SWOT ANALYSIS

SHWETA SINGH
What is SWOT?

 It is a planning tool used to identify

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and Threats involved in a business. It is
used as part of Strategic Planning
Process
SWOT

 Factors affecting an organization can usually be

classified as:

 Internal factors
 Strengths (S) Strengths Weaknesses
 Weaknesses (W)

 External factors
 Opportunities (O) Opportunities Threats
 Threats (T)
SWOT: Description
 A SWOT analysis generates information that
is helpful in matching an organization or
group’s goals, programs, and capacities to
the social environment in which it operates.
 Factors internal to the firm usually can be
classified as strengths (S) or weaknesses
(W), and those external to the firm can be
classified as opportunities (O) or threats (T).
 It is an instrument within strategic planning.
 When combined with dialogue it is a
participatory process
SWOT: internal factors

 Strengths
 Positive tangible and intangible attributes, internal to an
organization. They are within the organization’s control

 Weaknesses
 Factors that are within an organization’s control that
detract from its ability to attain the core goal. In which
areas might the organization improve?
SWOT: external factors
 Opportunities
 External attractive factors that represent the reason for
an organization to exist and develop. What opportunities
exist in the environment which will propel the
organization?
 Identify them by their “time frames”

 Threats
 External factors, beyond an organization’s control,
which could place the organization’s mission or
operation at risk. The organization may benefit by
having contingency plans to address them should they
occur
 Classify them by their “seriousness” and “probability of
occurrence”
Simple Rules for SWOT Analysis

 Be realistic about the strengths and

weaknesses of your organization or group.
 Distinguish between where your organization
is today, and where it could be in the future
 Be specific: Avoid gray areas.
 Always analyze in relation to your core
mission.
 Keep your SWOT short and simple. Avoid
complexity and over analysis
 Empower SWOT with a logical conceptual
framework.
SWOT for a Peasant Coop
 Strengths
 The peasants who have organized the cooperative are
relative young and with a strong awareness of social justice.
 They have participated in an agro-ecological planning
workshop.
 They control agricultural lands with irrigation
 Both men and women are active participants
 Local school teachers are members of the organization.
 Weakness
 Lack marketing expertise in cities.
 Lack access to credit
 Depend on intermediaries for transportation
 poor quality control of produce
 SWOT for a Peasant Coop
 Opportunities
 Modern farm-market facilities have been developed in three
towns.
 An NGO has organized a system of small credits for women.
 The county is building a secondary road between the coop
location and the main highway.
 Threats:
 A large food retailer is contracting with local peasants.
 Transportation intermediaries have access to local government
officers.
 Some peasants are selling their land to developers and out
migrating to large cities.