The SWOT Analysis Activity(1)

SWOT Analysis Activity

Consider one of the following when completing your own SWOT analysis:

· The organization or workgroup/team in which you currently work

· A previous organization or workgroup/team where you worked in the past

· An organization or workgroup/team where a friend or family member who is able and willing to work with you to complete the SWOT analysis

With one of the above in mind complete an individual SWOT analysis based on your experience or that of a family member/friend.

To do so, follow the steps below:

1. Use the matrix on the next page to compile strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

2. Rank the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that you identified in the matrix in a separate list.

3. Develop a training goal based on highest ranked (most important) need identified in each of the four areas.

Use the worksheet below.

STEP 1A: Organization/Group/Team (provide a brief description below):

International Paper: I worked here over summer helping with manufacturing paper products to create packaging to safeguard goods. The products the company made are heavily depended on people throughout the world while using ecofriendly material while operating sustainable to help strengthen the community around us.

STEP 1B: Complete the matrix below.

	Strengths	Weaknesses
Internal	- Strong Management - Technology - Size advantage - Cost advantage - Eco-Friendly - High growth rate	- Customer service - High investment in research and development - Bad press of deforesting - Pollution
	Opportunities	Threats
External	- Online market from the internet created a high demand for paper goods - International expansion - New products on the market - Emerging markets in new expanded regions	- Mass media of bad press of paper consumption - Intense competition - Substitute products - Government regulations of enforcing environmental laws

STEP 2: Rank Order

(list in order starting with the most important/critical on top for each area)

Strengths

1. Strong Management

2. High growth rate

3. Cost advantage

4. Technology

5. Eco-Friendly

6. Size advantage

Weaknesses

1. Pollution

2. Bad press of deforesting

3. High investment in research and development

4. Customer service

Opportunities

1. International expansion

2. Online market from the internet created a high demand for paper goods

3. Emerging markets in new expanded regions

4. New products on the market

Threats

1. Government regulations of enforcing environmental laws

2. Mass media of bad press of paper consumption

3. Intense competition

4. Substitute products

STEP 3: Identify Training Goal

Strength

Greatest strength identified: Strong Management

· Having a strong management is essential for any company to be successful to be able to reach its full potential by utilizing the strengths while minimalizing the weaknesses. By having a strong management, you can create a long-term impact on the company by creating a great structure for the company. The strong management leads to better strategic decision making processes while also creating a greater profitability margin. Having strong management adds value to the company by having leaders to be able to guide the company in the right direction to be able to create a sustainable future with high profitability.

Affiliated training goal:

· The affiliated goal international paper participated in to create a strong management was that every supervisor and upper level position member had to attend weekly meetings. In these meetings involved different sectors of the company talking about the field of the company and the demographics, purchase frequency, sales data, and awareness. After this meeting upper level positions were evaluated by the manufacturing manager and during this assessment they determined which upper level managers needed more training. The training goal for creating a strong management is to be able to lead and create effective motivators that will lead to an increase of a productive staff. Having well trained management causes increased productivity that will reduce workplace conflict. The affiliated training goal behind a strong management is to be able to create a strong foundation for the company that they can control and direct the workplace and resources by being the backbone of the company.

Weakness

Greatest weakness identified: Pollution

· Pollution is a huge weakness for this field because in the era in which we live in our system looks down on companies producing pollution due to how harmful and destructive to the environment they can be. This could lead to bad press from the media that could hurt the company by giving it a bad reputation. With the ability for companies to switch products to look out for the sustainability for the future other firms can switch services for the better of the community. All these factors can ultimately lead to a decrease use in paper goods due to the raw material being manufactured causing pollution and being harmful for the environment.

Affiliated training goal:

· The main training goal International Paper used to help reduce the pollution problem was consistently having machine clean ups,

warehouse inspections, and having electrical engineers look at the wiring. With these goals of having inspections and clean ups International paper was able to become eco-friendly and using recycled paper in order to create their products. With heavily investing in research and development international paper was able to create the best paper product by having the best technology used to create the least amount of pollution possible. The affiliated training goal International paper valued was team clean up and during these clean ups employees were able to inspect the machinery used for the manufactured products. With these valued goals International paper is able to avoid bad press for the deforestation in America and contributing to pollution. By investing in research and implementing clean up inspections international paper is able to minimize this weakness by developing eco-friendly products and creating the development of technology that reduces pollution.

Opportunity

Greatest opportunity identified: International expansion

· International expansion is one of the greatest opportunities for Paper plants because they can create new opportunities to increase the sales of the company. Many companies are looking to grow their companies fast by looking to move over seas by having a diverse revenue income. International expansion is key for companies to grow and become a super company by getting their company out there on a global scale and be recognized all across the globe. International expansions can be a success story if done right by targeting new regions and creating new markets that will lead to new streams of revenue from diverse revenue income across the globe.

Affiliated training goal:

· The training goal International paper partook in for creating an international expansion was targeting nearby countries. They started by targeting Mexico and south American countries to start their international expansions. The training goal behind this was targeting countries with lower production and cost rates that had fewer regulations. By this they were able to maximize their profits. The affiliated training goal for International Paper was mapping out and planning on how to target these markets by strategically analyzing the data of the demographics, purchase frequency and the data of the market. With this training goal International paper was bale to successfully able internationally expand to 24 countries across the globe from North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. From the training goal of creating a structured plan of targeting countries international paper was able to successfully create high revenue with operational excellence in their manufacturing operation by creating superior products and expanding their marketing through international expansion.

Threat

Greatest threat identified: Government regulations of enforcing environmental laws

· With a change in government rules and regulations can create a burden for company by implanting new taxes and safety regulations. With these new environmental laws companies invest a lot of time and effort in research and development to create the best product possible. New regulations can lead to a decrease in the consumption of paper goods and lead to an alternate new product to be used for companies. These regulations or laws can be harmful to companies and ultimately lead to a decrease in paper goods in order to create a sustainable future.

Affiliated training goal:

· The affiliated training goal behind regulations and laws getting implemented is to create a plan in order to meet these regulations by creating a product that is eco-friendly. International paper invested a lot of money in research and development in order to meet the regulations by the government. Training goals for this field is to assess the raw materials for manufacturing and coming up with a plan to create a sustainable pollute free future. This threat is very important for the company because with this threat it could hinder how much success this company can gain. With this threat the investment of research and development helps create the best technology and eco friendly materials in order to meet the regulations requirements.