最近在MSN上一直有朋友问：“经济危机对你们公司的影响大不大？”其实这样的问题挺难回答的，其实任何一个事件的发生都可以从不同的角度来看待，从而让我们更好的了解我们周围的环境与我们自身，以便我们做出更好的决策。

我们的祖宗们讲过一个故事：塞翁失马，焉知非福，告诉我们一定要把眼光放长远一点。而现在有了更有效的方法，这就SWOT分析。

SWOT分析法（也称TOWS分析法、道斯矩阵）即态势分析法，20世纪80年代初由美国旧金山大学的管理学教授韦里克提出，经常被用于企业战略制定、竞争对手分析等场合。包括分析企业的优势（Strength）、劣势（Weakness）、机会（Opportunity）和威胁（Threats）。因此，SWOT分析实际上是将对企业内外部条件各方面内容进行综合和概括，进而分析组织的优劣势、面临的机会和威胁的一种方法。通过SWOT分析，可以帮助企业把资源和行动聚集在自己的强项和有最多机会的地方。

优劣势分析主要是着眼于企业自身的实力及其与竞争对手的比较，而机会和威胁分析将注意力放在外部环境的变化及对企业的可能影响上 。在分析时，应把所有的内部因素（即优劣势）集中在一起，然后用外部的力量来对这些因素进行评估。

SWOT分析的步骤是什么呢？

1、 确认当前的战略是什么？
2、 确认企业外部环境的变化
3、 根据企业资源组合情况，确认企业的关键能力和关键限制。 
4、 按照通用矩阵或类似的方式打分评价
把识别出的所有优势分成两组，分的时候以两个原则为基础：它们是与行业中潜在的机会有关，还是与潜在的威胁有关。用同样的办法把所有的劣势分成两组，一组与机会有关，另一组与威胁有关。
5、将结果在SWOT分析图上定位或者用SWOT分析表，将刚才的优势和劣势按机会和威胁分别填入表格。
6、 战略分析

从定义上看，这个理论很简单，其实，它确实很简单，但是很实用！

我们可以拿一些简单的例子来使用SWOT进行分析。假设小明进入了某公司面试的最后一轮，他现在开始用SWOT来进行分析：

优势：思路清晰、沟通能力较出色、能力与应聘岗位的要求比较符合；

劣势：学历不高、没有显赫的职场经历；

机会：应聘公司的用人机制比较灵活，任人唯贤，并不强调学历资历。

威胁：其他两人都有大企业工作经历，且与面试官有类似的经历

小明通过分析SWOT的四个方面，认为在面试的时候应该着重展现自己在沟通方面的能力，并且强调个人与职位的匹配度，而在面谈过程中避免谈及过往职场经历，即使谈到了也更多的讲个人在各种不利环境中所获得的成就。

最终，小明顺利的通过了面试。

当然，上面这个是我杜撰的例子，下面是沃尔玛和星巴克的SWOT分析案例：

沃尔玛(Wal-Mart)SWOT分析案例

优势Strengths.

• 沃尔玛是著名的零售业品牌，它以物美价廉、货物繁多和一站式购物而闻名。

• 沃尔玛的销售额在近年内有明显增长,并且在全球化的范围内进行扩张.(例如,它收购了英国的零售商ASDA)

• 沃尔玛的一个核心竞争力是由先进的信息技术所支持的国际化物流系统.例如, 在该系统支持下,每一件商品在全国范围内的每一间卖场的运输、销售、储存等物流信息都可以清晰地看到。信息技术同时也加强了沃尔玛高效的采购过程。

• 沃尔玛的一个焦点战略是人力资源的开发和管理。优秀的人才是沃尔玛在商业上成功的关键因素，为此沃尔玛投入时间和金钱对优秀员工进行培训并建立忠诚度。

劣势Weaknesses

• 沃尔玛建立了世界上最大的食品零售帝国。尽管它在信息技术上拥有优势，但因为其巨大的业务拓展，这可能导致对某些领域的控制力不够强。

• 因为沃尔玛的商品涵盖了服装、食品等多个部门，它可能在适应性上比起更加专注于某一领域的竞争对手存在劣势。

• 该公司是全球化的，但是目前只开拓了少数几个国家的市场。

机会Opportunities

• 采取收购、合并或者战略联盟的方式与其他国际零售商合作，专注于欧洲或者大中华区等特定市场。
• 沃尔玛的卖场当前只开设在在少数几个国家内。因此，拓展市场（如中国，印度）可以带来大量的机会。
• 沃尔玛可以通过新的商场地点和商场形式来获得市场开发的机会。更接近消费者的商场和建立在购物中心内部的商店可以使过去仅仅是大型超市的经营方式变得多样化。
• 沃尔玛的机会存在于对现有大型超市战略的坚持。

威胁Threats

• 沃尔玛在零售业的领头羊地位使其成为所有竞争对手的赶超目标。
• 沃尔玛的全球化战略使其可能在其业务国家遇到政治上的问题。
• 多种消费品的成本趋向下降，原因是制造成本的降低。造成制造成本降低的主要原因是生产外包向了世界上的低成本地区。这导致了价格竞争，并在一些领域内造成了通货紧缩。恶性价格竞争是一个威胁。

Wal-Mart SWOT分析原文

Strengths.

• Wal-Mart is a powerful retail brand. It has a reputation for value for money, convenience and a wide range of products all in one store.
• Wal-Mart has grown substantially over recent years, and has experienced global expansion (for example its purchase of the United Kingdom based retailer ASDA).
• The company has a core competence involving its use of information technology to support its international logistics system. For example, it can see how individual products are performing country-wide, store-by-store at a glance. IT also supports Wal-Mart’s efficient procurement.
• A focused strategy is in place for human resource management and development. People are key to Wal-Mart’s business and it invests time and money in training people, and retaining a developing them.

Weaknesses.

• Wal-Mart is the World’s largest grocery retailer and control of its empire, despite its IT advantages, could leave it weak in some areas due to the huge span of control.
• Since Wal-Mart sell products across many sectors (such as clothing, food, or stationary), it may not have the flexibility of some of its more focused competitors.
• The company is global, but has has a presence in relatively few countries Worldwide.

Opportunities.

• To take over, merge with, or form strategic alliances with other global retailers, focusing on specific markets such as Europe or the Greater China Region.
• The stores are currently only trade in a relatively small number of countries. Therefore there are tremendous opportunities for future business in expanding consumer markets, such as China and India.
• New locations and store types offer Wal-Mart opportunities to exploit market development. They diversified from large super centres, to local and mall-based sites.
• Opportunities exist for Wal-Mart to continue with its current strategy of large, super centres.

Threats.

• Being number one means that you are the target of competition, locally and globally.
• Being a global retailer means that you are exposed to political problems in the countries that you operate in.
• The cost of producing many consumer products tends to have fallen because of lower manufacturing costs. Manufacturing cost have fallen due to outsourcing to low-cost regions of the World. This has lead to price competition, resulting in price deflation in some ranges. Intense price competition is a threat.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the world’s largest retailer, with $256.3 billion in sales in the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2004. The company employs 1.6 million associates worldwide through more than 3,600 facilities in the United States and more than 1,570 units . . .more? Go to Wal-Mart Facts

Disclaimer: This case study has been compiled from information freely available from public sources. It is merely intended to be used for educational purposes only.

星巴克(Starbucks)SWOT分析案例

• 优势－星巴克集团的盈利能力很强，2004年的收入超过6亿美元。
• 劣势－星巴克以产品的不断改良与创新而闻名。（译者注：可以理解为产品线的不稳定）
• 机会－新产品与服务的推出，例如在展会销售咖啡。
• 威胁－咖啡和奶制品成本的上升。

Starbucks SWOT分析原文

Strengths(优势)

• Starbucks Corporation is a very profitable organization, earning in excess of $600 million in 2004.The company generated revenue of more than $5000 million in the same year.星巴克公司是一个盈利能力很强的组织，它在2004年收入超过六亿.同年该公司所产生的收入超过五亿美元。
• It is a global coffee brand built upon a reputation for fine products and services.通过提供声誉良好的产品和服务，它已经成长为一个全球性的咖啡品牌。 It has almost 9000 cafes in almost 40 countries.他在全世界的40个主要国家已经有了大约9000个咖啡店。
• Starbucks was one of the Fortune Top 100 Companies to Work For in 2005.， 在2005年星巴克就是财富100强公司之一。 The company is a respected employer that values its workforce.星巴克重视员工，被认为是一个值得尊敬的雇主。
• The organization has strong ethical values and an ethical mission statement as follows, ‘Starbucks is committed to a role of environmental leadership in all facets of our business.’该组织具有很强的道德价值观念和道德使命， ‘星巴克致力于做行业的佼佼者。

Weaknesses(劣势)

• Starbucks has a reputation for new product development and creativity.星巴克在新产品开发和创造享有声誉。 However, they remain vulnerable to the possibility that their innovation may falter over time.然而，随着时间的推移，他们创新仍有容易受到动摇可能。
• The organization has a strong presence in the United States of America with more than three quarters of their cafes located in the home market.它对于美国市场的依存度过高，超过四分三的咖啡店都开在自己的老家。 It is often argued that they need to look for a portfolio of countries, in order to spread business risk.有人认为他们需要寻求一个投资组合的国家，用来分散经营风险。
• The organization is dependant on a main competitive advantage, the retail of coffee.该组织依赖于一个主要的竞争优势，即零售咖啡。 This could make them slow to diversify into other sectors should the need arise.这可能使它们在进入其他相关领域的时候行动缓慢。

Opportunities(机会)

• Starbucks are very good at taking advantage of opportunties.星巴克非常善于利用机遇。
• In 2004 the company created a CD-burning service in their Santa Monica (California USA) cafe with Hewlett Packard, where customers create their own music CD.在2004年公司和惠普共同创建了CD刻录服务，在圣莫尼卡（美国加州）咖啡馆，顾客可以制作他们自己的音乐CD 。
• New products and services that can be retailed in their cafes, such as Fair Trade products.在它的咖啡店里提供新的产品和服务，如平价产品。
• The company has the opportunity to expand its global operations.该公司有机会扩大其全球业务。 New markets for coffee such as India and the Pacific Rim nations are beginning to emerge.新的咖啡市场，如印度和太平洋地区的国家都开始出现。
• Co-branding with other manufacturers of food and drink, and brand franchising to manufacturers of other goods and services both have potential.为共同品牌与其他厂商的食物和饮料，和品牌特许经营权的制造商的其他商品和服务都具有的潜力。

Threats(威胁)

• Who knows if the market for coffee will grow and stay in favour with customers, or whether another type of beverage or leisure activity will replace coffee in the future?谁知道在未来，咖啡市场会增长并且保有客户，还是会出现新品种饮料或休闲活动从而取代咖啡？
• Starbucks are exposed to rises in the cost of coffee and dairy products.星巴克面对着咖啡原料和乳制品成本上升的局面。
• Since its conception in Pike Place Market, Seattle in 1971, Starbucks’ success has lead to the market entry of many competitors and copy cat brands that pose potential threats.由于其概念被市场认可，在1971年西雅图，星巴克的成功吸引许多竞争对手纷纷进入市场或复制品牌，从而构成潜在威胁。

‘Starbucks’ mission statement is ‘Establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow.’ The following six guiding principles will help us measure the appropriateness of our decisions’ more? ‘星巴克’使命是建立星巴克为世界上最优秀的咖啡，同时保持我们成长的原则。 ‘以下六个指导原则将帮助我们的措施是否恰当，我们的决定’呢？ Then go to Starbucks.然后回到星巴克。

Disclaimer: This case study has been compiled from information freely available from public sources. 免责声明：本案例研究是从公开的免费信息源编制而成。 It is merely intended to be used for educational purposes only.它仅仅是打算用于教育目的。

耐克(Nike)SWOT分析案例

• 优势－耐克是一家极具竞争力的公司，公司创立者与CEO菲尔·奈特（Phil Knight）最常提及的一句话便是“商场如战场”（Business is war without bullets）。
• 劣势－耐克拥有全系列的运动产品。（译者注：可以理解为没有重点产品）
• 机会－产品的不断研发。
• 威胁－受困于国际贸易。

Nike SWOT分析原文

Strengths.

• Nike is a very competitive organization. Phil Knight (Founder and CEO) is often quoted as saying that ‘Business is war without bullets.’ Nike has a healthy dislike of is competitors. At the Atlanta Olympics, Reebok went to the expense of sponsoring the games. Nike did not. However Nike sponsored the top athletes and gained valuable coverage.
• 耐克是一个充满竞争力的组织。Phil Knight（耐克的创办者和总裁）曾说道：商场就是没有硝烟的战场。耐克认为对健康的最好理解就是竞争。在亚特兰大奥运会上，锐步强调对比赛的宣传。而耐克则开创性地将宣传的焦点锁定在那些顶级的运动员身上，此举大获成功。
• Nike has no factories. It does not tie up cash in buildings and manufacturing workers. This makes a very lean organization. Nike is strong at research and development, as is evidenced by its evolving and innovative product range. They then manufacture wherever they can produce high quality product at the lowest possible price. If prices rise, and products can be made more cheaply elsewhere (to the same or better specification), Nike will move production.
• 耐克没有工厂。它不愿将资金套在厂房和生产工人身上。这使得它能够专注于设计。强大的研发部门为耐克开发了大量革命性的创新产品。而他们则拿着设计图找那些质优价廉的生产商家代工。如果价格上涨，它能够很轻松地将生产基地移至那些价格更具竞争力的区域。
• Nike is a global brand. It is the number one sports brand in the World. Its famous ‘Swoosh’ is instantly recognisable, and Phil Knight even has it tattooed on his ankle.

Weaknesses.

• The organization does have a diversified range of sports products. However, the income of the business is still heavily dependent upon its share of the footwear market. This may leave it vulnerable if for any reason its market share erodes. 这个组织有着很广的运动产品系列，然而，主要的收入来源还是依赖于鞋业市场。这使得耐克公司如果在该市场上的份儿收到侵蚀将受重创。
• The retail sector is very price sensitive. Nike does have its own retailer in Nike Town. However, most of its income is derived from selling into retailers. Retailers tend to offer a very similar experience to the consumer. Can you tell one sports retailer from another? So margins tend to get squeezed as retailers try to pass some of the low price competition pressure onto Nike.

Opportunities.

• Product development offers Nike many opportunities. The brand is fiercely defended by its owners whom truly believe that Nike is not a fashion brand. However, like it or not, consumers that wear Nike product do not always buy it to participate in sport. Some would argue that in youth culture especially, Nike is a fashion brand. This creates its own opportunities, since product could become unfashionable before it wears out i.e. consumers need to replace shoes.
• There is also the opportunity to develop products such as sport wear, sunglasses and jewellery. Such high value items do tend to have associated with them, high profits.
• The business could also be developed internationally, building upon its strong global brand recognition. There are many markets that have the disposable income to spend on high value sports goods. For example, emerging markets such as China and India have a new richer generation of consumers. There are also global marketing events that can be utilised to support the brand such as the World Cup (soccer) and The Olympics.

Threats.

• Nike is exposed to the international nature of trade. It buys and sells in different currencies and so costs and margins are not stable over long periods of time. Such an exposure could mean that Nike may be manufacturing and/or selling at a loss. This is an issue that faces all global brands.
• The market for sports shoes and garments is very competitive. The model developed by Phil Knight in his Stamford Business School days (high value branded product manufactured at a low cost) is now commonly used and to an extent is no longer a basis for sustainable competitive advantage. Competitors are developing alternative brands to take away Nike’s market share.
• As discussed above in weaknesses, the retail sector is becoming price competitive. This ultimately means that consumers are shopping around for a better deal. So if one store charges a price for a pair of sports shoes, the consumer could go to the store along the street to compare prices for the exactly the same item, and buy the cheaper of the two. Such consumer price sensitivity is a potential external threat to Nike.

If you have a body, you are an athlete – Bill Bowerman said this a couple of decades ago. The guy was right. It defines how he viewed the world, and it defines how Nike pursues its destiny. Ours is a language of sports, a universally understood lexicon of passion and competition. A lot has happened at Nike in the 30 years More . . .

Disclaimer: This case study has been compiled from information freely available from public sources. It is merely intended to be used for educational purposes only.