Taking action on SWOT Analysis

1. Presentation on:
TOWS ANALYSIS
BY: OLA BELGORE

2. CONTENT
SWOT
TOWS
Implementing & Using TOWS : The TOWS Matrix
I
II
III
IV Questions
TOWS ANALYSIS | PAGE 2

3. TOWS ANALYSIS | PAGE 3

4. TOWS ANALYSIS | PAGE 4
SWOT
W
WEAKNESSES
O
OPPORTUNITIES
S
STRENGTHS
T
THREATS
A review of Internal and External Factors that affect an entity.

5. TOWS ANALYSIS | PAGE 5
SWOT
SWhere are we better than the
competition.
Examples are strong brand
recognition, a loyal customer
base, unique propriety
technology and a healthy
financial condition.
W
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSE
Areas where we need
improvement.
Examples could be poor
product quality, an
unmotivated sales force, lack
of capital and an excessive
level of debt.
SWOT
ANALYSIS
In the world of strategic analysis, SWOT wears the crown as one of
the most commonly used analysis models. Strengths and
weaknesses represent internal factors, whereas opportunities and
threats are external factors that require evaluation.

6. TOWS ANALYSIS | PAGE 6
SWOTOPPORTUNITIES
O T
THREATS
This will make our business
grow better/faster.
It might be going into new
markets, developing an
innovative product line or being
able to exploit weaknesses in a
competitor.
These new development would
hurt our business.
Eg increasing costs, new
competitors. Unfavourable
Governement policy, technology
etc.
Conducting a SWOT analysis on your company should not be a mind-numbing
mental exercise. It should be short and simple. What is your business good at?
Where are you weak? What are the bright opportunities you see, and what threats
scare you? That's it. You don't need to over-think this process.
SWOT
ANALYSIS

7. TOWS ANALYSIS | PAGE 7
TOWS
T
S
O
W

8. TOWS ANALYSIS | PAGE 8
TOWS
A TOWS analysis is a variant of a SWOT
analysis and is an acronym for Threats,
Opportunities, Weaknesses and Strengths.
TOWS examines a company's external
opportunities and threats and compares
them to the firm's strengths and
weaknesses.
This analysis forms the basis for actionable
tactics.

9. TOWS ANALYSIS | PAGE 9
IMPLEMENTING & USING TOWS: THE TOWS
MATRIX

10. TOWS ANALYSIS | PAGE 10
IMPLEMENTING & USING TOWS: THE TOWS
MATRIX
External Opportunities (O) External Threats (T)
1. New International Market
2. Developing an innovative product
line
3. Being able to exploit weakness in
a competitor
1. Rapidly increasing cost
2. New competitors in the market
3. Tightening supply of labour
4. Changing demographics
Internal Strength (S) SO
‘Maxi-Maxi’ Strategy
ST
‘Maxi-Mini’ Strategy
1. Brand Recognition
2. Loyal Customer Base
3. Unique Propriety
technology
Develop plans that leverage the
strengths of the company to
capitalize on opportunities. A few
ideas could be to diversify into new
markets, improve the quality of
products etc.
Use the company's strengths to counter
external threats. If the company has a
strong research and development
department, for example, start new product
development projects to enter different
markets.
Internal Weaknesses (W) WO
‘Mini-Maxi’ Strategy
WT
‘Mini-Mini’ Strategy
1. High Employee
turnover
2. Poor product quality
3. Lack of capital
After identifying weaknesses, focus
on ways to resolve them in a goal to
take advantage of opportunities.
Find ways to minimize weaknesses and
counter threats. This could involve closing
out poor-selling products, terminating
under-performing employees etc.

11. TOWS ANALYSIS | PAGE 11
IMPLEMENTING & USING TOWS: THE TOWS
MATRIX
The TOWS matrix forces us to think
about outcomes and provides the
framework for developing the findings
of a SWOT into actionable items that
can inform business decision-making.
It’s important to remember that
a TOWS analysis will not point to
which specific strategy to adopt, but it
does focus attention the areas where
action is required, and given some
indication of the nature of that action.