13. Consider the following quotation with your partner. Say if you agree or disagree with the quotation. Provide enough argumentation to support your ideas.

“SWOT analysis is something which is most important to achieve success. One must understand the strength as well as the weakness within himself, which will make the journey towards success easier.”

14. Write a paragraph or two (up to 50-70 words) under one of the headlines below.

1. Nothing is going to change.

2. The journey towards success.

3. The need for growth.

15. Render the text in English and entitle it.

SWOT-анализ – это метод стратегического планирования, заключающийся в выявлении факторов внутренней и внешней среды организации и разделении их на четыре категории: сильные стороны, слабые стороны, возможности и угрозы.

Сильные и слабые стороны являются факторами внутренней среды (то есть тем, на что сам объект способен повлиять); возможности и угрозы являются факторами внешней среды (то есть тем, что может повлиять на объект извне и при этом не контролируется объектом).

Объектом SWOT-анализа может быть не только организация, но и другие социально-экономические объекты: отрасли экономики, города, государственно-общественные институты, научная сфера, политические партии, некоммерческие организации (НКО), отдельные специалисты, персоны и т. д.

Задача SWOT-анализа – дать структурированное описание ситуации, относительно которой нужно принять какое-либо решение. Выводы, сделанные на его основе, носят описательный характер без рекомендаций и расстановки приоритетов.

Поскольку SWOT-анализ в общем виде не содержит экономических категорий, его можно применять к любым организациям, отдельным людям и странам для построения стратегий в самых различных областях деятельности.

(From: http://ru.wikipedia.org)

Role-playing

You and your business partner(s) are going to launch a start-up. Get decided what kind of business it will be. Make a SWOT analysis for your project.

Case-study/Project

Scan a mini-SWOT analysis posted by Derek Sharp, managing director for global distribution sales and services at Travelport, and two readers’ comments on the post. Discuss with your classmates the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats described in the material.

Airlines want to be retailers – a mini-swot analysis of the issues

Consumers expect excellent service, a consistent brand experience and the same quality product at every point of interaction.

In a ruthlessly competitive environment those organizations that have gone beyond merely surviving understand the need for consistency in order to properly serve those consumers.

The challenge has been partly based on how the respective players in the industry support the airlines’ urgent need to transform, grow and attract wider sales.

Let’s focus on what all airlines have in common: the need for growth, profitability and the different choices airlines take to build it.

For example, Air France, British Airways and KLM introduce some fares that do not include checked baggage, previously the sole domain of the low cost carrier, whilst easyJet introduce allocated seating as part of their strategy to entice more business travelers.

Each airline will make their own business choices in order to serve their own customers with increasingly better targeted products.

The ability to be even smarter and faster will lead to airlines using different technologies for different circumstances across a multitude of channels.

On the other hand, securing more complex operations whether long haul routes, alliances and interlining partnerships will still require the sophistication that allows these products to work between carriers, bookable anywhere in the world, for whatever itinerary world travelers choose: industry standards will need to stick around.

Airlines are learning the lessons from other industries and the day when we can view the industry as an industry of air travel retailers is rapidly approaching.

A focus for enlightened players in the industry is to ensure that technology enables, as opposed to hinders, the need to provide customers with a truly consistent and dynamic multi-channel retail experience that caters for the wide range of business choices that individual airlines make.

(From: www.tnooz.com)

John Pope says:

You’ve presented and articulated the “problem” of mass standardization, not just for air products, but also for almost any sector.

But what that clearly indicates is simply the fact that different passengers or customers want and require entirely different levels of service and experiences.

Gone are the days of standardization – in the name of cost reduction or efficiency – and here to stay are disruptive innovation, specialization and delivering what the individual customer wants.

Timothy O'Neil-Dunne says:

I support what Derek is saying here about retailing. But I would go further than he has. I would say that the needs for product differentiation are no longer possible using the current technology base. My interpretation of Derek’s position expressed here while not explicitly disavowing such a notion is clear; that product differentiation at the retail level is not just possible but a requirement NOW irrespective of the technologies used.