SWOT Analysis 1

SWOT Analysis for Research and Development

Chenista Rae Straubel

MGT 330

Beverley Harris

April 6, 2004
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Abstract

This document has been prepared to highlight the strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities, and threats facing independent Research and Development facilities.

The scope of the analysis covers business activities that affect the company’s

ability to promote employment; expand technical expertise; product and service

development delivery; attracting venture capitalists and broadening the current customer

base; identifying new and emerging markets and competitors; expanding the global base;

creating alliances with other research and development companies to share expertise,

knowledge, and resources; securing technology required to advance the company mission

and vision; and to increase profits.

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SWOT analysis for Research & Development

Strengths

• Innovative and flexible professionals on staff

 Group cohesiveness

• Technical efficiency and expertise

• Industry integration

• Strong and growing market

• Cultural acceptance and convenience

• Diversity of the workforce

Weaknesses

• Rapidly changing technological and global markets

• Rapid advancement of technology and emerging competitors in niche markets

• Expanding opportunities for research and development

 Strengthen current relationships

 Develop a means to attract new customers (collaboration with current

relationships)

• Low availability of capital and limitations in resources

 Create basic infrastructure that supports programs and projects

• Network management services and interface

• Create optimum conditions for accessing

• Innovative and user-friendly

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• Flexible integration and coordination of new information according to

needs

• Implement quality standards

 Proper market research

 Methodological preparation, design and implementation

• Develop new products ahead of competitors for a growing market

• Design customer service initiative for product support

• Improve concept – to market cycle time

• Production flexibility

• Inadequate risk management policy

Opportunities

• Identification and development of global niche markets

• New developments in communication technologies

• Strong outside global influences and need for R&D

• Grant funding for research and development activities in the medical arena

• Growing acceptance of technology and rapid change

• Interdependence of collaboration and co-operation among niche markets

Threats

• Ethics and theft

 Conflict of interest: significant financial interest that affect design, conduct or

reporting of activities of employees and/or stakeholders

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• Ensures integrity and objectivity of research and scholarly activities

through disclosure and management of conflicts of interests

• Ensures compliance of the law

 Guidelines for authorship: publication of research and scholarly results

• Standards vary between disciplines and journals. Employees are

encouraged to conform to policies in each journal or to the uniform

standards established whichever is the higher standard.

• Credit based on substantial contributions to concept and design,

acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting or revising

intellectual content, final approval of published version.

• Acquisition of funding, collection of data, supervision of research do not

justify authorship

 Policies and procedures

 Intellectual property applies to production of new knowledge and dissemination

of both old and new knowledge

• Encourage development of useful devices and processes

• Publication of scholarly works

• Development of computer software

• Educational opportunities

 Outside professional activity applies to obligations and privileges inherent in

professional status

• Obligated to broaden capabilities, share knowledge and skills with the

public
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• Limited services to professional associations and professional appointment

• Expend principal productivity effort

 Ownership and retention of scholarly / research records applies to funded research

 Research misconduct ensures the integrity of research

• Full protection of rights and protection of accusations

• Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism

• Competing markets

• Political tradeoffs, restrictions on trade, government interaction, increasing

involvement in R&D sector and influence on price and profit margins

• Loss of resources

• Consumer attitude

• Talent retention

Conclusion

Priorities

New business development activities

This area addresses broadening the customer base as well as activities to create

new alliances that arise from the investment of both knowledge and human capital.

Activities in this area include imparting or sharing of knowledge and research results,

venture capital investments, innovation coupled with creativity and design, start-up as

well as spin-offs and survival, and other investment opportunities that will enhance the

profitability of the company.

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Competition

Continuous improvement of the company as an industry leader to will improve

productivity and profitability reflected in best practices documentation, management

development, expansion of e-business, access to capital for use and reinvestment,

networking, government regulations, environmental performance, and international trade

development.

Networking

Hot spots in business activity and local economies can be readily identified and

acted upon through a solid networking system. In this area we will be able to establish

relationships in our niche market by linking businesses with our current customer base

and markets.

Emerging social economy identification

Activities related to the social economy identify new services, products, and

business organizations that will help the company research and develop products

consistent with emerging needs as well as established markets.