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SWOT & TOWS ANALYSIS
Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis
AND
TOWS Matrix Analysis
School of Business, Liberty University
Author Note
By submitting this assignment, I attest this submission represents my own work, and not that of
another student, scholar, or internet source. I understand I am responsible for knowing and
correctly utilizing referencing and bibliographical guidelines.
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SWOT & TOWS ANALYSIS
Abstract
Tools used in management and personal lives are useful. Management needs to be well versed in
as many tools as they can be. The strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis is a
tool to show what aspects are dominant in areas of our lives. When areas are narrowed down,
people can focus on specific items instead of analyzing all of them at once. Using the SWOT
matrix analysis, individuals will learn the different areas of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities,
and threats as well as how they complement each other. It also shows how using one category
with another can neutralized issues or even fix them. The matrix can also show areas that need to
be visited often to ensure they are improving and not becoming an issue. These tools are helpful
if revisited to evaluate and make changes as needed. Using tools like strength, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats analysis, and TOWS matrix analysis has been shown to be useful.
Keywords: strength, weaknesses, opportunities, threats
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TEAM MANAGEMENT
SWOT and TOWS
Introduction
Using strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis and TOWS matrix
strategies are valuable tools in the workplace and personally. "The TOWS analysis has been
widely applied to identify strategies" (Asadpourian et al., 2020, p. 300). This is how it can be
helpful in both professional and personal lives. "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is
genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have
failed the test of genuine faith" (2 Corinthians 13:5, New Living Translation). It is noted in the
Bible that people should be evaluating themselves to see where they are at in life. Having skills
to evaluate oneself is always beneficial.
Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis
A strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis is a valuable tool to
be using in our professional careers. “SWOT analysis, a commonly used tool for strategic
planning, is traditionally a form of brainstorming” (Phadermrod et al., 2019, p. 194). It helps us
evaluate where we are professionally. It will also assist us in predicting what could happen going
forward in our work lives. Having another's perspective on some of the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats analysis questions can be helpful. It gives me another perspective I
may have not seen. A strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis should be done
every six months or when a notable change happens. This can assure we are moving towards our
goals and show us any areas we need improvement in or more education or enrichment. I found
taking a SWOT self-analysis test very inciteful. The following paragraphs are my thoughts and
takeaways.
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Strengths
The first strength I would say is my degree. My background in nonprofit work, my
degrees in youth development, my masters in human services, and pursuing my Ph.D. in
leadership, they are a good fit for my path. One of my other strengths is my perspective. I have a
unique perspective than others because of my disabilities. I also have good interpersonal skills. I
am also good at seeing the little things others can miss. I have good follow-through and I also do
what I say I am going to do, which makes me dependable and reliable.
Weaknesses
One of my weaknesses is I can overthink things. Another can be my directness, which
others can perceive as threatening or intimidating. My forward personality needs to be done in a
particular way not to intimidate others (Lam et al., 2019). I do not have much upper management
experience.
Opportunities
One of my opportunities is having Vocational Rehabilitation to assist with my degree
seeking. Additionally, other opportunities have been the different kinds of nonprofit work I have
done. I have been involved in it from housing, businesses starting, youth, community
enrichment, and providing basic needs for the community standpoint. Currently, I do not have
many opportunities to take up because I have just relocated. However, I will be looking for
opportunities to volunteer in the community soon.
Threats
One of my treats is I am disabled. One of my disabilities can easily cut me off from
others, which makes employers unsure of how to work with me. Another threat is the fact I am
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also currently on a fixed income that comes with its own limitations. Furthermore, I moved to an
area that I am not familiar with, which can become a threat in the future.
TOWS Matrix Strategies
After doing the strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis, it helps guide
completing a TOWS matrix. Completing the TOWS matrix shows how to use strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats with and against each other. There may be a threat that
can be neutralized with a strength or opportunity.
SO Strategy
My strengths and opportunities strategy are to keep pursuing my education. As a disabled
person, education is going to be an advantage for me. My strengths are having degrees and being
able to keep pursuing them, which is afforded to me because of my vocational rehabilitation
opportunity that help me with books and tuition. Another part of my strength that plays into the
opportunity of utilizing vocational rehabilitation is that I enjoy the challenge of school and
learning things that will aid in my future.
WO Strategy
My weakness and opportunities strategy is to use opportunities afforded to me for more
than just education, which can assist me in other areas. With my issue of overthinking
interactions or situations, opportunities can help me find resources to help me deal with those
kinds of things. Vocational Rehabilitation is something that I will be able to turn to when I
realize other weaknesses or when new weaknesses arise. Vocational Rehabilitation will help me
teach employers that I am not a weakness for their company.
ST Strategy
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My strength and threat strategy are to keep going with my education. The threat of
employers not knowing or wanting to work with me is a real fear. Suppose I am able to apply for
positions and have more education compared to other applicants. In scenario mentioned, I will
hopefully show that, despite my hearing loss, I am a qualified candidate. Another outcome for
this will be showing that disabilities do not mean people cannot have a high level of education.
Furthermore, I want to show I am employable in any position and at any level.
WT Strategy
For my weakness and threat strategy, I can use my weakness of overthinking things and
apply it to my threat of being disabled. I can utilize it by overthinking situations, interaction, etc.
from every perspective in order to have answers or solutions for how my disability can become a
strength. Using this type of thinking can be implemented outside of myself and be applied to
work situations. Overthinking can allow me to provide employers with strategies or solutions to
combat issues.
Conclusion
Completing the strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis provided me
with no surprises. Once I did the TOWS matrix, it showed me how to use each category for and
against each other. One takeaway was that I could use my weaknesses and threats to turn them
into strengths and opportunities. The SWOT analysis and TOWS matrix is a tool I will continue
to use.
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References
Asadpourian, Z., Rahimian, M., & Gholamrezai, S. (2020). SWOT-AHP-tows analysis for
sustainable ecotourism development in the Best Area in Lorestan Province, Iran.HSocial
Indicators Research,H152(1), 289–315. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-020-02438-0H
Holy bible new living translation. (2021). DaySpring; Candace Cameron Bure
Lam, C. F., Lee, C., & Sui, Y. (2019). Say it as it is: Consequences of voice directness, voice
politeness, and voicer credibility on voice endorsement.HJournal of Applied
Psychology,H104(5), 642–658. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000358
Phadermrod, B., Crowder, R. M., & Wills, G. B. (2019). Importance-performance analysis based
SWOT analysis.HInternational Journal of Information Management,H44, 194–203.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2016.03.009H
