SWOT Analysis
COURSE:
PROJECT TITLE:
Business Fundamentals &
An Introduction to SWOT Analysis
Marketing
Topic Overview:
Related Career:
Estimated Duration
SWOT – Strengths, Weaknesses, Business, Management,
in Minutes:
Opportunities, Threats
Marketing, Entrepreneurship
65 minutes
Content Standard(s):
30. Discuss the planning function of management. (Found under Entrepreneurship and
Management in the ACOS Handbook)
 Tools:
- S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
Primary
Materials/Equipment/Technology Resources:
1) YouTube Video:
Concern/Issue/Problem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKtBu1Av9VA
 What is SWOT Analysis
2) PowerPoint Presentation: Titled “SWOT”; Harcourt:
and how does it relate to
www1.gdufs.edu.cn/jwc/bestcourse
individuals?
/kecheng/.../201091917261814.ppt
 Why is SWOT analysis so
3)
Student Notes Handout
important for businesses?
4) SWOT Graphic Organizer Activity Handout
 How does S.W.O.T. relate
5) SWOT “Me” Graphic Organizer:
to the planning and
www3.eboard.com/eboard/...
functions of management?
/AttachmentDownloadServlet.doc
SWOT Analysis
Procedures/Activities/Learning Experiences:
1. Show YouTube video (attention getter/hook) (5 minutes)
2. Handout “Student Notes” sheet
3. How does this relate to you? Businesses complete SWOT analysis within the business to
determine their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. They can use this information
for a variety of things. They can use it to lower prices or to raise prices. What would you do if
your favorite item increased by $2 every month? What about if it went on sale? (5 minutes)
4. Introduce the lesson and lecture using the PowerPoint presentation. (25 minutes)
 Define SWOT – what does it mean? What does each individual part stand for? How are
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats important for businesses? Which ones
are internal? Which are external?
 Give succinct examples of each using McDonald’s as a reference (Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
o Strengths (Internal) – good brand image, well-known name, good reputation,
customer loyalty
 McDonalds – great brand, more restaurants than any other chain, coffee
compares to Starbucks & Dunkin Donuts, most are 24 hours a day,
marketing success (most successful promotion was Shrek 3)
o Weaknesses (Internal) – falling profits, falling sales of a product, poor
reputation, lack of innovation, poor management, customer complaints
 McDonalds – unhealthy menu, have had stock prices fall, some have
poor management
o Opportunities (External) – development of new products, expansion into other
markets, global brand, joint-development, new sources of profit
 McDonalds – quality coffee at a fraction of the cost of other coffee
shops, high growth in breakfast, connoisseur burgers, bargains (cheap),
joint-development with Disney (ref: Shrek)
o Threats (External) – changes in law/regulation, growing competition from
others, new products from other companies, marketing activities stolen from
other competitors
 McDonalds – competition from Wendy’s & Burger King, overall social
trend toward healthy eating habits, “what –if” scenario
 “What – If” scenario – What if the U.S. passes a law that states
“Unhealthy fast food can only be served between the times of 5 p.m. – 7
p.m. and to only those who are considered “healthy”? How would this
affect McDonald’s? Would this “drive” them out of business? Why or
why not?
5. Ask students if they have any questions. If so, answer them. (5 minutes)
6. Handout “SWOT Graphic Organizer Activity” and “SWOT “Me” Graphic Organizer.
7. Go over the activity and explain what the activity entails. (15 minutes)
 Activity: I will read the activity sheet while the students follow.
 Brief Description of Activity: The students will SWOT themselves. They will list at least
three of each describing them: strengths (What do I do well?), weaknesses (What do I
find difficult to do?), opportunities (Who or what is in my life that may brighten my
future?), and threats (Who or what’s in my life can harm me?). Using “I” is always
internal, while using “who or what” is always external.
8. Go around the room and ask for volunteers to give me examples of each aspects of SWOT
analysis. Give them appropriate examples of SWOT using myself. (5 minutes)
9. Closing: Debrief what was learned that day. Ask, again, if any of them have any questions. (5
minutes)
SWOT Analysis
Provisions for Individual Differences:
When I taught this lesson, there were not any provisions that needed to be made.
Varied Assessment Strategies:
The SWOT “Me” Graphic
Organizer Worksheet
(Mrs. Bonds and the culinary arts
teacher took the graphic
organizers up and recorded
grades if they met the
requirements of the activity.)
Integrated Curriculum:
Culinary Arts
(I taught this content to Mrs. Bonds’ Business class and the
culinary students came in there because they were learning
about the same thing.)