Conduct a SWOT Analysis

Conduct a SWOT Analysis

MGT 450 Strategic Planning for Organizations

Conduct a SWOT Analysis

For a company to be successful, they must make quality decisions. They must be aware of both internal and external factors and use their best judgment to determine the direction they are going to go. This can be done utilizing the SWOT analysis. This paper will detail what a SWOT analysis is. It will provide information about the Comcast Corporation and it will show an example of a SWOT analysis utilizing the Comcast Corporation.

What is a SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis is a tool utilized to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This tool creates a full awareness of all aspects involved during the decision-making process .

Strengths

Abraham suggests that the strengths section of the analysis is an in internal evaluation. It is the company’s special capabilities or expertise. He recommends identifying the good and what has gone well. This could be benefits offered to employees, consumers agreeableness with a product, or performance. While this is an internal evaluation it is important to measure strengths against competition, this is what separates the company from its competitors .

Weaknesses

Weaknesses are also considered an internal evaluation (Abraham, 2012). Weakness are problems or deficiencies that need to be corrected, they can be compared to competition, goals or strategies. There are many things to consider when evaluating weaknesses, company culture, poor productivity or even dated processes or products .

Opportunity

Abraham describes opportunity as potential growth and future success. This is how a company stays competitive, and it is specific to what can improve a company’s situation. The company needs to continue what has worked, but they also need to identify additional ways to gain market share. This could include an increase in marketing, identifying and creating a new product, and finding or expanding to a new market (Abraham, 2012).

Threats

Threats are like weaknesses but are specific to external forces or trends that may negatively affect the company and create a challenge to find success. A few examples are lower priced competition, industry slowdown or new regulatory requirements .

Comcast

Comcast believes in connecting you to what matters, Comcast creates incredible technology and entertainment that connects millions of people to the moments and experiences that matter most . Comcast was founded in 1963, in Tupelo, Mississippi. It started with five channels and twelve thousand customers. Comcast now owns Xfinity, NBCUniversal, Sky UK and several other assets, these businesses have made Comcast relevant in theme parks, movie production and overseas telecommunication.

Comcast has recently ranked as one of the top five places to work and is a fortune fifty company. Comcast is most commonly known for its Xfinity brand. They are known as one of the top providers in the telecommunication industry with offerings of cable tv, internet, home telephone, home security and mobile phone service. Unfortunately, they are also known for poor customer service, raised prices and are considered by some as a monopoly. However, competition is on the rise, due to the likes of Netflix, Disney and other streaming services.

Analysis Detailing Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

Strengths

Weaknesses

• Comcast owns several successful companies, Xfinity, NBCUniversal & Sky
• The nation’s best infostructure that offers the fastest internet speeds
• Continued growth through innovation
• Top five places to work
• Heavily diversified
• 29.8 million customers

Opportunity

• Customer Experience
• Customer perception
• Training
• Opportunity for growth
• Affordable/Consistent pricing
• Internal communication
  • Employee turnover
  • Inconsistent/unachievable employee goals

Threats

• Streaming service
• Compatibility with other streaming services
• Acquire wireless network rather than using Verizon
• Invest more in Home automation
• Create more customizable plans
• Eliminate introductory pricing

Conclusion

• Municipal broadband deployments
• Original content
• Over the top providers such as Netflix, Hulu, etc.
• More options with competitive pricing
• Dated products such as home telephone, traditional cable tv
• Cord cutters

Rob Berman’s blog offers several questions that should be asked while identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. He says to “Ask the tough questions during a SWOT Analysis to best understand the nature of the environment your business or product line faces. Then, take action on your findings” . This paper described what a SWOT analysis is and provided information about the Comcast Corporation. Based on the example SWOT analysis, there are several paths Comcast could take to better position itself for the identified competition of over the top providers, such as Netflix.