SWOT – Why & How?

SWOT – WHY & HOW?

SWOT ANALYSIS: INTERNAL ANALYSIS

As you conduct an Internal Analysis of your organization, you may want to examine your organization’s strengths and weaknesses in the following areas:

• Product (what are we selling?)
• Process (how are we selling it?)
• Customer (to whom are we selling it?)
• Distribution (how does it reach them?)
• Finance (what are the prices, costs and investments?)
• Administration (and how do we manage all this?)

MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES

For example:

● Organisational structure: Does the organizational structure hinder or facilitate a free flow of information? What about the client-responsive implementation of activities?
● Planning: Have feasible long- and short-term plans been made, involving staff and community?
● Coordination: How well do different departments of your
organization cooperate and coordinate with each other?
● Staffing: Are staff roles clear? Do staff have consistent training and feedback to ensure high performance?
● Supervision: Do all staff meet regularly with a supervisor? Do staff view the supervisor’s role as one of guidance, assistance, and support?
● Training: Do you regularly assess the training needs of staff?
● Management Information System: Do managers have accurate information on the progress made toward the objectives of the program?

PROGRAMMING CAPABILITIES

For example:

● Capacity: What is the potential capacity of your program to provide
services? Does the current level of activities match this capacity?
● Quality: How can you improve the quality of care in your program?
What is the level of client satisfaction?

FINANCING CAPABILITIES

For example:

● Self-financing: What is your current level of self-financing?
● Outside funding sources: What are your current sources of
● financing? How stable are these sources?

EXAMPLE RATIONALE FOR SWOT ANALYSIS

Strengths

• Advantages of proposition?
• Capabilities?
• Competitive advantages?
• USP’s (unique selling points)?
• Resources, Assets, People?
• Experience, knowledge, data?
• Financial reserves, likely returns?
• Marketing – reach, distribution, awareness?
• Innovative aspects?
• Location and geographical?
• Price, value, quality?
• Accreditations, qualifications, certifications?
• Processes, systems, IT, communications?
• Cultural, attitudinal, behavioural?
• Management cover, succession?

Weaknesses

• Disadvantages of proposition?
• Gaps in capabilities?
• Lack of competitive strength?
• Reputation, presence and reach?
• Financials?
• Own known vulnerabilities?
• Timescales, deadlines and pressures?
• Cashflow, start-up cash-drain?
• Continuity, supply chain robustness?
• Effects on core activities, distraction?
• Reliability of data, plan predictability?
• Morale, commitment, leadership?
• Accreditations, etc?
• Processes and systems, etc?
• Management cover, succession?

Opportunities

• Market developments?
• Competitors’ vulnerabilities?
• Industry or lifestyle trends?
• Technology development and innovation?
• Global influences?
• New markets, vertical, horizontal?
• Niche target markets?
• Geographical, export, import?
• Market need for new USP’s?
• Market response to tactics, for eg surprise?
• Major contracts, tenders?
• Business and product development?
• Information and research?
• Partnerships, agencies, distribution?
• Market volume demand trends?
• Seasonal, weather, fashion influences?

Threats

• Political effects?
• Legislative effects?
• Environmental effects?
• IT developments?
• Competitor intentions – various?
• Market demand?
• New technologies, services, ideas?
• Vital contracts and partners?
• Obstacles faced?
• Insurmountable weaknesses?
• Employment market?
• Financial and credit pressures?
• Economy – home, abroad?
• Seasonality, weather effects?

SOCIALISING THE SWOT CONCEPT

An evaluation committee will have socialised an automation and innovation strategy with several departments within the business. Key stakeholders from each division within the business will have a different set of performance outcomes and flexibility required when deploying innovation.

SMS can work in partnership with a business to design a specification to meet performance outcomes to provide a competitive advantage identified. SMS will provide ways to measure the flexibility of any automation and innovation strategy during step 8 in the detailed planning stage.

Your company’s commentary is critical in this step to identify performance outcomes. Please send a copy of the SWOT analysis for SMS to review and arrange a time to discuss strategies to close the gap identified. SMS and your business evaluation committee will be positioned to articulate how a machine will improve efficiency and revenue for the next 10 years when working collaboratively together.