Examples and worksheets
Strengths and Weaknesses
- Internal Factors
 What advantages does your company
have?
 What do you do better than anyone
else?
 What unique or lowest-cost
resources do you have access to? Useful opportunities can come from such things
 What do people in your market see as:
as your strengths?
 What factors mean that you “get the
sale”?
 What could you improve?
 What should you avoid?
 What are people in your market likely
to see as weaknesses?
 What factors lose you sales?
 Advantages/ Disadvantages of
proposition?
 Capabilities/ Gaps?
 Competitive advantages?
 USP’s (unique selling points)/
reputation?
 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, behavioral?
Opportunities and Threats
- External Factors
 Where are the good opportunities facing
you?
 What are the interesting trends you are
aware of?
 Changes in technology and markets on both
a broad and narrow scale
 Changes in government policy related to
your field
 Changes in social patterns, population
profiles, lifestyle changes, etc.
 Local Events
 Market developments?
 Competitors’ vulnerabilities?
 Industry or lifestyle trends?
 Technology development and innovation?
 Global influences?
 New markets, vertical, horizontal?
 Niche target markets?
 Geographical, export, import?
 New USP’s?
 Tactics – surprise, major contracts, etc?
 Business and product development?
 Information and research?
 Partnerships, agencies, distribution?
 Volumes, production, economies?
 Seasonal, weather, fashion influences?
 What obstacles do you face?
 What is your competition doing that you
should be worried about?
 Are the required specifications for your job,
  Management cover, succession?
Other factors may include:
 Resources: financial, intellectual,
location
 Cost advantages from proprietary
know-how
 Creativity / ability to develop new
products
 Valuable intangible assets:
intellectual capital
 Competitive capabilities
 Big company selection
In the BIR we use the following as SWot
factors:
products or services changing?
 Is changing technology threatening your
position?
 Do you have bad debt or cash-flow
problems?
 Could any of your weaknesses seriously
threaten your business?
 Political effects?
 Legislative effects?
 Environmental effects?
 IT developments?
 Competitor intentions – various?
 Market demand?
 New technologies, services, ideas?
 Vital contracts and partners?
 Sustaining internal capabilities?
 Obstacles faced?
 Insurmountable weaknesses?
 Loss of key staff?
 Sustainable financial backing?
 Economy – home, abroad?
 Seasonality, weather effects?
Other factors may include:
 Takeover’s
 Market Trends
 Economic condition
 Mergers
 Joint ventures
 Strategic alliances
 Expectations of stakeholders
 Technology
 Public expectations
 Competitors and competitive actions
 Poor Public Relations Development
 Criticism (Editorial)
 Global Markets
 Environmental conditions
External factors can be also listed using a PESTLE
Analysis
 PRIMO-F

 People
 Resources
 Innovation & Ideas
 Marketing
 Operations
 Finance

An example

With the objective of: “To double the businesses turnover in the next three
years.”

Internal Factors External Factors

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
 In business since  Junior Manager has  “The  Many of
19xx. no experience or opportunities (for their
MD has xx years of education for his growth) are industrial
experience in the position of Sales there,” MD customers
industry and as head Manager  Professional help are going
of the company.  Marketing assistant is available for elsewhere
has little marketing designing new for the
 Sales and profits experience products controls
have grown steadily  MD says that he is
 Sales and profits not a good
were $xx million and executive
$y00,000 in 2007.  Employees feel free  Reliable  The
 MD responds to complain directly manufacturers $50,000
personally to all to MD are available for Derf1
customer complaints  MD can’t find a good producing new designer
 MD wants to get General Manager at products did not do a
involved in the salary he wants
 marketing to pay
 “We run a tight  Company is having good job.
ship”, MD trouble selling Derf1
 “We have an (its new product)  There is a
excellent reputation  MD is worried about market for 1500
for quality,” MD converting 5,000 Derf1 at $45 a  There was
 “Manufactured Derf1 into cash unit a business
Products,”  Stock held increased recession
“Modifications” and too much during
“Repairs” have Gross recent months with
Profit margins resulting interest
greater than 50% cost of $4,000 a
month
 MD can’t break the
habit of getting
involved in
everything
 The sales
compensation
system  . . .
o a) Pays out
too much
money
o b) Is too
complicated.
o c) Does not
motivate sales
reps to sell
Derf1
 Sales reps do not
present Derf1
because they do not
know it well
 Derf1 is priced
higher than
competing products
 The company does
not appear to have
historical trend data
 They spent
$192,000
advertising Derf1
and they have
 trouble selling it.
 There is a conflict
between Sales
manager and
Marketing manager
regarding pricing
policy on Derf1

More examples in use and types of application

INTERNAL
Strengths Weaknesses

 willingness of  staff lack of

staff to change motivation
 good location of  small building
facility  paperwork and
 perception of bureaucracy
quality of  cultural
services differences
with users

E Opportunities SO Options WO Options

X
T  support of local  training of staff  remodeling of
E government in interactive facility with
R  high felt need of techniques of local
N users quality government
A  little competition improvement funds and
L  internationally  coordination international
funded projects with other help
providers to
cover all user
needs
Threats ST Options WT Options

 low income of  cost recovery of  review of

users products/ procedures for
 bad roads services with decreasing
 low salaries user fees costs and
 lack of budget  payment of waiting times
 paradigms of incentives to and increasing
providers staff based on perceived
performance quality