SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis - Overview SWOT analysis is a tool for auditing an organization and its environment. It is the first stage of planning and helps marketers to focus on key issues. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Opportunities and threats are external factors.

SWOT Matrix

Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors A strength could be: your specialist marketing expertise. a new, innovative product or service location of your business quality processes and procedures any other aspect of your business that adds value to your product or service.

A weakness could be: lack of marketing expertise undifferentiated products or services (i.e. in relation to your competitors) location of your business poor quality goods or services damaged reputation

Opportunities and threats are external factors An opportunity could be: a developing market such as the Internet. mergers, joint ventures or strategic alliances moving into new market segments that offer improved profits a new international market a market vacated by an ineffective competitor

A threat could be: a new competitor in your home market price wars with competitors a competitor has a new, innovative product or service competitors have superior access to channels of distribution taxation is introduced on your product or service

Simple rules for successful SWOT analysis be realistic about the strengths and weaknesses of your organization analysis should distinguish between where your organization is today, and where it could be in the future be specific. Avoid grey areas. always analyze in relation to your competition i.e. better than or worse than your competition keep your SWOT short and simple. Avoid complexity and over analysis SWOT is subjective.

Starbucks Strengths Starbucks Corporation is a very profitable organisation, earning in excess of $600 million in 2004.The company generated revenue of more than $5 billion in the same year. It is a global coffee brand built upon a reputation for fine products and services. It has almost 9000 cafes in almost 40 countries. Starbucks was one of the Fortune Top 100 Companies to Work For in 2005. The company is a respected employer that values its workforce. The organisation has strong ethical values and an ethical mission statement as follows, 'Starbucks is committed to a role of environmental leadership in all facets of our business.'

Starbucks Weaknesses Starbucks has a reputation for new product development and creativity. However, they remain vulnerable to the possibility that their innovation may falter over time. The organisation has a strong presence in the United States of America with more than three quarters of their cafes located in the home market. It is often argued that they need to look for a portfolio of countries, in order to spread business risk. The organisation is dependant on a main competitive advantage, the retail of coffee. This could make them slow to diversify into other sectors should the need arise.

Starbucks Opportunities Starbucks is very good at taking advantage of opportunities. In 2004 the company created a CD-burning service in their Santa Monica (California USA) cafe with Hewlett Packard, where customers create their own music CDs. New products and services can be retailed in their cafes, such as Fair Trade products. The company has the opportunity to expand its global operations. New markets for coffee such as India and the Pacific Rim nations are beginning to emerge. Co-branding with other manufacturers of food and drink, and brand franchising to manufacturers of other goods and services, have potential.

Starbucks Threats Who knows if the market for coffee will grow and stay in favour with customers, or whether another type of beverage or leisure activity will replace coffee in the future? Starbucks is exposed to rises in the cost of coffee and dairy products. Since its conception in Pine Place Park, Seattle in 1971, Starbucks' success has lead to the market entry of many competitors and copy cat brands that pose potential threats