MGT 450 Question

4

Week 3: SWOT Analysis

Theresa Osendorf University of Arizona Global Campus

MGT450: Strategic Planning for Organizations

Professor Robin McCart

September 27, 2021

The University of Arizona Global Campus is an online course offering institution operating at an international level. The institution has an internal and external environment in which the operations and existence of the institution take place. The internal environment is one of the most important elements that dictate the quality of the external environment the organization would have. Like any other organization, UAGC has some strong and weak areas in its internal and external environment. Fortunately, the institution is committed to improving its overall working environment as an effective strategy to achieve its organizational goals, mission, and vision. However, this has only been possible with the constant process of conducting a SWOT analysis to understand advantages to explore and challenges to improve.

The SWOT Analysis

S=Strengths

Strengths are the positive characteristics that the business or company possesses. These strengths are used to increase the competitive abilities of the business in the market (Abraham, 2021). UAGC has a series of strengths that can be used in handling the challenges identified. For instance, the institution has quality information systems that connect the students with the teaching staff despite their global location. The institution is a non-profit, which makes it highly competitive in the market compared to for-profit institutions. This classification benefits the institution because the facility can offer affordable courses (About UAGC, 2021). The third strength is that the institution has been able to attract high-quality tutors committed to providing students quality tutoring resources. These strengths help the facility to recover from its huge loss since once being a for-profit institution. The presence of qualified tutors will help address the issue of sidelining students with a learning disability since the tutors would offer quality services, thus attracting high levels of consumer satisfaction.

W-Weaknesses

Weaknesses are business characteristics that lower levels of competitive abilities, thereby increasing the institution’s vulnerability to challenges (Abraham, 2021). Weaknesses can come as current or hypothetical issues that may result from external or internal problems. One of the major weaknesses the UAGC is facing is that despite the facility leadership detecting errors like illegal students’ enrollment, limited action has been taken against the individuals directly involved (Hernandez, 2020). This is a direct way that the leadership encourages malpractices to take place. The weaknesses have only made the challenges remain persistent.

The University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC) has dealt with several other issues that have harmed its credibility. One of the institution’s issues is a decline in income due to enrollment issues. Before the agreement, Ashford’s membership declined, falling from 40,097 students in June 2018 to 34,395 two years later. According to Dave Wells, the institute’s research director, Ashford is an unscrupulous university with a history of students dropping out or transferring large amounts of debt. Student success at Ashford University is similarly relatively poor. Its accrediting agency, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), issued a formal letter of concern in 2019 due to its low performance. Also, Only 4% of teachers are full-time, and full-time instructors teach only 10% of courses. The University has had a reputation of low academic achievement, with most students dropping out or transferring, leaving them with unpaid federal loans and no diploma.

O=Opportunities

Opportunities are the available changes in the external environment that the institution can explore to expand its competitive edge and attain long and short-term goals (Abraham, 2021). At UAGC, a significant opportunity is that they have global technology. This technology appeals to students who seek online courses because they are flexible, convenient, and cost-effective. The reality that the institution offers international online courses means that the institution can take advantage of the evolving and shaping opportunity to expand and attain desired goals and objectives (About UAGC, 2021). This opportunity would create room for all people desiring to pursue quality education with UAGC, thereby eliminating the illegal enrollment challenge. The opportunity would also expose the institution to many students with learning disabilities, hence creating the need to create their specific forum where they can be offered special programs, care, and attention.

Another opportunity is that the University is now affiliated with the highly recognized University of Arizona. Therefore, UAGC should be able to attract and retain full-time quality instructors. Thus, the instructors and administration will be able to hold students accountable for their performance and financial status. They should come up with regulations and policies about poor performance and those with financial debts. I would also recommend that the University use the relationship with The University of Arizona to its advantage and invest more in its branding and marketing to reach out to a significant population. This will help them increase the enrollment rates and increase their revenue rates.

T=Threats

Threats are glaring elements in the environment that can cause trouble to the institution. A significant threat is increasing competition in the online teaching platform, as many institutions embrace online technology (About UAGC, 2021). The second threat is the increasing policies in different countries on how online courses should be offered and their credibility in ensuring that students learn and attain the necessary skills, abilities, and talents. Finally, a third threat is the unknown future of the economy post the COVID crisis. Nevertheless, these threats can be handled by upgrading operating policies and course content to ensure that it has no match or is equal to the competitors, maintaining affordable tuition, and being conscious of budgetary constraints.

In conclusion, engaging in the SWOT analysis has been a beneficial task as it has revealed some significant findings that would help reach a logical solution to the challenges. For instance, the results have helped in understanding that the facility has great professionals who can make the right decisions if only the proper policies and culture are put in place. The best strategy would be upgrading the facility to full-time and having new leadership guidelines, rules, and procedures in place.

References

Abraham, S. C. (2012). Strategic Management for Organizations. Retrieved September 25, 2021, from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUMGT450.12.2/sections/copyright.

About UAGC: Uagc: University of Arizona Global Campus. UAGC. (2021). Retrieved September 12, 2021, from https://www.uagc.edu/about.

Hernandez, R. (2020, December 9). Analysis finds ethical issues with newly formed University of Arizona Global Campus. KJZZ. Retrieved September 12, 2021, from https://kjzz.org/content/1641785/analysis-finds-ethical-issues-newly-formed-university-arizona-global-campus.