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How to Write a SWOT Analysis (Template and Examples Included)

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Planning for the Future

Where do you see yourself in five years? How about your career? Your business? 

These questions keep a staggering amount of people awake at night. All too often, the future can seem like a dark, ominous cloud that looms just out of view. As the old proverb goes, we fear the unknown—and little can possibly be more unknowable than the future.

While there is no crystal ball that can accurately predict future market trends or the steps you should take to optimize your productivity and sharpen your competitive edge, we can offer some advice: Reframe the question. Rather than trying to pinpoint where you think you might be in five years, think about where you want to be at that point in time. Once you have a destination in mind, you can start planning a route to get there. After all, maps are great tools, but they can't help you if you don't know where you're going.

So, what's the metaphorical map in this scenario? We present to you the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis.

How to Write a SWOT Analysis

SWOT analyses are great strategic tools that are useful in project planning, business development , financial strategizing, and personal advancement . Simple, honest, and to-the-point, they facilitate a profound understanding of your or your business's current standing. Essentially, a SWOT analysis is a comparative list of all your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

There's more power in this process than you might think. You may be only hazily aware of your own strengths and weaknesses. However, thoughtfully recording and reflecting on them creates a thorough, conscious familiarity with both the resources available to you and the obstacles standing in your way. This awareness allows you to map out a path toward your goals with great precision and purpose. Writing a SWOT analysis will help you clearly evaluate whether your goals are feasible according to your resources and needs.

In this guide, we'll break down exactly how to write a SWOT analysis and provide a few examples along the way. Feel free to use our SWOT analysis template, given below, to write your own!

Our SWOT Analysis Template

how to write a swot analysis essay

Your list of strengths should focus on your current resources and abilities. It should relate to things that you do or that your company does well. These might be your or your company's accomplishments—both great and small—and the assets that you or your company have. Your strengths give you your greatest edge; they are the resources that propel you forward and that you can continue to develop as you progress.

When you draw up your first SWOT analysis, you may find yourself at a loss. Don't worry—it's difficult for most people to come up with an objective list of strengths and weaknesses on the spot. For your convenience, we've included a list of questions you can ask yourself to get started.

These questions should help you identify a few of your strengths. Remember, while our example questions mostly relate to business strengths, they can also apply to personal strengths. Go ahead and boast as much as you can.

  • What sets your company apart from others?
  • What do you have that other companies don't?
  • What are you most proud of about your company?
  • What makes clients come back to you?
  • What does your company do well?
  • What assets do you have access to?
  • What qualities does your company have that other companies try to emulate?
  • What has always been easy for your company? 

Listing your weaknesses might be a little more uncomfortable than detailing your strengths, but trust us—doing so will help you in the long run. Understanding the obstacles in your path and the elements of your business or skills you may need to improve is just as important as appreciating your strengths. Once you're aware of your weaknesses, you can start working on them and building your next steps around them.

Your list of weaknesses should pertain to any current problems and challenges. Check out the list of questions below—it should give you an idea of where to start. Again, if you'd rather focus on your personal or career growth, feel free to alter these questions to suit your needs.

  • What makes your company blend in with its competition?
  • What do other companies have that you don't?
  • What are the most common criticisms that you receive from clients?
  • Why have certain clients not returned to you?
  • What does your company need to improve upon?
  • What kind of feedback do you receive from your employees?
  • What might your competition consider to be a weakness?
  • What has always been difficult for your company?
  • What are you unwilling to do or change?

Opportunities

Think about the opportunities available to you as potential future strengths. Your opportunities are the assets, resources, and events that could be beneficial to you in some way in the future. You may need to change some of your current approaches or adapt in other ways to capitalize on these opportunities, and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to identify your potential opportunities:

  • What is happening in the current market that you could capitalize upon?
  • What changes have you been making that have returned positive results?
  • What is working for other companies?
  • How could you introduce new technology to make your processes more efficient?
  • What costs can you cut?
  • Could you access new sectors or demographic groups?
  • How can you improve or modernize your marketing techniques?
  • How can you remove existing obstacles?

  Threats

Just as your opportunities are based on potential, so are your threats; these are the possible obstacles or issues that are not yet directly affecting your progress. But this doesn't mean that you shouldn't start thinking about them! Being aware of the challenges that you may encounter will help you either plan around them or confront them with solutions. Try to come up with several future events that may realistically hinder the momentum you build from engaging with your strengths and opportunities.

To get started, take a peek at our list of questions:

  • What obstacles might your weaknesses create?
  • Do changing market trends negatively affect your competitive edge?
  • What might stand in the way of the changes you make to accommodate your strengths and opportunities?
  • Do you have a lot of debt?
  • Could your competition exploit your weaknesses?

How did you do? Do you feel like you've listed everything? Or do you think you're missing something? Below, we've drafted examples of a business and a personal SWOT analysis to provide you with some perspective on what a completed one might look like.

An Example of a Personal SWOT Analysis

how to write a swot analysis essay

An Example of a Business SWOT Analysis  

how to write a swot analysis essay

Final Words

The humble but effective SWOT analysis will produce a detailed map of your current environment—its hills and valleys alike. Knowing how to write a SWOT analysis will provide you with the vantage point you need to choose a direction and blaze a trail toward your goals. SWOT analyses may not be crystal balls, but they are something like compasses. Use them wisely, and you will never be lost.

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How to Write a SWOT Analysis Paper

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Successful businesses and people have been conducting SWOTs since at least the mid-twentieth century and have refined the process over time. The four categories you will explore in your SWOT analysis paper are Strengths (S), Weaknesses (W), Opportunities (O), and Threats (T). You can use SWOT analysis to help you assess your position in project planning, business development , finance, relationships, or for personal growth. Since SWOT analysis papers are usually assigned in business school or associated with business planning, we will focus on the steps for writing a SWOT analysis paper for business, but keep in mind that the process can be tailored to any situation—professional or personal.

If this process sounds laborious or daunting, do not fret: As with most things, conducting a SWOT analysis will get easier the more you do it, and eventually it might become an essential part of all of your decision-making processes. As you evaluate your business's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, you will gain skills and insights that can help you evaluate yourself, your business, and various decisions you are facing.

Better than a pros and cons list

Perhaps you are thinking, This sounds just like a pros and cons list . A SWOT analysis provides more information than a simple pros and cons list, and it makes it easier to identify potential action items and areas for growth. SWOT analysis considers more than just the pros and cons of a situation: It helps you identify internal and external factors that contribute to or inhibit your success.

Strengths and Weaknesses are generally considered internal factors, so they are things that you or your company can control or can work to improve.

Opportunities and Threats are typically external factors that occur outside of your business (i.e., things that you cannot control), but they are things that could significantly affect you or your business.

Identify your objective/goal

To get the most benefit from your SWOT analysis, be as specific as possible with your objective . If you are analyzing a business, consider focusing on one particular aspect of the business.

The best way to formulate your paper is to use a SWOT analysis chart to organize your thoughts before you actually start writing.

SWOT Analysis Chart

Write down the initial strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats that come to mind when you consider the objective. Use bullet points to separate items, be specific, and remember that you do not have to write in complete sentences on this chart. To be sure that you explore all applicable points, consider the following questions:

  • What does the business do best?
  • What do people like about it?
  • What draws people to the business?
  • What does the business offer that competitors can't or don't offer?
  • What puts the business at a disadvantage?
  • Consider employee feedback and customer reviews: Are there any items that multiple people have identified as issues?
  • In what areas does the business have less resources than competitors?
  • Why do potential clients choose a competitor over you?
  • What areas would you like to improve?

Be honest as you assess the business's weaknesses. Consider what aspects put your business at a disadvantage or what factors limit your growth potential. If you shy away from identifying weaknesses in this step, your SWOT analysis will not be effective or beneficial. Although it can be painful to identify weaknesses that are currently holding you back from personal or business growth, identifying and exploring these areas will give you the opportunity to improve. If you are uncertain if an item should be classified as a Weakness or a Threat , remember that Weaknesses are internal (things within the business that you can work to change) and Threats are external (things you have little or no control over). Also, accurately identifying weaknesses might help you recognize potential opportunities and/or threats.

Opportunities

  • Are there any potential market trends that suggest growth in your field in the coming year?
  • Does the business have any possible partnerships or sponsorships on the horizon?
  • Is the business considering expanding or developing new product lines or specialties?

In addition to any obvious opportunities, look at the strengths you've listed and see if there are any ways that you can turn strengths into opportunities.

  • Is the business affected by government policy? If so, are there any potential policy changes in the future?
  • What obstacles prevent you from doing more business or making more sales? Be specific and list them all.
  • Do you have periods of unreliable cash flow that threaten the business?
  • Does the weather or season affect the business?

Once you have listed all the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, prioritize the results in each category from most impactful to least. Prioritizing your results in each of the four categories will help you visualize each item's importance so you can see how it relates to the other areas.

Writing the SWOT analysis paper

Now that you have filled out the SWOT chart and prioritized your SWOT results, you have the basic information to begin drafting your SWOT analysis paper. As with any professional paper, start with a strong introduction and state your objection and the focus of your SWOT analysis. In the next four paragraphs, describe the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats that you prioritized on your SWOT analysis chart. If you have more items for each category than can comfortably fit in a paragraph, consider condensing your list. As you review the lists in each category, eliminate redundancies and consolidate similar items. If you still have too many items to fit in one paragraph after condensing, include one to three bullet points per paragraph, and try to keep the paragraphs balanced. For example, if you write three paragraphs for strengths, try to write three paragraphs for the other three categories as well.

Once you have identified and described your SWOTs, you can use your SWOT analysis chart to develop strategies and create a plan to achieve your business goals. The analysis is the most essential part of the SWOT analysis paper, because in this portion you will create action items and develop plans that can lead to future success. Assess each of the four areas (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) and look for commonalities or links between the categories. Some things to consider during this step:

  • Can you use one of your strengths to address a threat?
  • Look for ways to use your strengths to minimize your weaknesses.
  • How can you use your strengths to seize growth opportunities?
  • Is there a way to use your strengths to overcome threats?
  • Are there any weaknesses that you can address and eliminate?
  • Can you balance out a weakness by pursuing one of your opportunities?
  • Are your weaknesses preventing you from capitalizing on opportunities?
  • Are your weaknesses enhancing the likelihood that the business will suffer from a threat? If so, look to your strengths and see if there is a way to draw from your strengths to reduce the potential impact of the threat.

As you find connections between the bullet points in the four quadrants of your chart, start writing to generate ideas that you can turn into action. You can come back to edit these sentences and perfect these ideas later, but go ahead and record the thoughts now so you do not miss any potential connections. As you identify how different bullet points relate to each other, prioritize items that will generate revenue or reduce expenditure. Now, assess the action items that you have identified and put them in the order that makes the most sense to you. You can arrange your action items in the order that you would like to address them, or you can arrange them in the order that would make the most financial impact on the business. Organize the paragraphs in this section of the paper in your preferred order.

Now that you have performed a comprehensive SWOT analysis and identified action items to enhance strengths and reduce weaknesses, write a strong conclusion paragraph summarizing the most important findings. Keep in mind the purpose of your SWOT analysis paper here: If you intend to share this information with potential investors, make sure that you present a clear vision for growth and that you are realistic about how you will address weaknesses and potential threats. The crucial last step for any paper is to proofread, edit, and revise as needed. Now that you have completed your SWOT analysis and identified action plans, consider if applying a SWOT analysis to another aspect of your business or area of your life. Make a note in your calendar and conduct another SWOT analysis on this issue in six to twelve months so you can measure progress towards your goals.

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how to write a swot analysis essay

Your Full Guide on How to Write a SWOT Analysis

how to write a swot analysis essay

SWOT analysis is one of those tools that you'll come across in any field. For example, it's used to define a product's competitive advantage, create a strategic plan for a business, and gain insights into consumer behavior. 

But it's not just businesses that benefit from this technique. Personal SWOT analysis helps people plan their careers in the most optimal way possible, too.

As versatile as it is, SWOT analysis is not at all complicated. That's why its adoption rate is through the roof. And that's why you should learn how to take advantage of it, whether for an assignment or not.

To help you out with that, let's rely on our rich writing services experience and use it to break down in detail:

  • What a SWOT analysis is;
  • How it's applied in business strategies and marketing efforts;
  • How to use the SWOT framework for any task;
  • 4 real-world SWOT analysis examples.

What Is SWOT Analysis, Exactly?

Any SWOT analysis template contains four sections, presented in a two-by-two matrix:

What Is SWOT Analysis, Exactly

  • Strengths – your inherent qualities, resources, or skills that set you apart from the rest;
  • Weaknesses – whatever is or may be stopping you or the business from performing well;
  • Opportunities – external factors that you can use to your advantage to become more competitive;
  • Threats – external factors that may harm your performance in the short or long run.

Internal and External Factors in SWOT Analysis

Each section represents a list of factors. These sections can be grouped into two broader categories: internal and external factors.

Internal factors – Strengths and Weaknesses in the first row – are inherent to you or the company. However, you can also do something about them if need be. Think of your skills as a professional if you're working on a personal SWOT analysis, for example.

External factors – Opportunities and Threats in the second row – aren't under your personal or the company's control. But they have an impact on you or the business, nonetheless. Once-in-a-lifetime pandemics, inflation, or industry trends are good examples here.

Positive vs Negative Factors

Another way to think about the SWOT matrix is by juxtaposing negative and positive factors :

  • Strengths and Opportunities can help you or the company achieve your goal or succeed at a project. So, they represent positive factors.
  • Weaknesses and Threats can negatively impact your progress and have to be mitigated. They're negative factors.

Why is SWOT Analysis Important?

Now that the question ‘What is a SWOT Analysis?’ is answered, you must have several others on your mind. So let's answer them one by one.

Who Should Do a SWOT Analysis?

Businesses of all sizes and in all industries can benefit from SWOT analyses. So, whether you're a prospective entrepreneur, a small business owner, or a C-level executive, this technique will be a useful arrow in your quiver.

You can also benefit from conducting a personal SWOT analysis. It would be best if you did it when looking for a job or facing a major life decision.

Why Should You Do a SWOT Analysis?

At its core, SWOT analysis is a strategic planning technique. It's meant to help you organize all the factors. That, in turn, enables you to gain key insights into where you stand and how you can move from point A to point B.

How does it help you in strategic planning, exactly? The SWOT matrix shows you:

  • Which strengths you should maximize and emphasize;
  • Which weaknesses you should minimize and keep at bay;
  • Which opportunities you can take advantage of;
  • Which threats you should look out for and counter.

All of this leads to one outcome: better, more informed decision-making. Plus, SWOT analysis is notorious for challenging your assumptions as long as everyone involved is straightforward and honest in their answers.

What Can SWOT Framework Be Used For?

Now, let's talk about real-life practical applications of this technique. Here are three SWOT analysis examples:

  • Choosing the business model for a new enterprise;
  • Creating a break-even analysis and a business plan;
  • Analyzing the company's quarterly and annual performance.

At a personal level, you can also conduct your own SWOT analysis to:

  • Increase your chances of landing a job;
  • Position yourself for getting a promotion;
  • Understand what needs to change in your life in general.

Stay on Top of Your SWOT Analysis Homework!

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How to Conduct a SWOT Analysis in 8 Steps

SWOT analysis isn't complicated to conduct, and that's why they are so popular. Yet, it might be a wrong first impression.

A good SWOT analysis can take hours and should involve multiple people in a brainstorming session. It should also be as objective as possible – which can be harder to achieve than it seems.

movie review Step-by-Step Guide

So, how do you use a SWOT analysis – and get a quality result for your strategic decision-making process? Here's your step-by-step SWOT analysis example that you can use as a guide. If you need a custom writing -address to professionals.

1. Determine Your Goal

Starting brainstorming without a goal means getting into the SWOT analysis blind. And your SWOT matrix will be useless – or misleading – in the long run.

For example, depending on your goal, the same factor can be a key strength or an irrelevant note. For example, if you aim to reach the 18-25 demographic in your marketing campaign, your active presence on TikTok will be a great asset. But if you need to find a way to attract more quality candidates in the hiring process, the TikTok presence will only help you a little.

So, zero in on what you want to achieve with this SWOT analysis. This can be a decision you or the company have to make – for example, whether to launch a certain product line. Your goal can also be to solve a certain problem or to create/reassess your strategy.

2. Do Your Research

Your research wouldn't be complete if you googled ‘What is a SWOT analysis?’ You'll need a lot of data during your brainstorming session. If you have it, you'll avoid guessing your company's or your own strengths or external threats related to your goal.

What Data to Look For

Your research should consist of two parts:

  • Internal research . You'll need every piece of information on your or the company's performance to pinpoint the internal factors in SWOT analysis. That can include financial, sales, marketing, and other reports with key metrics.
  • External research . Gather the data on your competitors, the market, the company's position and market share, and the industry as a whole. This data will be the basis for assessing your opportunities and threats.

There's one footnote, though. Depending on the goal, you'll need different data sets. So, focus on relevant data.

3. Pinpoint Your or Your Organization's Strengths

Now, it's time for the brainstorming session. If you're doing a SWOT analysis for a business, go with it: bring the right people to the table, virtual or not. It'll help you get a more objective, realistic, and complete matrix.

Start with the internal factors, namely your internal strengths: they're always easier to home in on.

Need a SWOT analysis example of a company's strengths? Here are five of them:

  • Outstanding customer service with a high satisfaction rate;
  • Strong financial performance;
  • The first-mover advantage;
  • Positive brand attributes;
  • Strong technical expertise in the field.

5 Questions to Ask

Here are five questions to kick off your brainstorming and help you discover your company's strengths – or your own:

  • What do you or the company do well?
  • What are your strongest assets?
  • Is there something only you or the company do?
  • What is your competitive edge?
  • What do customers appreciate about the company?

4. Zero in on Your or Your Company's Weaknesses

Now, it's time to move on to a more difficult part of assessing your internal factors: your weaknesses. Take a hard look at your or the business's performance and define what could be going better. Don't try to embellish the truth here!

Keep in mind: there are some weaknesses that you can eliminate and some others that you can only mitigate.

Looking for weaknesses SWOT analysis examples for students who run their businesses? Here are five of them:

  • Poor brand recognition among the target audience;
  • Suboptimal employee productivity;
  • Limited resources, human or otherwise;
  • Lack of intellectual property for key technologies;
  • Long delivery times.

To explore your personal or business weaknesses, ask the following five questions:

  • What do your competitors beat you at?
  • What do customers complain about?
  • What is holding back your or the company's success?
  • What resources do you or the company lack?
  • What are the gaps in your internal business processes?

5. Identify External Opportunities

Before you can exploit opportunities, you need to identify them in your SWOT analysis – and determine which ones are worth using, too.

For that, you'll need to turn to the external environment research you've done. Then, look at that data and pinpoint which trends or events you could take advantage of.

Need a SWOT analysis example or two here? Take a look at these three business opportunities:

  • New markets emerging within the industry;
  • New advertising channels rising to prominence;
  • Particular customer needs that remain underserved.

4 Questions to Ask

If you don't know how to start zeroing in on opportunities, start with these four questions:

  • Are there ways to gain useful resources you don't have or have little of?
  • Are there any technological advancements that can help you mitigate your weaknesses?
  • Are there any new or overlooked opportunities that you can exploit?
  • How can the current economy or market trends be of use to you?

6. Home in on Potential Threats

Time to move on to the final part of a standard SWOT analysis: threats. These external trends and events can get in your way – or already are.

If you're working on a personal SWOT analysis, threats can include:

  • High competition for the job you're after;
  • Potential layoffs due to a financial crisis.

If you're conducting one for a large company or a small business, negative external factors can include:

  • New emerging competitors, direct or indirect;
  • New regulations that can entail considerable additional costs for the business;
  • Unfavorable investment climate.

3 Questions to Ask

If you need a push in the right direction, here are three questions to help you zero in on the threats:

  • Who are your competitors, and what is their market position?
  • What is the state of the economy, industry, and market? Are they in decline?
  • Are there any new regulations that can harm the business?

7. Review Your SWOT Analysis Matrix

Having a good SWOT analysis right after brainstorming is impossible. You need to review every factor you've written down and edit the list. Leave only the elements that truly matter – and make them more specific if required.

3 Things to Pay Attention to

There are some common caveats that you can overlook if you need to be more careful during this step. Here are three of them to avoid:

  • Factors that aren't specific enough – clarify or cross them out;
  • Factors that aren't evidence-based – find proof or get rid of them;
  • Factors that are over- or underestimated – have a fresh pair of eyes to look at the list.

8. Decide on the Solution

Once you've finished filling out and editing your SWOT analysis template, your work is only beginning. Now, you need to take your SWOT matrix and use your findings to find the solution to your key issue.

4 Questions to Pose

Here are four questions to guide you in your solution-seeking:

  • How can you maximize your strengths? Which ones should be the top priority to boost?
  • How can you mitigate or eliminate your weaknesses? Which ones should be taken care of first?
  • Which opportunities should you take advantage of? Which ones will pay off the most?
  • Which threats can do the most harm? How can you limit their impact?

4 SWOT Analysis Examples for Students

Need something more than just a SWOT analysis template? Let's see how this tool can be applied to practice with these four real-world SWOT analysis examples for students.

But if these sample SWOT analysis still don't help you, don't panic just yet. You can always order an essay online and let professionals worry about it. And no, it won't cost you a small fortune!

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Apple and personal swot analysis, are you drowning in schoolwork.

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Daniel Parker

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

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is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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SWOT Analysis: How To Do One [With Template & Examples]

Caroline Forsey

Published: October 05, 2023

As your business grows, you need a roadmap to help navigate the obstacles, challenges, opportunities, and projects that come your way. Enter: the SWOT analysis.

man conducting swot analysis for his business

This framework can help you develop a plan to determine your priorities, maximize opportunities, and minimize roadblocks as you scale your organization. Below, let’s go over exactly what a SWOT analysis is, a few SWOT analysis examples, and how to conduct one for your business.

→ Download Now: Market Research Templates [Free Kit]

When you’re done reading, you’ll have all the inspiration and tactical advice you need to tackle a SWOT analysis for your business.

What is a SWOT analysis? Importance of a SWOT Analysis How to Write a Good SWOT Analysis SWOT Analysis Examples How to Act on a SWOT Analysis

What is a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning technique that puts your business in perspective using the following lenses: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Using a SWOT analysis helps you identify ways your business can improve and maximize opportunities, while simultaneously determining negative factors that might hinder your chances of success.

While it may seem simple on the surface, a SWOT analysis allows you to make unbiased evaluations on:

  • Your business or brand.
  • Market positioning.
  • A new project or initiative.
  • A specific campaign or channel.

Practically anything that requires strategic planning, internal or external, can have the SWOT framework applied to it, helping you avoid unnecessary errors down the road from lack of insight.

how to write a swot analysis essay

Free SWOT Analysis Template

A free SWOT analysis template, plus other helpful market research resources.

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Importance of a SWOT Analysis

You’ve noticed by now that SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The framework seems simple enough that you’d be tempted to forgo using it at all, relying instead on your intuition to take these things into account.

But you shouldn’t. Doing a SWOT analysis is important. Here’s why.

SWOT gives you the chance to worry and to dream.

A SWOT analysis is an important step in your strategic process because it gives you the opportunity to explore both the potential risks and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead.  You’re giving yourself the space to dream, evaluate, and worry before taking action. Your insights then turn into assets as you create the roadmap for your initiative.

For instance, when you consider the weaknesses and threats that your business may face, you can address any concerns or challenges and strategize on how to mitigate those risks. At the same time, you can identify strengths and opportunities, which can inspire innovative ideas and help you dream big. Both are equally important. 

SWOT forces you to define your variables.

Instead of diving head first into planning and execution, you’re taking inventory of all your assets and roadblocks. This process will help you  develop strategies that leverage your strengths and opportunities while addressing and mitigating the impact of weaknesses and threats.

As a result, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of your current situation and create a more specific and effective roadmap. Plus, a SWOT analysis is inherently proactive. That means you'll be better equipped to make informed decisions, allocate resources effectively, and set realistic goals. 

SWOT allows you to account for mitigating factors.

As you identify weaknesses and threats, you’re better able to account for them in your roadmap, improving your chances of success.

Moreover, accounting for mitigating factors allows you to allocate your resources wisely and make informed decisions that lead to sustainable growth. With a SWOT analysis as a guide, you can confidently face challenges and seize opportunities.

SWOT helps you keep a written record.

As your organization grows and changes, you’ll be able to strike things off your old SWOTs and make additions. You can look back at where you came from and look ahead at what’s to come.

In other words, SWOT analyses serve as a tangible history of your progress and provide a reference point for future decision-making. With each update, your SWOT analysis becomes a living document that guides your strategic thinking and helps you stay agile and adaptable in an ever-changing business landscape.

By maintaining this written record, you foster a culture of continuous improvement and empower your team to make data-driven decisions and stay aligned with your long-term vision.

Parts of a SWOT Analysis

Conducting a SWOT analysis will help you strategize effectively, unlock valuable insights, and make informed decisions. But what exactly does a SWOT analysis include?

Let’s explore each component: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

swot analysis chart: strengths

Your strengths are the unique advantages and internal capabilities that give your company a competitive edge in the market. A strong brand reputation, innovative products or services, or exceptional customer service are just a few examples. By identifying and capitalizing on your strengths, you can foster customer loyalty and build a solid foundation for growth.

swot analysis chart: weaknesses

No business is flawless. Weaknesses are areas where you may face challenges or fall short of your potential. It could be outdated processes, skill gaps within the team, or inadequate resources. By acknowledging these weaknesses, you can establish targeted initiatives for improvement, upskill your team, adopt new technologies, and enhance your overall operational efficiency.

swot analysis chart: opportunities

Opportunities are external factors that can contribute to your company's progress. These may include emerging markets, technological advancements, changes in consumer behavior, or gaps in the market that your company can fill. By seizing these opportunities, you can expand your market reach, diversify your product offerings, forge strategic partnerships, or even venture into untapped territories.

swot analysis chart: threats

Threats are external factors that are beyond your control and pose challenges to your business. Increased competition, economic volatility, evolving regulatory landscapes, or even changing market trends are examples of threats. By proactively assessing and addressing them, you can develop contingency plans, adjust your strategies, and minimize their impact on your operations.

In a SWOT analysis, you’ll have to take both internal and external factors into account. We’ll cover those next.

how to write a swot analysis essay

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SWOT Analysis Internal and External Factors

A SWOT analysis typically has internal (i.e., within your organization) and external (i.e., outside your organization) factors at play. Here's a breakdown of each.

Internal Factors

Internal factors refer to the characteristics and resources within your organization that directly influence its operations and performance. These factors are completely within your organization's control, so they can be modified, improved, or capitalized upon.

In a SWOT analysis, strengths and weaknesses are categorized as internal factors. Let’s look at a few examples.

  • Brand reputation
  • Unique expertise
  • Loyal customer base
  • Talented workforce
  • Efficient processes
  • Proprietary technology
  • Outdated technology
  • Inadequate resources
  • Poor financial health
  • Inefficient processes
  • Skill gaps within the team

External Factors

External factors are elements outside the organization's control that have an impact on its operations, market position, and success. These factors arise from the industry climate and the broader business environment. You typically have no control over external factors, but you can respond to them.

In a SWOT analysis, opportunities and threats are categorized as external factors. Let’s look at a few examples.

  • Emerging markets
  • Changing consumer trends
  • Technological advancements
  • Positive shifts in regulations
  • New gaps in the market you could fill
  • Intense competition
  • Economic downturns
  • Disruptive technologies
  • Changing regulations
  • Negative shifts in consumer behavior

Remember, a well-rounded SWOT analysis empowers you to capitalize on strengths, address weaknesses, seize opportunities, and navigate threats — all while making informed decisions for the future.

Now, let’s take a look at how you can write a good SWOT analysis for yourself or for stakeholders.

How do you write a good SWOT analysis?

There are several steps you’ll want to take when evaluating your business and conducting a strategic SWOT analysis.

1. Download HubSpot's SWOT Analysis Template.

There’s no need to start from scratch for your analysis. Instead, start by downloading a free, editable template from HubSpot. Feel free to use the model yourself, or create your own as it suits your needs.

HubSpot’s free SWOT analysis template explains how to do a SWOT analysis.

3. Identify your objective.

Before you start writing things down, you’ll need to figure out what you’re evaluating with your SWOT analysis.

Be specific about what you want to analyze. Otherwise, your SWOT analysis may end up being too broad, and you’ll get analysis paralysis as you are making your evaluations.

If you’re creating a new social media program, you’ll want to conduct an analysis to inform your content creation strategy. If you’re launching a new product, you’ll want to understand its potential positioning in the space. If you’re considering a brand redesign, you’ll want to consider existing and future brand conceptions.

All of these are examples of good reasons to conduct a SWOT analysis. By identifying your objective, you’ll be able to tailor your evaluation to get more actionable insights.

4. Identify your strengths.

“Strengths” refers to what you are currently doing well. Think about the factors that are going in your favor as well as the things you offer that your competitors just can’t beat.

For example, let’s say you want to use a SWOT analysis to evaluate your new social media strategy.

If you’re looking at a new social media program, perhaps you want to evaluate how your brand is perceived by the public. Is it easily recognizable and well-known? Even if it’s not popular with a widespread group, is it well-received by a specific audience?

Next, think about your process: Is it effective or innovative? Is there good communication between marketing and sales?

Finally, evaluate your social media message, and in particular, how it differs from the rest of the industry. I’m willing to bet you can make a lengthy list of some major strengths of your social media strategy over your competitors, so try to dive into your strengths from there.

5. Identify your weaknesses.

In contrast to your strengths, what are the roadblocks hindering you from reaching your goals? What do your competitors offer that continues to be a thorn in your side?

This section isn’t about dwelling on negative aspects. Rather, it’s critical to foresee any potential obstacles that could mitigate your success.

When identifying weaknesses, consider what areas of your business are the least profitable, where you lack certain resources, or what costs you the most time and money. Take input from employees in different departments, as they’ll likely see weaknesses you hadn’t considered.

If you’re examining a new social media strategy, you might start by asking yourself these questions: First, if I were a consumer, what would prevent me from buying this product, or engaging with this business? What would make me click away from the screen?

Second, what do I foresee as the biggest hindrance to my employees’ productivity, or their ability to get the job done efficiently? What derails their social media efforts?

6. Consider your opportunities.

This is your chance to dream big. What are some opportunities for your social media strategy you hope, but don’t necessarily expect, to reach?

For instance, maybe you’re hoping your Facebook ads will attract a new, larger demographic. Maybe you’re hoping your YouTube video gets 10,000 views and increases sales by 10%.

Whatever the case, it’s important to include potential opportunities in your SWOT analysis. Ask yourself these questions:

  • What technologies do I want my business to use to make it more effective?
  • What new target audience do I want to reach?
  • How can the business stand out more in the current industry?
  • Is there something our customers complain about that we could fix?

The opportunities category goes hand-in-hand with the weaknesses category. Once you’ve made a list of weaknesses, it should be easy to create a list of potential opportunities that could arise if you eliminate your weaknesses.

7. Contemplate your threats.

It’s likely, especially if you’re prone to worry, you already have a good list of threats in your head.

If not, gather your employees and brainstorm. Start with these questions:

  • What obstacles might prevent us from reaching our goals?
  • What’s going on in the industry, or with our competitors, that might mitigate our success?
  • Is there new technology out there that could conflict with our product?

Writing down your threats helps you evaluate them objectively.

For instance, maybe you list your threats in terms of least and most likely to occur and divide and conquer each. If one of your biggest threats is your competitor’s popular Instagram account, you could work with your marketing department to create content that showcases your product’s unique features.

SWOT Analysis Chart

swot analysis chart: hubspot swot analysis template

Download a free SWOT analysis chart included in HubSpot’s free market research kit .

A SWOT analysis doesn’t have to be fancy. Our SWOT analysis chart provides a clear and structured framework for capturing and organizing your internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats. It's the perfect visual aid to make sense of the wealth of information gathered during your analysis.

(Plus, you can always customize and paste it into a document you plan to share with stakeholders.)

But remember: Filling out the SWOT chart is just one step in the process. Combine it with our entire market research kit , and you'll have all the tools necessary to help your organization navigate new opportunities and threats.

SWOT Analysis Examples

The template above helps get you started on your own SWOT analysis.

But, if you’re anything like me, it’s not enough to see a template. To fully understand a concept, you need to see how it plays out in the real world.

These SWOT examples are not exhaustive. However, they are a great starting point to inspire you as you do your own SWOT analysis.

Apple’s SWOT analysis

Here’s how we’d conduct a SWOT analysis on Apple.

An example SWOT analysis of Apple.

First off, strengths. While Apple has many strengths, let’s identify the top three:

  • Brand recognition.
  • Innovative products.
  • Ease of use.

Apple’s brand is undeniably strong, and its business is considered the most valuable in the world . Since it’s easily recognized, Apple can produce new products and almost ensure a certain degree of success by virtue of the brand name itself.

Apple’s highly innovative products are often at the forefront of the industry. One thing that sets Apple apart from the competition is its product inter-connectivity.

For instance, an Apple user can easily sync their iPhone and iPad together. They can access all of their photos, contacts, apps, and more no matter which device they are using.

Lastly, customers enjoy how easy it is to use Apple’s products. With a sleek and simple design, each product is developed so that most people can quickly learn how to use them.

Next, let’s look at three of Apple’s weaknesses.

  • High prices
  • Closed ecosystem
  • Lack of experimentation

While the high prices don’t deter Apple’s middle- and upper-class customer base, they do hinder Apple’s ability to reach a lower-class demographic.

Apple also suffers from its own exclusivity. Apple controls all its services and products in-house, and while many customers become loyal brand advocates for this reason, it means all burdens fall on Apple employees.

Ultimately, Apple’s tight control over who distributes its products limits its market reach.

Lastly, Apple is held to a high standard when it comes to creating and distributing products. Apple’s brand carries a high level of prestige. That level of recognition inhibits Apple from taking risks and experimenting freely with new products that could fail.

Now, let’s take a look at opportunities for Apple.

It’s easy to recognize opportunities for improvement, once you consider Apple’s weaknesses. Here’s a list of three we came up with:

  • Expand distribution options.
  • Create new product lines.
  • Technological advancement.

One of Apple’s biggest weaknesses is its distribution network, which, in the name of exclusivity, remains relatively small. If Apple expanded its network and enabled third-party businesses to sell its products, it could reach more people globally, while alleviating some of the stress currently put on in-house employees.

There are also plenty of opportunities for Apple to create new products. Apple could consider creating more affordable products to reach a larger demographic, or spreading out into new industries — Apple self-driving cars, perhaps?

Finally, Apple could continue advancing its products’ technology. Apple can take existing products and refine them, ensuring each product offers as many unique features as possible.

Finally, let’s look at threats to Apple.

Believe it or not, they do exist.

Here are three of Apple’s biggest threats:

  • Tough competition.
  • International issues.

Apple isn’t the only innovative tech company out there, and it continues to face tough competition from Samsung, Google, and other major forces. In fact, Samsung sold more smartphones than Apple did in Q1 of 2022 , shipping 17 million more units than Apple and holding 24% of the market share.

Many of Apple’s weaknesses hinder Apple’s ability to compete with the tech corporations that have more freedom to experiment, or that don’t operate in a closed ecosystem.

A second threat to Apple is lawsuits. Apple has faced plenty of lawsuits, particularly between Apple and Samsung . These lawsuits interfere with Apple’s reputable image and could steer some customers to purchase elsewhere.

Finally, Apple needs to improve its reach internationally. The company isn’t number one in China and doesn’t have a very positive relationship with the Chinese government. In India, which has one of the largest consumer markets in the world, Apple’s market share is low , and the company has trouble bringing stores to India’s market.

If Apple can’t compete globally the way Samsung or Google can, it risks falling behind in the industry.

Starbucks SWOT Analysis

Now that we’ve explored the nuances involved with a SWOT analysis, let’s fill out a SWOT template using Starbucks as an example.

Here’s how we’d fill out a SWOT template if we were Starbucks:

An example SWOT analysis for Starbucks.

Download this Template for Free

Restaurant Small Business SWOT Analysis

Some small business marketers may have difficulty relating to the SWOTs of big brands like Apple and Starbucks. Here’s an example of how a dine-in Thai restaurant might visualize each element.

A SWOT analysis example for a restaurant small business.

Small restaurants can lean into their culinary expertise and service skills to find opportunities for growth and brand awareness. A SWOT analysis can also help identify weaknesses that can be improved, such as menu variation and pricing.

While a restaurant might not be as worried about high-level lawsuits, a small business might be more concerned about competitors or disruptors that might enter the playing field.

Local Boutique SWOT Analysis

In another small business example, let’s take a look at a SWOT analysis for a local boutique.

A SWOT analysis example for a local boutique.

This shop might be well known in its neighborhood, but it also might take time to build an online presence or get its products in an online store.

Because of this, some of its strengths and opportunities might relate to physical factors while weaknesses and threats might relate to online situations.

How to Act on a SWOT Analysis

After conducting a SWOT analysis, you may be asking yourself: What’s next?

Putting together a SWOT analysis is only one step. Executing the findings identified by the analysis is just as important — if not more.

Put your insights into action using the following steps.

Take advantage of your strengths.

Use your strengths to pursue opportunities from your analysis.

For example, if we look at the local boutique example above, the strength of having affordable prices can be a value proposition. You can emphasize your affordable prices on social media or launch an online store.

Address your weaknesses.

Back to the boutique example, one of its weaknesses is having a poor social media presence. To mitigate this, the boutique could hire a social media consultant to improve its strategy. They may even tap into the expertise of a social-savvy employee.

Make note of the threats.

Threats are often external factors that can’t be controlled, so it’s best to monitor the threats outlined in your SWOT analysis to be aware of their impacts on your business.

When to Use a SWOT Analysis

While the examples above focus on business strategy in general, you can also use a SWOT analysis to evaluate and predict how a singular product will play out in the market.

Ultimately, a SWOT analysis can measure and tackle both big and small challenges, from deciding whether or not to launch a new product to refining your social media strategy.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in May 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Master the Art of Writing an Impressive Swot Analysis Essay

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Are you struggling with how to get started with your recent assignment of writing a swot analysis essay? It sure is a tough ask from students dealing with such an essay for the first time.

But you don’t have to worry as this blog post serves as a comprehensive guide to help students grasp the fundamentals of writing a SWOT analysis essay. It breaks down the intricate components, providing a step-by-step approach that simplifies understanding and implementation for learners.

As you should know. the swot analysis essay has four crucial elements, such as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The strengths and weaknesses pertain to internal aspects, focusing on what an entity excels at and where it lacks. Opportunities and threats, on the other hand, address external factors, exploring potential avenues for growth and the challenges that may hinder progress.

This blog post is filled with amazing guidelines from  professional paper writers . Hence, it’s an opportunity even for new students to master some tricks and tips for writing a good swot analysis essay.

Table of Contents

What is a Swot Analysis?

A SWOT analysis is a strategic tool used by organizations to evaluate their internal strengths and weaknesses alongside external opportunities and threats. It’s all about looking at the good and bad stuff inside the organization and the good and bad stuff outside of it, to get a clear picture of where things are at and where they could go in the future. This analysis is super helpful for coming up with plans, making smart choices, and using the good stuff to deal with any weaknesses or outside threats.

The importance of a SWOT analysis lies in its ability to provide a clear overview of an organization’s or project’s current state, facilitating better strategic planning and decision-making. By identifying strengths and weaknesses, an organization can leverage its advantages while addressing areas that require improvement. Furthermore, recognizing external opportunities allows for proactive steps to capitalize on them, while acknowledging threats helps in developing contingency plans to minimize their impact. Overall, conducting a swot analysis enables a more focused and informed approach toward achieving goals and maintaining competitiveness.

For students seeking assistance in crafting a swot analysis essay or assignment, relying on professional  paper writing help  can be beneficial. Expert writers can offer guidance on structuring the analysis, gathering relevant data, and ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of the subject matter. 

Why Should Students Learn to Write a Swot Analysis Essay?

Learning to write a SWOT analysis essay equips students with valuable skills applicable across various fields and industries. Understanding how to conduct a SWOT analysis develops critical thinking, analytical, and decision-making abilities. It enables students to assess an organization’s or a project’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, fostering a deeper comprehension of strategic planning and evaluation.

Mastering the skill of writing a SWOT analysis essay allows students to:

Develop Analytical Skills 

Analyzing internal and external factors cultivates a structured approach to problem-solving and decision-making. This skill is transferable to many scenarios beyond business settings.

Enhance Strategic Thinking

Recognizing and evaluating strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats fosters strategic thinking. It encourages students to consider multiple perspectives and anticipate potential outcomes, which is vital in making informed decisions.

Improve Communication

Writing a SWOT analysis essay involves organizing thoughts and presenting information coherently. This skill enhances communication abilities, allowing students to convey complex ideas effectively.

Prepare for Real-world Applications

SWOT analysis is widely used in business, marketing, project management, and other fields. Acquiring proficiency in this area prepares students for future professional endeavors where strategic evaluation and planning are crucial.

Steps to Writing a Good Swot Analysis Essay

Here’s a step-by-step approach to learning how to write a swot analysis essay that even the experts working with the most experienced  coursework writing service  would follow. 

Step 1: Choose a Subject

Select an organization, a project, a product, or a specific situation to analyze. Clearly define the scope and objectives of your analysis.

Step 2: Identify Strengths

  • List the internal factors that give the subject a competitive advantage or positive attributes.
  • Consider unique resources, skills, market position, or any other advantageous aspects.

Step 3: Pinpoint Weaknesses

  • Evaluate internal factors that hinder the subject’s performance or pose challenges.
  • Identify areas for improvement such as lack of resources, inefficient processes, or any other internal limitations.

Step 4: Explore Opportunities

  • Analyze external factors that could positively impact the subject.
  • Look for emerging trends, market shifts, technological advancements, or any other external opportunities that can be leveraged.

Step 5: Assess Threats

  • Identify external factors that could potentially harm the subject’s success.
  • Consider competition, economic factors, regulatory changes, or any other external threats that could negatively impact the subject.

Step 6: Organize the Information

Create a structured format to present your analysis. This could be a table, a matrix, or a written narrative divided into sections for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Step 7: Analyze Relationships

Explore how strengths can counteract weaknesses or how opportunities can offset threats. Highlight connections between internal and external factors.

Step 8: Provide Examples and Evidence

Support each point with specific examples, data, or anecdotes to strengthen your analysis and provide credibility to your arguments.

Step 9: Formulate Recommendations

Based on the analysis, propose strategies or actions to capitalize on strengths, address weaknesses, exploit opportunities, and mitigate threats.

Step 10: Conclusion

Summarize the key findings of your SWOT analysis and emphasize the significance of the insights obtained. Conclude with a clear takeaway or recommendation.

good swot analysis essay vs bad swot analysis essay

How Can Students Get Better at Writing a Swot Analysis Essay?

Students can enhance their skills in writing a SWOT analysis essay through several methods:

Practice Regularly

Engage in consistent practice by analyzing various subjects using the SWOT framework. This repetition hones analytical skills and strengthens the ability to identify relevant factors.

Study Examples

Review a well-written swot analysis paper example or report to understand the structure, language, and depth of analysis. Analyze how to present a swot analysis and how to conclude it well. Going through examples will also allow you to understand the swot analysis format.

Gather Comprehensive Information

Ensure a thorough understanding of the subject being analyzed. Gather data from reliable sources to support each point in the analysis, enhancing its credibility.

Seek Feedback

Share your SWOT analysis drafts with peers, instructors, or mentors. Constructive feedback helps identify areas for improvement and enhances the quality of the analysis.

Utilize Resources

Utilize academic resources, online materials, textbooks, and guidance from professionals or writing centers to grasp different approaches to conducting and presenting SWOT analyses.

Critical Thinking Development

Practice critical thinking by challenging assumptions, considering alternative perspectives, and evaluating the significance of each factor within the analysis.

Refinement through Revision

Revise and refine the analysis multiple times, focusing on clarity, coherence, and depth. Each revision contributes to a more polished and comprehensive SWOT analysis.

Apply Real-life Scenarios

Practice applying the SWOT framework to real-life situations or current events. This helps in understanding the practical applications of the analysis beyond theoretical knowledge.

Stay Updated

Keep abreast of industry trends, market changes, and relevant developments to conduct a more accurate and up-to-date SWOT analysis.

Time Management

Allocate sufficient time for each phase of the analysis, from research to drafting and revising. Effective time management ensures a more thorough and well-constructed SWOT analysis.

Final Thoughts

In this blog post, we’ve focused on a systematic approach to learn the process of crafting a compelling SWOT analysis essay for students. We wanted to make it easier for students to write a good swot analysis essay, so we broke it down into clear steps. Our goal was to give them a complete guide that covers everything they need to know. We want students to see how important it is to understand both their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and threats in the outside world. Our approach is all about teaching them the skills they need to make smart decisions and plan strategically.

This guide gives students a step-by-step way to write a SWOT analysis essay. First, you have to choose a topic and figure out what the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are. Then, the guide helps you analyze and organize your info. It’s important to connect what’s happening inside and outside the topic when making recommendations. By the end, you’ll have a well-rounded and smart analysis.

For students seeking additional support and guidance in crafting their SWOT analysis essays, our  essay writing service  provides a valuable resource, enhancing their understanding and proficiency in SWOT analysis writing.

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How to Write a SWOT Analysis

How to Write a SWOT Analysis

3-minute read

  • 5th January 2022

​​A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis is a tool used for strategic planning. This technique helps you to consider your business from multiple angles—internal and external, positive and negative—to understand the factors involved in business decision-making. It allows you to thoroughly examine what you’re doing well and where you can improve to be successful in the future. Increased awareness of the internal and external factors that can impact the viability of your business decisions is key to growing or enhancing your business .

Depending on what you’re trying to achieve with your analysis, there are many different templates available. The most common SWOT matrix is a 2×2 grid, with one quadrant dedicated to each of the four SWOT elements. To effectively assess your business’s performance, competition, risk, and potential, it’s important to involve employees from every team in your organization—you may even consider getting feedback from your clients as well—so that you have several perspectives and can generate lots of new ideas.

Read on for some example questions to consider for each element of your SWOT analysis.

Strengths are what distinguish your business from the competition or the internal resources that will support a successful outcome.

●  What is our competitive advantage?

●  What are we doing well?

●  What resources do we have?

●  What products are performing well?

On the other hand, weaknesses are the elements preventing your business from achieving an optimal level of performance or the internal factors that work against a successful outcome.

●  What skills or knowledge are we missing?

●  Where can we improve?

●  Where are we lacking resources?

●  Which products are underperforming?

Opportunities

Opportunities are favorable external factors that can give your business a competitive advantage.

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●  What technology can we use to improve operations?

●  Can we expand our core operations?

●  Are there any current trends in the marketplace that we could take advantage of?

●  Which demographics would be interested in our product?

Meanwhile, threats are external factors that have the potential to harm your business or jeopardize its success.

●  What do our competitors do well?

●  Could future changes in technology negatively impact our business?

●  Are there new regulations that could harm our operations or products?

●  What consumer trends threaten our business?

Consider the following example of a SWOT analysis for a bakery business:

How to Use a SWOT Analysis

Once your analysis is complete, you can use it to develop business strategies. You can use a TOWS analysis to consider your strengths and opportunities and how you can leverage those to overcome your weaknesses and threats. This analysis will provide you with a prioritized list of actions that you can use in response to the findings from your SWOT analysis.

Completing your analysis is just the first step. To ensure the success of your business, it’s important to make sure your business plan is correct and error-free! Whether you’re reporting on or presenting your findings, we have editors available 24/7 to help! Upload a free trial document today to find out more.

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SWOT analysis: Examples and templates

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A SWOT analysis helps you identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for a specific project or your overall business plan. It’s used for strategic planning and to stay ahead of market trends. Below, we describe each part of the SWOT framework and show you how to conduct your own.

Whether you’re looking for external opportunities or internal strengths, we’ll walk you through how to perform your own SWOT analysis, with helpful examples along the way. 

What is a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis is a technique used to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for your business or even a specific project. It’s most widely used by organizations—from small businesses and non-profits to large enterprises—but a SWOT analysis can be used for personal purposes as well. 

While simple, a SWOT analysis is a powerful tool for helping you identify competitive opportunities for improvement. It helps you improve your team and business while staying ahead of market trends.

What does SWOT stand for?

SWOT is an acronym that stands for: 

Opportunities

Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats

When analyzed together, the SWOT framework can paint a larger picture of where you are and how to get to the next step. Let’s dive a little deeper into each of these terms and how they can help identify areas of improvement. 

Strengths in SWOT refer to internal initiatives that are performing well. Examining these areas helps you understand what’s already working. You can then use the techniques that you know work—your strengths—in other areas that might need additional support, like improving your team’s efficiency . 

When looking into the strengths of your organization, ask yourself the following questions:

What do we do well? Or, even better: What do we do best?

What’s unique about our organization?

What does our target audience like about our organization?

Which categories or features beat out our competitors?

 Example SWOT strength:

Customer service: Our world-class customer service has an NPS score of 90 as compared to our competitors, who average an NPS score of 70.

Weaknesses in SWOT refer to internal initiatives that are underperforming. It’s a good idea to analyze your strengths before your weaknesses in order to create a baseline for success and failure. Identifying internal weaknesses provides a starting point for improving those projects.

Identify the company’s weaknesses by asking:

Which initiatives are underperforming and why?

What can be improved?

What resources could improve our performance?

How do we rank against our competitors?

Example SWOT weakness:

E-commerce visibility: Our website visibility is low because of a lack of marketing budget , leading to a decrease in mobile app transactions.

Opportunities in SWOT result from your existing strengths and weaknesses, along with any external initiatives that will put you in a stronger competitive position. These could be anything from weaknesses that you’d like to improve or areas that weren’t identified in the first two phases of your analysis. 

Since there are multiple ways to come up with opportunities, it’s helpful to consider these questions before getting started:

What resources can we use to improve weaknesses?

Are there market gaps in our services?

What are our business goals for the year?

What do your competitors offer?

Example SWOT opportunities:

Marketing campaign: To improve brand visibility, we’ll run ad campaigns on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

Threats in SWOT are areas with the potential to cause problems. Different from weaknesses, threats are external and ‌out of your control. This can include anything from a global pandemic to a change in the competitive landscape. 

Here are a few questions to ask yourself to identify external threats:

What changes in the industry are cause for concern?

What new market trends are on the horizon?

Where are our competitors outperforming us?

Example SWOT threats:

New competitor: With a new e-commerce competitor set to launch within the next month, we could see a decline in customers.

SWOT analysis example

One of the most popular ways to create a SWOT analysis is through a SWOT matrix—a visual representation of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The matrix comprises four separate squares that create one larger square. 

A SWOT matrix is great for collecting information and documenting the questions and decision-making process . Not only will it be handy to reference later on, but it’s also great for visualizing any patterns that arise. 

Check out the SWOT matrix below for a simple example. As you can see, each of the quadrants lists out the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

[Inline illustration] SWOT analysis (Example)

When used correctly and effectively, your matrix can be a great toolkit for evaluating your organization’s strengths and weaknesses. 

How to do a SWOT analysis, with examples 

A SWOT analysis can be conducted in a variety of ways. Some teams like to meet and throw ideas on a whiteboard, while others prefer the structure of a SWOT matrix. However you choose to make your SWOT analysis, getting creative with your planning process allows new ideas to flow and results in more unique solutions. 

There are a few ways to ensure that your SWOT analysis is thorough and done correctly. Let’s take a closer look at some tips to help you get started.

Tip 1: Consider internal factors 

Often, strengths and weaknesses stem from internal processes. These tend to be easier to solve since you have more control over the outcome. When you come across internal factors, you can start implementing improvements in a couple of different ways.

Meet with department stakeholders to form a business plan around how to improve your current situation.

Research and implement new tools, such as a project management tool , that can help streamline these processes for you. 

Take immediate action on anything that can be changed in 24 hours or less. If you don’t have the capacity, consider delegating these items to others with deadlines. 

The way you go about solving internal factors will depend on the type of problem. If it’s more complex, you might need to use a combination of the above or a more thorough problem management process.

Tip 2: Evaluate external factors

External factors stem from processes outside of your control. This includes competitors, market trends, and anything else that’s affecting your organization from the outside in. 

External factors are trickier to solve, as you can’t directly control the outcome. What you can do is pivot your own processes in a way that mitigates negative external factors. 

You can work to solve these issues by:

Competing with market trends

Forecasting market trends before they happen

Improving adaptability to improve your reaction time

Track competitors using reporting tools that automatically update you as soon as changes occur 

While you won’t be able to control an external environment, you can control how your organization reacts to it. 

Let’s say, for instance, that you’re looking to compete with a market trend. For example, a competitor introduced a new product to the market that’s outperforming your own. While you can’t take that product away, you can work to launch an even better product or marketing campaign to mitigate any decline in sales. 

Tip 3: Hold a brainstorming session

Brainstorming new and innovative ideas can help to spur creativity and inspire action. To host a high impact brainstorming session, you’ll want to: 

Invite team members from various departments. That way, ideas from each part of the company are represented. 

Be intentional about the number of team members you invite, since too many participants could lead to a lack of focus or participation. The sweet spot for a productive brainstorming session is around 10 teammates. 

Use different brainstorming techniques that appeal to different work types.

Set a clear intention for the session.

Tip 4: Get creative

In order to generate creative ideas, you have to first invite them. That means creating fun ways to come up with opportunities. Try randomly selecting anonymous ideas, talking through obviously bad examples, or playing team building games to psych up the team.

Tip 5: Prioritize opportunities

Now, rank the opportunities. This can be done as a team or with a smaller group of leaders. Talk through each idea and rank it on a scale of one through 10. Once you’ve agreed on your top ideas based on team capabilities, competencies, and overall impact, it’s easier to implement them.

Tip 6: Take action

It’s all too easy to feel finished at this stage —but the actual work is just beginning. After your SWOT analysis, you’ll have a list of prioritized opportunities. Now is the time to turn them into strengths. Use a structured system such as a business case , project plan, or implementation plan to outline what needs to get done—and how you plan to do it.

SWOT analysis template

A SWOT analysis template is often presented in a grid format, divided into four quadrants. Each quadrant represents one of the four elements. 

Use this free SWOT analysis template to jump-start your team’s strategic planning.

Identify the strengths that contribute to achieving your objectives. These are internal characteristics that give you an advantage. Some examples could be a strong brand reputation, an innovative culture, or an experienced management team.

Next, focus on weaknesses. These are internal factors that could serve as obstacles to achieving your objectives. Common examples might include a lack of financial resources, high operational costs, or outdated technology. 

Move on to the opportunities. These are external conditions that could be helpful in achieving your goals. For example, you might be looking at emerging markets, increased demand, or favorable shifts in regulations.

Lastly, let's address threats. These are external conditions that could negatively impact your objectives. Examples include increased competition or potential economic downturns.

Why is a SWOT analysis important?

A SWOT analysis can help you improve processes and plan for growth. While similar to a competitive analysis , it differs because it evaluates both internal and external factors. Analyzing key areas around these opportunities and threats will equip you with the insights needed to set your team up for success.

Why is a SWOT analysis important?

A SWOT analysis isn’t only useful for organizations. With a personal SWOT analysis, you can examine areas of your life that could benefit from improvement, from your leadership style to your communication skills. These are the benefits of using a SWOT analysis in any scenario. 

1. Identifies areas of opportunity

One of the biggest benefits of conducting an analysis is to determine opportunities for growth. It’s a great starting point for startups and teams that know they want to improve but aren’t exactly sure how to get started. 

Opportunities can come from many different avenues, like external factors such as diversifying your products for competitive advantage or internal factors like improving your team’s workflow . Either way, capitalizing on opportunities is an excellent way to grow as a team.

2. Identifies areas that could be improved

Identifying weaknesses and threats during a SWOT analysis can pave the way for a better business strategy.

Ultimately, learning from your mistakes is the best way to excel. Once you find areas to streamline, you can work with team members to brainstorm an action plan . This will let you use what you already know works and build on your company’s strengths.

3. Identifies areas that could be at risk

Whether you have a risk register in place or not, it’s always crucial to identify risks before they become a cause for concern. A SWOT analysis can help you stay on top of actionable items that may play a part in your risk decision-making process. 

It may be beneficial to pair your SWOT analysis with a PEST analysis, which examines external solutions such as political, economic, social, and technological factors—all of which can help you identify and plan for project risks .

When should you use a SWOT analysis?

You won’t always need an in-depth SWOT analysis. It’s most useful for large, general overviews of situations, scenarios, or your business.

A SWOT analysis is most helpful:

Before you implement a large change—including as part of a larger change management plan

When you launch a new company initiative

If you’d like to identify opportunities for growth and improvement

Any time you want a full overview of your business performance

If you need to identify business performance from different perspectives

SWOT analyses are general for a reason—so they can be applied to almost any scenario, project, or business. 

SWOT analysis: Pros and cons

Although SWOT is a useful strategic planning tool for businesses and individuals alike, it does have limitations. Here’s what you can expect.

The simplicity of SWOT analysis makes it a go-to tool for many. Because it is simple, it takes the mystery out of strategic planning and lets people think critically about their situations without feeling overwhelmed. 

For instance, a small bakery looking to expand its operations can use SWOT analysis to easily understand its current standing. Identifying strengths like a loyal customer base, weaknesses such as limited seating space, opportunities like a rising trend in artisanal baked goods, and threats from larger chain bakeries nearby can all be accomplished without any specialized knowledge or technical expertise.

Versatility

Its versatile nature allows SWOT analysis to be used across various domains. Whether it’s a business strategizing for the future or an individual planning their career path, SWOT analysis lends itself well. 

For example, a tech start-up in the competitive Silicon Valley landscape could employ SWOT to navigate its pathway to profitability. Strengths might include a highly skilled development team; weaknesses could be a lack of brand recognition; opportunities might lie in emerging markets; and threats could include established tech giants. 

Meaningful analysis

SWOT excels in identifying external factors that could impact performance. It nudges organizations to look beyond the present and anticipate potential future scenarios. 

A retail company, for example, could use SWOT analysis to identify opportunities in e-commerce and threats from changing consumer behavior or new competitors entering the market. By doing so, the company can strategize on how to leverage online platforms to boost sales and counteract threats by enhancing the customer experience or adopting new technologies.

Subjectivity and bias

The subjective nature of SWOT analysis may lead to biases. It relies heavily on individual perceptions, which can sometimes overlook crucial data or misinterpret information, leading to skewed conclusions. 

For example, a manufacturing company might undervalue the threat of new entrants in the market due to an overconfidence bias among the management. This subjectivity might lead to a lack of preparation for competitive pricing strategies, ultimately affecting the company's market share.

Lack of prioritization

SWOT analysis lays out issues but falls short on prioritizing them. Organizations might struggle to identify which elements deserve immediate attention and resources. 

For instance, a healthcare provider identifying numerous opportunities for expansion into new services may become overwhelmed with the choices. Without a clear way to rank these opportunities, resources could be spread too thinly or given to projects that do not have as much of an impact, leading to less-than-ideal outcomes.

Static analysis

Since SWOT analysis captures a snapshot at a particular moment, it may miss the evolving nature of challenges and opportunities, possibly leading to outdated strategies. An example could be a traditional retail business that performs a SWOT analysis and decides to focus on expanding physical stores, overlooking the growing trend of e-commerce. As online shopping continues to evolve and gain popularity, the static analysis might lead to investment in areas with diminishing returns while missing out on the booming e-commerce market trend.

SWOT analysis FAQ

What are the five elements of swot analysis.

Traditionally, SWOT stands for its four main elements: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. However, a fifth essential element often overlooked is "actionable strategies." Originally developed by Albert Humphrey, SWOT is more than just a list—it's a planning tool designed to generate actionable strategies for making informed business decisions. This fifth element serves to tie the other four together, enabling departments like human resources and marketing to turn analysis into actionable plans.

What should a SWOT analysis include?

A comprehensive SWOT analysis should focus on the internal and external factors that affect your organization. Internally, consider your strong brand and product line as your strengths, and maybe your supply chain weaknesses. Externally, you'll want to look at market share, partnerships, and new technologies that could either pose opportunities or threats. You should also account for demographics, as it helps in market targeting and segmentation.

How do you write a good SWOT analysis?

Writing an effective SWOT analysis begins with research. Start by identifying your strengths, like a strong brand, and your weaknesses, like a small human resources department. Following that, look outward to find opportunities, possibly in technological advancement, and threats, like fluctuations in market share. Many businesses find it helpful to use a free SWOT analysis template to structure this information. A good SWOT analysis doesn't just list these elements; it integrates them to provide a clear roadmap for making business decisions.

What are four examples of threats in SWOT analysis?

New technologies: Rapid technological advancement can make your product or service obsolete.

Supply chain disruptions: Whether due to natural disasters or geopolitical tensions, an unstable supply chain can seriously jeopardize your operations.

Emerging competitors: New players entering the market can erode your market share and offer alternative solutions to your customer base.

Regulatory changes: New laws or regulations can add costs and complexity to your business, affecting your competitiveness.

How do you use a SWOT analysis?

Once you've completed a SWOT analysis, use the results as a decision-making aid. It can help prioritize actions, develop strategic plans that play to your strengths, improve weaknesses, seize opportunities, and counteract threats. It’s a useful tool for setting objectives and creating a roadmap for achieving them.

Plan for growth with a SWOT analysis

A SWOT analysis can be an effective technique for identifying key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Understanding where you are now can be the most impactful way to determine where you want to go next. 

Don’t forget, a bit of creativity and collaboration can go a long way. Encourage your team to think outside of the box with 100+ team motivational quotes .

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How to Write a SWOT Analysis Paper with Easy & Actionable Tips

Written By:

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Time to SWOT Up!

Performing a SWOT analysis can seem like a challenging task at first, but just like with anything else, it will get easier with more practice. Indeed, performing a SWOT analysis on your business can be a great way to assess your company to define a new strategy for it.

Once a SWOT analysis is complete, you will have to write a SWOT analysis paper, a document that will summarise all your findings. This paper is exactly what you need to use to improve your strategy and, in turn, your business. Hence, here’s how to perform a SWOT analysis and write a SWOT analysis paper.

What is a SWOT Analysis?

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. All four of these components are essential to understanding how SWOT analysis should be performed and how its findings can then help you improve the different aspects of your business. A SWOT analysis can be done at different levels, so you could be performing a personal SWOT analysis, a SWOT analysis of a company or one of its departments, and so on.

As the name suggests, Strengths are the positive sides of your company. For example, you could be performing a SWOT analysis of your email marketing strategy and you might discover that one of your biggest strengths in it is email design. This could be true if all of your emails correspond to your brand image visually and don’t have any design elements that could distract readers from the text in your emails.

By understanding your Strengths, you learn more about the resources, skills, and expertise in your possession that you can use strategically to your advantage. If you are good at something, you must be using it to its fullest extent to get the most out of it. The way your Strengths are related to one another and to the other three elements can also determine the way you use these Strengths.

Weaknesses are the opposite of Strengths. These are the negative sides of your company. For example, when performing a SWOT analysis of your customer service strategy, you could discover that chatbots on your website are programmed incorrectly and can’t provide proper assistance to customers in need. This would make your chatbots one of your Weaknesses.

Though it may seem that your Weaknesses are pretty much useless, the contrary is true. Knowing your Weaknesses helps you realize what needs improvement and development. Moreover, it allows you to prevent potential issues that could arise from these Weaknesses (e.g. poor working conditions could lead to a high employee turnover rate).

More often than not, you don’t even have to actively seek to improve one or some of your Weaknesses. Simply because you can compensate for it with your Strengths. For instance, if your Weakness is that your product prices are higher than your competitors’. Then you don’t necessarily have to decrease your prices. Instead, you can justify them or make up for them by offering other perks to your customers such as special discounts or free delivery.

Opportunities

Opportunities are not the same as Strengths, but the two can work very closely together. Theyare external things that could aid you such as trends in your industry that you can take advantage of or a partnership with another company that you could profit from. Introducing a new product or appointing a new executive could also be seen as an Opportunity.

However, you need to be very careful when considering yours. These are not clear-cut positive sides of your business (or the situation your company is in). Something that could be seen as an Opportunity could potentially have a negative side and could turn into a Weakness. For example, you might follow a trend and introduce a new product that ends up failing and losing you money.

Threats in SWOT analysis are similar to Opportunities, but they could rather be described as their negative equivalent. Anything related to your competitors could likely be considered a Threat (unless you are planning to partner with or merge your business with your competitor).

Just like with S, W and O, threats can be hidden. This is why it is so important that you pay special attention to analyzing potential Threats – you never know where they may come from or how they could affect your business. And that is why you need to be prepared for them.

Usually, Strengths and Weaknesses are considered internal factors which means you have more control over them and can work to improve them. Threats, on the other hand, are external factors that you don’t have as much control over. Yet, they can significantly affect your business.

SWOT on stacked colored blocks

Why is SWOT Analysis Important?

The importance of SWOT analysis is undeniable, but it’s still worth discussing how exactly it can be useful for you. Your customers could be leaving stellar reviews about your business and your products, yet your sales could be going down. You could be considered an authority in your niche, yet your competitors could be always ahead of you. Such situations can be explained and changed with the help of SWOT analysis because:

  • It is better than a simple pros and cons list. SWOT takes into account four different factors, both internal and external. This gives you a complete overview of what’s inside and outside of your business.
  • It allows you to use what you already have. SWOT shows you how the different elements within your business interact and how they are influenced by factors from the outside. Once you know these things, you are able to create a strategy that utilizes all four factors to their fullest without having to seek additional resources.
  • It opens doors for you. SWOT can help you develop your business and even expand it more than you expected. Moreover, this can happen in different ways (e.g. more talented employees, increased sales, bigger market share, more partnerships and sponsorships).

As you can see, a SWOT analysis is not just a simple tool but rather a very advanced one. When used correctly, it could completely change your business strategy, priorities, goals, and expectations. This is exactly why it is so popular among entrepreneurs and business owners of companies of all sizes.

How to do a SWOT Analysis?

The good news is that to perform a SWOT analysis, you can follow a step-by-step plan that is most commonly used in such cases. That being said, the results you get will depend entirely on how much attention you pay to detail and how much you value quality in your findings. Here’s how to do a SWOT analysis in a few steps:

Define Objectives

As mentioned earlier, you can perform a SWOT analysis at different levels. Which means you can apply it to your entire business or you can choose to focus on one of its aspects. For instance, you may want to analyze your digital marketing department. Or even narrow down your focus even further to analyze just your PPC ad marketing strategy. Once you decide which level you will be working at, you can define your objectives. For example, you can perform a SWOT analysis to change your entire business strategy, introduce a new product, decide whether you want to partner with a particular company, and so on.

Do Research

You already have a direction you want to be moving on, so now you have to actually do the job. If you decided to focus on your PPC ad marketing strategy, then you need to research current trends in this topic. Assess your own strategy, check what your competitors are doing, and so on. The more information you collect, the more detailed and accurate your findings will turn out to be. Remember that a SWOT analysis is also meant to help you discover the information you didn’t know about (e.g. hidden threats) which is why proper research is essential.

List SWOT Factors

Upon completing your research, you can start listing your four elements. At the end of this article, you will find some SWOT analysis templates that will help you visualize the four factors. Moreover, some of these templates have guiding questions that will guide you in the process. And prevent you from focusing on the wrong things.

Analyse Findings

Now that you have your SWOT factors listed, you can analyze them. It’s a good idea to establish which of your findings are more important to you and why. In other words, prioritize some points over others. This will help you get a better sense of direction when it comes to the final stage of your SWOT analysis. On the other hand, you should still make sure to take everything into account. If you ignore a crucial element (e.g. a potential threat or a minor strength), your SWOT analysis will not be as effective.

Business people analysing SWOT findings

Apply Findings

Create a SWOT analysis paper based on your findings and think of your further strategy. If you wanted to solve a particular problem with the help of the SWOT analysis, make a plan on how you will solve it. In this final stage, you need to actively use your findings in practice. After all, that’s exactly why you performed the SWOT analysis in the first place.

What Should a Good SWOT Analysis Paper Have?

One way to write a good SWOT analysis paper is to find best writers. Then have them create the paper for you. But if you decided to do everything yourself, you can still craft a great paper based on the SWOT findings you already have. There are some elements that every good SWOT analysis paper must have, including:

To situate your SWOT analysis, you will need to have a background of relevant information which will depend on the level of your analysis. For instance, when analyzing a potential partnership, you will need to provide an overview of the industry, your competitors, your potential partner, and your own company. In fact, you might have to perform a SWOT analysis of your potential partner as well. On the other hand, when analyzing your sales department, you will need to provide an overview mainly of your own company and its different departments.

The framework is the set of rules or methods you will be using (or you have used already) to perform the SWOT analysis. It also includes the goals and objectives you have set for the SWOT analysis. Defining your framework is necessary to establish the structure of your analysis and the form in which it will then be presented in your paper. In other words, it is a way to organize your actions and then your findings.

SWOT Factors

Obviously, all of the four factors of SWOT should be included. You don’t need to go into too much detail describing each point. But you should still make sure to list all of your findings. If you are performing a SWOT analysis of multiple things (e.g. your company and your potential partner), then you will need to list the SWOT factors for all things you are analyzing.

Conclusions/Solutions

The last part of your paper is either your conclusions or your proposed solutions. This part can include anything you feel necessary or appropriate. For example, you can define your new business strategy here based on your SWOT analysis. You can propose strategies for converting Weaknesses into Strengths or for neutralizing Threats. You can define different growth techniques.

SWOT Analysis Paper Examples

Teacher write an example on the blackboard

Last but not least, the best way to understand how a SWOT analysis paper should be written and what it should look like in the end is by consulting existing SWOT analysis paper examples:

  • McDonald’s SWOT Analysis Paper in the Harvard Style
  • BMW SWOT Analysis Paper

These two papers will give you a good idea about what a SWOT analysis paper can look like. Notice that neither of them is too long or goes into too much detail about each strength, weakness, opportunity, or threat. This is because a SWOT analysis paper is first and foremost a summarisation of your findings. This means it is a simplified version of your SWOT analysis results.

In addition to the four elements of SWOT, these papers also discuss the companies themselves, McDonald’s and BMW respectively. This is a good way to situate your SWOT analysis, so to say. The paper on BMW even discusses the automobile industry briefly to provide even a better picture of the role BMW has in its industry.

For the SWOT analysis itself, you can also use existing SWOT matrixes or SWOT analysis templates. Here are just some examples of these:

  • LivePlan SWOT Analysis Template 
  • Scribendi SWOT Analysis Template 
  • ServiceScape SWOT Analysis Chart

Most of these templates, matrixes, and charts are not very different from each other. They are meant to provide you with a visual framework for your SWOT analysis. Something that will help you better schematize your process and findings. You can even create your own template of such kind to suit your brand image visually.

Final Thoughts

To summarise, performing a SWOT analysis on your business is by far one of the best ways to analyze your company and its abilities. The paper you produce as a result will allow you to better define your strategy for the future. And start utilizing your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to your benefit.

The tips in this article will help you to perform your own SWOT analysis successfully. Then organise your findings in a comprehensive SWOT analysis paper. Use these techniques and provided examples to guide you in your endeavour.

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SWOT Analysis Strategies: Empower Your Business

What Is SWOT Analysis? SWOT Analysis is a framework used in strategic planning to assess a company’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It examines both internal capabilities and external possibilities, highlighting areas where a business currently thrives and where it may succeed in the future.

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Seeking a competitive edge? You’ve landed in the perfect spot! SWOT Analysis is your go-to strategy tool. It dissects four key aspects to measure your business’s industry standing. This technique sheds light on real-world data for smarter decisions and sparks innovation for fresh offerings or tactics. 

Dive into this blog to understand What is SWOT Analysis, its significance, and the perks it brings. Plus, we’ve thrown in  a handy template to kick-start your own SWOT journey at work. All set in straightforward, engaging language to keep you hooked! 

Table of Contents

1) What is SWOT Analysis?  

2) Why is SWOT Analysis important?  

3) SWOT Analysis components  

4) SWOT table    

5) SWOT Analysis benefits  

6) How to conduct a SWOT Analysis?  

7) SWOT Analysis example  

8) SWOT Analysis template  

9) Conclusion  

What is SWOT Analysis?  

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Conducting a SWOT Analysis can challenge precarious presumptions and reveal hidden pitfalls in your organisation’s performance. It offers fresh perspectives on your business’s current state and, crucially, guides you in crafting the perfect strategy for any scenario. 

Consider this: You might recognise several strengths within your business. But juxtaposing them with weaknesses and threats could expose their fragility and unreliability. 

On the flip side, while you may have legitimate worries about certain weaknesses, a thorough SWOT Analysis could uncover a missed opportunity that might well outweigh the drawbacks.  

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SWOT Analysis components  

SWOT framework can paint a bigger picture of where you are at and how to take the next step. As you understand What Is a SWOT Analysis, let's explore its various components and see how it can help point out areas of improvement.  

SWOT Analysis components

1) Strength  

The "S" of SWOT stands for strengths. When analysing these areas, you will learn what is already working and be able to apply your strength in other areas that may require a little more help, like making your team more productive. To determine the possible strengths of your organisation, ask questions like the following:  

1) What are we doing well, even better, or best?  

2) What makes our organisation different?  

3) What will the target audience like about this organisation?  

4) Which categories or features are better than others and prevail over our competitors?  

2) Weaknesses  

Weaknesses in SWOT denotes to internal initiatives that underperform. It's advised to analyse strengths before weaknesses, so that benchmarking of both success and failure can be done. It allows identifying the internal weaknesses and hence aims to improve those projects. Figure out what your company's weaknesses are by asking these queries.  

1) Which of the programs/initiatives are not performing as they are?  

2) What could you do with improvement?  

3) What resources will give us the best performance?  

4) How do we fare when competing with our colleagues?   

3) Opportunities  

SWOT opportunities arise from your existing strengths and weaknesses, along with further external initiatives that will put you in a stronger competitive position. These could be anything from weaknesses that you would like to improve or areas that were either not identified or focused on in the first two phases of your analysis. Here are some questions to consider before you start since you can come up with opportunities in many ways: 

What kind of resources can we access to improve our weaknesses?  

1) Do we have any market gaps in our services?  

2) What would some of our business goals for the year look like?  

3) What do your competitors have that you don't?  

4) Threats 

Threats in a SWOT are the areas with potential problems. Unlike weaknesses, threats are external and out of your control. This could be anything from a global pandemic to a shift in the market. A couple of questions that should come to mind are the following in which you can seek external threats:  

1) What changes in the industry are to be of concern?  

2) What kind of emerging trends are coming in the new market?  

3) Where do we fall behind our competitors? .  

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SWOT table  

A SWOT Analysis is presented as a square with each of the four quadrants dedicated to an element of SWOT. This layout gives a view of the position of the company that can be quickly scanned. While not all points under any given heading have equal importance, they should represent key aspects of the balance of opportunities and threats, advantages and disadvantages, etc. 

The SWOT table most often has: 

1)  Internal factors on the top row  

2) External factors on the bottom row  

3) Positive/favourable aspects on the left side of the table 

4) Concerning/negative elements on the right side 

SWOT Analysis benefits  

A SWOT Analysis is not going to answer every major question a company has. Nonetheless, a SWOT Analysis does have certain advantages that make it easier for strategic decision-makers to move on to the subsequent steps of the process. 

1) Problem management   

When a complex decision is to be made, there will possibly be an overwhelming amount of data to analyse and the relevant points to consider. Generally, a SWOT Analysis is prepared after all ideas are pared down, and the bullets ranked by importance will aggregate a large problem into a more digestible report.  

2) External factors   

Often, a company may be tempted to only consider internal factors while making decisions. However, there are various external factors that are often out of the company's control. This could yield influence, affecting the outcome of a business decision. SWOT analysis covers internal factors that a firm can have control over and the external factors that are also not quite controllable.    

3) Versatile application   

A SWOT Analysis could be related to an organisation, a team, or an individual. It could also conduct a full product line, change to a brand, geographical expansion, or acquisition. The SWOT Analysis is a very versatile tool with many applications.  

4) Data utilisation   

A company will use the internal information for analysing strength and weaknesses. For opportunities and threats, they will need to collect information from the outside pertaining to broad markets, competition, or the macroeconomic forces. A good SWOT Analysis compiles a few of the angles, rather than depending on only one source, which could be full of bias.   

5) Cost effective   

Some of the SWOT reports may not need to be too technical. Thus, many different staff members can contribute to its preparation without training or external consulting. 

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How to conduct a SWOT Analysis?  

Here are a few ways you can make sure your SWOT Analysis is comprehensive and correct. Take a look at some tips for getting started below.  

Step 1: Assess internal factors  

Strengths and weaknesses are typically rooted in an organisation’s internal operations. They are often more manageable to address because they fall within the organisation’s sphere of influence. To tackle these internal elements, consider adopting the following strategies: 

a) Organise a strategic session with key departmental figures to craft a business strategy aimed at enhancing your current operational status. 

b) Investigate and adopt new technological solutions, such as project management software, to help streamline your workflows. 

c) Promptly act on any modifiable factors within a day’s reach. If personal bandwidth is limited, assign these tasks to others, especially if they are time-sensitive. 

Step 2: Analyse external factors  

External factors are influences that originate beyond the immediate scope of your organisation’s control, including competition and prevailing market dynamics. Broadly, they include any circumstances that impact your organisation from an external standpoint. These factors are often more challenging to address due to their uncontrollable nature. However, you can adapt your internal strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of these external elements. To navigate these challenges, you might: 

1) Competing with current market trends  

2) Understand the market trends that happen  

3) Enhancing adaptability to improve your reaction time  

4) Track competitors in real-time by using reporting tools to notify you when it occurs.  

You are not able to manage an external environment, but you can manage the way your organisation responds to it.   

Step 3: Facilitate brainstorming  

You may want to have high-impact brainstorming sessions in which new and innovative ideas give rise to creativity, inspiring action. To that end, you might want to:  

1) Have representatives from all parts of the company: sales, customer support, research, and finance.  

2) Be judicious about the number of team members you invite; over-inviting can dilute focus or participation. The ideal number of team members for a successful brainstorming session is around ten teammates.  

3) Work on people's different brainstorming techniques that will appeal to their work types.  

4) Set a clear intention for the session.  

Step 4: Foster creativity  

There should be the generation of creative ideas, fun ways to generate creative opportunities. This could involve randomly picking up anonymous ideas, talking through obviously bad examples, or playing team-building games to psych up the team.  

Step 5: Rank opportunities  

You have to invite creative ideas in order to generate them, which means putting some fun ways in which to look for opportunities. It could be randomly drawing up anonymous ideas, talking through obviously bad examples, or playing team-building games to psych up the team.  

Step 6: Implement plans  

At this stage, one really feels "done," but the work has just, in the words of another candidate, "really begun." What shall we do after doing our SWOT Analysis and getting a list of prioritised opportunities? It's time for action. It's time for turning these into strengths. A structured system, such as using a business case, project plan, or implementation plan, outlines what needs to get done and how you plan to do it.  

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SWOT Analysis example  

This SWOT Analysis helps the company identify areas where it excels, where it can improve, and external factors that could impact its success. By understanding these elements, the company can formulate strategies to capitalise on its strengths and opportunities while mitigating its weaknesses and threats. 

 Here’s an example of a SWOT Analysis for a hypothetical technology company: 

Strengths: 

a) Innovative culture: The company fosters an environment that encourages creativity and innovation, leading to the development of cutting-edge products. 

b)Strong brand: Recognised as a leader in technology, the company has a loyal customer base and a strong brand image. 

c) Financial health: With robust revenue streams and significant market share, the company is financially stable and capable of investing in new projects. 

Weaknesses: 

a) High dependence on a single market: The majority of the company’s revenue comes from one geographic region, making it vulnerable to regional economic fluctuations. 

b) Limited product range: The company specialises in a narrow range of products, which could be a disadvantage if market trends shift. 

c) Skill gaps: There is a shortage of skilled professionals in certain departments, impacting the company’s ability to innovate rapidly. 

Opportunities: 

a) Emerging markets: There are emerging markets that the company has not yet tapped into, presenting opportunities for expansion. 

b) Technological advancements: The company can leverage new technologies to improve its products and services, staying ahead of competitors. 

c) Strategic partnerships: Forming alliances with other businesses could open up new markets and enhance the company’s offerings. 

Threats: 

a) Intense competition: The technology sector is highly competitive, with new players constantly entering the market. 

b) Regulatory changes: New regulations could impose additional costs or restrict the company’s operations in certain regions. 

c) Cyber security risks: As a tech company, there is a constant threat of cyber attacks that could compromise data security and customer trust.

Conclusion  

A SWOT Analysis can guide business strategy meetings. It is powerful to have everyone in the room discuss the core strengths and weaknesses of the company, explore the opportunities and threats, and brainstorm different ideas. Mostly, the SWOT Analysis helps you reflect on factors you were unaware of before and would never have captured if not for the group’s input. We hope this blog about What is SWOT Analysis has helped you get an idea about the topic. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

SWOT Analysis helps businesses strategies by identifying strengths to leverage, weaknesses to improve, opportunities to explore, and threats to mitigate. This technique guides decision-making and strategic planning.  

Threats are certain factors that can potentially harm an organisation. A threat combined with weakness is a risk. Examples of threats include rising material costs, tight labour supply, increasing competition, failure to get approvals, supply chain breakdowns, legal/regulatory issues, weather/natural disasters, etc. 

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how to write a swot analysis essay

The Complete Guide to Conducting a SWOT Analysis

What is a swot analysis, how to do a swot analysis, swot analysis software.

To survive in the competitive business environment, you need to have an in-depth understanding of your business and industry. This way, you can develop strategic goals that give you an edge in your market while helping you attain your ultimate business objectives. One of the most effective ways of achieving this is by conducting a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis.

A SWOT analysis is a planning technique that businesses and individuals use to evaluate their competitive position in the market. It can be conducted for a product, person, place, or industry . This helps identify ways an entity can optimize its strengths and opportunities while downplaying its weaknesses and threats to gain a competitive edge and realize objectives. Essentially, using the SWOT analysis technique to understand your business and industry helps you in both strategic planning and decision-making.

So, what do we mean when we talk about strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats? As an entity, you can analyze your position as follows;

Strengths - these are the positive characteristics that separate you from the competition, e.g., a strong brand, skilled staff, etc.

Weaknesses - these are negative qualities that hinder you from excelling, hence put it at a disadvantage against competitors, e.g., limited capital.

Opportunities - these could be favorable factors in the external environment that have the potential to better your chances in the market, e.g., under-served markets, increasing product/service demand, etc.

Threats - these are factors that could adversely damage your success, e.g., increasing competition, market changes, etc.

Identifying your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats may not always be straightforward. But preparing a list of questions for each element can give a clear structure for completing the SWOT analysis.

Essentially, strengths and weaknesses focus on internal factors, while opportunities and threats refer to external factors. While creating the questions, you will focus on internal factors such as company culture, financial resources, etc. On the other hand, external factors will include things like emerging competitors, monetary policies, and so forth. Doing this will reveal barriers impeding your success while highlighting what you need to capitalize on to overcome them and succeed.

Some possible questions to answer for each segment may include;

  • What is your strongest asset?
  • What is your unique selling proposition?
  • What advantage do you have over the competition?
  • What is your poorly performing product/service?
  • What could be the possible cause of high employee turnover?
  • What hinders you from getting more financing?
  • What could be responsible for your weak brand?

Opportunities

  • Are there under-served markets within your reach/demographics you haven't targeted?
  • Are there favorable government policies that can benefit you?
  • Are there automation technologies or any other industry technology that can help you increase efficiency, employee productivity, or profitability?
  • Are there new industry restrictions that will harm your business?
  • What makes your competitors' brands stronger than yours?
  • Is emerging technology rendering your business model redundant?

Brainstorming on and answering as many questions as you can come up with will help you develop a solid framework to base your strategic plans and decisions.

Indeed, technology has not left any area uncovered. There is SWOT analysis software available in the market that makes the process much simpler. For instance, MindManager has SWOT analysis templates that facilitate strategic planning. Using MindManager, you can consolidate your ideas, analyze your entity's position and develop strategies to leverage opportunities.

Doing a thorough SWOT analysis can help position your brand and gain an edge over the competition. Identifying your strengths and opportunities is a stepping stone to finding ways of optimizing them to better your market chances. The analysis also ensures you are not ignorant of weaknesses that may downplay your efforts, as well as threats that may harm your progress. With a SWOT analysis software like MindManager, you can quickly consolidate your ideas and create a more realistic and stronger strategy. Whether you're doing a personal career assessment or business analysis, a SWOT analysis will help you make better plans and decisions.

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PESTLE Analysis

Insights and resources on business analysis tools

How to Write A SWOT Analysis: 5+ Top Research Sources

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2024 by Kiesha Frue Filed Under: SWOT Analysis

If you’re looking to find out how to write a SWOT analysis, there are a few key things that you want to keep in mind. A SWOT analysis is a way to look at another company and this could be a competitor or someone who you want to do business with. What you want to do is use a SWOT analysis method that breaks down all the details on the company.

A SWOT analysis is a type of study . It focuses on four main components of a topic: strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Most SWOT analyses are written about companies, products, and industries (your topic). People use it to identify the benefits and disadvantages of their topic. And once the analysis is complete, they can immediately use their findings. I’ve written countless SWOT analyses from scratch. And in this article, I’ll explain my thought process while writing each one.

If you are going to write a SWOT analysis, there are a few key things that you have to focus on. For starters, you want to write out a detailed description of the company that you’re going to be:

  • researching
  • and analyzing

Find research online for your SWOT analysis

What that means is you want to get all the details you can on the company. You may want to start online and go to their website. When you go to the website try to get as much information you can about them and if you can’t find it there, you can go to sites like Wikipedia .

This can give you information on the company and it might let you know how they started. It will give you background information like the number of employees, their services, and focus. You may not always find this on their website, so researching online is a great way to get more details.

Start building your SWOT analysis

Your next step will be to start your actual SWOT analysis on your paper. You are going to put down a box with four equal boxes inside. In the first one, you can write ‘strengths’, next to that, ‘weaknesses’. Write ‘opportunities’ below the strengths and next to that write ‘threats’. That’s how to write a SWOT analysis in the beginning.

How to Write A SWOT Analysis: Strengths

As you do the research of a company, you want to look at areas where you know they’re strong. Maybe they were in the news recently because they made a lot of money or they bought another company. That’s big news that you want to list. They may have even started working on a really big deal.

For example, if you were looking at Facebook , you might say: “Wow, the Facebook stock has gone up a lot and they’ve been in the news a lot lately”. That’s a strength. It’ll be the first thing to write in your SWOT analysis.

What is a strength for your topic?

If you’re not sure what a strength means for your topic, it’ll be difficult to find them during your research phase.

It’s simple: a strength is a benefit (or advantage) for your topic. A strength may benefit the bottom line. It may increase brand recognition . It may be why customers are obsessed with your topic. Or it may be how the topic stands out above the sea of everyday products.

Examples of strengths

One of Netflix’s strengths is the ad-free content they offer customers. As a customer, you can stream Netflix’s catalog without seeing a single ad. This is also possible when using Hulu, a competitive streaming service but only if you pay a higher monthly fee. Compared to other streaming services, like TLC Go which forces you to watch upwards of 50 ads for a 40-minute television show, Netflix customers have it made.

BMW’s major strength is a luxurious brand image . People buy a BMW because it’s luxurious. Expensive. If you have one, it means you’re above the average person. You’re wealthy, desirable. Maybe even ambitious. You don’t feel the same way in a Toyota as you do in a BMW . And that’s because they have created this luxury feeling for their brand.

It may be best to think about strengths abstractly. Think about how the strength is beneficial for your topic.

Finding strengths online

To find new or relevant information, search the topic + press release.

See if your topic has created new products, mergers, or received awards. Search news sites for the topic and see what reporters are saying about it. Hopefully, it’s all good news, which you can use for this section of the SWOT analysis.

If it’s bad… well, we’ll save that for the “weaknesses” section.

Where to search online:

  • Publications (New York Times, TechCrunch, other news sites)
  • Forums (Reddit, Facebook)
  • Press releases (Newswire, PRNewswire)
  • Reviews (Amazon)

You can even search “strengths + your topic” and see what comes up. Be sure to read through and check for accuracy if it’s not from a reliable source (like say, the DailyMail).

Searching for strengths for a product

If you’re doing a SWOT analysis for a product , search for its reviews. You’ll likely find a few highly rated and lowly rated reviews.

Don’t blindly believe all the high or low reviews. In many cases, companies buy 5-star reviews. And the competition may pay someone to give poor reviews. Instead, see if you can spot a pattern among the reviews. Maybe a few people are boasting about a new feature for the product. Maybe they love how it feels.

Have you used the product?

If you have, you’ll likely have a few insights about it yourself. You’ll have looked at discussions about the product before buying it. And after using it, you’ll have some good things to say about it. Otherwise, check forums like Reddit. It’s typically real people openly discussing a product — the good, the bad, and the “meh”.

How to Write A SWOT Analysis: Weaknesses

In the next block of how to write a SWOT analysis, begin writing down the company’s weaknesses. Start looking up the weaknesses the company might have. When you look at weaknesses, you want to look at all the problems that the company has had in the news. A great example would be Walmart which has been in the news a lot because of labor issues. They’ve had problems with:

  • with paying employees
  • not giving high salaries

These are all weaknesses. You also want to make sure that you look at things like their stock and whether or not you are reading articles that say they’re doing well or if they’re doing poorly.

What is a weakness for your topic?

Again, as we did for strengths, realize what a weakness could be for the topic , as well as consumers (if applicable). That’s how to write a SWOT analysis correctly.

For instance, weaknesses for companies include:

  • Competition
  • Market saturation
  • Bad reviews
  • Profit decline
  • Lack of diversity
  • Poor economies

As for products, it may include:

  • Poor reputation of the company
  • Material quality

Examples of weaknesses

PepsiCo offers only a few healthy food and beverage options . With the health-conscious crowd rising up, PepsiCo should be developing more low-calorie, nutritional options for them. And yet… they’re not. This means, despite PepsiCo’s huge presence in the food and beverage industry, they’re neglecting a substantial market.

Bitcoin’s worth is declining . It’s actually at its lowest valuation in more than a year. That’s just how it works though; it’s unpredictable, like stocks.

Finding weaknesses online

If your topic is a product and you’ve used it before, you already know about issues first-hand. You’ve likely read reviews before buying or trying the product and have seen common complaints.

You can use forums to see if these complaints are still relevant. If they are, it can be included in the SWOT analysis you are writing. People are more honest about the things they don’t like about a product, so this is definitely when searching for reviews is a fantastic option for gathering info.

You can also see which publications have discussed your topic lately. Even if the topic is only briefly mentioned, consider adding it to the weakness section (when applicable).

Where to search for weaknesses

  • Publications (New York Times, TechCrunch, News sites)
  • Use your own experience (if applicable)

You can create a quick list of the faults of the topic. They might not all make it into the final draft of the analysis. But it’s good to have a list, particularly of the leading issues or complaints against your topic. Because this section can be highly informative for SWOT analysis’ next section called opportunities.

How to Write A SWOT Analysis: Opportunities

Your next step of how to write a SWOT analysis is going to be about the opportunities. What you want to do ideally is to look at what the company mentions in its latest press release. A press release can tell you basically a little bit of information about a company and what they’re getting ready to do next. You can also look at an annual report or an earnings report.

You don’t want to read the full report because that might take days to get through! A lot of the information in there is really a bunch of numbers, so you want to go to the summary of the report.

The easiest way to do this is to just do a search for that particular company and search for the summary in their annual report.

So if it was Facebook that you were looking up, you can go under Facebook and then type in ‘annual report summary’. This is a recap so you will find all the information there. Alternatively, you could just type in their annual report and then Facebook and look for the first few articles that come up from different companies or firms who are writing articles about them.

You may also find that there are finance companies who write about them and give articles with details on their weakness and opportunities. What they are giving you is a SWOT analysis in a different version . They’re going to give you a smaller detailed version of what you need to know. What you’re going to look for is an opportunity that they may be working on in the future.

For example, if you were doing opportunities for Netflix, you might see something like them mentioning that they now have a new season of Game of Thrones or the new season of their show Orange Is the New Black . That’s because they actually mention things they’re working on in their particular business because they do streaming videos. They are going to mention them, but they won’t tell you who is in which episode!

While these might be popular videos, they are also considered opportunities because these are areas where they are expanding. Keep in mind this is not always the case. A few years ago Netflix lost a big deal with the video channel Starz where they pulled their movies from the Netflix line-up because Starz and Netflix were fighting over money. Some news will be good and some news will be bad.

What does an opportunity mean for your topic?

An opportunity is the chance to achieve something for your topic. It should be positive. Such as a new merger or expanding a business into a new region.

It’s much easier to find opportunities after finishing the “weaknesses” section of the analysis. Opportunities are born from weaknesses . It allows a weakness to become a strength. Look again at the above example of PepsiCo’s weakness. It’s not as prevalent in the healthy eating niche as it should be. But if it were, that would change the weakness into a strength.

Examples of opportunities

Smart light bulbs. They allow you to control your lights with an app on your phone. Most companies sell these bulbs for home use . But they can also be used in organizations, businesses, and schools. The bulbs last longer than regular bulbs, making it a smart choice for establishments.

Airbnb can easily move into the travel industry . After selecting a room in the city you’re visiting, Airbnb can hook you up with a tour guide. An expert who will show you parts of the city you never knew existed. In some locations, Airbnb is already doing this. But not everywhere.

Finding opportunities online

First, examine your list of weaknesses. Which ones can be “fixed” and transformed into opportunities for your topic? If any on the list can’t ever be “fixed”, then don’t bother including them here. Because opportunities need to be possible . And not in a “million years later” kind of way. As in, possible to achieve in a few months or years.

Additionally, take a look at news and press release websites. Search your topic there. See if there have been any new achievements, such as new product developments, mergers, a change in business models… whatever catches your eye. If there are changes happening, it could mean opportunities are on the horizon.

Specifically, search:

  • Publications (New York Times, TechCrunch, Local/international news sites)
  • Use your own information from the strengths and weaknesses categories

You may only find a few opportunities . That’s OK. It’s best to highlight the most beneficial changes your topic can make. And really focus on what this opportunity means for the future of your topic. Will it bring more customers? Help with future expansions? Make their competition shake in fear?

Focus on what the end result will be. Then include it in your SWOT analysis.

How to Write A SWOT Analysis: Threats

As it relates to threats, that’s going to be the next line that you typing as you learn how to write a SWOT analysis. You’re going to write what the competition is for this particular company you’re looking at.

Netflix threats could be Blockbuster which is going through bankrupt filings. You could say Roku is another threat. You could mention other companies like Play On, Sling and these are all different streaming content sites. You can also mention Amazon Prime.

What is or could be threatening your topic?

Or rather, let’s start with: what’s the difference between a weakness and a threat?

A weakness is a problem. It can be small or large. It can last for a while or disappear quietly.

A threat is likely to cause damage. It can develop from a weakness that was left too long without a solution. It undermines the success of your topic. It’s not just a problem; it’s destruction.

Telling the difference between weaknesses and threats will make you write a SWOT analysis properly.

Examples of threats

E-cigs are popular because they’re healthier than smoking regular cigarettes. But are they? Not enough reports from reputable health studies prove this claim. People fear the health risks associated with using E-cigs for a long duration. Hysteria can easily kill this product if not taken care of swiftly.

Energy drinks lead to death . That is, people have drunk several cans in a row and suffered cardiac arrest. Women who are pregnant may harm their child by drinking a can of Red Bull or a Monster. Nothing can tank a reputation harder than reported deaths.

Finding threats online

As mentioned above, a weakness can be a threat. For instance, if a company ignores a large segment of their customers for too long, that’s a weakness. But what if someone else gives those customers what they’ve been craving?

The new guy steals those customers away. Then the original company loses profits. And maybe, a year from now, the company goes under because they refused to acknowledge their customers’ needs.

That is a weakness that turned into a catastrophic threat.

Threats are often:

  • Market changes
  • Economic decline
  • Profit loss.

Again, like with opportunities, you can use the weakness section of your SWOT analysis to brainstorm a few areas of concern (or threats). Then you may want to confirm these threats by searching online.

  • Bad reviews (Amazon)
  • The competition

Take a look at the competitors of your topic. Ask yourself what they’re doing differently, but most importantly why are they?

Why have they chosen to market a certain way? Or offer a specific shipping method? Or to have their website written the way it is? The reason why may be a threat to your topic.

Consider the future

In this section, you want to think about what the future will be for your topic because of certain threats. Look into stocks. Search your topic online and find any articles you can from the last six months. Maybe you can pinpoint when the threats were first introduced (reported on) and how it affects the company today.

This section is trickier than the others. It’ll require more digging. Perhaps even do a competitor analysis if you’ve got the time. But the reason it’s more difficult is because it’s about the future of the topic. Will your topic even have a future if these threats persist? That’s what you need to find out.

These steps show how to write SWOT analysis properly. Make sure that it is detailed and well-rounded. You are also going to update this information within another year or so if you’re looking at this company again because you need fresh details and a fresh report.

Images: marekuliasz/ Shutterstock.com and Green Chameleon  on  Unsplash

Enterprise League

Business Tips

How to write a swot analysis paper (2024), march 29, 2024.

How to write a swot analysis paper

Being a business owner means making many impossible decisions without effective instruments. SWOT analysis is an excellent tool for looking at your business aside. Business planning assumes that you, as a business owner , must control all processes and things. Thanks to a SWOT analysis paper, you can do it most effectively. 

Planning, business development, finance, and more aspects of the business will be easily controlled and resolved using SWOT analysis. If you are still determining if your writing skills are enough to write an excellent SWOT analysis paper, you can delegate this activity to a proficient online paper writer . 

Choose a reliable writing service that cooperates with skilled authors who can create any type of paper for business or any purpose. All you need to do is register on the site providing brief information about how you see the SWOT analysis paper. A skilled writer will create compelling work for you following your instructions. Reaching out to such services is confidential, fast, and affordable. Read on to find out how to write a SWOT analysis paper and make it flawless.

What is a SWOT analysis paper

The abbreviation of SWOT means Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Even though it may sound like a simple list of pros and cons, it is not. The main purpose of writing a SWOT analysis paper is to identify various factors that lift your business or tear it down.

Define the objectives

Start writing a SWOT analysis paper by identifying your objectives. You will need to write a table to make analyses easy-going and clear. The table must contain four main points. It would be better if you start with Strengths.

To write a compelling list of Strengths, you must answer the following questions: 

  • What does your business do best
  • What attracts customers to your company
  • What do customers like about your business
  • What can your business offer that competitors cannot do well

Recall the reviews left by customers and pay attention to what made them not satisfied. Consider the feedback of employees who worked with your business or currently working on you. 

In order to improve the weaknesses try to answer these questions:

  • What are the resources of your business that need to be more 
  • What are the areas of your business that must be improved 
  • What are the reasons your potential customers decide to work with your competitors instead of you

As an owner, you must be genuine and realistic when you define your business’s weaknesses. Forget about optimistic expectations and look with a fresh eye on your business processes, products, and services. Remember that defining weaknesses will help you to reduce them and approve your business.

Note that it is crucial to divide weaknesses from threats. The main distinction between them is that weaknesses are internal factors you can improve inside your business. In other words, you can control weaknesses. Threats, instead, are external factors that you can hardly control.

Opportunities

It is crucial to start defining opportunities only after you are clear about your business weaknesses and strengths. 

Answer the following questions regarding opportunities:

  • Look at the market you’re working at and define the current trends, also trying to predict future trends in the business 
  • What are the trends you can use to grow your business
  • Can you grow your business by partnering with a reliable company or an entrepreneur
  • Consider whether there are any opportunities to get investments or sponsorship for your business 
  • Think over the opportunities to grow your business by developing new products or types of services

Now you’re ready to think over the threats to your business. Here are the most crucial factors to consider:

  • Is your business seasonal 
  • Is your business completely legal 
  • Doesn’t it have an unreliable cash flow process that could become a threat
  • Are all your partners and suppliers reliable enough to trust them
  • Are there any situations that make it impossible to grow your business, and what are these obstacles
  • How do laws in your field affect your business
  • Is there any opportunity for changes in this area

Structure your paper

Now you’re ready to start writing your paper. Draft your SWOT analysis paper and add it with the following sections:

Start with an introduction that will provide your main goal and set the main questions you want to answer with the help of a SWOT analysis 

Proceed with writing the body. Briefly describe the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats you included in the table while preparing for writing. If there are too many items to consider and you cannot reduce any of them, use bullet points to make the section readable

The next part of the body of a SWOT analysis paper will be the analysis itself. It is the most crucial part of the paper. The goals of the analyses part are developing an effective strategy for your business and creating an action plan  to achieve the set goals, and finalizing a conclusion.

Write an analysis part

When analyzing, consider all four factors together and find connections between them. Here are the most important questions to make the SWOT analysis section practical and useful:

  • Think about the threats from the point of your strengths and define whether it is possible to use one of the strengths to beat a thread
  • Think over the possibility of minimizing the weaknesses of your business by using its strengths
  • Is there a way to eliminate the weaknesses of your business by using one of its opportunities

Generate a plan

Now that you have found connections between the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your business, proceed with developing an action plan. It would help if you generated working ideas that can be clear and measurable to start acting immediately. After you create a list of ideas for your business, prioritize them and decide what you can do now and what is the easiest way to start improving your business. Arrange the plan of action to make it readable by using bullet points.

Application of SWOT analysis in other areas

Let’s look at the three examples of how a SWOT analysis can be used both for personal development and for the development of a company.

SWOT analysis for non-profit organizations

Non-profit organizations can use SWOT analysis to help inform about their strategic planning.

The SWOT process is a great way to understand how your organization fits into the market and to make an impact by running campaigns and fundraising initiatives. Incorporating a SWOT analysis early into the development strategy can help you make better decisions.

SWOT for business development

Business development is a crucial part of every company and being aware of the company’s strengths and weaknesses is an invaluable asset.  Doing a SWOT analysis helps you identify any weaknesses that may become a problem for the company’s growth. 

Personal SWOT analyses

SWOT analyses can be applied even in evaluating your personal growth. For example, if you are looking to level up in your career, creating a personal SWOT analysis can help you compare your strengths and weaknesses. That’s how you will be able to make better decisions about what areas you can improve.

The last section of the SWOT analysis paper will be a conclusion. Recall the initial purpose of writing an essay and remember the information you included in an introduction. The conclusion must provide your vision of how a business can grow. Also, it is crucial to add a conclusion with some points from an action plan. When finalizing the paper, set a deadline to complete all planned improvements.

More must-read stories from Enterprise League:

  • A step-by-step guide to teach you how to write a business essay .
  • How to handle a situation where employees are not getting along .
  • Implement a CRM strategy for your business using this guide.
  • Aspects that show the importance of cross-cultural communication in the workplace.
  • What do successful people sacrifice in order to achieve their dreams .

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Use a personal SWOT analysis to discover your strengths and weaknesses

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What’s a personal SWOT analysis?

How to conduct a personal swot analysis, 23 personal swot analysis examples, after your analysis, final tips when performing a personal swot analysis, face the truth, find success.

If a company wants to scale up its workforce, branch into a new market, or set quarterly objectives, it must first assess the risks and benefits of these changes. Much like creating a pros and cons list for a personal decision, a leadership professional will perform a SWOT analysis to examine the organization’s s trengths, w eaknesses, o pportunities, and t hreats.

This analysis has been a crucial part of corporate planning for over 50 years, but did you know it’s also a great tool for your professional development ?

A personal SWOT analysis helps you look critically at the value you bring to the workplace and ways to improve your performance. This tool is especially effective when making strategic career moves, whether you want to change jobs or receive the promotion you’ve been eyeing.

A personal SWOT analysis is a self-assessment tool focused on outlining your professional strengths and weaknesses, opportunities for growth, and threats to your success.

Conducting a SWOT analysis is helpful when setting professional development goals. This insight offers a clear picture of where you shine, areas you can improve, and opportunities that lead to success. But the process is only effective if done correctly.

When learning how to do a personal SWOT analysis, start by dividing a sheet of paper or digital document into four quadrants (one for each SWOT section). Then, it’s time to ask the hard questions, using humility and self-awareness to respond without self-serving biases . You want your analysis to be as effective as possible, and that means being honest.

Unbiased assessments are hard to come by. A Businessweek survey asked 2,000 Americans, “Are you one of the top 10% of performers in your company?” Across all subgroups (job title, age, etc.) at least 80% of respondents answered positively . While confidence is encouraged , try to be as realistic as possible when conducting your SWOT analysis.

That said, you might be working to overcome insecurities at work. Don’t downplay your employee strengths and overfocus on your weaknesses. This type of unbalanced assessment can be demotivating, disheartening, and ultimately a form of self-sabotage .

To help you create a balanced and effective analysis, here’s how to fill out each of the four sections. 

Start your analysis by writing down all your personal strengths. 

This is an essential part of the assessment because writing down your strengths starts the whole process off positively, which might boost your self-image.

Ask yourself the following questions:

  • What am I naturally good at?
  • What advantages do I have that others don’t?
  • What would my boss or coworkers say are my strengths?
  • What achievements (education, skills, etc.) set me apart from my colleagues?
  • What connections or resources do I have that can help me achieve my goals ?

Include strengths related to natural talent, work experience, and hard and soft skills . Take note of them all — you never know which proficiency will be the key to your success.

woman-smiling-looking-at-phone-and-writing-on-notebook-personal-SWOT-analysis

Now, it’s time to humble yourself (just a little) by examining your personal weaknesses. 

Write down the places where you have room to improve, the bad habits you need to ditch , and anything else that might prevent you from being your best self at work. Ask yourself the following questions: 

  • What are my negative habits or personality traits ?
  • Are there areas where my education, training, or skills are lacking compared to my peers?
  • Which skills do I want to improve?
  • What do I avoid because I lack confidence ?
  • If I think about a time when I “messed up” at work, what did I do?

This part of your SWOT analysis encourages you to look honestly at yourself to make the changes and build the habits that will lead to your success. And, as a bonus, this exercise makes answering “ What are your weaknesses? ” easier in a job interview.

Opportunities

So far, you’ve focused on your individual work performance. It’s time to broaden your scope and look at career opportunities. 

Consider potential growth within your industry, company, and current position. Are you currently poised for the career growth you want? To find out, ask yourself questions like:

  • What’s the current state of my industry? Is it growing?
  • What new technology could help me achieve my goals?
  • How could my network help me take the next step?
  • What new skills can I acquire to increase my value as an employee?
  • Are there professional moves (like a career change or lateral shift ) that would help me reach my goals more efficiently?

work-team-looking-at-project-at-desk-together-personal-SWOT-analysis

Finally, address the potential threats that could get in the way of meeting your goals. These include external factors, like an unstable economy or competition from your coworkers, and internal struggles, like bad habits or a lack of education. Ask yourself questions like: 

  • Who’s my workplace competition?
  • Is my industry changing direction?
  • Do technological advancements threaten my position?
  • Do any of my weaknesses threaten my career success?
  • What’s the current state of the economy?

Now, your personal SWOT analysis is complete. Use this document to brainstorm goals and strategize action plans as you advance your career.

It’s clear that a SWOT analysis is essential for strategic career planning. But what does this analysis look like in practice? Here are several examples to help you understand how to complete this self-assessment.

  • I’m a creative thinker , which helps me solve problems for my team in original and effective ways.
  • I work well under pressure and in a fast-paced environment. 
  • I’ve earned an advanced degree , demonstrating my willingness to work hard and my expertise in my field.
  • I’m organized and detail-oriented .
  • I’m personable and friendly, and I’ve built an extensive network of friends throughout my industry. 
  • I’m resourceful and always try to solve issues myself before bothering coworkers or managers. 
  • I ask good questions , which means I gain valuable and informative responses back and the listener feels I care about what they have to say.
  • I sometimes lack the willpower to complete my projects, leading to procrastination and rushed work. 
  • I’m often late to work because I lose track of time or oversleep in the mornings . 
  • I previously had issues with a difficult coworker , and the disagreement made higher-ups see us both negatively.
  • I don’t have as much AI technology experience as another colleague applying for the same position. 
  • I’m often too shy to speak up during team meetings.
  • I have presentation anxiety , and this causes me to turn down valuable opportunities to share my expertise and put myself out there.

woman-looking-at-coworker-with-nervousness-during-meeting-personal-SWOT-analysis

  • My company isn’t reaching a critical market at the moment. I could draft a proposal for reaching that market and make a great impression on my boss.
  • Technology advances like ChatGPT and other AI tools could help me become more productive at work . 
  • I could contact one of my mentors for career advice or a recommendation for the position I’m applying for. 
  • I could take an online course to build my skill set during my off hours. 
  • I could work with a career coach to improve my interviewing skills before I apply for a new position. 
  • As technology advances, my position may require more education or specialization. 
  • I often complete projects more slowly than my colleagues.
  • My bad habits (procrastination, tardiness, etc.) could make recruiters and managers view me as unreliable. 
  • AI programs might make my job obsolete , so I should prepare for a career change if necessary.
  • My industry is growing rapidly, and new talent fresh from college is always joining the company, increasing my competition. 

Your SWOT analysis is like a roadmap, showing you the paths you can take for self-improvement . But having a map is only one step of your journey — now you need to chart your course. 

After completing your assessment, make an action plan that helps you achieve your goals. Here are two ways of doing this: 

Matching categories means using your strengths to correct your weaknesses. This is a great method for mitigating threats, as you use your skill set to improve overall performance.

Let’s say you listed “ creativity ” as a strength and “ time management ” as a weakness. Look for ways to use your creativity to manage your time more effectively. You might start bullet journaling to track your schedule and daily goals. 

Spinning the negative involves turning threats into positives by being proactive. Recognizing career development threats early on means you can take steps to avoid them before they block your path.

If you listed “increased competition” as a risk to your position, consider taking some online courses or in-person seminars to pad your portfolio. This might set you apart from your colleagues and secure your job. 

woman-leaning-on-hallway-writing-on-notepad-personal-SWOT-analysis

With a definition, guide, and examples in hand, you’re bound to conduct a good analysis. Make it great by following these tips:

Ask for help: While this analysis is personal, that doesn’t mean you need to go about it alone. And an outsider’s perspective might offer new insights.

Ask a trusted friend, coworker, or mentor to consider analysis questions with you, like what you’re naturally good at and whether your industry is changing. Their input offers you a more well-rounded and objective analysis. 

Dig deeper: When considering your strengths and weaknesses, a couple things might pop up immediately. Maybe your parents have always ragged on you for being a perfectionist, or your friends regularly affirm your loyalty.

While these are great aspects to devote time to, you might be surprised what you find if you dig deeper, and this deeper dive might reward you with more fulfilling growth.

For example, you might discover that you tend to micromanage your direct reports. If you hadn’t taken your search a level further you mightn’t have stumbled upon this important improvement area.

Reward yourself with self-care: Conducting these analyses is hard and emotionally challenging work. You might not love the weaknesses or risks you stumble across, and it takes grit to continue forward, completing your analysis and working toward improvement. Reward yourself for all this hard work with some self-care , like a bath or some reading.

Leverage motivational techniques: Post-analysis, use techniques like creating a vision board , reciting positive affirmations , and journaling to help you reach your self-improvement goals. These tools will help you focus on your objectives and remind you of the finish line when you need more motivation. 

A personal SWOT analysis is an excellent tool for setting professional development goals . Whether you’re a new graduate starting your career, a seasoned professional climbing the ladder, or a worker looking to make a big change, this assessment defines your path forward. 

Now all you have to do is take the first step on your roadmap.

Unlock your potential today

Explore how targeted coaching can elevate your career and personal growth. Let's find the right path together.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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How to Write a SWOT Analysis Essay? Expert Guide

SWOT analysis essay helps students understand the challenges and strengths of activity or venture. Hence such an essay is likely to help them acquire a practical skill they can rely on in the future. However, a recent study suggested that almost 20 to 30 percent of students struggle while dealing with essay about swot analysis.

Today it is almost mandatory for students to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and learn how to use this information to their advantage. SWOT analysis is also regarded as a business strategy tool for assessing how a business compares to its competitors.

Table of Contents

Why do Students Have to Learn Writing A Swot Analysis Essay?

Students are tasked with learning a SWOT essay as it helps them sharpen their critical thinking skills. It also enables them to analyze business situations effectively and make informed decisions based on a thorough assessment of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

The Author’s Experience of Writing A SWOT Analysis Essay

Yes, the author has gone through the challenges of writing a good SWOT analysis and hence he’s well-equipped to guide students on how to write one well. As per the author ‘I was working as a business strategist in a renowned company and my task was to perform SWOT analysis every then and now. Performing that was like a roller coaster for me where I was able to go through the good and bad side of a situation.

At first, I thought it was a difficult task but as I sat to write one I felt it very interesting. I had to think deeply about what I’m good at, where I need to improve, and what opportunities and challenges I might face. Initially, it was tough to identify the weaknesses of the company but being attentive to details and stuff helped me pick weaknesses that even the owners weren’t expecting.

Overall, going through such a practical situation has allowed me to help students with how to write a swot analysis essay. ’

The Challenges Students Face While Writing SWOT Analysis

How to present a swot analysis essay, exactly.

Presenting an essay about swot analysis review doesn’t have to be complicated! Here’s how to write a personal swot analysis essay in the friendliest and easiest way possible:

  • Keep it simple : Use plain language and avoid jargon to ensure your audience understands.
  • Use visuals : Create charts, graphs, or diagrams to make your SWOT analysis visually appealing and easy to digest.
  • Highlight key points : Emphasize the most important strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to grab your audience’s attention.
  • Offer solutions : Don’t just identify problems; suggest actionable steps to address weaknesses and capitalize on opportunities.
  • Provide examples : Use real-life examples to illustrate each element of your SWOT work. For instance, explain how a strength like a strong customer base led to increased sales.

Remember, the goal is to make your SWOT research engaging and memorable the way professionals from an  online essay writing service  do every time.

What Does the SWOT Analysis Essay Format Is in Reality?

Here’s what a basic SWOT probe format looks like:

Strengths : List all your organization’s internal strengths.

Examples : strong brand identity, skilled workforce, high customer retention rate.

Weaknesses : Identify all your organization’s internal weaknesses.

Examples : outdated technology, lack of diversity, low employee engagement.

Opportunities : Highlight all external opportunities that your organization can leverage.

Examples : emerging markets, favorable industry trends, growing demand for your product or service.

Threats : Identify all the external threats that can impact your organization.

Examples : economic downturns, intense competition, negative publicity.

Remember, SWOT analysis is not a one-time process. Regularly review, update and adjust your analysis to ensure it remains relevant and provides valuable insights.

swot analysis

Read Out SWOT Analysis Paper Example of a Person!

Hopefully, by going through this example, you will have a good understanding of how to go about A SWOT analysis essay, Also, don’t forget that you can always count on the professional  college essay writing service  for such. Anyway, here we go with the example of learning how to write a personal swot analysis essay.

Title: My Personal SWOT Analysis

Introduction:

In this paper, I will be conducting a personal SWOT analysis to gain insights into my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. By exploring these aspects, I hope to better understand myself and make informed decisions for personal and professional growth. Let’s dive in!

One of my greatest strengths is my strong communication skills. I am able to express my thoughts clearly and effectively, which helps me connect with people and build strong relationships. Additionally, I am a highly organized individual, which allows me to manage multiple tasks efficiently and meet deadlines consistently.

One area I struggle with is public speaking. I often feel anxious and nervous when presenting in front of a large audience. To overcome this weakness, I will work on improving my confidence through public speaking workshops and practicing in smaller, supportive settings.

Opportunities

The digital world presents numerous opportunities for personal growth. I can polish my skills by taking online courses and exploring new technologies relevant to my field. Additionally, networking events and conferences provide great opportunities to expand my professional network, learn from industry experts, and discover potential career advancements.

In today’s ever-changing job market, one of the potential threats I face is the rapid advancement of automation and artificial intelligence. To stay competitive, I need to continuously update my skills and adapt to emerging technologies in my industry. Additionally, the intense competition for job opportunities poses a threat. By highlighting my unique strengths and constantly improving myself, I can stand out among other candidates.

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Through this personal SWOT analysis, I’ve gained valuable insights into my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Now, armed with this understanding, I can make strategic decisions to capitalize on my strengths, overcome my weaknesses, and take advantage of exciting opportunities. By staying proactive and continuously developing myself, I am confident in my ability to face challenges and reach my goals.

Remember, conducting your personal SWOT research is a great way to gain self-awareness and set yourself up for success. We encourage you to do this and discover what makes you unique. Good luck!

Find The SWOT Analysis Essay Example of a Small Business!

We have picked another analysis topic for this example but you can use  argumentative essay topics  too. Then by selecting one you can modify and write your own analysis on it. For time being, start reading second example to understand how to write a swot analysison topics like these:

Title: SWOT Analysis of a Small Bakery Business

Introduction

In this paper, we will conduct a SWOT analysis of a small bakery business. By examining its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, we can gain insights into how the business can thrive in a competitive market. Let’s get started!

The bakery’s main strength is its high-quality, freshly baked goods. The use of premium ingredients and attention to detail attracts a loyal customer base. Another strength lies in the unique product offerings, such as gluten-free and vegan options, catering to a diverse range of dietary preferences.

One of the bakery’s weaknesses is the limited physical space. With a small seating area, it may not accommodate a large number of customers at once, potentially causing inconvenience during peak hours. Additionally, the lack of a strong online presence and social media marketing strategy could hinder the business’s growth potential.

The bakery has an opportunity to expand its reach and customer base by establishing an e-commerce platform. This would enable customers to place online orders for pickup or delivery. Furthermore, partnering with local cafes or specialty grocery stores to stock their products would increase visibility and attract new customers.

One of the threats the bakery faces is increased competition from other local bakeries and large chain stores. To overcome this, the bakery should focus on its unique selling points, such as its artisanal approach and personalized customer service. Additionally, changing consumer preferences and dietary trends may pose a threat if the bakery fails to adapt and innovate its product offerings.

By conducting a SWOT analysis of our small bakery business, we have identified its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This analysis allows us to strategically plan for success and make informed decisions to maximize our strengths, address weaknesses, seize opportunities, and overcome threats. By leveraging our premium baked goods, exploring online channels, and staying ahead of changing consumer trends, we are confident in our ability to lead the competitive bakery market and achieve long-term success.

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We hope that our readers have understood that they can get the winning edge with an awesome tool called SWOT analysis! For that you have to treat it as your secret weapon for success. Basically, it helps you figure out what you rock at (strengths), what areas could use a little work (weaknesses), and where exciting opportunities are waiting to be grabbed (opportunities). But that’s not all – it also helps you identify potential roadblocks (threats) so you can tackle them head-on.

With SWOT review, you’re equipped to make smart, informed decisions, capitalize on your strengths, and go through any challenges that come your way. Plus the swot analysis essay example would have helped you grab the good understanding of such a task. So go ahead, grab the SWOT essay by the horns, and charge towards your goals with confidence!

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How To Write an Essay About Swot Analysis

Understanding swot analysis.

Before writing an essay about SWOT analysis, it's crucial to understand what SWOT stands for and how it is used. SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It's a framework that helps organizations or individuals to identify internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving their objectives. Start your essay by explaining each component of SWOT: Strengths (what an organization or individual does well), Weaknesses (areas that need improvement), Opportunities (external factors that can be exploited for benefit), and Threats (external factors that could cause trouble). It's important to understand that SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning tool used in a variety of fields, from business management to personal development.

Developing a Thesis Statement

Your essay should be centered around a clear, concise thesis statement. This statement should present a specific viewpoint or argument about SWOT analysis. For instance, you might discuss the importance of SWOT analysis in strategic planning, analyze its effectiveness in a particular case study, or argue for modifications to the traditional SWOT analysis model to better suit modern business environments. Your thesis will guide the direction of your essay, providing a structured and focused analysis.

Gathering and Presenting Examples

To support your thesis, it's effective to gather and present examples of SWOT analysis. You might choose a specific company, industry, or even a personal scenario where SWOT analysis has been applied. Discuss how the four elements of SWOT were identified and used in decision-making processes. Providing real-life examples will make your essay more tangible and relatable, allowing readers to see the practical application of the theory.

Analyzing the Effectiveness of SWOT Analysis

Dedicate a section of your essay to critically analyzing the effectiveness of SWOT analysis. Discuss its advantages, such as its simplicity and comprehensiveness, as well as its limitations, which might include its subjective nature or lack of prioritization. You can also explore how SWOT analysis can be complemented with other strategic planning tools for more robust results.

Concluding the Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points and restating your thesis in light of the discussion. Your conclusion should tie together the analysis and emphasize the overall significance of SWOT analysis in strategic planning. You might also want to suggest areas for future research or potential improvements in the methodology of SWOT analysis.

Reviewing and Refining Your Essay

After writing your essay, take time to review and refine it. Ensure that your arguments are clearly articulated and supported by examples. Check for grammatical accuracy and ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Consider seeking feedback from peers or instructors to further improve your essay. A well-crafted essay on SWOT analysis will not only demonstrate your understanding of the framework but also your ability to critically engage with management and planning tools.

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Article • 9 min read

Personal SWOT Analysis

Making the most of your talents and opportunities.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

"Chance favors the prepared mind." – Louis Pasteur

You are most likely to succeed in life if you use your talents to their fullest extent. Similarly, you'll suffer fewer problems if you know what your weaknesses are and if you manage these weaknesses so that they don't matter in the work you do.

So how do you go about identifying these strengths and weaknesses, and analyzing the opportunities and threats that flow from them? SWOT Analysis is a useful technique that helps you do this.

Benefits of Personal Swot Analysis

What makes SWOT especially powerful is that, with a little thought, it can help you uncover opportunities that you would not otherwise have spotted. And by understanding your weaknesses, you can manage and eliminate threats that might otherwise hurt your ability to move forward.

If you look at yourself using the SWOT framework, you can start to separate yourself from your peers, and further develop the specialized talents and abilities you need to advance your career and help you achieve your personal goals .

(You can find out how to carry out a wider SWOT analysis for your organization in our article here .)

Tips on How to Do a Personal SWOT Analysis

First print out our free worksheet , and write down answers to the following questions.

  • What advantages do you have that others don't have (for example, skills, certifications, education, or connections)?
  • What do you do better than anyone else?
  • What personal resources can you access?
  • What do other people (and your boss, in particular) see as your strengths?
  • Which of your achievements are you most proud of?
  • What values do you believe in that others fail to exhibit?
  • Are you part of a network that no one else is involved in? If so, what connections do you have with influential people?

Consider this from your own perspective, and from the point of view of the people around you. And don't be modest or shy – be as objective as you can. Knowing and using your strengths can make you happier and more fulfilled at work.

And if you still have any difficulty identifying your strengths, write down a list of your personal characteristics. Some of these will hopefully be strengths!

Think about your strengths in relation to the people around you. For example, if you're a great mathematician and the people around you are also great at math, then this is not likely to be a strength in your current role – it may be a necessity.

  • What tasks do you usually avoid because you don't feel confident doing them?
  • What will the people around you see as your weaknesses?
  • Are you completely confident in your education and skills training? If not, where are you weakest?
  • What are your negative work habits (for example, are you often late, are you disorganized, do you have a short temper, or are you poor at handling stress)?
  • Do you have personality traits that hold you back in your field? For instance, if you have to conduct meetings on a regular basis, a fear of public speaking would be a major weakness.

Again, consider this from a personal/internal perspective and an external perspective. Do other people see weaknesses that you don't see? Do co-workers consistently outperform you in key areas? Be realistic – it's best to face any unpleasant truths as soon as possible.

Opportunities

  • What new technology can help you? Or can you get help from others or from people via the internet?
  • Is your industry growing? If so, how can you take advantage of the current market?
  • Do you have a network of strategic contacts to help you, or offer good advice?
  • What trends (management or otherwise) do you see in your company, and how can you take advantage of them?
  • Are any of your competitors failing to do something important? If so, can you take advantage of their mistakes?
  • Is there a need in your company or industry that no one is filling?
  • Do your customers or vendors complain about something in your company? If so, could you create an opportunity by offering a solution?

You might find useful opportunities in the following:

  • Networking events, educational classes, or conferences.
  • A colleague going on an extended leave. Could you take on some of this person's projects to gain experience?
  • A new role or project that forces you to learn new skills, like public speaking or international relations.
  • A company expansion or acquisition. Do you have specific skills (like a second language) that could help with the process?

Also, importantly, look at your strengths, and ask yourself whether these open up any opportunities – and look at your weaknesses, and ask yourself whether you could open up opportunities by eliminating those weaknesses.

  • What obstacles do you currently face at work?
  • Are any of your colleagues competing with you for projects or roles?
  • Is your job (or the demand for the things you do) changing?
  • Does changing technology threaten your position?
  • Could any of your weaknesses lead to threats?

Performing this analysis will often provide key information – it can point out what needs to be done and put problems into perspective.

A Personal SWOT Example

What would a personal SWOT assessment look like? Review this SWOT analysis for Carol, an advertising manager.

  • I'm very creative. I often impress clients with a new perspective on their brands.
  • I communicate well with my clients and team.
  • I have the ability to ask key questions to find just the right marketing angle.
  • I'm completely committed to the success of a client's brand.
  • I have a strong, compulsive need to do things quickly and remove them from my "to do" list, and sometimes the quality of my work suffers as a result.
  • This same need to get things done also causes me stress when I have too many tasks.
  • I get nervous when presenting ideas to clients, and this fear of public speaking often takes the passion out of my presentations.
  • One of our major competitors has developed a reputation for treating their smaller clients poorly.
  • I'm attending a major marketing conference next month. This will allow for strategic networking, and also offer some great training seminars.
  • Our art director will go on maternity leave soon. Covering her duties while she's away would be a great career development opportunity for me.
  • Simon, one of my colleagues, is a much stronger speaker than I am, and he's competing with me for the art director position.
  • Due to recent staff shortages, I'm often overworked, and this negatively impacts my creativity.
  • The current economic climate has resulted in slow growth for the marketing industry. Many firms have laid off staff members, and our company is considering further cutbacks.

As a result of performing this analysis, Carol takes the bold step of approaching her colleague Simon about the art director's maternity leave. Carol proposes both she and Simon cover the job's duties, working together and each using their strengths.

To her surprise, Simon likes the idea. He knows he presents very well, but he admits that he's usually impressed by Carol's creative ideas, which he feels are far better than most of his.

By working as a team, they have a chance to make their smaller clients feel even better about the service they're getting. This takes advantage of their competitor's weakness in this area.

Personal SWOT Analysis Infographic

See our Personal SWOT Analysis Infographic .

how to write a swot analysis essay

A SWOT matrix is a framework for analyzing your strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and threats that you face. This helps you focus on your strengths, minimize your weaknesses, and take the greatest possible advantage of opportunities available to you.

Use our Personal SWOT Analysis Skillbook to explore further how you can use this great tool!

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Swot Analysis — SWOT Analysis Good Example

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Swot Analysis of Mcdonald’s Corporation

  • Categories: Mcdonald's Swot Analysis

About this sample

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Words: 941 |

Published: Jun 5, 2019

Words: 941 | Pages: 6 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, swot analysis of mcdonald’s.

  • One of the top 10 international brands.
  • Food quality and taste.
  • Brand value.
  • Advanced technology.
  • Limited employee satisfaction.
  • Poor Franchise Management.
  • Low product diversification.
  • Reasonable price meals.
  • Innovative products.
  • Delivery and online orders.
  • High competition.
  • Health conscious customers.

Opportunities

  • Bertelsen, B. (2012). Everything You Need to Know About SWOT Analysis. In B. Bertelsen, Everything You Need to Know About SWOT Analysis (p. 10). Newmarket: [Newmarket, Ont.] : BrainMass Inc. 2012.
  • Elliott, M. (2018, august 06). These Are the Cheapest Meals You Can Order at McDonald’s. Retrieved from https://www.cheatsheet.com/: https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/these-are-the-cheapest-meals-you-can-order-at-mcdonalds.html/
  • FONTINELLE, E. (2020, june 03). McDonald's: A History Of Innovation. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/: https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0410/mcdonalds-a-look-back.aspx
  • Food Safety and Quality. (2017-2019). Retrieved from https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/: https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/scale-for-good/our-food/foodsafety.html
  • GREENSPAN, R. (2017, February 05). McDonald’s SWOT Analysis & Recommendations. Retrieved from http://panmore.com/: http://panmore.com/mcdonalds-swot-analysis-recommendations#:~:text=Low%20product%20diversification%20corresponds%20to,U.S.%20and%20other%20Western%20economies.
  • Gupta, S. (2019). McDonald’s SWOT Analysis(2019). Retrieved from https://bstrategyhub.com: https://bstrategyhub.com/mcdonalds-swot-analysis/
  • Guttmann, A. (2020, August 14). McDonald's: brand value 2006-2020. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/: https://www.statista.com/statistics/326059/mcdonalds-brand-value/
  • Haddon, H. (2020, july 28). Coronavirus Pandemic Squeezes McDonald’s Profit. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-pandemic-squeezes-mcdonalds-profit-11595934000
  • Kazan, R. (2015, January 29). McDonald’s losing battle for more health conscious consumers. Retrieved from https://america.cgtn.com/: https://america.cgtn.com/2015/01/29/mcdonalds-losing-battle-for-more-health-conscious-consumers
  • Khandelwal, R. (2019). Must-Know: McDonald’s Has Got Tough Competition. Retrieved from https://marketrealist.com/: https://marketrealist.com/2019/11/must-know-mcdonalds-has-got-tough-competition/
  • MATYSZCZYK, C. (n.d.). McDonald's Has A Massive New Problem That Could Ruin Everything the Company Is Trying To Do. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/: CHRIS MATYSZCZYK
  • McDonald's coorporation. (2017-2019). Food Safety and Quality. Retrieved from https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/: https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/scale-for-good/our-food/foodsafety.html
  • McDonald's corporation. (2017-2019). Food Safety and Quality. Retrieved from https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/: https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/scale-for-good/our-food/foodsafety.html
  • McDonald's corporation. (2017-2020). Get McDonald’s Delivered on Uber Eats and DoorDash. Retrieved from https://www.mcdonalds.com/: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/mcdelivery.html
  • REIFF, N. (2020, August 06). 10 Biggest Restaurant Companies. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/012516/worlds-top-10-restaurant-companies-mcdsbux.asp
  • Shewan, D. (2020, april 20). How to Do a SWOT Analysis for Your Small Business (with Examples). Retrieved from https://www.wordstream.com/: https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/12/20/swot-analysis
  • Team, B. t. (n.d.). SWOT Analysis How to Develop a Strategy For Success. Retrieved from mindtools.com: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_05.htm#:~:text=SWOT%20Analysis%20is%20a%20simple,advantage%20of%20chances%20for%20success

Should follow an “upside down” triangle format, meaning, the writer should start off broad and introduce the text and author or topic being discussed, and then get more specific to the thesis statement.

Provides a foundational overview, outlining the historical context and introducing key information that will be further explored in the essay, setting the stage for the argument to follow.

The body of each paragraph builds an argument in support of the topic sentence, citing information from sources as evidence.

Should follow a right side up triangle format, meaning, specifics should be mentioned first such as restating the thesis, and then get more broad about the topic at hand. Lastly, leave the reader with something to think about and ponder once they are done reading.

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Stakeholder Analysis: Miami-Dade Police Department Essay

Stakeholder analysis is crucial for effective service delivery by law enforcement officers. Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) plays the crucial role of maintaining law and order during various public events and gatherings. The upcoming Democratic-Republican National Convention poses a major task for MDPD to ensure that all the Americans who attend the gathering are safe and that none of their rights are violated. Elected officials, political leaders, the media and press, event organizers, and advocacy groups are some of MDPD’s stakeholders. The stakeholders interested in the convention will make various claims that MDPD must meet for effective service delivery.

Organization Description

Miami-Dade is one of the most highly populated counties in the U.S., needing security for smooth social and economic activities. MDPD is a county police department that services Miami-Dade which has an estimated population of about 2.7 million residents (Zare et al., 2022). The organization is governmental and has its headquarters in Doral, Florida. As a governmental agency, MDPD has a mission of serving and protecting its community with courage and integrity (MDPD, 2023). Therefore, the agency partners with various stakeholders to realize its mission in the Miami-Dade community.

Key Stakeholders Identification

Internal stakeholders include those who work with MDPD, and the services are of importance to the Democratic-Republican National Convention. Some of the internal stakeholders include U.S. secret service, MDPD sworn officers, MDPD Police Benevolent Association, and criminal justice organizations. Meanwhile, the external stakeholders involve those who operate outside the agency. Business owners, elected officials, politicians, Miami-Dade residents, and human rights organizations, among others, are external stakeholders. The stakeholders are influencers since they persuade MDPD to take various actions during the convention. Given the wide range of stakeholders, they will be categorized into four: local government, the federal government, the public, and businesses as show on figure 1.0.

MDPD Stakeholders' Map

Stakeholders’ Interests and Concerns Identification

The identified stakeholders have various interests that can be addressed by MDPD. As a political convention, the stakeholders have interests that are similar to MDPD. The federal and local government stakeholders are interested in the safety of the Miami-Dade residents during the convention. The business community and the public are interested in impartial treatment by police officers and their security. Therefore, the stakeholders’ interest that is the most important to MDPD is the enforcement of law and order. Meanwhile, political interests such as who should be the next president or senator are not important to the agency.

Claims that Stakeholders are Likely to Make

The stakeholders involved in the convention are likely to make various claims to MDPD. The public may claim that MDPD is less responsive to their safety needs. Politicians may claim that the agency is not accountable for its actions against its supporters. The business community may accuse the agency of failing to respond to crimes and other emergencies. The claims by the various stakeholders are legitimate given the high population of the area and the increased number of attendees. Failure to consider the claims made by the stakeholders may lead to a loss of public trust in MDPD. Considering them would enhance positive police-public relationships and support from various stakeholders. However, the consideration can be associated with increased operational costs which are unexpected.

Most Important Stakeholders

The public and business persons of Miami-Dade are the most important stakeholders of MDPD. The agency has an explicit constitutional and statutory obligation to maintain law and order in Miami-Dade (Stolzenberg et al., 2019). Another reason why they are the most important stakeholder is that they are the closest community to the agency. The majority of the elected officials are not important because they have private security officers who ensure that they are safe. Moreover, the federal government, through agencies such as the secret service, ensures its officials’ safety (Jennings & Perez, 2020). Therefore, MDPD will protect the residents and businesses that have no other form of security.

SWOT Analysis

MDPD enjoys various strengths that can be maximized during the convention. The agency has highly trained professionals who deliver services legally and acceptably. The investigative department has sufficient human resources to attend to all claims presented before them. Additionally, MDPD modernized a surveillance system that can help detect abnormalities and criminal activities during the convention. Furthermore, the agency has adopted the community-oriented policing approach which strengthens its relationship with the Miami-Dade residents (Dias & Hilgers, 2020). Taking advantage of the mentioned strengths will allow MDPD to counter any problem faced during the upcoming Democratic-Republican National Convention.

Although the agency presents various strengths, some manifested weaknesses may encumber effective service delivery. The agency has lost the trust of a section of the residents who have suffered from police brutality. The residents may reject some of the directives given by the agency. Moreover, some MDPD officers have been involved in cases of racism, making it difficult for the stakeholders to cooperate with them (Dias & Hilgers, 2020). Furthermore, high rates of crimes within Miami-Dade present the agency as incompetent in meeting its constitutional obligation to enforce law and order. Effective strategies must be adopted to counter the weaknesses and regain public trust during the convention.

Opportunities

The Democratic-Republican National Convention presents various opportunities for MDPD. Firstly, the convention can help the agency expand its community outreach programs by involving various stakeholders. MDPD officers can be encouraged to focus on building their relationship with the public during the event. Secondly, there is an opportunity to increase funding and resources. The agency can exploit the opportunity by presenting its problems to the elected officials and politicians attending the event (Ozga, 2019). Lastly, MDPD has a chance to regain public trust by effectively executing its role of enforcing safety during the convention.

Some threats can be detrimental to MDPD’s planning and law and order enforcement activities. Budget cuts and limited resources due to tough measures against the economic conditions can deter effective service delivery. Additionally, the possibility of an increased crime rate in some Miami-Dade areas threatens MDPD’s reputation. An increase in the crime rate associated with limited police resources can result in anarchy. Furthermore, the threat of public scrutiny and mistrust in law enforcement can hinder the agency’s activities. The agency should adopt effective risk management approaches to encumber the threats.

Organizational Strategy

MDPD utilizes the community-oriented policing approach which best addresses the weaknesses and threats. Through this approach, the agency can bring together all the stakeholders and resources in preparation for the events. Involving the stakeholders will help in minimizing the weaknesses of public mistrust and high crime rates since everyone will feel involved in the agency’s decision-making (Dias & Hilgers, 2020). Exploiting the opportunities of expanded outreach programs and possible funding and increased resources can help overcome the threats. While the increased funding will counter the threat of limited resources and budget cuts, collaborating with the public will help avoid the high crime rate in some areas.

Organizational Policy

The upcoming Democratic-Republican National Convention offers MDPD a chance to cooperate and work with all stakeholders. The collaboration will likely work to the benefit of the agency and Miami-Dade residents who are interested in the convention. Therefore, the agency’s fundamental policy should be to gain a competitive advantage. MDPD will regain public trust and an excellent reputation if all the stakeholders are safe. The outcome gives the agency a competitive edge over other police departments, attracting more funds and resources.

Specific Action Recommendation

Various specific actions will help MDPD deliver effective services to its stakeholders. The agency can mobilize needed resources such as surveillance systems that will ensure the public and businesses are protected. Moreover, MDPD can negotiate an agreement with event planners to report those who disobey the law, causing mayhem during the convention. Furthermore, police officers can be encouraged to avoid the use of excessive force when enforcing law and order. Resource mobilization, stakeholder involvement, and adherence to the law are crucial for safety maintenance.

MDPD is one of the county police departments which serves Miami-Dade residents. The agency has a statutory and constitutional obligation to protect the community from any external and internal threats. The upcoming Democratic-Republican National Convention is an opportunity for the agency to maximize its strengths and opportunities to overcome weaknesses and threats. MDPD must enhance its community-oriented approach by mobilizing resources, engaging stakeholders, and acting in a manner that is not forceful to the public.

Dias, F.A., & Hilgers, T. (2020). Community oriented policing theory and practice: Global policy diffusion or local appropriation? Policing and Society , 1–9. Web.

Jennings, W. G., & Perez, N. M. (2020). The immediate impact of COVID-19 on law enforcement in the United States . American Journal of Criminal Justice , 45 , 690–701. Web.

MDPD. (2023). Miami-Dade Police Department: About us . Web.

Ozga, J. (2019). The politics of accountability . Journal of Educational Change , 21 (1), 19–35. Web.

Stolzenberg, L., D’alessio, S. J., & Flexon, J. L. (2019). Eyes on the street: Police use of body-worn cameras in Miami-Dade County . Weston Publishing, LLC.

Zare, H., Meyerson, N. S., Delgado, P., Spencer, M., Gaskin, D. J., & Thorpe, R. J. (2022). Association between neighborhood and racial composition of victims on fatal police shooting and police violence: An integrated review (2000–2022) . Social Sciences , 11 (4), 153. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2024, May 23). Stakeholder Analysis: Miami-Dade Police Department. https://ivypanda.com/essays/stakeholder-analysis-miami-dade-police-department/

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  1. How to Write a SWOT Analysis (Template and Examples Included)

    An Example of a Personal SWOT Analysis . An Example of a Business SWOT Analysis . Final Words. The humble but effective SWOT analysis will produce a detailed map of your current environment—its hills and valleys alike. Knowing how to write a SWOT analysis will provide you with the vantage point you need to choose a direction and blaze a trail ...

  2. How to Write a SWOT Analysis Paper

    Successful businesses and people have been conducting SWOTs since at least the mid-twentieth century and have refined the process over time. The four categories you will explore in your SWOT analysis paper are Strengths (S), Weaknesses (W), Opportunities (O), and Threats (T). You can use SWOT analysis to help you assess your position in project planning, business development, finance ...

  3. How to Write a SWOT Analysis

    So, focus on relevant data. 3. Pinpoint Your or Your Organization's Strengths. Now, it's time for the brainstorming session. If you're doing a SWOT analysis for a business, go with it: bring the right people to the table, virtual or not. It'll help you get a more objective, realistic, and complete matrix.

  4. SWOT Analysis: How To Do One [With Template & Examples]

    1. Download HubSpot's SWOT Analysis Template. There's no need to start from scratch for your analysis. Instead, start by downloading a free, editable template from HubSpot. Feel free to use the model yourself, or create your own as it suits your needs. Download a free, editable SWOT analysis template. 2.

  5. SWOT Analysis With SWOT Templates and Examples

    Key Takeaways: SWOT stands for S trengths, W eaknesses, O pportunities, and T hreats. A "SWOT analysis" involves carefully assessing these four factors in order to make clear and effective plans. A SWOT analysis can help you to challenge risky assumptions, uncover dangerous blindspots, and reveal important new insights.

  6. What is a swot analysis essay

    Steps to Writing a Good Swot Analysis Essay. Here's a step-by-step approach to learning how to write a swot analysis essay that even the experts working with the most experienced coursework writing service would follow. Step 1: Choose a Subject. Select an organization, a project, a product, or a specific situation to analyze.

  7. How to Write a SWOT Analysis

    Consider the following example of a SWOT analysis for a bakery business: Strengths. Baking with seasonal and local ingredients. Partnering with local farms. Offering made-to-order products. Weaknesses. Lack of products from local sources. Seasonal product shortages. No online or mobile payment and ordering systems.

  8. How to Do a SWOT Analysis (Examples & Free Template!)

    First, you should attempt to match your strengths with your opportunities. Next, you should try to convert weaknesses into strengths. Let's take a look how this works. 1. Harness your strengths. One of the best things about the strengths you identified in your SWOT analysis is that you're already doing them.

  9. How to do a SWOT Analysis in 7 Steps (with Examples & Template)

    Step 6: Draw the SWOT Analysis Table. The final step is crafting a swot analysis table. This involves creating a matrix and dividing it into four sections. The internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) are listed above, with the strengths on the left and the weaknesses on the right. On the other hand, the external factors (opportunities and ...

  10. SWOT Analysis: Examples and Templates [2024] • Asana

    A SWOT analysis is a technique used to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in order to develop a strategic plan or roadmap for your business. While it may sound difficult, it's actually quite simple. Whether you're looking for external opportunities or internal strengths, we'll walk you through how to perform your ...

  11. How to Write a SWOT Analysis Paper: Explained with Examples

    How to Write a SWOT Analysis Essay. Businesses need to come up with their reasons in the beginning and then set clear goals to survive and thrive. With the cut-throat competition in the market to attract more customers, data is the new commodity. Through data, companies collect, analyze, and interpret their growth and challenges as well as that ...

  12. SWOT Analysis

    Why use a SWOT Analysis? "SWOT analysis allows for the creation of a plan of actions necessary for using a company's strengths and for minimizing the effect of its weaknesses in order to increase the company's opportunities and lower the risk of threats" (Kolbina, 2015, p. 76). Using a SWOT analysis allows a business to look at all ...

  13. How to Write a SWOT Analysis Paper with Easy & Actionable Tips

    Apply Findings. Create a SWOT analysis paper based on your findings and think of your further strategy. If you wanted to solve a particular problem with the help of the SWOT analysis, make a plan on how you will solve it. In this final stage, you need to actively use your findings in practice.

  14. SWOT Analysis: A Detailed Explanation

    SWOT Analysis is a framework used in strategic planning to assess a company's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It examines both internal capabilities and external possibilities, highlighting areas where a business currently thrives and where it may succeed in the future.

  15. How To Conduct a SWOT Analysis in 5 Steps (With Example)

    The following are steps to conduct a SWOT analysis for an organization: 1. Choose a facilitator. Organizational leaders typically carry out SWOT analyses and rely on other team members to conduct a thorough evaluation. Leaders ensure they represent various departments and consider all relevant factors.

  16. SWOT Analysis: The Ultimate Guide

    A SWOT analysis is a planning technique that businesses and individuals use to evaluate their competitive position in the market. It can be conducted for a product, person, place, or industry. This helps identify ways an entity can optimize its strengths and opportunities while downplaying its weaknesses and threats to gain a competitive edge ...

  17. How to Write A SWOT Analysis: 5+ Top Research Sources

    Start building your SWOT analysis. Your next step will be to start your actual SWOT analysis on your paper. You are going to put down a box with four equal boxes inside. In the first one, you can write 'strengths', next to that, 'weaknesses'. Write 'opportunities' below the strengths and next to that write 'threats'.

  18. How to write a SWOT analysis paper (2024)

    Structure your paper. Now you're ready to start writing your paper. Draft your SWOT analysis paper and add it with the following sections: Start with an introduction that will provide your main goal and set the main questions you want to answer with the help of a SWOT analysis. Proceed with writing the body.

  19. Personal SWOT Analysis: How To Conduct One (With Examples)

    A personal SWOT analysis is a self-assessment tool focused on outlining your professional strengths and weaknesses, opportunities for growth, and threats to your success. Conducting a SWOT analysis is helpful when setting professional development goals. This insight offers a clear picture of where you shine, areas you can improve, and ...

  20. How to Write a SWOT Analysis Essay? Expert Guide

    To write a summary for a SWOT essay or paper, begin with a brief introduction explaining the purpose and context of the analysis. Then summarize the key points for each aspect of SWOT: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

  21. Swot Analysis

    Before writing an essay about SWOT analysis, it's crucial to understand what SWOT stands for and how it is used. SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It's a framework that helps organizations or individuals to identify internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving their ...

  22. Personal SWOT Analysis

    A SWOT matrix is a framework for analyzing your strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and threats that you face. This helps you focus on your strengths, minimize your weaknesses, and take the greatest possible advantage of opportunities available to you. Use our Personal SWOT Analysis Skillbook to explore further how you can use ...

  23. SWOT Analysis Good Example: [Essay Example], 941 words

    Introduction: SWOT analysis is defined as special and beneficial technique (tool) which is used by individuals as well as organisations in order to analyse the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.it is also known as SWOT matrix (Team, n.d.). The elements (strength, weakness, opportunity, threat) are usually same to all SWOT ...

  24. Stakeholder Analysis: Miami-Dade Police Department Essay

    We will write a custom essay on your topic a custom Essay on Stakeholder Analysis: Miami-Dade Police Department. 808 writers online . Learn More . Organization Description. ... SWOT Analysis Strengths. MDPD enjoys various strengths that can be maximized during the convention. The agency has highly trained professionals who deliver services ...