Question

Identifying strategic issues occurs after conducting the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis. Although planners will generally all be looking at the same information (from the SWOT), there are differing opinions on which issues classify as being strategic in nature. Within the specific context of this process, what are some techniques that you would implement in more effectively identifying strategic issues and coming to consensus on how to approach them? Are there any techniques that should be avoided? Why, or why not? Consider the tension, uncertainty, and existing priorities that inevitably exist throughout a strategic planning team in crafting your response.

Answer 1

The SWOT analysis is a snapshot which serves as an input for taking a strategic decision. The SWOT analysis is not accurate by itself . It is only accurate if the inputs are accurately captured from other models. Let us look at each of the four points .

Strengths - This is an internal assessment of the company and may not mean much .

Weaknesses - This is again an internal assessment. Also there is a cost of removing weaknesses. It may not be relevant to overcome all weaknesses together.

Opportunities - The opportunities need to derived by carrying out the PESTLE analysis first . PESTLE analysis is an environmental analysis which looks at the following scenarios - Political,Legal, Social, Technological, Environmental and Economic. This would also define threats as well .

Threats - The threats should only be derived from doing competition analysis. Competition analysis is done using the Porter’s Five Forces Model which gives an idea about the competitor position as well as the threats from buyers and suppliers.

To summarise the same SWOT analysis does not present a true picture in itself . It has to be derived from other models like PESTLE and Porter’s Five Forces model to give a correct position.

To build a great strategy all models have to be used together.

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