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?)
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?
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?
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?
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?
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.