Editing SWOT analysis (section)

==Limitations and alternatives==
SWOT analysis is intended as a starting point for discussion and not to, in itself, show managers how to achieve a competitive advantage.<ref name=Dess2012>{{cite book |last1=Dess |first1=Gregory G. |last2=Lumpkin |first2=G. Thomas |last3=Eisner |first3=Alan B. |last4=McNamara |first4=Gerry |date=2012 |chapter=The limitations of SWOT analysis |title=Strategic management: text and cases |edition=6th |location=New York |publisher=[[McGraw-Hill/Irwin]] |pages=[https://archive.org/details/strategicmanagem0000unse_l3o3/page/n127 82] |isbn=9780078029318 |oclc=740281685 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/strategicmanagem0000unse_l3o3/page/n127 |chapter-url-access=registration}}</ref>

In a highly-cited 1997 critique, "SWOT Analysis: It's Time for a Product Recall", Terry Hill and Roy Westbrook observed that one among many problems of SWOT analysis as often practiced is that "no-one subsequently used the outputs [of SWOT analysis] within the later stages of the strategy".<ref name=HillWestbrook1997>{{cite journal |last1=Hill |first1=Terry |last2=Westbrook |first2=Roy |title=SWOT analysis: it's time for a product recall |journal=Long Range Planning |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=46–52 |date=February 1997 |doi=10.1016/S0024-6301(96)00095-7 |citeseerx=10.1.1.469.2246}}</ref> Hill and Westbrook, among others, also criticized hastily designed SWOT lists.<ref name=HillWestbrook1997/><ref>{{cite journal |last=Koch |first=Adam |title=SWOT does not need to be recalled: It needs to be enhanced |journal=B&gt;Quest |publisher=Richards College of Business, [[State University of West Georgia]] |year=2000 |url=http://www.westga.edu/~bquest/2000/swot1.html |issn=1084-3981}}</ref> Other limitations of SWOT practice include: preoccupation with a single strength, such as cost control, leading to a neglect of weaknesses, such as product quality;<ref name=Dess2012/> and domination by one or two team members doing the SWOT analysis and devaluing possibly important contributions of other team members.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chermack |first1=Thomas J. |last2=Kasshanna |first2=Bernadette K. |title=The use of and misuse of SWOT analysis and implications for HRD professionals |journal=Human Resource Development International |date=December 2007 |volume=10 |issue=4 |pages=383–399 |doi=10.1080/13678860701718760 |s2cid=145098663}}</ref> Many other limitations have been identified.<ref name=Pickton1998/>

Business professors have suggested various ways to remedy the common problems and limitations of SWOT analysis while retaining the SWOT framework.<ref name=SWOTlimits>Some examples of publications that suggest remedies for common problems and limitations of SWOT analysis:
* {{cite journal |last=Valentin |first=Erhard K. |date=April 2001 |title=SWOT analysis from a resource-based view |journal=Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=54–69 |jstor=40470032 |doi=10.1080/10696679.2001.11501891|s2cid=167660094 }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Coman |first1=Alex |last2=Ronen |first2=Boaz |date=October 2009 |title=Focused SWOT: diagnosing critical strengths and weaknesses |journal=International Journal of Production Research |volume=47 |issue=20 |pages=5677–5689 |doi=10.1080/00207540802146130|s2cid=109603771 }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Helms |first1=Marilyn M. |last2=Nixon |first2=Judy |date=August 2010 |title=Exploring SWOT analysis—where are we now? A review of academic research from the last decade |journal=Journal of Strategy and Management |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=215–251 |doi=10.1108/17554251011064837}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Agarwal |first1=Ravi |last2=Grassl |first2=Wolfgang |last3=Pahl |first3=Joy |date=January 2012 |title=Meta-SWOT: introducing a new strategic planning tool |journal=Journal of Business Strategy |volume=33 |issue=2 |pages=12–21 |doi=10.1108/02756661211206708}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Bell |first1=Geoffrey G. |last2=Rochford |first2=Linda |date=November 2016 |title=Rediscovering SWOT's integrative nature: a new understanding of an old framework |journal=The International Journal of Management Education |volume=14 |issue=3 |pages=310–326 |doi=10.1016/j.ijme.2016.06.003}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Lohrke |first1=Franz T. |last2=Mazzei |first2=Matthew J. |last3=Frownfelter-Lohrke |first3=Cynthia |date=June 2021 |title=Should it stay or should it go? Developing an enhanced SWOT framework for teaching strategy formulation |journal=[[Journal of Management Education]] |volume=46 |issue=2 |pages=345–382 |doi=10.1177/10525629211021143|s2cid=236311321 }}
</ref>

=== Porter's five forces ===
{{Main|Porter's five forces analysis}}
{{See also|Porter's four corners model}}
[[Michael Porter]] developed the [[Porter's five forces analysis|five forces framework]] as an alternative to SWOT analyses, which he found lacking in rigor and over-dependent on individual company circumstances.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Porter |first1=Michael |author-link1=Michael Porter |last2=Argyres |first2=Nicholas |last3=McGahan |first3=Anita M. |year=2002 |title=An interview with Michael Porter |journal=The Academy of Management Executive (1993–2005) |volume=16 |issue=2 |pages=43–52 |jstor=4165839}}</ref>

=== SOAR ===
SOAR (strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results) is an alternative technique inspired by [[appreciative inquiry]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Stavros |first1=Jacqueline M. |last2=Cooperrider |first2=David |author-link2=David Cooperrider |last3=Kelley |first3=D. Lynn |chapter=SOAR: a new approach to strategic planning |date=2007 |editor1-last=Holman |editor1-first=Peggy |editor2-last=Devane |editor2-first=Tom |editor3-last=Cady |editor3-first=Steven |title=The change handbook: the definitive resource on today's best methods for engaging whole systems |edition=2nd |location=San Francisco |publisher=Berrett-Koehler |pages=[https://archive.org/details/The_Change_Handbook_9781576755099/page/375 375–380] |isbn=9781576753798 |oclc=66527256 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/The_Change_Handbook_9781576755099/page/375 |chapter-url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Stavros |first1=Jacqueline M. |last2=Hinrichs |first2=Gina |date=2009 |title=The thin book of SOAR: building strengths-based strategy |location=Bend, OR |publisher=Thin Book Pub. Co. |isbn=9780982206805 |oclc=662578328}}</ref> SOAR has been criticized as having similar limitations as SWOT, such as "the inability to identify the necessary data".<ref>{{cite journal |last=McLean |first=Gary N. |date=Winter 2017 |title=Will SOAR really help organization development soar?: an invited reaction to Zarestky and Cole, 2017 |journal=New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=25–28 |doi=10.1002/nha3.20168}}</ref>

=== SVOR ===
In project management, the alternative to SWOT known by the acronym SVOR (Strengths, Vulnerabilities, Opportunities, and Risks) compares the project elements along two axes: internal and external, and positive and negative.<ref name=Mesly/> It takes into account the mathematical link that exists between these various elements, considering also the role of infrastructures. The SVOR table provides an intricate understanding of the elements hypothesized to be at play in a given project:<ref name=Mesly>{{cite book |last=Mesly |first=Olivier |date=2017 |title=Project feasibility: tools for uncovering points of vulnerability |series=Industrial innovation series |location=Boca Raton, FL |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |isbn=9781498757911 |oclc=953982371 |doi=10.1201/9781315295251}}</ref>{{rp|9}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Forces !! Internal !! Mathematical link !! External
|-
| {{em|Positive}} || Total Forces || Total Forces given constraints = Infrastructures / Opportunities || Opportunities
|-
| {{em|Mathematical link}} || Vulnerabilities given constraints = 1 / Total Forces || constant ''k'' || Opportunities given constraints = 1 / Risks
|-
| {{em|Negative}} || Vulnerabilities || Risks given constraints = ''k'' / Vulnerabilities || Risks
|}

Constraints consist of: calendar of tasks and activities, costs, and norms of quality. The "''k''" constant varies with each project (for example, it may be valued at 1.3).<ref name=Mesly/>{{rp|9}}