1. Strategic Analysis for Healthcare
Chapter 17
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2. SWOT: Internal Strengths and Weaknesses
As we discussed in Chapter 9, SWOT analysis looks at a company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
It brings together information from various analyses to help form a cohesive assessment of the company.
SWOT does not identify particular strategies, but it identifies issues that may need to be strategically addressed.
The SWOT analysis is split into two dimensions: internal issues and external issues.
In Chapter 9, we examined the external factors—opportunities and threats (OT). In this chapter, we will look at the internal strengths and weaknesses (SW).
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3. SWOT: Internal Strengths and Weaknesses
A strength can be thought of as any internal attribute of the organization that is helpful in achieving corporate objectives.
Strengths have positive impacts on your organization’s profitability and competitive well-being.
Positive impacts could involve such conditions as strong cash position, effective corporate culture, or superior manufacturing capability.
Copyright © 2016 Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Not for sale.

4. SWOT: Internal Strengths and Weaknesses
A weakness can be thought of as any internal attribute of the organization that is a hindrance in achieving corporate objectives.
Weaknesses pose obstacles to your organization’s profitability and competitive well-being.
Such obstacles could be in the same categories as the issues mentioned above—for instance, poor cash position, weak corporate culture, or inferior manufacturing capability.
Copyright © 2016 Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Not for sale.

5. SWOT: Internal Strengths and Weaknesses
To begin the SW portion of your SWOT, first focus on the internal factors that, either now or in the future, could impact your organization.
Consider the critical success factors that pertain to your organization’s environment.
This information should draw upon your research about the organization in particular, as well as the industry and external environment in general.
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6. SWOT: Internal Strengths and Weaknesses
You have previously assessed these issues to develop your financial ratio analysis, BCG matrix, GE matrix, McKinsey 7S analysis, life cycle analysis, and organizational culture analysis.
Your Porter’s five forces analysis, PEST analysis, and competitive benchmark analysis may provide additional clues.
A publicly traded company’s Security and Exchange Commission filings—such as the annual report, 10-K, and 10-Q—can also provide a clue.
Review all those analyses and identify the issues that could become a competitive threat or could create a competitive opportunity for your organization.
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7. SWOT: Internal Strengths and Weaknesses
Typically, you should identify about ten strengths and ten weaknesses.
Note again that you are not proposing strategies or solutions here.
You are identifying critical issues that will need to be addressed in subsequent strategy development sections.
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8. Exercise Divide the class into groups.
Complete the external portion of the SWOT analysis for your project organization in the space provided in your book.
Be sure to review your previous analyses and consider the critical success factors in the industry.
What are the implications for strategy?
The issues you identify in this exercise will be used to complete the IFE in the next chapter and later will be transferred into the TOWS strategy development chart in Chapter 24.
Copyright © 2016 Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Not for sale.