An example of compiling a swot analysis. Conducting swot analysis at enterprises

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(Please note that this analysis is provided for guidance only and is not affiliated with any active organization of the same name)

Characteristics of Gepard LLC

The founders of the company were a group of people specializing in the field of radio electronics. The company started its activity in 2005. A limited liability company was chosen as a form of business implementation. The authorized capital of the company was 20,000 rubles. Order fulfillment is the only financing option. The company is an exclusive developer of an intelligent security system for objects of various purposes. The enterprise needs to expand the production space necessary to increase the volume of production, and, consequently, to increase working capital.

Marketing plan

The company's current priorities are:

SWOT analysis of Gepard LLC

This marketing method is a study of the company's capabilities. Further, based on the results obtained, recommendations are developed regarding the achievement of the goals set, as well as the identification of alternative development options.

First of all, it is necessary to give a full assessment of the company's macro and micro environments. The factors on which the assessment of the internal environment is traditionally based are:

• organizational;
• production;
• marketing.

The external (macro) environment is assessed through analysis:

• demand;
• competition;
• sales;
• resource allocation;
• factors beyond the control of marketing, such as the rate of inflation, the attractiveness of the sphere for incoming investors, and others.

Conducting directly the SWOT analysis itself is concluded in the following:

• Based on the assessment made earlier, make a list of opportunities that the external environment allows the company to implement. Here you should compile a list of factors that will help increase demand for the company's products, reduce the level of competition, and others;
• make a list of probable threats that can affect the enterprise from the outside. In this paragraph, we should talk about potential opportunities that can lead to a decrease in demand, change the priorities of the choice of ordinary consumers, increase the level of competition, and others;
• make a list of the strengths of the company. We are talking about the skills of the staff and their competence, the existing level of knowledge, as well as other factors that ensure the successful operation of the entire company;
• make a list of the firm's weaknesses. This paragraph highlights the most important reasons that hinder or can affect the development of the organization in the future.

When all the lists are ready, the most significant factors from all the lists compiled should be highlighted. This is a very important point, so only items that really do not play an important role should be discarded.

At the next stage, the classic SWOT-analysis matrix is ​​filled in, which assesses the impact of macro- and microenvironments on the enterprise as a whole.

After a thorough evaluation, the following points remained:

1.Features :

• sales of products;
• assembly by the enterprise;
• the possibility of warranty, as well as post-warranty service;
• the ability to meet the requirements of the client;
• flexible pricing policy;

2. Threats

• taxation;
• the constant growth of competition from larger manufacturers;
• insufficiency of own working capital;
• small capacity of this market niche;

3.Strength :

• production of products on modern high-tech equipment;
• flexible pricing policy;
• high quality of service provision;
• trained staff;

4. Weak side :

• direct dependence on the consumer market;
• lack of advertising;
• a small number of own installation teams;
• brand unknown.

Fill in the matrix table. The factors of the internal environment include the strengths of the company. External – opportunities and threats.

If the company has the ability to neutralize the threat or use the situation provided by the external environment, then a “+” sign is put in this column.

Put "-" is a sign that the company cannot get rid of the threat on its own, regardless of its strengths.

The graph remains free if there are no relationships between factors.

At the end of the procedure, not a single field should remain empty: each column must contain either “plus”, or “minus”, or “zero”.

Analysis results

The conducted SWOT-analysis showed the following results:

1. The company may increase, and thanks to its own research center, there is the possibility of implementing more advanced product variations.

1. The adopted tax system becomes the main threats and limiting the solvency of a potential client audience.

1. The weak side is the limitation of possible sales and direct dependence on the consumer market.

Analysis of existing management problems in Gepard LLC

• promotion of manufactured products in their market segment;
• service improvement;
• formation of a distribution network necessary to promote goods in the regions;
• obtaining a certificate, which will enable the organization to reach a new level of sales;
• raising the rating of the company and entering the leading position in the field of video security systems.

Tactics for the implementation of the tasks

Here, taking into account the specifics of the products produced, as well as the marketing analysis carried out, it is advisable to focus on direct marketing. It does not need large financial injections, but it requires coordination of work. Next, the directions in which the company should activate its activities will be considered.
Advertising
In this direction, priority will be direct mail to the addresses of potential customers. Also, the company's employees are required to visit nearby villages for the purpose of direct advertising. Additionally, aggressive advertising will be used.

Distribution

The first year of sales will mainly be carried out by employees of the company. But it is planned to attract firms that will install and adjust systems as dealers.

Increasing demand
Upon purchase, the customer will be provided with a product with a basic bundling system, but additional options will be available. As a bonus, you will be given the opportunity to install the system free of charge for up to 3 days, during which the client decides whether to purchase or reject this offer. This will additionally serve as an advertisement for potential customers (neighbors, friends, work colleagues, etc.).

Positioning strategy

After the company has chosen the most suitable market segment for itself, it faces the task of introducing it into the chosen market niche. In this situation, there are two options for achieving the goal:

1. Take a place in a small sub-segment in close proximity to a competitor, and then start the fight for a leading position in a selected market share.
2. Implement your task in a free subsegment.

Choosing the first option, the company should carefully weigh its own capabilities: is there enough internal potential to oust existing competitors.

The second option involves the provision of competitive products. The company gets a great chance to get its own audience interested in this product.

Product Existence Strategy

The marketing term "existence" means providing the product with the desired quality, affordability, attraction and pushing.

Accordingly, there are four types :

• commodity;
• price;
• attraction;
• pushing.

Let's consider each type in more detail.

The formation of any strategy of this type occurs according to the following plan:

• compiling the company's product portfolio;
• organizational issues related to the development of new products, changes to existing ones or the complete exclusion of goods are resolved;

• A brand strategy plan is adopted.

According to the results of the assessments, the commodity group of the Gepard company belongs to the zone of priority development. This fact means that for the manufactured goods, the priority direction of development is the expansion of the existing market, as well as entering its new levels. Accordingly, additional funding and investment is directed in this direction.

Improvement strategy

The quality of the goods and services provided must be constantly improved. And the main direction in the development of this strategy is to keep the product at the current level that meets the requirements of the market at a given time.

The term "brand" hides the direct name of the enterprise or product. For Gepard, it is most profitable to use the multi-labeling strategy. This choice is due to the fact that the products (security systems) have been used for a long time and the use of the same name will make it possible to raise the overall image of the company. In the case of introducing updated products, this will also be only a plus.

Pricing strategy

In this case, emphasis should be placed on leadership based on the relatively low cost of the product, as well as its quality characteristics. The cost of goods produced by the Gepard enterprise is lower than that of competing enterprises, so you can try to win a large part of the market segment by offering a quality product at a lower price. Progress in this direction will maximize the market share. To increase income, it is necessary to focus on the value of the product / service provided.

Distribution strategy

Distribution methods are also considered to be controllable factors that help solve the problem of bringing the product to the direct consumer.

Before making a decision to open a branch, you should first get an assessment of the location region (whether the volume of potential customers is sufficient here). Competing companies cannot be ignored. It is worth evaluating the main characteristics of their activities. After carrying out comparative procedures, a list of the most suitable regions for placement should be compiled.
The choice from the compiled list is most preferably built based on the most commonly used scheme. The proposed region conditionally becomes the center of the range, where its influence extends. It is conditionally divided into 3 zones:

• primary;
• secondary;
• extreme.

The primary zone includes almost 70% of the total number of consumers who use the services of the company. The remaining 25-30% of potential customers end up in the secondary zone. The extreme zone is casual consumers.

The choice of location area is additionally influenced by factors such as :

• assessment of potential client base;
• degree of competition;
• assessment of technical capabilities and others.

It is the evaluation analysis of the above factors that makes it possible to calculate the potential of the selected sales point with the greatest accuracy.

In order to most effectively influence the potential target audience, a communication strategy is developed for the unit, helping to form and maintain the desired image of the product and the company itself as an organization as a whole.

This strategy includes the following tasks :

• conducting personal sales;
• PR;
• advertising.

Gepard should develop its advertising policy more actively in the following areas:

• express yourself more loudly through advertising;
• advertise the benefits of the product being sold, focusing on high quality;
• formation of a positive image of the company.

Given that Gepard provides services in the field of supply of goods, an individual approach to customer service will be a better option. In addition, it is necessary to develop a stimulating system of discounts, which will make it possible to sell wholesale consignments of goods on more favorable terms.

Conclusion

The result of the research activity was the creation of a marketing strategy adapted specifically for Gepard LLC.

In the course of the enterprise, a characteristic of its activities was performed, an analysis of the micro- and macroenvironment of the company was given. Based on the analytical findings, the main objectives were formulated. The next step was to identify ways to achieve the goals and develop marketing strategies.

The following tasks are set for the enterprise:

• promotion of products in this market segment;
• service improvement;
• formation of a distribution network necessary to promote goods in the regions;
• obtaining a certificate that will allow the company to reach a new level of sales;
• raising the rating of the company and entering the leading positions in the field of video security systems.

To solve the tasks "Gepard" can be as follows:

• releasing more advanced analogues of the product;
• working "to order", focusing on the special requirements of the client;
• realizing its own competitive advantages - high quality and flexible pricing policy.

In the development of pricing policy, it is necessary to emphasize low cost combined with high product quality. As a service provider, it is most expedient for a company to choose a policy of "individual approach" in conjunction with an incentive system of discounts.

Any head of an enterprise should know the strengths and weaknesses of a SWOT analysis, because he should be ready for unexpected and not always pleasant surprises, respond quickly and clearly to them. For these purposes, the SWOT analysis technology is provided.

Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of SWOT analysis, through the use of marketing research of this kind in practice, an entrepreneur will always be able to find the best solution in any situation.

SWOT analysis, general concept

The concept of "SWOT" is borrowed from English and is essentially an abbreviation of English words:

• S - Strengths (forces) - talking about the strengths and advantages of the enterprise;
• W - Weaknesses (weaknesses) - shortcomings, weaknesses;
• О - Opportunities (favorable opportunities) - refers to opportunities from the outside, due to which, in the event of favorable conditions, it is likely to create additional advantages in the company's activities;
• T - Threats (threats) - circumstances that have the ability to harm the organization.

By conducting a SWOT analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise, it is possible to clearly clarify whether the company (even) uses internal strengths to the fullest, and also identifies positions that can become strong, those that need to be corrected, etc.

What is a SWOT analysis for?

A standard SWOT study aims to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise, assess the risk (including) and the best opportunities. It is important not only to obtain information of interest, but also to compare the results of the study with the indicators of the most important competing firms.

The conducted SWOT analysis allows you to answer important questions, namely:

1. Whether the firm uses personal strengths to the fullest.
2. What are the distinguishing features in the implementation of its own strategy the company has.
3. Are there weaknesses and how should they be corrected?
4. What opportunities are most likely to lead to success.
5. What are the likely threats that the manager should deal with seriously. specifics of the actions taken in this case.

The most optimal time for a SWOT analysis is the period when the direction is being formulated, in accordance with which further business development is planned.

What are the rules to follow when conducting a SWOT analysis?

When performing a SWOT analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of an enterprise, it is important to adhere to known rules.

1. The research vector should be clearly specified. When analyzing the entire business as a whole, the results will be very generalized and completely useless. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct a SWOT analysis in specific areas.
2. All concepts of SWOT analysis should be clearly understood.
3. Evaluation from the position of the market. In carrying out the analysis, it is necessary to apply the strengths and weaknesses in the state in which they appear to competitors and consumers. After all, strengths will be such only if they are so visible from the market position.
4. Put objectivity first. The input information must be versatile. Research should not be done by just one person. The possibility of deep analysis is allowed only in the case when the assessment will be given by the group.
5. The wording must be clear. Do not allow lengthy and ambiguous phrases. The result depends on their accuracy.

How SWOT analysis works

The principle of operation of SWOT analysis is simple and comes down to a certain scheme.

The first is the designation of strengths and weaknesses by experts. These characteristics are internal.

Here there is a designation of strong and weak elements characteristic of the company. In many ways, it depends on the literacy of drawing up a long-term plan.

To draw up an expert opinion, it is enough to arrange a survey for the management of the enterprise.

The assessment of strengths and weaknesses should be carried out in at least three different areas:

Carrying out the analysis of internal factors, it is possible to apply such a model. Rate vectors:

• How does the company's marketing activities respond to external environments?
• degree of adequacy to the marketing channel of the sales system;
• whether the organization of production processes corresponds to the adequacy of the manufactured products of the market;
• how logistics processes are organized and whether they are adequate to the marketing channel;
• to what extent the financial position of the company corresponds to its tasks;
• whether the administrative system corresponds to the quality of business process administration.

The second is a description of opportunities and threats.

This includes external factors, situations that are formed outside the company, the business environment of the company.

Threats are usually the same. They are:

1. Analysis of the strong weaknesses of the enterprise, assessment of opportunities and threats depending on the degree of impact on the company.
2. A SWOT matrix is ​​compiled, where all information is summarized in the form of tables.
3. The impact of factors is analyzed.
4. After compiling a description and conducting a marketing analysis, a strategy is determined, which is based on the results of the descriptions proposed above, using strengths and compensating for shortcomings.

SWOT matrix

All information received is entered into a special table consisting of 4 fields. Such a table is called the SWOT Analysis Matrix.

How to analyze the effect of factors

In accordance with the information received, an analysis is made and a conclusion is made as to how the "strengths" of the enterprise are able to realize the company's capabilities in achieving certain planned goals.

The SWOT analysis matrix after filling in the required data will look something like this:

Strategy MatrixSWOT analysis

In conclusion, a matrix of SWOT strategies is drawn up. This, in fact, is what it was all about.

All the data obtained as a result of the SWOT analysis is used to develop certain areas of the strategy, according to which the subsequent work will be based.

As a rule, the organization carries out work in several directions at once, namely:

• implementation of strengths;
• correction of weaknesses;
• taking measures to compensate for threats.

Based on the results of the analysis of tabular data, a matrix of measures aimed at correcting flaws in the company's activities is compiled. All information is recorded in one table, represented by four fields:

After analyzing all the information presented in the table, a list of possible actions is compiled, the so-called "marketing plan".

Strengths and weaknesses of SWOT analysis

SWOT analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise has both positive aspects and disadvantages.

StrengthsSWOT analysis:

• makes it possible to judge the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, as well as initiate the likelihood of threats and opportunities;
• it is easy to use and quite effective;
• draws the relationship between the potential and problems of the company, compares strengths and weaknesses.
• analysis does not require extensive data;
• selects options in which the institution will adequately exist;
• helps to establish a promising direction for the development of the company;
• allows you to evaluate the profitability indicator and compare it with similar data from competitive organizations;
• forms the conditions for assessing the available resources of the institution;
• analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the project, the management receives a warning about what problems may arise;
• the management team has the opportunity to engage in the expansion and strengthening of competitive advantages;
• due to SWOT-analysis, there is a formation of a clearer picture of the position in the market;

SWOT analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise helps to avoid troubles, dangers and choose the most favorable development path.

SWOT analysis and its weaknesses:

SWOT analysis is a simple tool aimed at providing information structuring. Such a procedure does not offer any specific answers, quantitative assessments or clear recommendations.

The role of such an analysis is to obtain an adequate assessment of the main factors and, with a certain percentage of probability, to predict the development of specific events. The analyst should make appropriate recommendations.

In addition, it only seems at first glance that the analysis procedure is simple. In fact, the objectivity of the result is determined by how complete and high-quality the information was provided.

To obtain data as close to reality as possible, it will be necessary to involve an expert who will assess the current state and determine the likely vector for further market development.

If errors were made when filling in the matrix table, then it is not possible to identify them during the analysis. Therefore, in the event that any extra factor is added, or, conversely, there has been a loss of an important element, the conclusions may be erroneous.

An analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise, performed according to the SWOT analysis, allows the entrepreneur to choose the most correct direction for the development of his business. That is why, the organization and conduct of such a procedure must be approached extremely responsibly.

SWOT analysis. Part 1 - Strengths and Weaknesses

The business environment is often associated with unprepared people with a meat grinder - yesterday the company existed and seemed to be even in good health, but today competitors have already wiped it off the face of the earth. Decisions in the field of entrepreneurship must sometimes be made at lightning speed, but this is impossible without a clear understanding of the real state of affairs - a manager must know everything about his business, like a parent about an unintelligent child.

Difficult, agree? But there is a way out - conducting a SWOT analysis, which allows you to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the company, assess development prospects and potential threats. Let's discuss what a SWOT analysis is and how to do it. Of course, one cannot do without an example, so let's confirm the theory with practice by considering a specific enterprise.

What is SWOT analysis?

Most entrepreneurs are faced with a situation when they need to do something to develop their business - reduce the price of goods, take a big loan, start releasing new products ... There are a lot of options. But is it possible to make an important decision if the leader simply does not have information about what is happening under his nose? It is logical that no, because, for example, strong dumping will easily bring the collapse of the company if it does not have a financial cushion or the opportunity to increase profits by increasing sales. In such cases, a SWOT analysis is indispensable. To understand its essence, let us turn to the definition.

SWOT-analysis is an economic term based on the English abbreviation:

• S- strengths - the strengths of the company, allowing it to compare favorably with competitors;
• W– weaknesses - weaknesses, some pitfalls and peculiar “holes” into which a business can fail under unfavorable circumstances;
• O- opportunities - opportunities and prospects, the bet on which is likely to play;
• T- threats - threats and risks that can affect the organization in the most negative way.

Important: the environment that reigns inside the company is reflected in the letters S and W, and the external environment - in O and T.

For the first time, the abbreviation was uttered in 1963 at a Harvard conference covering current business problems - Professor Kenneth Andrews suggested using SWOT analysis as a possible way out of trouble. The idea was accepted extremely favorably, and after a couple of years the methodology began to be used to develop an effective and competent behavioral strategy for the company.

SWOT analysis allows the management of the organization to get answers to the following important questions:

• Does the firm's strategy focus on existing strengths and competitive advantages? If the latter are not yet available, who can get them?
• How do weaknesses affect the business, are they really vulnerabilities that do not allow full use of favorable situations? What "holes" need to be urgently patched up in order to increase the efficiency of operations?
• Thanks to what opportunities does the enterprise have a chance to succeed if all available resources are used?
• Are there hypothetical risks that you can insure against in advance? Where to lay the straw to avoid the collapse of the company due to an unfavorable situation?

Important: it seems to some that conducting a SWOT analysis is fraught with many difficulties, and in general it is laborious and boring, which is much easier to just calm down if it suits you. But the results of SWOT provide an opportunity to look at the business with a fresh and uncomplicated look, get rid of the anchors that pull to the bottom, catch a fair wind and move forward.

How is a SWOT analysis of an enterprise carried out?

Any marketing analysis begins with a simple one - it is necessary to study the market sphere in which the enterprise operates in a comprehensive and as detailed as possible. SWOT, like , is needed to identify and structure the strengths and weaknesses of the company; Potential risks and opportunities are also not ignored. Many are interested - when should a SWOT analysis be carried out? There is simply no single answer to this question, since everything depends on the desires of the leadership.

Of course, one must understand that planning and new strategic ideas will never be superfluous. SWOT results allow you to take into account the changes that constantly occur in the business environment and develop options for proactive response. Beginners can apply the technique to draw up a company development plan. A universal recipe suitable for all organizations cannot be found, since initially the “ingredients” and conditions are different for everyone, and the SWOT analysis is precisely aimed at determining the features and distinctive features of each particular business. Consider step by step the process of conducting a SWOT analysis.

Definition of participants in the SWOT analysis

It is logical that the organization decides this on its own, however, there are recommendations from the gurus of the economy - experts advise involving almost the entire team of the enterprise in the SWOT analysis process. Why? Lots of answers:

• First of all, brainstorming has not been canceled - sometimes even a cleaning lady can express an interesting idea.
• Secondly, such an event is a great opportunity to rally employees, since a common problem always contributes to the establishment of not only working, but also friendly contacts.
• Thirdly When people understand that they can influence the development strategy of an enterprise, and also see the results of their work, their motivation increases significantly - which means that the outcome of the discussion is likely to bring real, not imaginary results.

Choosing the form of conducting a SWOT analysis

Written, oral, whatever. For example, for SWOT analysis, the following options are possible:

• Table– participants of the event fill in a table consisting of four areas (strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats);
• mind map- refers to the most creative way, which allows you to present the situation more clearly and non-standard (drawn individually or collectively);
• Questionnaire Each member of the SWOT analysis team answers a series of questions.

Most often, the best result is achieved through a combination of a written survey followed by a group discussion of its results.

Advice: when planning the format of the SWOT analysis, pay attention to the brainstorming method, as it can be used to determine as accurately as possible the aspects that need to be researched. It should be borne in mind that the most significant points in SWOT are indicated at the top - the higher the priority of the factor, the higher it is in the final list.

Identification of the strengths of the enterprise

Strengths in the SWOT analysis are understood as internal positive factors that contribute to the development of the company. To determine them, it is necessary to get answers to some questions. Of course, for each organization they can be different. For example:

• What is currently great about your company? For example, low cost of production, high, excellent organization of advertising campaigns, etc.
• What internal resources do you have? Perhaps you have highly qualified specialists, a good business reputation, many years of experience, a friendly team, etc.
• What tangible and intangible assets do you have available? Here we are talking about capital, equipment, customer base, patents, innovative technologies, established distribution channels and the like.
• What sets you apart from your competitors? What is your strength compared to them? Maybe you have a prepared springboard for new research or more modern technology.

Everyone has long been accustomed to an interesting property of the human psyche - when you observe something or someone every day non-stop, you begin to perceive the object as ordinary, not paying attention to the merits and strengths. Like it should be. But there is a mistake here - any company is individual and original, which means that it has something positive that can help in developing a new effective strategy.

Identification of the weaknesses of the enterprise

Weaknesses in SWOT are internal negative factors that can hypothetically reduce the demand for the goods offered by the enterprise, or its value as a whole. It is logical that weaknesses must be constantly worked on, trying to level them or remove them completely.

For a clear understanding of what needs to be improved, according to the SWOT analysis, it is important to understand the following points:

• What areas of the company's activities are not effective enough, although they are under your full control? For example, staff turnover due to dissatisfaction with personnel policy, lack of a company development plan, etc.
• What should be improved? Here the scope for imagination is huge - the range of products is too narrow or prices differ significantly from competitors for the worse.
• What is the company missing? For example, high-level specialists, technology, experience, distribution channels, etc.
• What factors are holding back a business? Maybe outdated equipment does not make it possible to keep up with the times or the qualifications of the staff are not high enough.
• Is the business in a good location? Here we mean the country and the city, because sometimes it is the location that determines the success of a business. No wonder there is a saying about how important it is to be at the right time in the right place.

Enterprise Opportunity Research

Opportunities in SWOT analysis include external factors of the micro- and macro environment, which cannot be influenced, but they can contribute to the effective development of a business if you behave correctly:

• What market opportunities are not currently being exploited by your organization? For example, competitors have long mastered the sale of similar products through online stores, and you continue to trade only in classic ones, losing a significant part of hypothetical buyers.
• Are there any developments currently happening in the world (or market) that you can use to your advantage? It's about catching the wave in time. For example, the World Cup held in Russia has led to the fact that the popularity of this sport has increased unthinkably - everyone wants to run with the ball and wear the appropriate uniform, so sportswear and paraphernalia companies can really quickly turn around. Those who make ceramics can make mugs with World Cup symbols or just soccer balls. Options (as well as our fans) - the sea, if you dream up.
• What legislative innovations and political trends are favorable for your enterprise? Perhaps, recently another masterpiece has come out from under the pen of the rulers of the law, changing the reality for business. It is interesting to note that opportunities and threats are very closely related: the same thing for different companies can turn out to be both death and a truck with free candy that unexpectedly turned over on the street. This brings to mind how more than a decade ago, legislation banned casinos. For the latter, it is a complete and absolute collapse of a profitable business, but for many others, this is an unprecedented opportunity to organize a business based on human excitement, since a huge number of consumers are left with nothing. People don't change. Just at this time, bar games, quests and the like came into fashion.

Analysis of potential threats to the enterprise

Risks and threats in SWOT analysis are environmental factors that are in no way dependent on your company. A human life can be cut short due to a banal accident - an icicle will fall on the head, and that's it. With business, the situation is similar - something happens, and you do not have the resources to influence it. Or does it just seem so? Still, you should not become fatalists, because even they look around when they cross the road. The bottom line is that it’s really not to walk under the roofs, knowing about the danger of snow melting. That is, organizations must analyze possible threats and prepare airbags for different cases. To begin with, calculate to understand how independent the company is from creditors. Of course, you can’t lay a straw everywhere, but you can foresee some situations - and forewarned means armed. How to prepare and what to look for? Answering the following questions will help:

• How will the emergence of new competitors affect your business? It is logical that if you are lagging behind and lagging behind, your entry into the market of a new similar company may no longer survive, so you urgently need to stabilize your own position.
• Could the value of your products increase in the near future? What will happen to the organization? Of course, no one forces you to guess on the coffee grounds, and sometimes you won’t find out such information otherwise, but it often happens otherwise: the company’s management clearly knows that prices will rise for a number of objective reasons (the growth of the dollar, an increase in the price of materials, an increase in tax rates, and etc.).
• How will progress affect your business? Technological upheavals have long been a part of our life, which cannot be forgotten, because sometimes entire industries are wiped off the face of the earth (and who needs a cassette player or a disk drive now?), but new ones are also being created. Entrepreneurs must monitor technological progress and adjust, and sometimes completely repurpose their activities so as not to become outsiders offering unnecessary goods to anyone.
• The adoption of what laws can negatively affect the enterprise? Imagine that due to sanctions, for example, the import of feijoa is banned, and your company specializes in the production of tinctures from this fruit. Everything, finita la comedy, there is nothing to do. But if we assume such a situation in advance, no one bothers to think about growing fruits on their territory or about a possible substitute.

SWOT analysis on the example of an enterprise

A theory that is not confirmed by practice, as a rule, is of less value, so we will give an example of a SWOT analysis of a particular organization. We will discuss two options - in the first we will analyze the existing business, and in the second - the idea.

Example #1 - McDonald's

As an object, consider the well-known McDonald's, and present the result in tabular form:

SWOT analysis
strengths (S) Instant cooking; Extensive and constantly supplemented assortment; Excellent brand recognition; Work with trusted local suppliers who can be fully trusted; A solid budget for organizing advertising campaigns; Organization of children's parties; International quality control system implemented throughout the supply chain; Continuous staff training; Participation in charity; Happy Mila, who attract a children's audience through themed toys; The presence of MacAuto; Lots of promotions and interesting offers for buyers.	Weak sides (W) Most of the assortment refers to fast food, which is considered junk food; Personnel turnover; Negative feedback from healthy eating advocates who believe that those who eat at McDonald's will soon become overweight, coupled with numerous diseases; The similarity of the menu with other establishments of a similar profile; There are practically no products suitable for very young children on the menu; Low wages for employees.
Opportunities (O) Expansion of the menu by adding products related to a healthy diet; Organization of the possibility to order home delivery; Persuading the public that hamburgers do not cause such huge harm to health and figure, as many believe.	Threats (T) World promotion of healthy eating; Increasing competition among similar large companies; The emergence of a new format of fast food establishments.

Example #2 - Confectionery

Suppose an entrepreneur with a big sweet tooth has an idea to start a business - a small confectionery specializing in the manufacture and sale of chocolate, cakes and handmade pastries. Let's evaluate the project using SWOT analysis:

SWOT analysis
strengths (S) Available proven and "delicious" recipes for cakes and pastries; Products will be created only from natural ingredients; Extensive experience in making sweets; Small suitable premises in the property; There is an initial capital; LLC registered.	Weak sides (W) Lack of experience in creating from scratch and running a business of this type; There is no knowledge about fire safety standards, sanitary, etc. No quality certificates; The property is in need of renovation; No HR skills.
Opportunities (O) In the area where the confectionery is planned, an educational institution has recently opened, which means that demand is almost guaranteed; Increasing popularity of handmade pastries and cakes; You can get help from the state for the development of small businesses.	Threats (T) Difficulties in obtaining food certificates; Fluctuations in demand depending on the season; The emergence of new competitors, such as large "networkers"; Tightening tax policy.

Important: of course, not all factors are listed above, but it is quite possible to understand the essence of conducting a SWOT analysis. If you are just planning to create a business, then it is best to first turn to the setting methodology, and only then do a SWOT analysis.

How to use the results of the SWOT analysis?

Of course, each leader decides independently how the results of the SWOT analysis will influence the further development of the organization. However, the convenience of the method lies precisely in the fact that it is the formulation of the company's hypothetical problems that actually determines the front for work, because gaps and weaknesses can be corrected in the enterprise strategy if you know about their existence.

Here, as with a disease - when it is known, a cure is often not difficult to find. But we must not forget about prevention, that is, about actions aimed at smoothing threats and reducing risks. The essence of the SWOT analysis is as follows - interference and weaknesses should not be taken as a sentence or a stone hanging around the neck forever. These are tasks that need and often can actually be solved. Of course, there are situations when nothing can be done - objective reality does not allow, then it is necessary to change the idea and create a new organization.

Summing up

SWOT analysis is widely used today to evaluate business, management decisions, ideas, and sometimes hypothetical employees. The technique is simple and effective, since it is aimed at a holistic perception of the object of study - strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities and risks, are identified.

When conducting a SWOT analysis of a company, it is important not to lose objectivity - it is clear that a beloved brainchild is being dismantled bit by bit, the shortcomings of which prick the eye, but otherwise it is sometimes impossible to develop a new effective strategy for the development of an enterprise.

See and download an example of a SWOT analysis, as well as detailed instructions for conducting it.

SWOT-analysis is a convenient tool for determining the most important directions of the company's strategic development. In literal translation, this abbreviation stands for:

• strengths (Strengths), the advantages of the company relative to its competitors, what will allow it to achieve established strategic goals;
• weaknesses (Weaknesses), shortcomings of the company, what it loses to its competitors, what prevents it from achieving strategic goals;
• opportunities (Opportunities), favorable external factors for the work of the company;
• threats, negative external factors that pose a potential danger to the enterprise.

To conduct a SWOT analysis, the following is required.

1. Identify, classify and rank the factors that represent the strengths and weaknesses of the company, as well as the opportunities and threats of the external environment. From each group, select the most significant (10, no more).

2. Consistently study the combinations of these factors:

• "Possibilities/Powers". Reflects the potential of the company and allows you to answer the question of whether it has competitive advantages and external favorable factors on which the strategy could be based;
• Threats/Weaknesses. Reveals a combination of potential external negative factors and the weakest internal factors of the company, which must be dealt with in the first place;
• Opportunities/Weaknesses. Allows you to identify the internal factors of the company, which should be strengthened in order to take advantage of favorable opportunities in the external environment in the future.

For greater clarity, it is more convenient to present the intermediate and final results of the SWOT analysis in tabular form. It is also better to compare factors using tables.

Let's analyze the swot analysis method using the example of APLEONA HSG, where I work.

An example of a SWOT analysis of an enterprise

Choosing an object of analysis

For swot-analysis, you can select any object: a manufactured product, a business sector, a business, a competitor, and so on. The main thing is to clearly fix it and not scatter attention to adjacent objects. APLEONA HSG provides comprehensive commercial property management, technical control and audit, and infrastructure management services. The company is present in six large regions of Russia: Central, Northwestern, Southern, Far Eastern districts, Siberia and the Volga-Ural region, as well as in Kazakhstan. For example, let's conduct a swot-analysis of the service "comprehensive management of commercial real estate" in the Central region.

We appoint experts

Experts can be top managers of the company or middle managers, but they must be well-versed in information in their field. They must operate not only with personal opinion, but also with dry figures.

Table 1. Experts to conduct a SWOT analysis of the organization

Expert No.	Position
	Deputy General Director for Property Management
	CFO
	Commercial Director
	HR Director
	Technical Director

We identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

At this step, it is necessary to systematically and as realistically as possible determine with each expert the strengths and weaknesses of the company, the threats and opportunities of the external environment. All indicators must be recorded in groups. You can write down as many factors as you like, but here the rule of greatest efficiency comes into force, the meaning of which is: to make a selection from significant indicators, ignoring insignificant ones. This means that you can use your time effectively.

The internal strengths (S) of the business include:

1. Great accumulated work experience.
2. Highly qualified personnel.
3. Customized production and business processes.
4. Good marketing policy.
5. High quality of manufactured products.
6. Corporate culture ( what a CFO needs to know about corporate standards ).
7. The innovative component of the business.
8. Other.

Internal weaknesses (W) include:

1. High business debt.
2. Lack of a development strategy.
3. Inefficient use of production assets.
4. Narrow range of products.
5. And so on.

The possibilities of the external environment (O) include:

1. Government support for the business sector or region.
2. Low competition in the business niche.
3. Growth in demand for products.
4. Increasing the availability of resources.
5. And so on.

The threats of the external environment (T) include:

1. Unfavorable economic situation in the region of presence.
2. Permanent competitive advantage over competitors.
3. Unfavorable shift in exchange rates.
4. Tightening tax laws.
5. And so on.

In our example SWOT analysis of the firm The Deputy General Manager for Property Management noted the following factors:

• S - the presence of a central dispatching service increases the quality of services by 15%, and the quality of accident elimination by 50%;
• W - belonging to a large international corporation imposes additional non-production tasks on reporting and compliance with policies on production. This reduces productivity by 12.2%;
• O - the development of real estate management technologies allows you to make a better product with less labor costs;
• T - the technical base of most commercial buildings and structures is becoming obsolete, new equipment is rarely put into operation. As a result, the risks of insured events increase.

The CFO noted the following indicators:

• S - the organization does not use loans in its work, as a result of which net profit is more by 2 - 4% per year;
• W - the additional burden of compliance with policies and regulations increases overhead costs by 10% per year;
• O - the volume of purchases and high competition in the markets of suppliers make it possible to obtain favorable conditions for the purchase of raw materials and services. For example, increase the payment terms up to 90 calendar days;
• T - tightening the tax policy carries an additional burden on the formation of reporting for each EP. The threat can be estimated at 2 million rubles. annually.

The commercial director noted the factors:

• S - the image of the company as a conscientious and professional service provider helps to win tenders for large contracts for complex property management;
• W - at the same time, the price of the company's services is above the market, which scares away some customers. The share of such clients is 35%;
• O - APLEONA HSG has a good chance of getting an international contract for servicing offices and factories of transcontinental customers operating in the Central region of Russia;
• T - due to the difficult state of the economy, the commercial real estate market in the Central region is stagnating. Contract prices are falling, often below cost.

The Human Resources Director noted the indicators:

• S - high qualification and low turnover of "blue collars" increases labor productivity by 10%;
• W - remuneration of personnel is on average higher than the market, which gives additional costs for the payroll of 50 million rubles. in year;
• O - thanks to the "white" terms of contracts, the company has a wide choice of specialists in the labor markets;
• T - the general decrease in the qualifications of specialists in the labor markets affects the company.

The technical director noted the factors:

• S - the presence of the CAFM system - an innovative tool for managing commercial real estate - allows you to increase work efficiency by 20%;
• W - material engineering base does not allow for a full range of maintenance services;
• O - customers have increased need for the constant presence of highly qualified engineers at the facility;
• T - competition in the market of engineering companies has increased, part of the market has been occupied by highly specialized companies with direct contracts with customers.

How to Use a SWOT Analysis for a CFO

SWOT analysis can be useful for making almost any managerial decision. Look at specific examples of how to use this technique correctly in your current work and when developing a strategy. In the article you will find examples of a SWOT analysis of a project using factoring services, building a SWOT matrix for a machine tool plant, as well as a SWOT analysis of a jewelry company.

Compiling a table and a SWOT analysis matrix

After you have written out the indicators in four lists by category, assign each indicator a significance. Use the opinions of experts.

table 2. Example of a project SWOT analysis table

Factor	Points (from 1 to 5)

Sort the indicators within the categories from largest to smallest and fill in the swt-matrix

Based on the collected and ranked factors, the following SWOT analysis matrix was obtained (see Figure 2).

Picture. Example of a SWOT Analysis Matrix

Analyzing the results

At the last stage, we identify the relationships between the indicators, in other words, we conduct a scenario analysis. To do this, all the factors of the internal environment are compared with the factors of the external environment. The intersection of indicators is a set of scenarios for the possible development of events for the company.

The following swt-analysis matrix is ​​compiled (example):

Scripts are written:

• "Weakness and Opportunities" - pay attention to how to correct the weaknesses of the business with the help of the opportunities of the external environment;
• "Weakness and Threats" - what needs to be done first of all so that threats from the external environment do not harm the business;
• "Strength and Opportunities" - how to maximize the use of competitive advantages in a favorable external environment;
• "Power and Threats" - how to maintain competitive advantages in the face of unfavorable developments.

The obtained results of the analysis can be safely introduced into the strategy of the organization's behavior and used in daily work.

In our sample swot analysis for APLEONA HSG, the following scenarios are considered and behavioral strategies are adopted:

I. Weakness: additional non-productive tasks in production

Opportunity: a wide choice of specialists in the labor markets

The impact on business is average.

The strategy is to improve the work of personnel services in order to find only highly qualified young personnel who are able to work quickly and solve various problems.

II. Weakness: the price of the company's services is higher than the market.

Threat: stagnation of the commercial real estate market.

The impact on business is heavy, close to critical.

Behavior strategy - search for new sales markets, including entry into the markets of the CIS countries.

III. Strength: High blue-collar skills and low turnover.

Opportunity: the need for the presence of engineers on site.

The degree of impact on business is average.

The strategy is to allocate additional savings to the customer from the presence of qualified personnel at the facility when concluding an agreement with the customer.

IV. Strength: the image of the company as a conscientious and professional performer

Threat: increased competition in the engineering companies market.

Business impact is moderate.

The development strategy is to constantly train the engineering staff, modernize the technical base in order to provide a full range of technical services to customers.

VIDEO: An example of a SWOT analysis of the financial condition of a company

How to make an analysis of the financial condition of an enterprise based on a SWOT analysis, see the video.

Conclusion

The analysis of the combination of external factors (opportunities and threats) of the company with its advantages and disadvantages (strengths and weaknesses) allows answering the following questions:

• how the company can use the available opportunities, relying on its strength, which of the opportunities will allow it to increase its competitiveness;
• what shortcomings in the company's work can prevent it from confronting threats during the implementation of the strategy, as well as limit its ability to take advantage of the available favorable external factors;
• what shortcomings in the work of the company can interfere.

The conclusions drawn on the basis of the swot-analysis of the company allow us to determine the main stages of the company's strategic planning in the long term.