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Effect for your company Influence on performance
MARKETING Strength Neutral Weakness High Low
Company's image
Level of planning/Marketing skills
Company's reputation for quality
Company's reputation for service
Accessibility to raw materials
Information availability
Familiarity with market
Company's market share
Market size
Market growth
Price: Pricing strategy
Product: Research and development
New product ideas
Distribution: Marketing positioning
Distribution strategy ­ domestic
Distribution strategy ­ export
Ease of entry
Geographical proximity
Promotion: Sales force
Advertising and promotion
FINANCIAL
Cost of capital
Financial stability
Profitability
Return on equity
Debt to equity ratio
MANUFACTURING
Manufacturing facilities
Economies of scale
Capacity to increase production
Ability to deliver on time
Technical and manufacturing skills
Manufacturing costs
ORGANISATIONAL
Company's leadership
Management aspirations for the company
Dedication and skill of workers
Entrepreneurial orientation
Flexibility and adaptability
Staff relations/Administration skills
Ability to respond to changing conditions
Relationship with suppliers, middleperson
Language abilities/Professional qualifications
Technical qualifications TQM environment
Marketing knowledge
Information management/Use of it
Technology management
S W O T Analysis
A suggested outline
A SWOT Analysis looks at a company's
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
and threats. It aims to reveal the competitive
advantages of the company as
well as analyse its prospects for sales
and profitability.
It also aims to prepare a company
for problems which may arise, allowing
for the development of contingency
plans.
An analysis of the company's
strengths and weaknesses is an internal
examination. It is usually based
on an analysis of facts and assumptions
about the company and on market
research findings.
The opportunity and threat analysis
is carried out by examining external
factors, eg. economic or social trends,
changes in your competitors' behaviour
etc.
This list is typical of the issues companies
find during a
SWOT Analysis. Tick the box which
shows how each issue will affect your
company, and whether it has a high
or low influence on your company's
performance.
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Strengths/Weaknesses Analysis
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Strengths/Weaknesses Analysis
Effect for your company Influence on performance
DEMOGRAPHIC Opportunity Neutral Threat High Low
Population trends
Age distribution
Birth, death and marriage rates
Lifestyle trends
Mobility trends
Population's level of education
Change in buying patterns of typical family
ECONOMIC
Growth of economy
Size of market for products, rate of growth
Foreign exchange position
Stability of currency, convertibility
Per capita income, rate of growth
Income distribution
Balance of economy (industry-agriculture-trade)
Rate of inflation
POLITICAL/LEGAL
Stability of government
Tariffs
Regulations in competitive practices
Product labelling requirements
Consumer information requirements
Product standards
Government controls & legislation regulating business
Non tariff barriers
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
Lifestyle trends eg. health and fitness
Ethnicity of the population
Changes in consumer tastes
Business ethics
Social factors in business
Other trends
Change in cultural values
ENVIRONMENTAL/TECHNOLOGICAL
Importance of environmental issues
Pace of technological change
Innovational opportunities
COMPETITION
Dominant market players
Number of players
Production capability
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Price advantages/Disadvantages
Distribution advantages/Disadvantages
Market segmentation
Product quality
Product positioning
Supplier power
Customer Power
Threat of substitution
Threat of new entrants
Intensity of industry rivalry
EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
Transportation costs/Availability
Distribution within market
Extent and reliability of postal and phone systems
S W O T Analysis
Opportunities/Threats Analysis
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