A SWOT analysis is the first step in strategic planning. It involves examining a company's internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats. The strategic planning committee, made up of cross-functional members, conducts an environmental scan to gather information for the SWOT analysis. Each member provides insights from their functional area, such as marketing, finance, and production. Conducting regular SWOT analyses allows companies to understand their current position and develop strategies to take advantage of opportunities while addressing weaknesses and threats.

1. Section:
career wise
get on and get ahead A weekly guide to developing essential
skills and where to find key resources
What is it?
A SWOT analysis is one of several business planning tools that
an organisation can use to examine its state of health and
investigate business opportunities by itemising its strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). It can also be
used on a personal basis in a variety of career applications.
Why is it important?
Whether you're mulling over a major career change or have your
sights set on becoming an HR director in a top five legal firm,
carrying out a SWOT analysis will give an in-depth focus on
areas that need attention as well as provide a footing for a
personal development or career action plan.
If you're in the position of having several job offers it could
also help determine which organisation offers the most
prospects and fits with your way of working. In a wider
departmental context, a SWOT analysis could be used to help
improve performance, or evaluate the potential outcome of a
new initiative.
Even if you think that your career is progressing as intended,
carrying out the exercise could prevent you from resting on
your laurels.
Where do I start?
Every aspect of a SWOT analysis needs to be approached
methodically. Think about your reasons for carrying out the
analysis and what you hope to achieve. Then with headings for
each category drawn up in a table divided into factors that you
can control (strengths, weaknesses) and those you can't
(opportunities, threats), set to work on your list. The following
are just a few of a wide range of considerations you'll need to
take into account when conducting a personal SWOT exercise.

2. Strengths
Determining your skills, experience and capabilities is probably
the most straightforward part of this exercise. List tasks you are
good at and enjoy doing as this will form the basis from which
to build competitive advantage. What skills do you have that
employers want? Work experience, qualifications and training,
and transferable skills will figure largely here. Personal
development programmes (PDPs) and performance reviews can
be effective in tracing new skills that you've obtained. Consider
your working relationships — good relationships with your
manager or colleagues are a plus.
Remember that what may be seen as a strength in one
organisation could be a weakness in another. Aspects of your
private life such as solid, stable family situation, ability to
relocate, financial security and good health will also come into
play.
Weaknesses
Because of their career-limiting potential, you need to be
brutally honest and entirely objective in any assessment of your
downsides. A sketchy and intermittent career path, for instance,
will require plausible and convincing explanations, while
financial insecurity could place a huge emphasis on the need to
increase your salary. Also, try to do this part of the exercise
from the perspective of how others see you — ideally elicit
feedback from a mentor or current or previous managers.
Opportunities
What do you want to be doing in three or five years' time? Are
there aspects of your role or even side interests that could be
taken further? Have you considered an HR specialism, such as
compensation and benefits, or is there an opportunity to get
more project management experience under your belt? Can you
network across departments to find the fresh challenge you're
seeking?
You may not want to leave the function, but if the long-term
career path isn't going to match expectations, maybe it's time to
consider consultancy work? Alternatively, is there a hobby that

3. presents an alternative career path? Consider how best to relate
your strengths to the opportunities available.
Threats
Anything that prevents you from achieving a career goal is a
threat. This could range from intense competition for a job you
wish to go for to your organisation's lack of financial stability
and the attendant risk of downsizing. You may even feel that
you've been doing the same thing for too long which has
implications for your performance.
Incorporate an action plan
When you have detailed your SWOT analysis points, work out
your individual goals and objectives. If it indicates that to reach
the next rung on the career ladder further training or
qualifications are required, build in the necessary steps to
acquire them.
Conducting a group SWOT analysis
If the SWOT analysis involves more than one participant, it will
be more fruitful if you brief those involved to do some thinking
about the analysis beforehand. This gives the time to do any
necessary background research and/or elicit feedback that could
bring added value to the brainstorming session. Remind them
that they should think from the perspective of key stakeholders.
Also stress that they should consider existing and future
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
If you only do five things...
1 Work out what you hope to achieve
· 2 Allow sufficient time to conduct the analysis properly
· 3 Be objective at all times
· 4 Incorporate your findings into an action plan
· 5 Regularly revisit your findings
PHOTO (COLOR): A SWOT analysis can provide in-depth
focus on areas that need attention
~~~~~~~~
By Scott Beagrie
Edited by Martin Couzins

4. EnvironmEntally sound. socially EquitablE.
Economically feasible. Each of these concepts alone
encompasses
a worthy goal and each contains a universe of complexity.
considered in tandem, they may just change the face of library
sustainability planning. i, for one, am captivated by the
potential
that they could do just that.
the work has begun. in september, a small group of
“co-creators” of the new york library
association (nyla) sustainability
initiative convened an intensive think
tank. there, participants dreamt about
how to spur efforts around sustainable
libraries in light of nyla’s 2014
adoption of the resolution on the
importance of sustainable libraries.
(a modified version was adopted by
the american library association
this summer; see “a Win for
sustainability,” ow.ly/suig3.) it was
engaging and inspiring to be among
like-minded peers, and it is clear that
the road ahead is not yet mapped and
likely to be challenging.
maybe owing to the uncertainty of the uncharted territory
mixed with the urgency of the era we live in, i came away
feeling energized and more certain than ever that now is the
time for librarians to step forward and forge a new
understanding
and application of sustainable thinking. How do we move a

5. profession to think actively about sustainability in the broadest
sense and, more important, take action that creates greater
sustainability for our libraries and our communities? Working
groups such as this one have the potential to propel us from
language to the brass tacks of implementation—and kudos to the
people who are putting shoulder to plow.
such a complex problem as “capital s” sustainability requires
a comprehensive response. setting really valuable context was a
venn diagram (pictured) presented by lead conveners rebekkah
smith aldrich, coordinator for library sustainability for the mid-
Hudson library system, and matthew bollerman, director of
the Hauppauge Public library and past nyla president. smith
aldrich adapted the concept of the “triple bottom line”—coined
by John Elkington in 1994 to help articulate a whole picture of
the costs of doing business for the private sector—to represent
outcomes that align with library purposes. Hence, one circle
embodies the goal of social equity, one focuses on economic
feasibility, and one stands for environmental sensitivity.
the sweet spot in the center, the “universal set,” is where the
three overlap. We are pretty good at thinking about each in its
silo, but the challenge inherent in this image is in transcending
those silos. sustainability, for example, has often been thought
of simply as a synonym for green
design—and misunderstanding of the
long-term economic feasibility of green
design has often led to friction where
there could have been consensus. by
thinking of these things together instead
of separately, we can home in on the
solutions that address all three goals
rather than create three solutions that
could work for one but hamper one

6. or both of the others. asking, does it
create more social equity, is it environmentally
sound, and is it economically feasible fosters
a sort of harmony in strategic planning
that guides leaders toward a sustainable
choice.
if we let these goals together drive our development, we
could very well have more robust solutions that address our
ongoing societal need for a mechanism to increase equity, our
internal institutional need for sustained viability, and the global
need to address climate change through systemic commitments.
applied together, across our libraries, this conceptualization
could foster a sea change for our society.
i know sustainability can be considered a buzzword or,
worse, a pipe dream. it’s neither. i’m willing to believe it’s a
real possibility—that the universal set is achievable. it’s our
only choice, and the time is here to galvanize our best thinking
toward helping our libraries and our communities get there.
It’s time to redefine sustainability
Our Triple Bottom Line
rebecca t. miller, Editor-in-chief
[email protected]
8 | library Journal | octobEr 15, 2015
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MBA 5101, Strategic Management and Business Policy 1
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit II
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Compare and contrast different strategic models.
1.1 Use the basic model of strategic management.
1.2 Define triple bottom line.
2. Compare and contrast the integral functions of corporate
governance.
2.1 Analyze a company or organization’s strategic philosophy.
4. Analyze the processes for formulating corporate strategy.
4.1 Analyze an organization’s strategic issues and market
position.
4.2 Develop an organizational SWOT analysis.

8. Reading Assignment
Choose either the company you work for or another company
that has easily accessible information; carefully
read the company or organizational literature on mission, goals,
culture, short- and long-term strategic plans
and objectives, and all materials related to strategic planning
issues.
Harris, P. (2015, January 16). SWOT analysis [YouTube video].
Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/U11UW0r9uWU?list=PL08sf8iXqZn54RIuJs-
skgp4omxG-UOu5
Click here to access a transcript of the SWOT analysis video.
College of Business – CSU. (2016, January 12). MBA5101 Unit
II lesson video [YouTube video]. Retrieved
from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBujkAsxV9g&feature=yout
u.be&list=PL08sf8iXqZn54RIuJs-
skgp4omxG-UOu5
Click here to access a transcript of the video.
In order to access the following resource(s), click the link(s)
below:
Couzins, M., & Beagrie, S. (2004). How to conduct a SWOT
analysis. Personnel Today, 21. Retrieved from
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://s
earch.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?dire

9. ct=true&db=bth&AN=12407887&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Miller, R. T. (2015). Our triple bottom line. Library Journal,
140(17), 8. Retrieved from
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://s
earch.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc
t=true&db=bth&AN=110530167&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Unit Lesson
Environmental scanning is the very first phase of the strategic
management model in which firms gather
all industry information, both internal and external. Firms
gather this information through what is called a
SWOT analysis. SWOT is an acronym for strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (Wheelen,
Hunger, Hoffman, & Bamford, 2015).
UNIT II STUDY GUIDE
Environmental Scanning
and SWOT Analysis
https://youtu.be/U11UW0r9uWU?list=PL08sf8iXqZn54RIuJs-
skgp4omxG-UOu5
https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/CSU_Content/Courses/Busi
ness/MBA/MBA5101/15M/UnitII_SWOTHarrisTranscript.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBujkAsxV9g&feature=yout
u.be&list=PL08sf8iXqZn54RIuJs-skgp4omxG-UOu5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBujkAsxV9g&feature=yout
u.be&list=PL08sf8iXqZn54RIuJs-skgp4omxG-UOu5
https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/CSU_Content/Courses/Busi
ness/MBA/MBA5101/15M/UnitII_LessonVideoTranscript.pdf

10. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://s
earch.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=1240
7887&site=ehost-live&scope=site
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://s
earch.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=1240
7887&site=ehost-live&scope=site
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://s
earch.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=1105
30167&site=ehost-live&scope=site
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://s
earch.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=1105
30167&site=ehost-live&scope=site
MBA 5101, Strategic Management and Business Policy 2
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
As we discussed previously, one of the board of
directors’ responsibilities is to approve the strategic
plan. The board tasks top management with this
process of creating the strategic plan, in which the
SWOT analysis is one of the first steps. Typically,
top management forms a strategic planning
committee in which members across the firm, such
as executive management and certain key
departmental members participate. Executive
management is responsible for the key to functional
areas of a firm: marketing, finance, human
resources, and production. (Note: Depending on the
size of the organization, additional compliance and

11. legal departments are also sometimes a part of this
list.)
Once comprised, the strategic planning committee
begins its work by conducting an environmental
scan that consists of both internal and external
elements. These elements will, in large part,
comprise the SWOT analysis. Not all members of the cross-
functional strategic planning committee have the
same levels of expertise or exposure to the internal and external
elements affecting the company. However,
the committee’s task is to combine all its team members’ varied
expertise, vision, and knowledge to create a
comprehensive view of where the company is at that point in
time, as well as where it wants to go in the
future.
Companies and organizations that have gained considerable
experience from conducting this process
annually usually have formed very disciplined and efficient
strategic planning committees. These
organizations, in turn, provide good and consistent credible
information to become the basis of strategy
formulation. Each committee member recognizes the importance
of his or her role in providing the necessary
and accurate information that will ultimately create the best
competitive strategy the company can hope to
achieve.
The SWOT analysis is comprised of four sections (strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats). Two of
these sections focus on the company’s internal environment, the
other two focus on the company’s external
environment. The reason the cross-functional team on the
strategic planning committee is so important is that

12. every member’s primary job function responsibility focuses on
one or both of these areas. Using the
structured format of collecting the information through the
environmental scanning process, committee
members have the perfect vehicle to share what they have seen
affecting their area throughout the year and
how it may affect the company in subsequent years. In addition,
through this systematic collection and
analysis of information, the company can determine if it uses,
or has used its resources in the best manner to
exploit those opportunities (Wheelen et al., 2015).
The internal environment consists of strengths and weaknesses
perceived or determined by the conducted
analysis. The company has the capacity and the ability to
control both strengths and weaknesses. Weak or
poor leadership may prevent the firm from increasing its
strengths. A strong culture may perpetuate a
weakness. In the end, the company has the responsibility to
have the courage to accept its own internal
advice on the best ways it should move forward. The elements
that make up the internal environment are
structure (chain of command), culture (beliefs, expectations,
values), and resources (assets, skills,
competencies, knowledge).
The external environment consists of opportunities and threats.
It is also important to note the company has
very little, or no ability to control opportunities and threats. In
this case, the firm must be as prepared as
possible to take advantage or to mitigate either situation. So,
the key for the best way in which to engage
opportunities and threats is to ensure the capacity of the firm is
prepared accordingly. The elements that
make up the external environment are natural environment
(resources and climate), societal environment

13. (general forces), and task environment (industry analysis).
In many instances, marketing takes the lead in sharing with the
committee the information it has collected
about the company’s current competitive position in the
marketplace. Typically, all of the SWOT elements are
SWOT analysis.
MBA 5101, Strategic Management and Business Policy 3
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
listed. From this initial shortlist, the other key cross-functional
areas can begin to add to the analysis
according to their capability. Often, much overlap and intense
discussion exists about the information brought
forward by these groups, their perception of the environment,
and ultimately the information’s usefulness to
the analysis. Those organizations with strong, disciplined
leadership in this area see these kinds of intense
discussions as a positive, distinctive competency for the
company, as well as for its continued growth and
development. Less skilled or disciplined companies will
sometimes see this activity as a threat that requires
careful and tight guidance. The latter approach defeats the
purpose of the SWOT analysis, which is to
perform a careful self-inspection of the company.

14. The marketing department, in its view of the internal and
external environment, may see its message as a
strength for the company. Marketing may also see the
company’s customer service as a weakness, making
the firm less competitive. The production people may counter
with the argument that marketing makes claims
about the product that it cannot sustain, causing unhappy
customers. Similarly, production may agree with
marketing, but say it fails in its customer service because it has
too few staff to adequately respond to its
growing number of customers. This scenario would mean the
finance and human resource departments
would then need to join in and further explore these claims. The
human resource department may defend its
level of permissible hiring by showing evidence of how it stays
within the appropriate hiring ratios mandated
by top management. The finance group may show evidence of
productivity performance ratios that support
one of the other department’s claims. All these discussions
happen repeatedly as each new environmentally
scanned input is discussed by the committee before becoming a
part of the final SWOT analysis.
Out of this discussion comes a clearer communication and
appreciation between the cross-functional
members of the committee. From this improved level of
communication, unexplored opportunities previously
overlooked may present themselves. Conversely, new target
market sectors that were once thought to be
highly desirable for exploitation may actually have an excessive
compliance price tag, rendering them not
profitable or desirable at all.
Finally, the committee needs to sort out the elements of the
SWOT analysis and properly place them in their
respective categories. During this part of the process, the

15. committee will look for redundancy. The committee
also looks for improperly labeled category elements. For
example, a weakness labeled as a threat is
something the company can control if it musters the will to do
so. SWOT committees must carefully scrutinize
opportunities because most have an economic impact on the
company requiring significant resources to take
advantage of the proposed opportunity.
A SWOT committee must also carefully scrutinize strengths.
The committee must remind itself the SWOT
analysis process is a critical self-inspection of the company.
The analysis is not another feel-good marketing
communication about what the firm does well. A committee
must carefully adhere to the criteria for the
company strength. A committee must recognize real company
strengths and distinctive competencies are not
all that numerous in a firm. If the committee finds itself with a
very long list of strengths compared to a very
short list of weaknesses, the company must inspect very
carefully the imbalance.
Companies can go through an extensive SWOT analysis along
with other forms of internal and external
reviews. In the case of some companies, such as Amazon.com,
the process of kaizen was used to expand
the development of improvements throughout the company.
Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning to improve a
process or continuous improvement. The goal is to have
multiple layers of people in an organization
contribute to the efficiency of the company.
In the case of Amazon.com, Dr. Pete Trzop created one of the
most successful kaizens relating to the review
and changes of environmental related processes, energy use, and
best practices for conservation of

16. resources. Dr. Trzop developed EARTH kaizens in the
Campbellsville, Kentucky site and quickly expanded
into the Green Amazon.com program. This program went
through a name change after Dr. Trzop left the
company to become the Amazon.com Green program.
Members of each facility performed the EARTH kaizens in the
global network of Amazon.com with the focus
on how to make process improvements and changes to save
monies and resources aligned with becoming a
more environmentally friendly company. The program had
participants of multiple layers of workers,
associates, and managers. Dr. Trzop designed the Green
Amazon.com program to make an environmental
change to the company, but made from a business bottom line,
financial decision. By the end of the 2000s,
they considered EARTH kaizens one of the best kaizens in the
history of the company.
MBA 5101, Strategic Management and Business Policy 4
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
During the time of analysis, the members of the committee
concurrently gather information from their
respective areas across the company to provide input on the
creation of the SWOT analysis. Once the
committee collects, compiles, reviews, and finalizes its report,

17. the committee meets with top management for
yet another careful scrutiny of the SWOT analysis. Top
management will review it with the focus on ensuring
that the committee has left out nothing relevant or important.
Management will also look for anything
redundant or nonessential. This part of the process is very
important because the completed SWOT analysis
will become the foundation for the next step in the strategic
planning process, which is strategy formulation.
Reference
Wheelen, T. L., Hunger, J. D., Hoffman, A. N., & Bamford, C.
E. (2015). Concepts in strategic management
and business policy: Globalization, innovation and
sustainability (14th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson.