The name of the analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats - SWOT-analysis, comes from the reduction of words:

Strengths - strengths, strengths;

Weaknesses - weakness;

Opportunities - opportunities;

Treats are threats.

SWOT analysis is a fairly simple and popular technique that allows you to assess the consequences of a decision you make, in making which you are guided by knowledge and understanding of the surrounding situation. And it does not matter whether this decision is in the field of marketing, the choice of the company's development strategy, or any of your decisions related to current activities, not even related to business.

So, using the WSOT method, you can analyze whether you (or your girlfriend) are wearing the blue dress that she bought in a boutique last month. Choosing a profession, or one or another company for employment, we assess our strengths and weaknesses, the opportunities opened up in a new place, as well as the threat of a job change. As for marketing, in fact, this marketer, to one degree or another, is owned by every marketer involved in making strategic decisions.

Intuitively, we use SWOT-analysis quite often, but few people independently bring such an assessment to a logical conclusion, dwelling on the fundamental understanding of the situation and not delving into the analysis of the details of marketing.

The following are two of the most simple techniques, the use of which will allow you to independently conduct a SWOT analysis to a novice entrepreneur. There are in-depth options for SWOT analysis. Their application requires a more thorough approach, preparation and study of details.

SWOT Analysis Method
In principle, everything is simple, the analysis is carried out as follows:

1. The expert formulation of your strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Their basis is only you. If we talk about the company, then it is those strong and weak that are inherent in the company. For an expert description of this, it is sufficient to use the results of an express survey of the management of the enterprise.

Strengths and weaknesses should be assessed by at least 3m vectors:

Management (condition, quality, motivation, qualification)
Business processes
Finance
To analyze the internal factors, I propose to use a different model. For
analysis of internal factors, we should pay attention to compliance:

marketing activities of the company to its external environment;
the company's sales system and its adequacy to the marketing channel;
organization of production processes and the adequacy of products to the market (for manufacturing companies);
organization of logistics processes and the adequacy of their marketing channel;
financial condition of the company and its tasks;
administrative system and quality of business process administration;
human resources management system
 

2. We describe the opportunities and threats - which are external factors, based on - the situation outside the company, the business environment of the company.

There is no need to invent threats, they are always the same. It is enough to assess the typical potential threats to the existence of such for your company (for you).

There are threats:

social;
economic;
technological;
political;
environmental;
competition.
3. Ranging the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats according to the degree of influence on the company, we throw away the contrived.

4. We reduce everything to the SWOT matrix (in the table).

5. Analyzing the effect of factors.

  

6. Having finished with the description and the marketing analysis, we define a strategy based on the results of the description above, using strengths and compensating your (company) disadvantages.

SWOT matrix
All data are summarized in one table consisting of 4 main fields: strength, weakness,
opportunities and threats. Such a table is also called the matrix of the SWOT analysis.

 Strengths (S) Weaknesses (W)
 ......

 ......

 ........

 ........

 Opportunities (O) Threats (T)
.......

.......

 .......

 .......

Analyzing the effect of factors
Actually, what we have compiled above is not yet a SWOT analysis, but only a form (matrix) for a convenient description of the parties, opportunities and threats. Analysis - a conclusion about how your "strengths" will help to realize the company's capabilities in achieving certain planned goals.

Let's try to rebuild the information in the tablet and answer the questions:

Opportunities (O) Threats (T)
Strengths (S)
We correlate "force" and "possibilities",
and understand how "power" can provide
company capabilities.
one. .......

2. .......

3. .......

(do not hesitate, we describe in words)

We correlate "force" and "threat", and we understand
how “power” can eliminate
threats to the company

one. .......

2. .......

3. .......

(do not hesitate, we describe in words)

Weaknesses (W)
Listing "weaknesses", we describe
how much weaknesses interfere
use
listed opportunities

one. .......

2. .......

3. .......

(do not hesitate, we describe in words)

Listing "weaknesses", we describe
most unpleasant for the company:
how many of your weaknesses
will lead to the onset of those threats
whichYou have been listed. ....... 2. ....... 3. ....... (do not hesitate, we describe in words) The matrix of SWOT-analysis strategies. The next thing is the most interesting, for which everything was actually started. According to the results of the analysis, we use the results of the SWOT analysis to develop specific strategy vectors, according to which we will work. A company, as a company, works in several directions (vectors) at once: we implement strengths; we correct weaknesses of a company, use its strengths; we take measures to compensate for threats. including due to the strong. We summarize all the data in one table (matrix) consisting of 4 main fields: strength, weakness, opportunities and threats. Such a table is called: "The matrix of SWOT-analysis strategies." SO marketing activities to be carried out in order to use the strengths to increase the company's capabilities; ST activities that use the strengths of the organization to avoid threats; WO activities to be carried out, overcoming weaknesses and using the presented opportunities; minimize weaknesses to avoid threats. Analyzing the data located in the table, a list of possible actions (marketing plan) is compiled to neutralize the weaknesses of the company, including at the expense of the strong ones. Also, possible options for the development of the company when external factors change, how to use strengths to reduce risks, etc.