SWOT Analysis

planning framework

01 Definition

SWOT Analysis meaning: A framework listing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to guide strategy.

SWOT analysis organizes a business review into four areas: internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats. Teams use it to summarize a situation before making strategic decisions. It is a simple starting point, and its value depends on honest inputs and the actions taken afterward.

Also called

strengths weaknesses opportunities threats

Why it matters

How SWOT Analysis fits the work

SWOT gives teams a shared, quick structure for discussing where a business stands, which helps surface issues before committing to a plan.

In context

In its SWOT analysis, the bakery listed a loyal local following as a strength and a new supermarket chain nearby as a serious threat.

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Practical note

SWOT can become a vague list that leads nowhere. Keep entries specific and evidence based, and always turn the findings into concrete decisions and priorities.