1. List at least four sources you will use to obtain information about the firm's strengths, weaknesses, opportunity, and threats. Discuss what categories of the SWOT elements of information are readily available on the internet? (When using Internet, be sure to provide specific websites of URLs.)
1. The management discussion and analysis of the financial statements. SWOT
2. Federal regulatory actions in the industry the firm is in. OT
3. State regulatory actions in the industry the firm is in. OT
4. Independent Stock Analyst firm performance assessments SWO
5. Economic news in the countries the firm competes in. OT
Validation of the information obtained can occur in a number of ways. Published financial statements are audited by an independent audit firm. Federal and State regulatory actions are mostly public information. For Analyst and economic news I would look for corroborating information.
Other areas are the firm's website, press releases and other news related to the firm, As a manager, if the research is thorough, complete and obtained from independent sources, the information is probably reliable.
2. Rate, from best to worst, each of the sources you indicated in question 1 above as being sources you will use in analysis in terms of its probable reliability. Discuss the steps and/ or actions you can take to validate the reliability and accuracy of the information you obtain.
3. As a manager, how confident would you be in basing strategic decisions on the information that you've obtained online for the SWOT? What other sources of information can you use to effectively complete the SWOT Analysis? How can you check or cross check the accuracy of some of the information? How could regulations such as The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 assists in ensuring he accuracy of the information? How confident are you about the accuracy of the information in your SWOT analysis? Why or why not?