SWOT analysis

In this lesson

1. 0:00 SWOT analysis overview
2. 1:20 Internal factors: strengths and weaknesses
3. 1:38 External factors: opportunities and threats
4. 2:48 Writing an effective SWOT analysis
5. 4:06 Converting threats into opportunities
6. 6:16 SWOT exam question walkthrough
7. 10:35 Key takeaways and summary

About this lesson

This technique is tested across multiple CIMA and ACCA papers, particularly in strategic analysis modules, and helps you evaluate real business situations with clarity and structure. In this session, we cover what each SWOT heading represents, how to distinguish between internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats), and how to use other analytical tools like PESTEL and Porter's Five Forces to generate insights. You'll see how to make your SWOT analysis genuinely useful by matching strengths with opportunities, converting threats into opportunities, and reframing weaknesses as potential strengths—moving beyond a simple four-box diagram to strategic thinking. We then work through a practical exam-style example with a school uniform retailer, showing you how to classify real business findings correctly and justify your reasoning. By the end, you'll understand not just what SWOT is, but how to construct one that adds genuine value to business decision-making and how it's likely to appear in your assessments.

Duration: 11m