Overall recommendations

Does not apply to all teams, although it might be interesting for everyone. Feel free to take a
look on other projects as they might inspire you.

What I like:

-          Short introductions for the company. As you may expect, your reader will know it, yet it
is nice way to start. Better that starting directly with components of a SWOT analysis.

-          Short conclusion – look for the team 5 (it doesn’t need to be that long, although do not
use it only because you consider it mandatory – it still needs to carry some message); on the other
hand, recommendations are usually a thing that follows SWOT, not the integral part of it.

What I miss:

-          Much more consideration towards other companies in the industry (may be others are doing
much more?).

-          Work better with references – put them into some referencing style (look up for Harvard
or APA) and most importantly, clearly state them in your text (use footnotes like ^1 or direct
mentions like “Bloomberg research (2015) found that…”).

What I don’t like:

-          ISO certification as a strength – I don’t think that this is a great strength in any
high tech industry. ISO sets certain standards which are likely to be highly exceeded in high tech
firms – unless you are providing an argument saying otherwise.

-          Considering supplier and customer base as internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) –
although I understand some of the reasons why you put them there, these are still external factors.

-          It is a bit problematic to state the same thing in both strengths and
weaknesses/opportunities and threats (one supplier), usually you have to decide what prevails – or
describe differently.


Team specific recommendations

Team n. 1

-          Really like your argumentation and that you are using references!

-          Work bit better with references (put them into some referencing style, etc.).

-          I miss only some interesting factors (e.g. commodity prices effects) that would make
your work even more excellent.

Overall: The best SWOT analysis – to the point and with clear argumentation. 9 points per member.


Team n. 2

-          Nicely formatted, yet I’m bit lost in a text (I would consider at least partial use of
bullet list).

-          Weakness part needs some improvements, but (apart from “customer” as internal factor)
otherwise it is really nice!

-          I like your Opportunities and Threats parts, you are sometimes using really nice
arguments. Nevertheless, my first recommendation (think how to help reader not to get lost in your
text) is applicable here as well. Also some other teams found bit more interesting factors.

Overall: The best looking SWOT analysis, yet a look sometimes comes before a message in your
analysis. 7.5 points per member.


Team n. 3

-          Your introduction has the highest potential out of all teams, yet I can’t find any clear
message in it (what is it for – to sum up findings? to state what is the most important? to sum
information about the company?).

-          Weakness part has better argumentation than strength part.

-          Some of your Opportunities and Threats needs to be more grounded – I think that some
arguments are easily questionable (does the company really have to be in a monopolistic position?).

Overall: Your project would need more work, but it has a clear potential. 7 points per member.


Team n. 4

-          Do not state what is obvious – e.g. what Strength part of SWOT analysis is good for.

-          Strengths: Wellness program – nice association with literature, however you need to cite
your source in such a case! It is not sufficient to state it in the end… (imagine you are writing a
document with tens or hundreds of such citations).

-          Opportunities: Seems done in haste, really short paragraphs (sometimes without a clear
message), formatting is strange.

-          Like some threat factors – like price of commodities – but you should use references to
support your argumentation. With their use, this part would be really great!

Overall: Your project needs more work, for the next time, you should be more careful with the final
version. 5.5 points per member.


Team n. 5

-          You are going directly to the point, which is a good for any executive summary.

-          You might be bit more thorough in Weakness part, other teams found more (and still
important) facts to consider

-          You mixed up internal (Strengths and Weaknesses) and external (Opportunities ant
Threats) factor which is a one of the core things we discussed during our initial meeting.

-          Nice you have a final conclusion.

Overall: Clearly project with a potential, but has problems with internal/external factors and some
other stuff. 6.5 point per member.