SWOT ANALYSIS

SWOT ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK



A SWOT analysis compares the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of any situation. It is an effective tool for business to use to work out what they do well and what could be improved. It may be the study of the following in the context of a business or a company:
 Special/unique abilities.
 New/proprietary technology that may benefit or threaten the business.
 Changes in the economy (positive or negative).
 Requirement for or loss of key personnel.
 Access or lack of access to critical materials.
 Changes in government policies or regulations.
 Availability or lack of availability of capital.
 Transportation or communication changes (cost or availability).
 Market entry of new competitors.
 Social or environmental changes.

A SWOT analysis is the first piece of analysis to be undertaken when developing a business or marketing plan. SWOT analysis is a tool for auditing an organisation and its environment. It is the first stage of planning. It is a methodology of examining potential strategies derived from the synthesis of organisational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It helps to refine the current strategies or generation of new strategies can be made. It is a very effective way of identifying the strengths and weaknesses, and of examining the opportunities and threats that a business faces. It helps a strategist in focusing the activities underlining the areas where the business is in strong positions and where the greatest opportunities will be available, to the business.
Firms need to perform a knowledge-based SWOT analysis, mapping their knowledge resources and capabilities against their strategic opportunities and threats to better understand their points of advantage and weakness. SWOT analysis help firms define their strategies in the context of fluctuating and competitive environments.This analysis will help a business to focus and build strengths, minimise weaknesses, maximise its opportunities and mitigate any weaknesses and is the foundation of any business plan or marketing plan. Strengths and Weaknesses are internal analyses; Opportunities and Threats are external analyses.

Basic questions of SWOT Analysis are:—

(1) How to find the strengths an organisation has that they can exploit against their competitors to win more customers?
(2) How to find weaknesses that need to be improved and ignore those that don't require investment?
(3) How to find all the untapped market opportunities available for a business to exploit?
(4) How to ensure that any threats to the business are taken account of in all action plans a business develops?
(5) How to implement focused action plans based upon the analysis undertaken that ensures that any investment made in the business is targeted to pulling in additional profitable customers?


The various components of SWOT are explained briefly as under:—

Strengths:
Every organisation has some strength for example, may be the dominant market shares.
To evaluate the strengths of a company, the following questions (samples only) are generally asked for and the answers to the questions in a positive form will definitely indicate the sources of strength of the so called company:

• What are the major sources from which the company earns revenue and profit?

• What is the market share the company is enjoying in respect to its various products?

• Does the company have strong brand image and also branded products?

• Are the marketing, advertising and after sales service effective?

• Does the company have skilled mangers?

• Is the morale of the employees high?

• What is the weighted average cost of capital, in the context of financial break-even point?

• Does the company’s information technology is effective enough?

• Does the company manage its inventories efficiently?

• Is the company adaptable to fast change in the environment?

• Does the company has the ability to innovate as quickly as possible as compared to its competitors?

• How the company handles competition?


Weaknesses:
Each organisation also has some weakness, for example, may be a stricter regulatory environment. To analyse the weaknesses of a company, the following questions are generally asked (samples only) and answers to these questions, will guide a company to locate its weaknesses:

• What products/product lines are the least profitable for the company?

• what are the areas in which the company is unable to recover costs?

• Is there any weak brand ?

• Is the marketing function improper?

• Is the company not focused properly as compared to its main competitors?

• Is the company capable of hiring cream employees?

• Is the company able to mobilse money at the nick of time?

• Is the company in a position to cope with the sudden changes in price by its competitors?

• Has the company been able to bring new ideas and products to the market place?

• Do employees feel facilitated to perform their best?

• Are the employees faithful to management?

• Are the corporate governance standards high enough?

• Is the company losing out to competitors on the technology front?

Opportunities
All organisations have some opportunities that they can gain from, may be for an example diversification in the related or unrelated field.
To analyse the opportunities for a company, the following questions (samples only) may be asked and the answers to the questions will indicate the opportunities:

• What is the competitive position of the company?

• Are there new technologies that the company can use to innovate new products at lower costs?

• Are there real opportunities to extend brands into related fields?

• Are there any inexpensive acquisition opportunities?

• Is there any scope for implementation of incentive plans to boost the employee performance?

• Can the company spread its activities/ business internationally?

• Can quality of operations, products and inventory management be improved without
incurring much higher cost?

• Can the company move up the value chain?

• Is there an opportunity to demand better prices from suppliers?

• Is the time right for upstream or downstream diversification?

• Can the company get more predictable cash flows by establishing better relations with customers?

Threats:
No organisation is immune to threats and these could be internal, such as fall in the productivity or they could be external, such as lower price charged by the competitors. The answers to the following questions (samples only) will give an idea about the threats the company is facing:

• Does the company have sufficient reserves to withstand sudden changes in the environment?

• What is the extent of regulation in the industry?

• Is there any trade union move that could have an adverse effect on the activities of the company?

• Do the products of the company have enough brand equity to withstand price competition?

• Is there any international competition that will eat away the market share?

• Are employees adequately trained and motivated to perform the desired tasks?

• Is the company facing financials crisis ?

• Is the company adaptable to technological changes?

• Are the margins of the company inadequate?

• Is the volume of sales decreasing?

The implementation of SWOT analysis involves the following six important steps:

First Step : A proper scanning of the environment.
Second Step : The identification of possible actions.
Third Step : The external analysis of opportunities and threats.
Fourth Step : Internal analysis of strengths and weaknesses.
Fifth Step : Classification of possible actions (Strategic Guidelines).
Sixth Step : Evaluation of a strategy.


Advantages of SWOT Analysis
SWOT Analysis is instrumental in strategy formulation and selection. It is a strong tool, but it involves a great subjective element. It is best when used as a guide, and not as a prescription. Successful businesses build on their strengths, correct their weakness and protect against internal weaknesses and external threats. They also keep a watch on their overall business environment and recognize and exploit new opportunities faster than its competitors.
SWOT Analysis helps in strategic planning in following manner-
a. It is a source of information for strategic planning.
b. Builds organization’s strengths.
c. Reverse its weaknesses.
d. Maximize its response to opportunities.
e. Overcome organization’s threats.
f. It helps in identifying core competencies of the firm.
g. It helps in setting of objectives for strategic planning.
h. It helps in knowing past, present and future so that by using past and current data, future plans can be chalked out.
SWOT Analysis provide information that helps in synchronizing the firm’s resources and capabilities with the competitive environment in which the firm operates.


Limitations of SWOT Analysis
SWOT Analysis is not free from its limitations. It may cause organizations to view circumstances as very simple because of which the organizations might overlook certain key strategic contact which may occur. Moreover, categorizing aspects as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats might be very subjective as there is great degree of uncertainty in market. SWOT Analysis does stress upon the significance of these four aspects, but it does not tell how an organization can identify these aspects for itself.
There are certain limitations of SWOT Analysis which are not in control of management. These include-
a. Price increase;
b. Inputs/raw materials;
c. Government legislation;
d. Economic environment;
e. Searching a new market for the product which is not having overseas market due to import restrictions; etc.
Internal limitations may include-
a. Insufficient research and development facilities;
b. Faulty products due to poor quality control;
c. Poor industrial relations;
d. Lack of skilled and efficient labour; etc


Conclusion

It is not sufiicient for the company to identify its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats only, but to go into deep to take necessary actions to reduce to a great extent or avoid both weaknesses and threats, wherever possible. Weaknesses should be looked at in order to convert them into strengths. Similarly, threats should be converted into opportunities. Finally, strengths and opportunities should be matched in such a manner, so that it will maximise the shareholders wealth as well as the potentialities of a company.

Importance of SWOT Analysis for the Students:-

Just like is business SWOT Analysis can be implemented by students to do well in their respective examinations.

Strength and Weakness are the internal Factors : Like very good in certain subjects (Strength) a little weak in certain subject (Weakness). Good at Practical part (Strength). Not so good at theoritical part (Weakness).

Oppurtunities and Threats are external factors: Like more objectives in certain papers (Oppurtunity). Unpredictability of question pattern (Threat).

I have always beleived to be successful in any field of Life, be it Business, Studies or Sports or anything else, Planning is most Important. And to plan properly we have to do SWOT Analysis of Factors surrounding us.

Hope this will make the concept more clear to you and all of you will implement this topic which you study in your subjects in your real life situation.

Regards
Rajasekhar Praharaju

Chicago, 11th September 1893 by Vivekananda

Response to Welcome At The World’s Parliament of Religions
Chicago, 11th September 1893

Sisters and Brothers of America, It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. l thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank you in the name of the millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects. My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to the southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings:

As the different streams having there sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world, of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita:

Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to Me.

Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

Education in the Vision of Swami Vivekananda

Education in the Vision of Swami Vivekananda

Introduction

Swami Vivekananda (1863 – 1902), a great thinker and reformer of India, embraces education, which for him signifies ‘man-making’, as the very mission of his life. In this paper, which purports to expound and analyze Vivekananda’s views on education, an endeavor has been made to focus on the basic theme of his philosophy, viz. the spiritual unity of the universe. Whether it concerns the goal or aim of education, or its method of approach or its component parts, all his thoughts, we shall observe, stem from this dormant theme of his philosophy which has its moorings in Vedanta.

Vivekananda realizes that mankind is passing through a crisis. The tremendous emphasis on the scientific and mechanical ways of life is fast reducing man to the status of a machine. Moral and religious values are being undermined. The fundamental principles of civilization are being ignored. Conflicts of ideals, manners and habits are pervading the atmosphere. Disregard for everything old is the fashion of the day. Vivekananda seeks the solutions of all these social and global evils through education. With this end in view, he feels the dire need of awakening man to his spiritual self wherein, he thinks, lies the very purpose of education.

The Goal or Objective of Education
Vivekananda points out that the defect of the present-day education is that it has no definite goal to pursue. A sculptor has a clear idea about what he wants to shape out of the marble block; similarly, a painter knows what he is going to paint. But a teacher, he says, has no clear idea about the goal of his teaching. Swamiji attempts to establish, through his words and deeds, that the end of all education is man making. He prepares the scheme of this man-making education in the light of his over-all philosophy of Vedanta. According to Vedanta, the essence of man lies in his soul, which he possesses in addition to his body and mind. In true with this philosophy, Swamiji defines education as ‘the manifestation of the perfection already in man.’ The aim of education is to manifest in our lives the perfection, which is the very nature of our inner self. This perfection is the realization of the infinite power which resides in everything and every-where-existence, consciousness and bliss (satchidananda). After understanding the essential nature of this perfection, we should identify it with our inner self. For achieving this, one will have to eliminate one’s ego, ignorance and all other false identification, which stand in the way. Meditation, fortified by moral purity and passion for truth, helps man to leave behind the body, the senses, the ego and all other non-self elements, which are perishable. He thus realizes his immortal divine self, which is of the nature of infinite existence, infinite knowledge and infinite bliss.

At this stage, man becomes aware of his self as identical with all other selves of the universe, i.e. different selves as manifestations of the same self. Hence education, in Vivekananda’s sense, enables one to comprehend one’s self within as the self everywhere. The essential unity of the entire universe is realized through education. Accordingly, man making for Swamiji stands for rousing mans to the awareness of his true self. However, education thus signified does not point towards the development of the soul in isolation from body and mind. We have to remember that basis of Swamiji’s philosophy is Advaita which preaches unity in diversity. Therefor, man making for him means a harmonious development of the body, mind and soul.

In his scheme of education, Swamiji lays great stress on physical health because a sound mind resides in a sound body. He often quotes the Upanishadic dictum ‘nayamatma balahinena labhyah’; i.e. the self cannot be realized by the physically weak. However, along with physical culture, he harps on the need of paying special attention to the culture of the mind. According to Swamiji, the mind of the students has to be controlled and trained through meditation, concentration and practice of ethical purity. All success in any line of work, he emphasizes, is the result of the power of concentration. By way of illustration, he mentions that the chemist in the laboratory concentrates all the powers of his mind and brings them into one focus-the elements to be analyzed-and finds out their secrets. Concentration, which necessarily implies detachment from other things, constitutes a part of Brahmacharya, which is one of the guiding mottos of his scheme of education. Brahmacharya, in a nutshell, stands for the practice of self-control for securing harmony of the impulses. By his philosophy of education, Swamiji thus brings it home that education is not a mere accumulation of information but a comprehensive training for life. To quote him: ‘Education is not the amount of information that is put into your brain and runs riot there undigested, all your life.’ Education for him means that process by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, and intellect is sharpened, as a result of which one can stand on one’s own feet.

Method or Procedure
Having analyzed the goal or objective of education, the next question that naturally arises is about the method of imparting education. Here again, we note the Vedantic foundation of Swamiji’s theory. According to him, knowledge is inherent in every man’s soul. What we mean when we say that a man ‘knows’ is only what he ‘discovers’ by taking the cover off his own soul. Consequently, he draws our attention to the fact that the task of the teacher is only to help the child to manifest its knowledge by removing the obstacles in its way. In his words: ‘Thus Vedanta says that within man is all knowledge even in a boy it is so and it requires only an awakening and that much is the work of a teacher.’ To drive his point home, he refers to the growth of a plant. Just as in the case of a plant, one cannot do anything more than supplying it with water, air and manure while it grows from within its own nature, so is the case with a human child. Vivekananda’s method of education resembles the heuristic method of the modern educationists. In this system, the teacher invokes the spirit of inquiry in the pupil who is supposed to find out things for himself under the bias-free guidance of the teacher.

Swamiji lays a lot of emphasis on the environment at home and school for the proper growth of the child. The parents as well as the teachers should inspire the child by the way they live their lives. Swamiji recommends the old institution of gurukula (living with the preceptor) and similar systems for the purpose. In such systems, the students can have the ideal character of the teacher constantly before them, which serves as the role model to follow.

Although Swamiji is of the opinion that mother tongue is the right medium for social or mass education, he prescribes the learning of English and Sanskrit also. While English is necessary for mastering Western science and technology, Sanskrit leads one into the depths of our vast store of classics. The implication is that if language does not remain the privilege of a small class of people, social unity will march forward unhampered.

Fields of Study
Vivekananda, in his scheme of education, meticulously includes all those studies, which are necessary for the all-around development of the body, mind and soul of the individual. These studies can be brought under the broad heads of physical culture, aesthetics, classics, language, religion, science and technology. According to Swamiji, the culture values of the country should form an integral part of the curriculum of education. The culture of India has its roots in her spiritual values. The time-tested values are to be imbibed in the thoughts and lives of the students through the study of the classics like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gita, Vedas and Upanishads. This will keep the perennial flow of our spiritual values into the world culture.

Education, according to Swamiji, remains incomplete without the teaching of aesthetics or fine arts. He cites Japan as an example of how the combination of art and utility can make a nation great.

Swamiji reiterates that religion is the innermost core of education. However, by religion, he does not mean any particular kind of it but its essential character, which is the realization of the divinity already in man. He reminds us time and again that religion does not consist in dogmas or creeds or any set of rituals. To be religious for him means leading life in such a way that we manifest our higher nature, truth, goodness and beauty, in our thoughts, words and deeds. All impulses, thoughts and actions which lead one towards this goal are naturally ennobling and harmonizing, and are ethical and moral in the truest sense. It is in this context that Swamiji’s idea of religion, as the basis of education should be understood. We note that in his interpretation, religion and education share the identity of purpose.

Why religion forms the very foundation of education becomes clear in his following words: ‘In building up character, in making for everything that is good and great, in bringing peace to others, and peace to one’s own self, religion is the highest motive power, and, therefore, ought to be studied from that standpoint. Swamiji believes that if education with its religious core can invigorate man’s faith in his divine nature and the infinite potentialities of the human soul, it is sure to help man become strong, yet tolerant and sympathetic. It will also help man to extend his love and good will beyond the communal, national and racial barriers.

It is a misinterpretation of Vivekananda’s philosophy of education to think that he has overemphasized the role of spiritual development to the utter neglect of the material side. Vivekananda, in his plan for the regeneration of India, repeatedly presses the need for the eradication of poverty, unemployment and ignorance. He says, We need technical education and all else which may develop industries, so that men, instead of seeking for service, may earn enough to provide for them-selves, and save something against a rainy day. He feels it necessary that India should take from the Western nations all that is good in their civilization. However, just like a person, every nation has its individuality, which should not be destroyed. The individuality of India lies in her spiritual culture. Hence in Swamiji’s view, for the development of a balanced nation, we have to combine the dynamism and scientific attitude of the West with the spirituality of our country. The entire educational program should be so planned that it equips the youth to contribute to the material progress of the country as well as to maintaining the supreme worth of India’s spiritual heritage.

Another important aspect of Swamiji’s scheme of education is women’s education. He realizes that it if the women of our country get the right type of education, then they will be able to solve their own problems in their own way. The main objective of his scheme of female education is to make them strong, fear-less, and conscious of their chastity and dignity. He observes that although men and women are equally competent in academic matters, yet women have a special aptitude and competence for studies relating to home and family. Hence he recommends the introduction of subjects like sewing, nursing, domestic science, culinary art, etc which were not part of education at his time.

Conclusion
The exposition and analysis of Vivekananda’s scheme of education brings to light its constructive, practical and comprehensive character. He realizes that it is only through education that the uplift of masses is possible. To refer to his own words: Traveling through many cities of Europe and observing in them the comforts and education of even the poor people, there was brought to my mind the state of our own poor people and I used to shed tears. When made the difference? “Education” was the answer I got.’

He states it emphatically that if society is to be reformed, education has to reach everyone-high and low, because individuals are the very constituents of society. The sense of dignity rises in man when he becomes conscious of his inner spirit, and that is the very purpose of education. He strives to harmonize the traditional values of India with the new values brought through the progress of science and technology.

It is in the transformation of man through moral and spiritual education that he finds the solution for all social evils. Founding education on the firm ground of our own philosophy and culture, he shows the best of remedies for today’s social and global illness. Through his scheme of education, he tries to materialize the moral and spiritual welfare and upliftment of humanity, irrespective of caste, creed, nationality or time. However, Swami Vivekananda’s scheme of education, through which he wanted to build up a strong nation that will lead the world towards peace and harmony, is still a far cry. It is high time that we give serious thought to his philosophy of education and remembers his call to every-body-‘Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.’