Introduction Strategists seek to understand the overall position of the firm fro

Introduction
Strategists seek to understand the overall position of the firm from a variety of perspectives. One tool to accomplish this kind of complex analysis is a SWOT, which is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. These factors are evaluated to arrive at a more complete picture of an organization. The SWOT is probably the most used strategic management tool, and it can reveal hidden dangers and opportunities for an organization.
Strengths and weaknesses focus on the internal environment, while opportunities and threats are from external sources. Strategic planners must consider a variety of factors as they complete a SWOT analysis. Any factor can be either tangible or intangible. Strategic planners must consider a variety of factors as they complete a SWOT analysis. Ideally, your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats will paint a realistic picture of the organization and its environment.
Reading Assignment
KENTON, W. (2022, August 10). SWOT analysis: How to with table and example. analysis. Investopedia. Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/swot.asp
Olsen, E. (2021, May 4). Internal & external analysis. Retrieved from https://onstrategyhq.com/resources/internal-and-external-analysis/
Optional Video
SmartDraw. (2018, August 17). SWOT analysis – What is SWOT? Definition, examples, and how to do a SWOT analysis. [Video] YouTube. https://youtu.be/JXXHqM6RzZQ
Discussion Assignment
Review the material in in the Reading Assignment. Then, go to the discussion forum for Unit 3 and engage in a dialogue with your classmates by answering the following questions:
In a SWOT, how do internal factors (strengths, weaknesses) differ from external ones (opportunities, threats)?
Provide examples of when a firm’s strength might simultaneously be a weakness.
Remember that a SWOT is only one kind of tool. What are some of its limitations in diagnosing the situation of a firm?
Your Discussion should be at least 250 words in length, but not more than 750 words. Use APA citations and references for the textbook and any other sources used.
You are expected to make at least three posts to the discussion forum during the course of the discussion period.
Learning Journal
Assignment instructions
Complete a SWOT analysis for an organization that you work for (or have worked for) or if you have never worked for any organization/company choose one that you know well (perhaps your parents or relatives work for the organization/company).
Give a brief explanation about the organization/company i.e., the products or services, number of employees, etc. Create a SWOT chart to help organize your ideas. Refer to resources in the reading for an example of how to set up the SWOT chart.
Identify three strengths, three weaknesses, three opportunities, and three threats.
Evaluate the internal or external factors the company relies on to achieve its strategic goals and which is considered a competitive advantage.
Develop action plans to address weaknesses and threats while leveraging strengths and capturing opportunities.
What specific ideas from the SWOT are most important to overall strategy formulation for the organization and why?
Submission Instructions Your submission should be a minimum of 750 words and not more than 1250 words, not including a reference list. Use 12-point Times New Roman font, double space 1-inch margin.
Use high-quality, credible, relevant sources to develop ideas that are appropriate for the discipline and genre of the writing.
Use APA citations and references to support your work. For assistance with APA formatting, view the Learning Resource Center: Academic Writing.
Your assignment will be assessed by your instructor using the rubric available on the assignment page on the course homepage.