Editing SWOT analysis (section)

=== Strategic planning ===
SWOT analysis can be used to build organizational or personal strategy. Steps necessary to execute strategy-oriented analysis involve identifying internal and external factors, selecting and evaluating the most important factors, and identifying relationships between internal and external features.<ref name=Pickton1998>{{cite journal |last1=Pickton |first1=David W. |last2=Wright |first2=Sheila |date=March 1998 |title=What's swot in strategic analysis? |journal=Strategic Change |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=101–109 |doi=10.1002/(SICI)1099-1697(199803/04)7:2<101::AID-JSC332>3.0.CO;2-6}}</ref> For instance, strong relations between strengths and opportunities can suggest good conditions in the company and allow using an {{em|aggressive}} strategy. On the other hand, strong interactions between weaknesses and threats could be analyzed as a warning to use a {{em|defensive}} strategy.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Osita |first1=Christian |last2=Onyebuchi |first2=Idoko |last3=Justina |first3=Nzekwe |date=31 January 2014 |title=Organization's stability and productivity: the role of SWOT analysis |url=http://journalijiar.com/uploads/2014-10-02_231409_710.pdf |journal=International Journal of Innovative and Applied Research |volume=2 |issue=9 |pages=23–32 |access-date=17 March 2016}}</ref>

One form of SWOT analysis combines each of the four components with another to examine four distinct strategies:<ref name="Weihrich1982" />
* WT strategy (mini–mini): Faced with external threats and internal weaknesses, how to minimize both weaknesses and threats?
* WO strategy (mini–maxi): Faced with external opportunities and internal weaknesses, how to minimize weaknesses and maximize opportunities?
* ST strategy (maxi–mini): Faced with internal strengths and external threats, how to maximize strengths and minimize threats?
* SO strategy (maxi–maxi): Faced with external opportunities and internal strengths, how to maximize both opportunities and strengths?

==== Matching and converting ====
A SWOT analysis can be used to generate matching and converting strategies.<ref name=Piercy1989>{{cite journal |last1=Piercy |first1=Nigel |last2=Giles |first2=William |date=May 1989 |title=Making SWOT analysis work |journal=Marketing Intelligence & Planning |volume=7 |issue=5/6 |pages=5–7 |doi=10.1108/EUM0000000001042}}</ref> Matching refers to seeking [[competitive advantage]] by matching strengths to opportunities. This strategy ensures that an organization leverages its core competencies, resources, and capabilities to capitalize on favorable market conditions, emerging trends, or unmet customer needs. Conversion refers to  converting weaknesses or threats into strengths or opportunities. An example of a conversion strategy is to buy off a threat through collaboration or merger.<ref name=Piercy1989 />