The Influence of the SWOT Analysis in Organizational Development Strategic Planning

Table of Contents

The Influence of the SWOT Analysis in Organizational Development Strategic Planning

The SWOT Analysis: Diagram and Explanation

The Results of the SWOT Analysis

References

The Influence of the SWOT Analysis in Organizational Development Strategic Planning

In order for strategic planning to effectuate change in an organization, pros and cons must be considered before a consensus must be made. Such an appropriate decision-making procedure creates what could be a predicted outcome of the organization if such determinants are input and taken into action. The SWOT Analysis—Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats—is a commonly-known strategic planning tool for organizational development with probable causes and effects when implementing a strategy or an initiative (see Bordum, 2010; Panagiotou & van Wijnen, 2005).

Bordum’s findings (2010) regarding the SWOT Analysis stemmed from its history. The SWOT Analysis around the 1960s and 1970s first started out as the SOFT Analysis—Satisfactory, Opportunity, Fault, and Threat. During that time period, the traditional planning school of strategic management became popular. The SOFT Analysis later on became the SWOT Analysis, in which SWOT sounded more in-depth, as well as testing a set of opposites at a time (Bordum, 2010).

Conceptual frameworks presented by Panagiotou and van Wijnen (2005) and Baker and Sharif (2007) proved that with data and knowledge management integrated within the research of the organization being present, there is a possibility that a positive or a negative impact on the short-term and long-term goals of the organization as well as the organization itself. Within these positive or negative impacts on the organization appear, human resources, marketing, finance, and administrative departments, for example, would be very responsible (cf. Baker & Sharif, 2007).

An organizational development training program targeted at prospective and current managers has a potential of updating guidelines of possessing and gaining leadership skills to succeed in the workplace among their own division as well as among their subordinates. Such guidelines in organizational development, especially in the public sector, are mentioned through certain research findings that indicated a need for organizational change and career fulfillment (Kiel & Watson, 2009; Baker & Sharif, 2007; Moynihan & Pandey, 2005).

This organizational development initiative regarding leadership would be deeply analyzed through how the departments in an organization should be involved in providing the core competencies needed to help present and future leaders succeed (see Moynihan & Pandey, 2005). Moynihan & Pandey (2005) indicated in how internal and external factors would benefit the outcomes of satisfactory performance if these tools have been taught to those who were responsible for advising their subordinates (cf. Lynn, Heinrich, & Hill, 2000, as cited in Moynihan & Pandey, 2005).

In this next section, a table will be formulated including the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved (see Table 1; see also Bordum, 2010; Panagiotou & Van Wijnen, 2005) pertaining to this organizational development training program.

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