Steps of SWOT Analysis in Strategic Management

In the previous article, we read the SWOT Analysis, a kind of strategic management model. Today, we try to understand the different steps of SWOT analysis of strategic management. Besides this, we can also follow the use of SWOT results for the choice of strategy and the next SWOT analysis steps.

Steps of SWOT Analysis:

While undertaking a SWOT analysis of your organization, you can follow the following major SWOT analysis steps. Such as:-

1. Analyze the external environment
2. Analyze the industry and competition
3. Identify the external opportunities and threats.
4. Analyze the internal environment and identify the internal strengths and weaknesses
5. Assess the attractiveness of the organization’s situations and conclude the need for strategic action.

We now discuss the details of the steps of SWOT analysis involved in the SWOT analysis.

1^st External Environmental Analysis:

External environment analysis is the first step of the steps of SWOT analysis. From this, we have to obey the following things. Such as:-

• Identify the key political, economic, social-cultural, demographic, natural/ecological, and technological forces that are most likely to affect the organization.
• Monitor information on the environmental forces.
• Select the methods to be used in forecasting these forces.
• Isolate the marketplace chances on the origin of the forecasts of these forces.
• Estimate the inclinations in these navies.
• Identifying the threats to the organization’s future profitability.

2^nd Industry and Competitive Analysis:

The second is the industry and competitive analysis of the steps of SWOT analysis. There are included the following indicators. Such as:-

• Examine the landscape of struggle.
• Study business construction.
• Identify and analyze individual competitors.
• Identify the key industry-related opportunities and threats.

3^rd Identification of Opportunities and Threats:

The external analysis (one of the SWOT analysis steps) will provide you with information for the identification of threats and opportunities in the external environment. The management’s responsibility is to ensure that information derived from environmental scanning is summarized and analyzed to determine what characterizes these threats and threats. One method of performing an opportunity and threat analysis is simply categorizing the environmental factors in terms of opportunity potential and threat potential. Then management should summarize the emerging implications for future organizational direction. A sample opportunity and threat analysis for Comilla Foundry (producer of tube-wells) are presented in the following table.

4^th Internal Environmental Analysis and Identification Internal Strengths & Weaknesses:

The fourth phase of the steps of SWOT analysis is it. That name is internal environmental analysis and identification of internal strengths & weaknesses. But it is divided into two categories. Such as:-

1. Internal Environmental Analysis
2. Identification Internal Strengths and Weaknesses

1. Internal Environmental Analysis

The internal environmental analysis is the sup-step of the steps of SWOT analysis. We have to read these important indicators. Such as:-

• Recognize the areas for scrutiny (for instance, product position, financial position, etc.)
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their strategy-making implications.
• Detecting association’s inner resource and strengths abilities.
• Examine each of the nominated zones.
• Identifying the organization’s internal weaknesses and resource deficiencies.

2. Identification Internal Strengths and Weaknesses

It is the second sub-step of the steps of SWOT analysis. The information derived from the internal analysis would provide you the basis for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of your organization. While identifying the strengths and weaknesses, you need to bear in mind that the skills and capabilities that are likely to serve as enablers for strategy formulation and implementation are listed as strengths. Those who are not enablers should be listed as the weakness. As shown in the following table, you use the example-based format for identification and listing of strengths and weaknesses.

The firm has not yet introduced MIS, which hampers the timely use of information for decision making. There is included a table. Such as:-

More read: Porter’s Five Forces Model of Competition Analysis

5^th Concluding SWOT Analysis and Drawing Conclusion:

Concluding SWOT Analysis and Drawing Conclusion is the final one of the steps of SWOT analysis. Under it has the following things. Such as:-

• Assess the attractiveness of an organization’s situation based on identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Conclude the need for strategic action.

A format for comprehensive SWOT analysis (in the steps of SWOT analysis) with examples from the bank is given the following table to understand better how to write down statements for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

More read: Thompson and Strickland Strategic Management Model

Use of SWOT Results for the Choice of Strategy of the Steps of SWOT Analysis:

Strategy-makers can be used the outcomes of SWOT analysis (in the steps of SWOT analysis) for the choice of strategy. Inefficacious corporations, the strategists methodically compare the key internal strengths and weaknesses with the key external opportunities and threats. Based on their understanding of opportunities and threats, they identify realistic options from which to choose an appropriate strategy. Again, based on examining the organization’s strengths and weaknesses, the narrow down the choice of strategic alternatives and selection of strategy depending on their understanding of strengths and weaknesses. They identify the distinctive competencies and critical weaknesses and then compare them with the market’s success determinates. The whole exercise serves as a useful framework for making the best strategic choice.

When systematically done, Steps of SWOT analysis covers all aspects of an organization. Thus, it provides a dynamic framework for choosing a strategy. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats point to the need for strategic action. The analysis results provide clues to the strategist/managers in a business-firm need to take the following things. i.e.:-

• Undertake actions to protect/improve the firm’s strengths;
• Initiate efforts to overcome the weaknesses;
• Pursue market opportunities matched with resources capabilities; and
• Take actions to define external threats to the firm’s business.

As a strategist, you need to keep in mind that it may also face some key threats in its external environment when your firm has many opportunities. Similarly, side by side with several weaknesses, your firm might have some unique strengths relative to the competitors. That means steps of SWOT analysis would help you visualize your firm’s overall position in terms of market conditions. And this would enable you to identify an appropriate strategy for the market.

More read: Value Chain Analysis in Strategic Management

What Next to the Steps of SWOT Analysis?

From the results of the SWOT analysis and completing the steps of SWOT analysis, managers/strategy-makers have understood the organization’s situations. It also understands the industry and the general external environment and the firm’s internal conditions. They also have adequate information for setting organizational objectives. Based on the information and their understanding of the environment, they should now be able to decide about the firm’s objectives, both long-term and short-term. As stated earlier, long-range objectives specify the results desired in the organization’s mission. They normally extend beyond current fiscal years. Short-range objectives (one year or less) should follow logically from long-range objectives. Once the long-range objectives have been determined, the stage has now been set for formulating appropriate competitive strategies.

The strategies must be framed, keeping in view the certainties of the total situation to attain programmed purposes efficiently and capable. If it is possible, the next post deals with the setting of the objective. And that would form the basis for strategy formation or more explanation about the Steps of SWOT Analysis.