT analysis is going to be about the opportunities. What you want to do ideally is to look at what the company mentions in its latest press release. A press release can tell you basically a little bit of information about a company and what they’re getting ready to do next. You can also look at an annual report or an earnings report.

You don’t want to read the full report because that might take days to get through! A lot of the information in there is really a bunch of numbers, so you want to go to the summary of the report.

The easiest way to do this is to just do a search for that particular company and search for the summary in their annual report.

So if it was Facebook that you were looking up, you can go under Facebook and then type in ‘annual report summary’. This is a recap so you will find all the information there. Alternatively, you could just type in their annual report and then Facebook and look for the first few articles that come up from different companies or firms who are writing articles about them.

You may also find that there are finance companies who write about them and give articles with details on their weakness and opportunities. What they are giving you is a SWOT analysis in a different version . They’re going to give you a smaller detailed version of what you need to know. What you’re going to look for is an opportunity that they may be working on in the future.

For example, if you were doing opportunities for Netflix, you might see something like them mentioning that they now have a new season of Game of Thrones or the new season of their show Orange Is the New Black . That’s because they actually mention things they’re working on in their particular business because they do streaming videos. They are going to mention them, but they won’t tell you who is in which episode!

While these might be popular videos, they are also considered opportunities because these are areas where they are expanding. Keep in mind this is not always the case. A few years ago Netflix lost a big deal with the video channel Starz where they pulled their movies from the Netflix line-up because Starz and Netflix were fighting over money. Some news will be good and some news will be bad.

What does an opportunity mean for your topic?

An opportunity is the chance to achieve something for your topic. It should be positive. Such as a new merger or expanding a business into a new region.

It’s much easier to find opportunities after finishing the “weaknesses” section of the analysis. Opportunities are born from weaknesses . It allows a weakness to become a strength. Look again at the above example of PepsiCo’s weakness. It’s not as prevalent in the healthy eating niche as it should be. But if it were, that would change the weakness into a strength.

Examples of opportunities

Smart light bulbs. They allow you to control your lights with an app on your phone. Most companies sell these bulbs for home use . But they can also be used in organizations, businesses, and schools. The bulbs last longer than regular bulbs, making it a smart choice for establishments.

Airbnb can easily move into the travel industry . After selecting a room in the city you’re visiting, Airbnb can hook you up with a tour guide. An expert who will show you parts of the city you never knew existed. In some locations, Airbnb is already doing this. But not everywhere.

Finding opportunities online

First, examine your list of weaknesses. Which ones can be “fixed” and transformed into opportunities for your topic? If any on the list can’t ever be “fixed”, then don’t bother including them here. Because opportunities need to be possible . And not in a “million years later” kind of way. As in, possible to achieve in a few months or years.

Additionally, take a look at news and press release websites. Search your topic there. See if there have been any new achievements, such as new product developments, mergers, a change in business models… whatever catches your eye. If there are changes happening, it could mean opportunities are on the horizon.

Specifically, search:

• Publications (New York Times, TechCrunch, Local/international news sites)
• Use your own information from the strengths and weaknesses categories

You may only find a few opportunities . That’s OK. It’s best to highlight the most beneficial changes your topic can make. And really focus on what this opportunity means for the future of your topic. Will it bring more customers? Help with future expansions? Make their competition shake in fear?

Focus on what the end result will be. Then include it in your SWOT analysis.

How to Write A SWOT Analysis: Threats

As it relates to threats, that’s going to be the next line that you typing as you learn how to write a SWOT analysis. You’re going to write what the competition is for this particular company you’re looking at.

Netflix threats could be Blockbuster which is going through bankrupt filings. You could say Roku is another threat. You could mention other companies like Play On, Sling and these are all different streaming content sites. You can also mention Amazon Prime.

What is or could be threatening your topic?

Or rather, let’s start with: what’s the difference between a weakness and a threat?

A weakness is a problem. It can be small or large. It can last for a while or disappear quietly.

A threat is likely to cause damage. It can develop from a weakness that was left too long without a solution. It undermines the success of your topic. It’s not just a problem; it’s destruction.

Telling the difference between weaknesses and threats will make you write a SWOT analysis properly.

Examples of threats

E-cigs are popular because they’re healthier than smoking regular cigarettes. But are they? Not enough reports from reputable health studies prove this claim. People fear the health risks associated with using E-cigs for a long duration. Hysteria can easily kill this product if not taken care of swiftly.

Energy drinks lead to death . That is, people have drunk several cans in a row and suffered cardiac arrest. Women who are pregnant may harm their child by drinking a can of Red Bull or a Monster. Nothing can tank a reputation harder than reported deaths.

Finding threats online

As mentioned above, a weakness can be a threat. For instance, if a company ignores a large segment of their customers for too long, that’s a weakness. But what if someone else gives those customers what they’ve been craving?

The new guy steals those customers away. Then the original company loses profits. And maybe, a year from now, the company goes under because they refused to acknowledge their customers’ needs.

That is a weakness that turned into a catastrophic threat.

Threats are often:

• Market changes
• Economic decline
• Profit loss.

Again, like with opportunities, you can use the weakness section of your SWOT analysis to brainstorm a few areas of concern (or threats). Then you may want to confirm these threats by searching online.

• Bad reviews (Amazon)
• The competition

Take a look at the competitors of your topic. Ask yourself what they’re doing differently, but most importantly why are they?

Why have they chosen to market a certain way? Or offer a specific shipping method? Or to have their website written the way it is? The reason why may be a threat to your topic.

Consider the future

In this section, you want to think about what the future will be for your topic because of certain threats. Look into stocks. Search your topic online and find any articles you can from the last six months. Maybe you can pinpoint when the threats were first introduced (reported on) and how it affects the company today.

This section is trickier than the others. It’ll require more digging. Perhaps even do a competitor analysis if you’ve got the time. But the reason it’s more difficult is because it’s about the future of the topic. Will your topic even have a future if these threats persist? That’s what you need to find out.

These steps show how to write SWOT analysis properly. Make sure that it is detailed and well-rounded. You are also going to update this information within another year or so if you’re looking at this company again because you need fresh details and a fresh report.

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SWOT Analysis – Your Guide to Success

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In this article, you will discover everything you need to know about the method of SWOT analysis. You may be wondering what SWOT stands for – Strengths, and Weaknesses, the Opportunities, and Threats, and is the preferred method of analysing various aspects of a business.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 SWOT Analysis - FAQ
• 2 SWOT Analysis: Definition
• 3 How to do a SWOT analysis the right way
• 4 Questions that can help inspire a SWOT Analysis
• 5 In a Nutshell

SWOT Analysis - FAQ

What is a swot analysis used for.

The SWOT analysis method is the most popular technique used to focus and analyse certain aspects of a business. Using this method will reveal potential weaknesses and even future failures a business may face, the aspects of the business that may be working well, as well as highlighting any hazards or areas where competitors may be able to overtake you. Using the SWOT analysis can enable you to grow, to develop and to better strategise your business, which in turn will streamline and catapult your business ahead of the competition.

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How do you write a good SWOT analysis?

Writing a good SWOT analysis guide doesn’t have to be a daunting and difficult process. Sit down with members of the team or people you trust and discuss your business in depth. On a piece of paper, write down the words, Strengths, and Weaknesses, the Opportunities, and Threats and write a few relevant points under each word. Really think about your business – how do you deliver your product or services?

Do we know what our competition is doing? What do we do well and how can we improve? It may be beneficial to consider the Strengths and Weaknesses of your business as internal factors – things that you can improve within your team and organization such as the processes and quality. On the other hand, it may be beneficial to think of Opportunities and Threats as factors that are external, such as the economy, competition and customers.

Why is a SWOT analysis important?

The work of conducting a SWOT analysis is vital to the success of your business. It is a good way to see which processes work well for your business and highlights areas where further research or investment may be required. Spending valuable time conducting this analysis will allow you to make the necessary changes and in turn, will catapult the business ahead of your competition. It’s important to continue these analyses regularly as the business grows and progresses to ensure a smooth and streamlined delivery.

What are the benefits of using SWOT analysis?

The benefits of using the SWOT analysis method are endless. For little to no cost, you can gain an understanding of the fundamentals of the main aspects of your business. You are able to foresee any hazards or weaknesses, enjoy more opportunities, get ahead of your competition, and you’ll also garner the respect of your team as you show your willingness to improve.

Are there any limitations to using the SWOT analysis?

Whilst there are a number of benefits to using the SWOT analysis method, there are a small number of limitations. Whilst conducting the analysis will highlight any issues or hazards, the method isn’t able to offer solutions for improvement. Another limitation may be that if there are many improvements that need to be made, it may be difficult to prioritise the issues highlighted. When conducting this analysis, a lot of information and suggestions will be discussed and although not always useful, take time to really think about the steps needed to make the changes.

SWOT Analysis: Definition

When discussing the importance of SWOT analysis, it is defined as being a useful framework to analyse an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, the Opportunities, and Threats. The SWOT analysis will highlight areas that require particular concentration or investment in order to streamline, grow and present even more opportunities for the business.

How to do a SWOT analysis the right way

If you’re planning on conducting a SWOT analysis, you should follow this method. It’s vital that you have a structure so that you can analyse each aspect of your business successfully.

You should call upon your team and ask them to share openly and honestly where they feel improvements and perhaps investment should be made. Your team should know that you’re actively looking for this feedback to make the organization as successful as possible.

Draw a table, such as a SWOT Analysis Matrix where you write out the words – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats with a box underneath where notes can be made.

Use brainstorming techniques which will allow you to learn and expand your own skillset. You could even ask customers and suppliers for their own feedback when it comes to working with the business to understand their own experiences and to know if there is anything that can be improved.

Questions that can help inspire a SWOT Analysis

Here are some questions that may make your SWOT analysis easier to discuss:

In a Nutshell

Here is a short summary when considering SWOT analysis:

• A way to understand the fundamental factors of a business that concentrates on its Strengths, Weaknesses, the Opportunities, and Threats
• It can allow you to make the relevant changes and improvements which can provide more opportunities and is a way to get ahead of the competition
• It is an extremely cost effective way to streamline and improve your business
• SWOT analysis may provide too much information without revealing the solutions
• A simple table or a conversation can be a way to extend skillsets and gains trust

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SWOT Analysis in Architecture 101: Improve your research

• Updated: June 14, 2023

SWOT analysis is a powerful tool that can help architects to assess their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and gain insights into their firm to help improve their operations, grow their business, and overcome challenges.

In this article, we will explore the relevance of SWOT analysis in architecture and how architects can leverage this tool to their full advantage.

What is SWOT analysis for architecture?

SWOT analysis can be used to assess the internal and external factors that affect an architectural practice and firm through analyzing their:

• Strengths : These are the internal factors that give an architectural practice an advantage over its competitors. They could be unique skills, expertise, or resources that set the practice apart from others.
• Weaknesses : These are the internal factors that hinder an architectural firm from achieving its goals. They could be areas where the practice lacks expertise or resources, or processes that are inefficient or ineffective.
• Opportunities : These are external factors that can be leveraged to achieve its goals. They could be emerging trends, new technologies, or changes in the regulatory environment that the practice can take advantage of.
• Threats : These are external factors that pose a risk. They could be economic factors, competitive pressures, or changes in the regulatory environment that could impact the practice’s operations.

Why SWOT Analysis useful?

SWOT analysis offers several benefits that can help firms achieve their goals, including:

• Identifying competitive advantages : By understanding what sets their practice apart, architects can leverage these strengths to enhance their operations and differentiate themselves from their competitors.
• Highlighting areas for improvement : By acknowledging their weaknesses, architects can work to improve these areas and strengthen their practice.
• Enhancing decision-making processes : This information can be used to make informed decisions about business strategy, resource allocation, and other critical aspects of their practice.
• Expanding opportunities : By understanding emerging trends and changes in the industry, architects can position their practice to take advantage of these opportunities and grow their business.

Case studies have shown how SWOT analysis has helped architects to achieve their goals. For example, a small architecture firm conducted a SWOT analysis and identified that their strength was their expertise in sustainable design.

They used this strength to position themselves as leaders in sustainable design and attract clients who valued this expertise. As a result, the firm grew significantly, and they were able to take on larger, more complex projects.

Another example is a mid-sized architecture firm that identified a weakness in their lack of expertise in designing high-rise buildings. They worked to overcome this weakness by hiring a senior architect with extensive experience in high-rise design. This move allowed the firm to take on high-rise projects and expand their capabilities.

Conducting a SWOT Analysis in Architecture

To conduct a SWOT analysis, participants must:

• Define the objective : This will help them to focus on the specific areas of their practice that they want to analyze.
• Gather information : This may include financial data, customer feedback, industry trends, and competitive analysis.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses : Look for factors that set their practice apart from competitors and areas that require improvement.
• Identify opportunities and threats : Look for emerging trends, changes in the industry, and competitive pressures that could impact their practice.
• Analyze the results : Look for patterns, trends, and relationships that can inform their decision-making processes.

When conducting an analysis, architects should follow some of the best practices to ensure that the analysis is effective. These include:

• Being honest and objective : Architects should be honest and objective when analyzing their practice’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. They should avoid bias and be willing to acknowledge areas that require improvement.
• Focusing on the big picture : Architects should focus on the big picture when conducting their SWOT analysis. They should look for overarching trends and patterns that can inform their practice’s long-term goals and objectives.
• Prioritizing actions : Architects should prioritize actions based on their SWOT analysis results. They should focus on areas that have the greatest potential impact on their practice’s success.

SWOT analysis templates

There are several tools and resources available to architects to conduct SWOT analysis effectively, such as this free template by Xtensio or for a slightly more visually pleasing design, Adobe has a selection here .

Leveraging SWOT Analysis to improve architectural Practice

Architects can leverage SWOT analysis to improve their practice.

• Using strengths to enhance architectural practice : Architects can use their strengths to enhance their practice’s operations. For example, if a practice has a strong reputation for sustainable design, they can leverage this strength to attract clients who value sustainability and position themselves as leaders in this area.
• Overcoming weaknesses : Architects can use their SWOT analysis to identify areas that require improvement and develop strategies to overcome these weaknesses. For example, if a practice lacks expertise in a particular area, they can hire new staff or partner with other firms to strengthen their capabilities.
• Seizing opportunities : SWOT analysis can help architects to identify opportunities for growth and expansion. By understanding emerging trends and changes in the industry, architects can position their practice to take advantage of these opportunities and grow their business.
• Tackling threats : Architects can use their SWOT analysis to identify potential threats to their practice and develop strategies to mitigate these risks. For example, if there is a new regulation that could impact their business, they can adjust their operations to comply with the new regulation.

To leverage SWOT analysis effectively, architects should focus on prioritizing actions based on their analysis results. They should focus on areas that have the greatest potential impact on their practice’s success and develop strategies to address these areas.

Furthermore, architects should continuously monitor and update their SWOT analysis as their practice evolves. This will ensure that they stay current on changes in the industry and remain responsive to new opportunities and threats.

…in summary

SWOT analysis is a valuable tool for architects that offers several benefits in assessing their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. By conducting this analysis, architects can gain insights into their practice and develop strategies to improve their operations, grow their business, and overcome challenges.

FAQ’s about SWOT analysis in architecture

What is a swot analysis of a building site.

A SWOT analysis of a building site involves assessing the site’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to determine its suitability for construction. Here is a breakdown of what each component of the SWOT analysis could entail:

Strengths : A construction company’s strengths may include their efficiency, ability to remain on-schedule, a well-established brand name, and a diversified range of projects and skills. Strengths can be identified by considering factors such as:

• Advantages unique to the organization
• What the organization does better than others
• Distinct resources that can be drawn on
• Market perception of the organization’s strengths

Weaknesses : A construction company’s weaknesses may include having a large proportion of business with one client, in one sector, or in one particular area, or a management team lacking certain skills and experience. Weaknesses can be identified by considering factors such as:

• Areas for improvement within the organization
• Areas the organization should avoid
• Market perception of the organization’s weaknesses
• Factors that could harm or lose business for the organization

Opportunities : Opportunities for a construction company can arise from expanding the business, changing government policy, or using expertise of a particular sector to anticipate where the market will go next. Identifying opportunities involves keeping a close eye on the industry and its influences and trying to spot trends that can be exploited before rivals do.

Threats : Threats to a construction company can be external, such as a slowdown in the industry or a negative change in government policy, or internal, such as poor management, debt, cash flow problems, lack of investment, or lack of expertise. Threats can be identified by considering factors such as:

• Potential obstacles to success
• Competition from rivals
• Changing standards or regulations
• Changing technology
• Whether any of the identified weaknesses could threaten the business.

How to do a SWOT analysis for a design?

To do a SWOT analysis for a design, follow these steps:

• Identify the objective: Define the objective of the design project and what you hope to achieve with it. This will help you focus on the specific areas of the design that you want to analyze.
• Gather information: Collect all relevant information about the design project, such as the project brief, target audience, design constraints, and any other important details.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses: Analyze the design and identify its strengths and weaknesses. Consider factors such as aesthetics, functionality, usability, and sustainability. Also, consider any limitations or constraints that may impact the design’s success.
• Identify opportunities and threats: Analyze external factors that may impact the design, such as market trends, competition, or changing consumer preferences. Identify any emerging opportunities or threats that may impact the success of the design.
• Analyze the results: Review the results of the SWOT analysis and look for patterns and relationships between the different components. This will help you develop insights into the design’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

When conducting a SWOT analysis for a design, it’s essential to follow best practices to ensure that the analysis is effective. These include:

• Being objective and unbiased: Approach the analysis with an open mind and avoid any biases that may impact your analysis.
• Involving others: Involve others in the analysis process, such as clients, stakeholders, or other team members, to get different perspectives and insights.
• Focusing on key factors: Focus on the factors that have the most significant impact on the design’s success and prioritize them accordingly.
• Continuously monitoring: Continuously monitor the SWOT analysis throughout the design process and make updates as necessary.

In conclusion, conducting a SWOT analysis for a design project can help designers to gain insights into the design’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. By following best practices and focusing on key factors, designers can develop strategies to improve the design and position it for success.

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