Ask a Librarian
What is a SWOT Analysis?
Conducting a SWOT Analysis is when you analyze a company or industry based on four criterion. They are as follows:
Strengths - Advantages and other characteristics that a business or company has other others in the industry.
Weaknesses - These are disadvantageous characteristics that the business or company must overcome.
Opportunities - External chances to increase sales, profits or achieve greater market share in a given environment.
Threats - Aspects of the external environment that may become problematic for the company or business.
SWOT Analysis Example
Below is an example from the University of Arizona Global Campus of a SWOT analysis for a small business that provides tutoring support, and who would like to expand the number of universities that they work with.
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|
|
| Opportunities | Threats |
|
|
Finding SWOT Analyses in Library Databases
We have two primary databases that provide access to SWOT Analyses. Business Insights: Essentials and Business Source Elite. Keep in mind that there will not be a SWOT Analysis available for every single company, so if you have an assignment where you need to conduct a SWOT Analysis you may want to select a company for which one is available.
The other databases found in this section provide information that can be used to create your own SWOT Analsysis. Information that may be found includes a list of top competitors, industry analyses, and company financials and reports.
- Business Insights: Essentials (This link opens in a new window)Once in the database, click on 'SWOT Reports' found in the 'Companies' drop-down menu. These reports provide analysis of hundreds of global companies.
- Business Source Elite (This link opens in a new window)Once in the database, click on 'Company Profiles' along the top of the page. There are MarketLine Reports on a large number of companies, many of these reports contain a SWOT Analysis. If they do not, the reports still contain a lot of information that can be used to create one.
- Mergent Online (This link opens in a new window)Specific companies can be searched for and found in this database. There is A LOT of information that is available here, so once you've narrowed down to a company be sure to click through all the tabs and collect all of the information needed.
- Morningstar Investment Research Center (This link opens in a new window)This database focuses primarily on financial information and analysis for companies, but it will also provide a comprehensive list of competitors.
- Value Line (This link opens in a new window)Search for a company in order to go to their company dashboard. There is A LOT of information in here but pay attention to the Peers, Industry Analysis, Business Overview, and Value Line PDF Reports boxes. In particular, the Value Line Reports are very detailed and contain a lot of the information needed for a SWOT Analysis.
