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Notes 4.1.5 SWOT—Landscape Analysis

The SWOT-landscape grabs different managerial situations by visualizing and foreseeing the
dynamic performance of comparable objects according to findings by Brendan Kitts, Leif Edvinsson
and Tord Beding (2000).
Changes in relative performance are continually identified. Projects (or other units of measurements)
that could be potential risk or opportunity objects are highlighted.
SWOT-landscape also indicates which underlying strength/weakness factors that have had or
likely will have highest influence in the context of value in use (for ex. capital value fluctuations).

4.1.6 Corporate Planning

As part of the development of strategies and plans to enable the organization to achieve its
objectives, then that organization will use a systematic/rigorous process known as corporate
planning. SWOT alongside PEST/PESTLE can be used as a basis for the analysis of business
and environmental factors.
• Set objectives: Defining what the organization is going to do
• Environmental scanning
• Internal appraisals of the organization’s SWOT, this needs to include an assessment of
the present situation as well as a portfolio of products/services and an analysis of the
product/service life cycle
• Analysis of existing strategies: This should determine relevance from the results of an
internal/external appraisal. This may include gap analysis which will look at environmental
factors
• Strategic Issues defined: Key factors in the development of a corporate plan which needs
to be addressed by the organization
• Develop new/revised strategies: Revised analysis of strategic issues may mean the objectives
need to change

• Establish critical success factors: The achievement of objectives and strategy implementation
• Preparation of operational, resource, projects plans for strategy implementation
• Monitoring results: Mapping against plans, taking corrective action which may mean
amending objectives/strategies.

4.1.7 Marketing
In many competitor analyses, marketers build detailed profiles of each competitor in the
market, focusing especially on their relative competitive strengths and weaknesses using SWOT
analysis. Marketing managers will examine each competitor’s cost structure, sources of profits,
resources and competencies, competitive positioning and product differentiation, degree of
vertical integration, historical responses to industry developments, and other factors.
Marketing management often finds it necessary to invest in research to collect the data required
to perform accurate marketing analysis. Accordingly, management often conducts market research
(alternately marketing research) to obtain this information. Marketers employ a variety of
techniques to conduct market research, but some of the more common include:
• Qualitative marketing research, such as focus groups

• Quantitative marketing research, such as statistical surveys
• Experimental techniques such as test markets

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