Examples of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. Analysis of strengths and weaknesses

In strategic planning, the most significant role belongs to analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise(ACC). Using this procedure, it is possible to easily and quickly establish management positions regarding own production... Joint participation in the ACC makes the managers of the enterprise more aware of the problem situation, which is extremely important for developing ways to solve future problems.

Methodology for conducting a questionnaire in the analysis of strengths and weaknesses

Grade strengths and weaknesses requires the definition of criteria in all critical areas responsibility of production. In-house management seminar is the most appropriate place to accomplish this task. Based on the data obtained, specialists create a questionnaire.

The analysis criteria proposed by the management and production management should be cataloged and reduced to a certain list. The resulting criteria are then grouped based on areas of responsibility. Then the criteria are assessed using various scales. For example - from plus three to minus three or from zero to plus three. A categorical assessment can also be applied: "weak", "strong", "medium". An example of the blocks of management, finance, marketing and sales can be seen in Table. 1.

Table 1. Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise

The marks marked with any sign in each criterion are to be summed up and then divided by the number of respondents who participated in the survey. Thus, we have at our disposal informationally valuable average estimates included in the free form. Based on this data, a polyline is built, which is a graphical representation of the profile of the strengths and weaknesses of production.

Summing up the results of the analysis requires considering the positive and negative assessments of the enterprise in an atmosphere of free criticism.

Why is it important to attract critical buyers to analysis?

Sometimes you should contact the most significant buyers (up to 20) with a proposal to participate in the survey. This step will provide management with the points of view of the company's most significant clientele. This information will provide data on competing industries.

Summary of the data analysis of the study of strengths and weaknesses

The result of a detailed investigation, first of all, of the weaknesses of production is a new goal-setting and planning of measures to level and eliminate these weaknesses.

The effectiveness of the development of strategic plans of the enterprise can be significantly increased through the analysis of strengths and weaknesses. As a result of this - additional reinforcement strengths... Development of a set of measures, the purpose of which will be to transform the weaknesses of the enterprise into strengths. At the same time, the management should take into account the fact of the need to provide appropriate funds to ensure a continuous process for the implementation of the above measures.

Based on the accumulated experience, the annual analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of production minimizes possible risks, identifying possible directions of future threats. The data obtained in the process of analysis becomes a kind of base for improving the functioning of the enterprise. The information based on the results of the analysis demonstrates whether there is a need to change the enterprise policy, in what ways it is worthwhile to clarify the process of developing plans, modernize the control and regulation system, develop the organizational structure and improve the management informatization system in order to bring to the attention of the enterprise management data on the deviation from the set goals in time ...

What are the main reasons for the emergence of sources of threats to production?

According to the research results, it turned out that a large number of enterprises are exposed to threats and risks that they could avoid if they could eliminate their own weaknesses in time. Other enterprises find themselves in a difficult situation due to the carelessness of the management, which did not bother to identify negative consequences and threats from decisions made and did not consider their impact on production safety. Sometimes top management is guided by the established entrepreneurial policy, despite the fact that the goals have long been achieved, and it is necessary to radically revise and change the very policy of the enterprise.

Effectively functioning production facilities are rapidly adapting to changing market conditions. Other enterprises cannot boast of a high level of organization in many of their areas of activity. Often this is about pursuing policies that are not uplifting given their capabilities and limitations.

Which parties are most vulnerable to most businesses?

In most cases, the weaknesses of the enterprise are:

administrative block;
financial block;
marketing and sales unit;
production block;
logistics block;
organizational block;
staff;
block of research and development work.

Questioning - as a guarantee of effective cooperative management based on the analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise.

An annual scrupulous study of the state of affairs in the above-mentioned areas of the enterprise's functioning should be carried out by analyzing the data obtained as a result of the questionnaire.

Only under the condition of close cooperation of the entire production management is the effective outcome of this procedure possible. Questioning contributes to the development of managers' ability to think complexly, aimed at identifying hidden flaws and possible sources of threats.

It should be borne in mind that the results of the survey only demonstrate problem areas. Each department must make proposals to optimize the effectiveness of its own activities. Careful consideration and coordination with the management of the proposals received should become the basis for the strategic planning of activities.

The management of all units involved in the modernization should conduct active consultations and provide comprehensive assistance in the implementation of the above measures. Should be secured in job descriptions who of the managers is responsible for the implementation of each of the activities, and who should provide advice. All this together should lead to an improvement in the cooperative management style.

The study of the internal environment is aimed at understanding what the strengths and weaknesses of the organization are. Strengths serve as the foundation upon which an organization can compete and which it should strive to expand and strengthen. Weaknesses are a matter of close scrutiny by management, which must do whatever it takes to get rid of them.

Thompson A.A. and Strickland A.D. proposed the following approximate set of characteristics, the conclusion on which should make it possible to compile a list of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, as well as a list of threats and opportunities for it in the external environment.

Strengths:

· Outstanding competence;

· Adequate financial resources;

· high qualification;

· Good reputation with buyers;

· A well-known market leader;

· An inventive strategist in the functional areas of the organization;

· The possibility of obtaining savings from the growth of production;

· Protection (at least somewhere) from strong competitive pressure;

· Suitable technology;

· Cost advantage;

· Competitive advantage;

· Availability of innovative abilities and the possibility of their implementation;

· Time-tested management.

Weak sides:

· There are no clear strategic directions;

· Deteriorating competitive position;

· Outdated equipment;

· Lower profitability because ...;

· Lack of managerial talent and depth of ownership of problems;

· Lack of some types of key competency qualifications;

· Poor tracking of the process of implementation of the strategy;

· Difficulties in solving internal production problems;

· Vulnerability to competitive pressures;

· Lagging behind in research and development;

· Very narrow production line;

· Poor understanding of the market;

· Competitive disadvantages;

· Below average marketing ability;

· Inability to finance the necessary changes in the strategy.

Possibilities:

· Entering new markets or market segments;

· Expansion of the production line;

· Increased diversity in related products;

· Adding related products;

· Vertical integration;

· The opportunity to go to the group with the best strategy;

· Acceleration of market growth.

Threats:

· The possibility of the emergence of new competitors;

· Growth in sales of a replacement product;

· Slowdown in market growth;

· Unfavorable government policy;

· An increase in the competitive power of buyers and suppliers;

· Changing needs and tastes of buyers;

· Unfavorable demographic changes.

The organization can supplement the list with those characteristics of the external and internal environment, reflecting the competitive situation in which it finds itself.

SWOT method

The SWOT method used to analyze the environment - strength, weakness, opportunities and threats - is a widely recognized approach that allows for a joint study of the external and internal environment. Using the SWOT method, it is possible to establish communication lines between the strength and weakness that are inherent in the organization, and external threats and opportunities. The SWOT methodology involves first identifying strengths and weaknesses, as well as threats and opportunities, and then establishing chains of connections between them, which can then be used to formulate an organization's strategy.

After a specific list of the organization's weaknesses and strengths, as well as threats and opportunities, is drawn up, the stage of establishing links between them begins. To establish these links, the SWOT matrix is compiled, which has the following form (Fig. 2).

On the left, there are two blocks (strengths, weaknesses), in which all the sides of the organization identified at the first stage of the analysis are written out accordingly. In the upper part of the matrix, two blocks (opportunities and threats) are also highlighted, in which all the identified opportunities and threats are written out. At the intersection of the blocks, four fields are formed: SIV (strength and capabilities); SIU (Strength and Threats); SLV (weakness and opportunities); SLU (weakness and threats). In each of the fields, the researcher should consider all possible paired combinations and highlight those that should be taken into account when developing a strategy for the organization's behavior.

Fig. 2. SWOT matrix

For those couples that have been selected from the SIB field, a strategy should be developed to leverage the strengths of the organization in order to capitalize on the opportunities that have emerged in the external environment. For those couples who find themselves on the SLI field, the strategy should be built in such a way as to try to overcome the existing weaknesses in the organization due to the emerging opportunities. If the couple is on the ISM field, then the strategy should involve using the strength of the organization to eliminate the threat. Finally, for couples on the SLN field, the organization must strategize to both remove the weakness and try to prevent the threat looming over it.

When developing strategies, it should be remembered that opportunities and threats can turn into their opposite. For example, an untapped opportunity can become a threat if a competitor exploits it. Or, conversely, a successfully prevented threat can open up to the organization additional features in the event that competitors were unable to eliminate the same threat.

5.2 Assessment of the competitive strength of the enterprise

The most promising way to measure how well a firm is holding its competitive position is by quantifying each of the key success factors and each significant indicator of competitive strength against its competitors. Much of the information outside of assessing a firm's competitive position comes from previous research. In the process of industry analysis and competitive analysis, key success factors and competitive criteria are identified, which divide market participants into leaders and outsiders. Competitor research and comparative assessment are the basis for determining the advantages and capabilities of the main competitors.

The first step is to list the key success factors in the industry and critical indicators their competitive advantages or disadvantages (usually 6-10 indicators are enough).

The second step is to assess the firm and its competitors for each indicator. In this case, it is preferable to use a scale from 1 to 10, but you can use ratings stronger (+), weaker (-) and approximately the same (=) if there is not enough information and the quantitative assessment is subjective (deceptively accurate).

The third step is to summarize the assessments of the strengths of each of the rivals and calculate the final indicators of their competitive strength.

The fourth step is to draw conclusions about the scale and degree of competitive advantage or disadvantage and identify those areas where the firm's position is stronger or weaker.

High ratings of indicators characterizing a specific strength indicate a strong competitive position and a competitive advantage. On the contrary, low scores in this case indicate a weak competitive position and competitive disadvantages.

Table 1 shows two examples of assessing competitive strength. The first example uses unweighted estimates. In this case, it is assumed that each key success factor / competitive strength is equally important. The company that has the highest score for this factor, has a competitive advantage. The size of this advantage is reflected in the difference between the company's valuation and that of its competitors.

ANALYSIS OF STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE COMPANY

Assessment of strengths and weaknesses. Strengths are the experience and resources that the company owns, as well as strategically important areas activities that allow you to win the competition. Weaknesses are weaknesses and limitations that hinder success.

There are many sources of strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise, some of which are considered in the analysis of the industry. Thus, the strengths include serious and obvious consumer preferences, the possibility of economies of scale. Weak side enterprises are severely dependent on the domestic market for the volume of direct sales, inability to meet the needs of new market segments, etc.

Determination of strengths and weaknesses should be carried out in all areas of the enterprise:

Organization and general management;

Production;

Marketing;

Finance and accounting;

HR management, etc.

Below is a set of factors, and key questions for their analysis in the field of production (Table 5).

Table 5

Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise in the field of production

	Factors	Questions for analysis

1.	The cost of raw materials and their availability, relationships with suppliers	Does the production capacity meet modern requirements?
2.	Inventory control system, inventory turnover	How effectively are used
3.	Production location	are there possible
4.	Economies of scale	to expand the production base? What is the return on research and development? Do research and development work
5.	Efficiency of capacity utilization, progressiveness of equipment
6.	Vertical integration, net output, profit
7.	Control over the cooking process	to create fundamentally new products?
8.	Purchase
9.	Research and development, innovation
10.	Patents, trade marks and similar forms of protection of goods
11.	The amount of costs

The assessment of the factors of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise is given in comparison with the market leader on an interval scale by assigning a certain weight to each factor, for example, from 1 (insignificant) to 5 (outstanding).

Strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise

Determination of the main advantages. Enterprise strategy should take into account the strengths, weaknesses of the business and rely on its main strengths.

The main advantages characterize the exceptional competence (unique advantages) of the enterprise in solving the assigned tasks.

Unique benefits are based on a particularly efficient combination of resources, which are divided into tangible and intangible.

Tangible resources- these are the physical and financial assets of the enterprise, reflected in the balance sheet (fixed assets, inventories, cash etc.). They define the technical competence of the enterprise. Intangible resources- these are, as a rule, the qualitative characteristics of the business. This includes:

Intangible assets not related to people - trade mark, advantageous location, prestige, company image;

Intangible human resources - special knowledge: personnel, experience, fame of the management team.

Unlike strengths and weaknesses, for which an internal assessment is possible, the unique advantages of the enterprise must be perceived by consumers as such, i.e. be of known value to them.

For consumers great importance have a well-known brand name (confectionery factory "Red October"), an advantageous location (Voronezh department store "Russia"), opening hours (round-the-clock pharmacies), highly qualified personnel (service industry), etc.

In conditions of competition, the unique advantages of the enterprise are “eroded”, and over time they lose their strength. From the point of view of importance for business, three categories can be distinguished key competencies:

1. "Spent", which have already been adopted by the main competitors and have become a kind of industry standards. They do not give the company a competitive advantage and are a prerequisite for survival in the market.

2. "Unpromising", which in this moment remain valid, but may become widely available in the near future. In the short and medium term, the enterprise must protect these benefits and make the most of them. They cannot serve as the basis for a long-term strategy.

3. "Sustainable" competencies that the company can defend over a long period of time.

When developing a strategy, it is necessary to make a reasonable assessment of the resources available and the unique benefits. Below is a list of key questions to analyze:

What unique strengths does the organization currently have, how long will they last, and when will they become industry “standards”?

How can these benefits be “protected”, developed and used within the framework of the strategy?

Is the enterprise capable of creating new, original combinations of resources on the basis of existing resources, which in the future can be transformed into its main advantages?

Are the unique advantages of the enterprise taken into account in its production, sales, scientific and technical policy?

3. STRATEGIC COST ANALYSIS AND VALUE CHAIN

Strategic cost analysis based on the "value chain" aims to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise, as well as its competitive advantages. The value chain of an individual enterprise is shown in Fig. 10. Analysis of the "value chain" is based on the assumption that the main economic goal of the enterprise is to create value in excess of the real costs of production.

Sh M. Porter introduced the concepts of "product value" and "value chain". The value of a product in Porter's understanding is the amount that consumers agree to pay for the product or services provided by the manufacturer. The traditional concept of value as socially necessary expenditure of labor for the production of a unit of output does not apply in this case.

The value chain provides an insight into the strategically related species activities of the enterprise and allows you to trace the process of value creation. In the “value chain”, the activities of an enterprise are divided into two types:

the main- associated with the production of goods, their sale and after-sales service; auxiliary- providing basic processes. Each of the activities can help reduce costs and create a basis for product and service differentiation. To achieve competitive advantages, the “value chain” should be viewed as a system of activities with characteristic connections. Connections within the chain determine the ways in which certain types of activity interact with each other and significantly affect their effectiveness. Therefore, they can serve as an additional source of enterprise benefits.

Effective linking of sales, product manufacturing and purchasing processes allows you to reduce the amount of stocks of both raw materials and finished goods. The purchase of expensive, but more advanced equipment ultimately leads to lower production costs and improved product quality.

It is possible to increase the competitiveness of an enterprise by reducing costs, improving or excluding from the "value chain" individual elements and communication.

Questions for self-control

1. What is SWOT analysis and what is it for?

A) SWOT - analysis is an analysis of the external and internal environment. It establishes the influence of environments on the enterprise and the team,

B) SWOT analysis is the study of the environment of the enterprise and the team and their impact on the process enterprise development,

C) SWOT - analysis is a broadly accepted approach that allows for the joint study of external and internal environment. It establishes a connection between strength and weakness, which is the organization's supply, external dangers and opportunities.

Answer: "B"

2. What threats may arise for Russian enterprises in various industries?

3. What is industry analysis? Discuss the main areas of industry analysis.

4. What is the competitiveness of a product, technology, production, firm, industry, country?

5. What is the principle of the law of competition?

6. Justify why you need to study competitors. Is it always necessary to study competitors?

7. Justify why you need to study consumers. Is it always necessary?

8. Review the methods used in management analysis. If possible, provide examples from Russian practice.

9. What, in your opinion, hinders or hinders the conduct of a comprehensive analysis of the activities of Russian enterprises?

10. What are the main strategies for achieving competitive advantage? What are the associated risks associated with each of them?

Questions for control

1. Implementation of the strategy provides for:

A) activation of managers of all levels;

B) allocation of funds for the implementation of the strategy;

C) introduction of advanced experience and scientific achievements in the process of strategy implementation;

D) stimulating the implementation of the strategic plan;

E) the formation of corporate culture;

E) periodic reporting on the implementation of the strategy.

Answer: "A", "B", "D"

2. The main purpose of strategic analysis external environment organization is:

A) information that must be taken into account when formulating the mission of the organization;

B) information about threats that must be considered when developing a specific strategy for the organization;

C) studying the specifics of a competitor's product.

Answer: "B"

3. The factors that determine the competitive strength of an organization's supplier are:

A) the level of specialization of the supplier;

B) the concentration of the supplier on working with specific customers;

C) inflation rates and taxation rates.

Answer: "B"

4. What is the essence of SWOT analysis?

5. What are the competitive advantages and disadvantages of the Russian economy?

6. Diagnostics of an enterprise is:

A) analysis of financial and performance indicators;

B) quantitative and qualitative assessment of the enterprise in relation to the external environment, as well as analysis of organizational, financial, production, managerial, personnel aspects of activities;

C) analysis of the place of the enterprise in the competitive environment.

Answer: "B"

7.Evaluation of a business and a company is:

A) assessment of the efficiency of the enterprise;

B) assessment of the effectiveness of management activities at the enterprise;

C) assessment of the market value of the company and business.

Answer: "B"

8.Situational analysis is:

A) analysis of the situation within the organization;

B) analysis of influencing factors and the place of the enterprise in the surrounding business space;

C) analysis of activities, carried out depending on the current situation.

Answer: "B"

9.Analysis of market segments is:

A) analysis of the breakdown of the sales market by type of product;

B) analysis of the consumer market served by the enterprise;

C) analysis of competing products in the market.

Answer: "A"

10. Segmentation of strategic economic zones is:

A) selection of promising markets for the organization;

B) dividing the scope of the organization into large blocks corresponding to separate, important and profitable directions for the organization;

C) division of markets for products for the enterprise.

Have you ever wondered what a good military leader does before a fight? He studies the battlefield, looking for all the winning hills and dangerous wetlands, evaluates his strength and the strength of the enemy. If he does not, he will condemn his army to defeat.

The same principles work in business. Business is an endless series of small and major battles... If, before the battle, you do not assess the strengths and weaknesses of your enterprise, do not identify the market opportunities and threats (those very uneven terrain that become of great importance in the midst of a battle), your chances of success will dramatically decrease.

In order to get a clear assessment of the strengths of your company and the market situation, there is a SWOT analysis.

SWOT-analysis is the definition of the strengths and weaknesses of your enterprise, as well as the opportunities and threats emanating from its immediate environment (external environment).

Strengths (S trengths) - the benefits of your organization;
Weaknesses (W eaknesses) - the flaws of your organization;
Possibilities (O pportunities) - environmental factors, the use of which will create advantages for your organization in the market;
Threats (T hreats) - factors that can potentially worsen your organization's position in the market.

The use of SWOT analysis will allow you to organize all available information and, seeing a clear picture of the "battlefield", make informed decisions regarding the development of your business.

SWOT analysis in the marketing plan of your company

SWOT analysis is an intermediate link between the formulation of the mission of your company and the definition of its goals and objectives. Everything happens in the following sequence (see Figure 1):

You have determined the main direction of development of your enterprise (its mission)
Then you weigh your strengths and assess the market situation in order to understand whether you can move in the indicated direction and how it is better to do it (SWOT analysis);
After that, you set goals for your company, taking into account its real capabilities (defining the strategic goals of your company, which will be devoted to one of the following articles).

So, after conducting a SWOT analysis, you will have a clearer idea of the advantages and disadvantages of your company, as well as the market situation. This will allow you to choose optimal path development, avoid dangers and make the most of the resources at your disposal, while taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the market.

Even if you are sure that you are already well aware of everything, we still advise you to conduct a SWOT analysis, as in this case it will help structure the existing information about the company and the market and take a fresh look at the current situation and the prospects that open up.

How to conduct a SWOT analysis

In general, the SWOT analysis is reduced to filling in the matrix shown in Figure 2, the so-called. "SWOT analysis matrices". In the appropriate cells of the matrix, you must enter the strengths and weaknesses of your enterprise, as well as market opportunities and threats.

Strengths your business - what it excels at or some feature that gives you additional opportunities. Strength may lie in the experience you have, access to unique resources, availability advanced technology and modern equipment, highly qualified personnel, high quality your products, your brand awareness, etc.

The weaknesses of your enterprise are the absence of something important for the functioning of the enterprise, or something that you still fail in comparison with other companies and puts you in disadvantage... As an example of weaknesses, one can cite too narrow range of products, bad reputation of the company in the market, lack of funding, low level of service, etc.

Market opportunities are favorable circumstances that your business can use to gain an advantage. As an example of market opportunities, one can cite the deterioration of the positions of your competitors, a sharp increase in demand, the emergence of new technologies for the production of your products, an increase in the level of income of the population, etc. It should be noted that opportunities in terms of SWOT analysis are not all opportunities that exist in the market, but only those that can be used by your company.

Market threats are events that could adversely affect your business. Examples of market threats: new competitors entering the market, tax increases, changing consumer tastes, declining birth rates, etc.

Note: the same factor for different businesses can be both a threat and an opportunity. For example, for a store that sells expensive products, increasing incomes of the population may be an opportunity, as it will lead to an increase in the number of customers. At the same time, for a discounter store, the same factor can become a threat, since its customers with higher salaries can move to competitors offering more high level service.

So, we have defined what the result of the SWOT analysis should be. Now let's talk about how to arrive at this result.

From words to deeds

Step 1. Determining the strengths and weaknesses of your company

The first step in a SWOT analysis is to assess your own forces... The first step will allow you to determine what the strengths and weaknesses of your business are.

In order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your business, you need to:

Make a list of parameters by which you will evaluate your enterprise;
For each parameter, determine what is strong point your enterprise and what is weak;
From the entire list, select the most important strengths and weaknesses of your enterprise and enter them into the SWOT analysis matrix (Figure 2).

Let us illustrate this technique with an example.

So, you have already done a significant part of the work on the SWOT analysis of your enterprise. Let's move on to the second step - identifying opportunities and threats.

Step 2. Identify market opportunities and threats

The second step of the SWOT analysis is a kind of "exploration of the area" - market assessment. This step will allow you to assess the situation outside your enterprise and understand what opportunities you have, as well as what threats to fear (and, accordingly, prepare for them in advance).

The methodology for identifying market opportunities and threats is almost identical to the method for determining the strengths and weaknesses of your enterprise:

Let's move on to an example.

As a basis for assessing market opportunities and threats, you can take the following list of parameters:

Demand factors (here it is advisable to take into account the market capacity, the rate of its growth or decline, the structure of demand for your company's products, etc.)
Competition factors (you should take into account the number of your main competitors, the availability of substitute products on the market, the height of the barriers to entry and exit from the market, the distribution of market shares among the main market participants, etc.)
Sales factors (it is necessary to pay attention to the number of intermediaries, the presence of distribution networks, the conditions for the supply of materials and components, etc.)
Economic factors (taking into account the exchange rate of the ruble (dollar, euro), inflation rate, change in the level of income of the population, tax policy of the state, etc.)
Political and legal factors (the level of political stability in the country, the level of legal literacy of the population, the level of law-abidingness, the level of government corruption, etc.)
Scientific and technical factors (usually the level of development of science, the degree of implementation of innovations (new goods, technologies) in industrial production, level state support development of science, etc.)
Socio-demographic factors (you should take into account the size and age and sex structure of the population of the region in which your company operates, the birth rate and mortality rate, the employment rate, etc.)
Socio-cultural factors (usually the traditions and value system of society, the existing culture of consumption of goods and services, existing stereotypes of people's behavior, etc.)
Natural and environmental factors (taken into account climatic zone in which your company operates, state environment, public attitudes towards environmental protection, etc.)
And finally international factors(among them the level of stability in the world, the presence of local conflicts, etc.)

Further, as in the first case, you fill in the table (Table 2): in the first column you write down the assessment parameter, and in the second and third columns - the existing opportunities and threats associated with this parameter. The examples in the table will help you understand how to list the opportunities and threats for your enterprise.

Table 2. Definition of Market Opportunities and Threats

Evaluation parameters	Possibilities	Threats

1. Competition	Barriers to entry to the market have increased: from this year it is necessary to obtain a license to engage in this type of activity	A large foreign competitor is expected to enter the market this year

2. Sales	A new retail chain has appeared on the market, which is currently choosing suppliers	Starting this year, our largest wholesale buyer identifies suppliers based on the results of a tender.

3.etc.

After filling out Table 2, as in the first case, you need to select the most important from the entire list of opportunities and threats. To do this, you need to evaluate each opportunity (or threat) by two parameters, asking yourself two questions: "How likely is it that this will happen?" and "How much will this affect my business?" Choose those events that are likely to happen and have a noticeable impact on your business. Enter these 5-10 opportunities and about the same number of threats into the corresponding cells of the SWOT analysis matrix (Figure 2).

So, the SWOT analysis matrix is complete, and you see a complete list of the main strengths and weaknesses of your enterprise, as well as the prospects for your business and the dangers that threaten it. However, this is not all. Now you need to take the final step and align your business's strengths and weaknesses with market opportunities and threats.

Step 3. Comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of your enterprise with the opportunities and threats of the market

Comparing strengths and weaknesses with market opportunities and threats will enable you to answer the following questions regarding the future development of your business:

How can I take advantage of these opportunities by leveraging the strengths of the enterprise?
What weaknesses of the enterprise can prevent me from doing this?
What are the strengths that can be used to neutralize existing threats?
What threats, compounded by enterprise weaknesses, do I need to be most wary of?

A slightly modified SWOT analysis matrix is used to compare the capabilities of your enterprise to the market conditions (Table 3).

Table 3. Matrix of SWOT analysis

POSSIBILITIES

1. The emergence of a new retail network
2.etc.

THREATS

1. The emergence of a major competitor
2.etc.

STRENGTHS

1. High quality products
2.
3.etc.

1. How to take advantage of opportunities
Try to become one of the suppliers of the new network, focusing on the quality of our products

2. How can you reduce threats?
To keep our customers from going to a competitor by informing them about the high quality of our products

WEAK SIDES

1.High production cost
2.
3.etc.

3. What can prevent you from taking advantage of opportunities
The new chain may refuse to purchase our products, as our wholesale prices are higher than those of competitors

4. The biggest risks to the firm
An emerging competitor can offer the market products similar to ours at lower prices

By filling out this matrix (which we hope the examples we have suggested will help you), you will find that:

identified the main directions of development of your enterprise(cell 1, showing how you can take advantage of the opening opportunities);
have formulated the main problems of your enterprise, subject to an early decision for the successful development of your business (the rest of the cells in Table 3).

You are now ready to set goals and objectives for your business. However, we will talk about this in one of the following articles, and now we will dwell on the question that interests you for sure:

Where to get information for SWOT analysis?

Actually most of The information required for the SWOT analysis is already at your disposal. Basically, this is, of course, data on the strengths and weaknesses of your enterprise. All you need to do is collect all these disparate facts (taking reports from the accounting department, production and sales departments, talking with your employees who have the necessary information) and organize them. It will be better if you can involve several key people in your business in the collection and analysis of this information, since it is easy to miss any important detail on your own.

Of course, market information (opportunities and threats) is somewhat more difficult to obtain. But even here the situation is not hopeless. Here are some sources you can find useful information:

results marketing research, reviews of your market, which are sometimes published in some newspapers (for example, "Delovoy Peterburg", "Vedomosti", etc.) and magazines (for example, "Practical Marketing", "Exclusive Marketing", etc.);
reports and collections of Goskomstat and Petersburgkomstat (information on population size, mortality and fertility rates, gender and age structure of the population and other useful data);
finally, you can get all the necessary information by ordering a marketing research from a specialized company.

We will tell you more about the sources and methods of collecting information that you may need to conduct a SWOT analysis in the following articles. And now - let's summarize all of the above.

Summary

SWOT analysis Is the definition of the strengths and weaknesses of your enterprise, as well as the opportunities and threats emanating from its immediate environment (external environment).

A SWOT analysis will allow you to choose the best path for your business development, avoid dangers and make the most of the resources at your disposal.

The procedure for conducting a SWOT analysis in general view comes down to filling out a matrix that reflects and then compares the strengths and weaknesses of your enterprise and the opportunities and threats of the market. This mapping allows you to determine what steps can be taken to grow your business, as well as what problems you need to urgently address.

In preparing the article, the following materials were used:

Zavgorodnyaya A.V., Yampolskaya D.O. Marketing planning. - SPb: Peter. 2002 .-- 352s.

F. Kotler Marketing Management. - SPb, Peter Kom, 1998 .-- 896s.

Solovyova D.V. Electronic course of lectures on modeling. 1999.

Introduction

The leaders of any organization try to ensure the sustainable development of the enterprise in long term, and in order to achieve this, it is necessary to focus on decisive problems and directions on the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. An enterprise begins with a comprehensive analysis of the market situation in which the company operates and an assessment of the types of opportunities and threats that it may face. The starting point for such an overview is SWOT analysis, one of the most common types of analysis in marketing. Simply put, SWOT analysis allows you to identify and structure the strengths and weaknesses of the firm, as well as the potential opportunities and threats. This is achieved due to the fact that managers must compare inner strength and the weaknesses of their company with the opportunities the market gives them. Based on the quality of compliance, it is concluded in which direction the organization should develop its business, and ultimately the allocation of resources is determined. A well-conducted SWOT analysis, which gives a real assessment of its resources and capabilities, is the starting point for developing an enterprise strategy. However, strategic management is impossible without a deep understanding of the competitive environment in which the company operates, which implies the implementation of marketing research. It is the emphasis on monitoring and assessing external threats and opportunities in the light of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise that is hallmark strategic management.

Strengths and weaknesses of the organization

Strengths are the experience and resources that the company owns, as well as strategically important areas of activity that allow you to win the competition.

Weaknesses are weaknesses and limitations that hinder success.

There are many sources of strengths and weaknesses in an enterprise. Thus, the strengths include serious and obvious consumer preferences, the possibility of economies of scale. The weak side of the enterprise is a serious dependence on the domestic market for the volume of direct sales, inability to meet the needs of new market segments, etc.

Determination of strengths and weaknesses should be carried out in all areas of the enterprise:

Organization and general management;

Production;

Marketing;

Finance and accounting;

HR management, etc.

Below is a set of factors, and key questions for their analysis in the field of production (Table 1).

Table 1. Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise in the field of production.

Questions for analysis

1. The cost of raw materials and their availability, relations with suppliers

2. Inventory control system, inventory turnover

3. Location of production