An important part of planning is a SWOT analysis, understanding an organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The purpose of this exercise is to familiarize you with the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis by applying it to a business organization. Read carefully the partial SWOT analysis for McDonald's in Table 3.1, (page 77), especially the criteria for opportunities and threats.

Conduct a succinct SWOT analysis (list at least 3 items in each category) of a business of your choice. Double check your work to ensure the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are properly identified. (S & W are INTERNAL, within the control of the organization, O &T are EXTERNAL, coming from outside the firm - the external environment -out of their control). You may use the bullet format, but they must be complete sentences or substantive, clear, descriptive thoughts. (In other words, one or two word phrases are not acceptable, for example, you cannot submit just the word" competition" as a threat, or "educated personnel" as a strength. Acceptable would be "Competitors such as Wal-Mart and Target have diversified into unrelated business" or "Educated personnel with years of experience and knowledge with a willingness to learn"). You will use complete sentences when you do the Marketing Plan Project