SWOT Analysis
- First Steps
Areas you have studied (disciplines in IDS):
sociology
2. Business management
how do these two areas relate/intersect?
The two areas interact in that; business management will often involve venturing into various methods that are geared to improve the business organization, enabling it to meet its goals. Since most businesses target people as their customers, sociology will help in understanding their nature and how best to serve them. Understanding how society functions will help in business management because it will help in identifying various aspects of society that could be used to an organizations advantage (Augsberg & Henry, 2009).
What attracted you to these fields of study?
Most employers in the private and public sectors and a variety of graduate programs give first priority to students who have attained a course related to business in their undergraduate degree programs. This realization is what led me to pursue these fields because they would assist me in securing a good position in pursuit of my graduate program and also enhance the chances of getting good employment after school. The two fields are also interlinked which means I can enhance my knowledge and become better at both. - Focus and Discovery
Brainstorm/List
1. The success of an organization depends on how it relates with its customers
2. Competitors also determine how an organization will perform in the market
3. Organizations ought to consider the needs of the people it associates with
4. Is it the products or the absence of competition that determine customer purchase?
5. There is a need to outdo competition and ensure the target market selects the organization products or services (Pahl & Richter, 2007).
Narrow the List/Define Your Ideas
a. organizations need to understand the position they hold in the market
b. regardless of competition, organizations must find a way to survive in their market
c. there is a need to identify opportunities in the market and use them as an advantage
d. what tool or method can be used to assess all these aspects?
e. would a SWOT analysis meet all the needs identified?
Are there any current events or advancements that have changed or impacted your field(s) of study or interests?
The advancement of technology has brought about various changes that have impacted my fields of study in various ways. In the past, people relied on face to face interactions when exchanging goods and services and other various forms of transactions. The advancement of technology has brought about changes in which people interact. With the use of computers, people can do business online with little or no physical contact. This has impacted my fields of study because I have to factor in the importance and challenges brought about by these changes and also the effect that they have on society as a whole (Snelling, 2012).
If you could change one characteristic of or law governing your subject, what would it be?
One characteristic I would change is how organizations use the information collected after conducting a SWOT analysis. Most organizations pay more attention on the weaknesses and the threats they face and then invest in ways to overcome the. Few rarely focus on the strengths and opportunities without realizing that they could be used to resolve the challenges that may arise. A change would be one that sees to it that organizations pay close attention to all aspects of the SWOT analysis and give equal attention to all areas addressed (Anja, 2013).
List of areas relative to the topic of SWOT analysis
- SWOT analysis is an effective tool to assess the position of an organization.
2. How effective is the SWOT analysis in planning what approach to take
3. How can one conduct an effective SWOT analysis
4. Is there a substitute that can achieve the same results as a SWOT analysis
5. Who is responsible for conducting an organization’s SWOT analysis
6. Since other organizations will conduct their own SWOT analysis, how can one organization ensure it benefits more than the others
7. What is the cost of conducting an effective SWOT analysis
8. Will the information collected be reliable and can it be used as a base for implementing changes in an organization
- Choosing a Topic
A question arises on the importance of conducting a SWOT analysis for an organization. For most organization, knowing the internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats play an important role in determine the type of approach that the organization can take in the constantly changing market environment. This information is essential because it helps management to identify areas that can be exploited so as to give the company a competitive advantage. It also helps in identifying areas that may be causing problems and facilitates their correction to prevent problems from arising (Fine, 2009).
A list of questions to will explore within the paper:
1. Can a SWOT analysis be used as competitive tool?
2. What are the advantages of a SWOT analysis to an organization?
3. Who is responsible for conducting the SWOT analysis?
Rough draft of ideas:
a. do all organizations stand to benefit from SWOT analysis
b. how often should a SWOT analysis be conducted
c. what are the methods employed in conducting a SWOT analysis
Writing Your Thesis Statement
The topic: SWOT analysis
Major issue: an organization’s SWOT analysis gives an organization a competitive advantage
Three reasons: it is easy to conduct, notifies the organization of the opportunities to exploit and the challenges that need to be addressed.
Thesis statement: A well implemented SWOT analysis gives any organization a competitive advantage as it reveals areas that could be exploited to the organizations advantages and challenges that need to be addressed so as to achieve the set goals.
References
Augsburg, T., & Henry, S. (2009). The politics of interdisciplinary studies: Essays on transformations in American undergraduate programs. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co.
B, H. A. (2013). The Swot Analysis. Grin Verlag.
Fine, L. G. (2009). The SWOT analysis: Using your strength to overcome weaknesses, using opportunities to overcome threats. Place of publication not identified: Kick It.
Pahl, N., Richter, A., & University of Applied Science Berlin. (2007). SWOT analysis: Idea, methodology and a practical approach. Munchen: GRIN Verlag.
Snelling J, (2012), “The Influence of the SWOT Analysis in Organizational Development Strategic Planning” GRIN Verlag
