Steps involved in constructing a tows matrix

This is a two step assignment. To prepare for this assignment, you need to read the last section on page 8 through page 18 in the file entitled "The TOWS Matrix.pdf" below. Plan on at least 30-45 minutes to read and study this attachment before beginning the assignment.

The TOWS Matrix Click for more options - PDF Document (104.7 KB)
Step 1: Complete a SWOT Analysis between Monday and Wednesday. National University has prepared a video about SWOT Analysis which can be found within the Week One Readings. This is sometimes called an "environmental analysis" where two basic things happen: a) the company's internal situation is analyzed in terms of its Strengths and Weaknesses and b) the industry situation is analyzed in terms of external Opportunities and Threats. For this assignment, choose company you know well! It may be your current employer, a former employer, or any company that you are very familiar with. It can even be a small mom-and-pop business in your area. If you do not wish to reveal the name of the company, that's OK.

SWOT & TOWS Template Click for more options - Word Document (28 KB)
Regardless of which company you choose, your posting should include an introductory paragraph that gives a description of the product or service the company sells, a quick explanation of the target market they focus on, and some indication of the size of the company. Next, use the "SWOT & TOWS Template" attached here to list the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. In Step 1, you will ONLY fill out the white boxes, not the yellow! Add or delete numbers as needed. Remember that strengths and weaknesses are INTERNAL factors that are true of that particular company. Opportunities and threats are EXTERNAL factors that apply to all competitors in the industry. Be careful here -- if the opportunities listed are specific only to your chosen company rather than to all competitors in the industry, then you may be listing strategies rather than opportunities. Again, please do NOT complete a full TOWS analysis at this point, just focus on the white boxes at the top and on the left in the SWOT & TOWS Template.

After completing the SWOT elements of the template, save it to your computer. In the Discussion Board, type your introductory paragraph into the main message body of your discussion post, then "attach" the SWOT analysis to your posting before you press "Submit." Now you're done with Part 1!