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SWOT analysis

SWOT analysis (or SWOT matrix) is a strategic planning and strategic management technique used to help a person or organization identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to business competition or project planning. It is sometimes called situational assessment or situational analysis.[1] Additional acronyms using the same components include TOWS and WOTS-UP.[2][3]

For other uses, see SWOT.

This technique is designed for use in the preliminary stages of decision-making processes and can be used as a tool for evaluation of the strategic position of organizations of many kinds (for-profit enterprises, local and national governments, NGOs, etc.).[4] It is intended to identify the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving the objectives of the venture or project. Users of a SWOT analysis often ask and answer questions to generate meaningful information for each category to make the tool useful and identify their competitive advantage. SWOT has been described as a tried-and-true tool of strategic analysis,[5] but has also been criticized for its limitations, and alternatives have been developed.

Strengths: characteristics of the business or project that give it an advantage over others

Weaknesses: characteristics that place the business or project at a disadvantage relative to others

Opportunities: elements in the environment that the business or project could exploit to its advantage

Threats: elements in the environment that could cause trouble for the business or project

WT strategy (mini–mini): Faced with external threats and internal weaknesses, how to minimize both weaknesses and threats?

WO strategy (mini–maxi): Faced with external opportunities and internal weaknesses, how to minimize weaknesses and maximize opportunities?

ST strategy (maxi–mini): Faced with internal strengths and external threats, how to maximize strengths and minimize threats?

SO strategy (maxi–maxi): Faced with external opportunities and internal strengths, how to maximize both opportunities and strengths?

Television: In the 2015 episode "Homicide" (Season 2, Episode 6), Jared Dunn (Zach Woods) introduces the Pied Piper team to SWOT analysis. Later in that episode Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani) and Gilfoyle (Martin Starr) employ the method when deciding whether or not to inform a stunt driver that the calculations for his upcoming jump were performed incorrectly.[39]

Silicon Valley

Benchmarking

Enterprise planning systems

Porter's four corners model

Problem structuring methods

(PERT)

Program evaluation and review technique

(Greimas square)

Semiotic square

Situation analysis

Six forces model

SWOQe

(Value, Rarity, Imitability, Organization)

VRIO

Media related to SWOT analysis at Wikimedia Commons