Conduct a SWOT analysis and create a SWOT table for introducing our product, the sport of baseball (NOT a professional MLB team, franchise, or affiliate), to the island of Antigua & Barbuda. I’m certain that most of you are aware of, or have even used SWOT—an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats–in other courses. If you have not, then please review the reading assignment, and discuss with course mates.
Remember, this is NOT necessarily an independent project, so feel free to brainstorm with your classmates. We are all in this together! I was part of an independent group that completed this projected several years ago, and understand the level of complexity involved. Be advised, however, that even though you are allowed to discuss the project openly and share ideas for research, as well as explain key points like the SWOT analysis, EACH student MUST produce their OWN final product for submission. I am well aware by now of each student’s proficiency in writing and critical analysis. And, further, I do retain writing samples for this very purpose.
That said, as you only have a week to complete this assignment, I do not anticipate an overly detailed analysis of the strengths/weaknesses and market opportunities/threats for introducing the sport product to the island. I do, however, expect that your SWOT Analysis will reflect some degree of thought, evidence of research, logical reasoning, and balanced presentation of relevant/legitimate information.
Detailed Instructions
First, review M5R4 (basic intro to SWOT analysis) and M5R5 (an example of SWOT table).
Second, conduct research to learn more about the chosen market (Antigua & Barbuda–namely relevant cultural, political and economic factors discussed in M2 and M3). As it applies to market conditions in Antigua, feel free to use the following websites to conduct research about the island. You may use any relevant information discovered there to fill-in the SWOT table.
a) World Fact-book
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html
b) Business Global: Insights
http://bi.galegroup.com.lasproxy.minlib.net/global/?u=las
(Your Lasell ID number may be used to gain access…if there are issues, please contact Lasell Library reference desk, via the link in our SMGT-713 Syllabus)
Third, create a SWOT table, fill the table (as much as you can).
Lastly, look at your completed work (your SWOT Table). Then check whether you can answer any of the following four questions – SO, WO, ST, WT (Refer to M5R4 Figure 15.2).
SO: Can you use your strengths to take advantage of opportunities?
WO: Can you take advantage of opportunities by overcoming weaknesses?
ST: Can you use strengths to avoid threats?
WT: Can you minimize weaknesses and (thus) avoid threats?
I strongly recommend that you try to answer the first two questions – SO and WO. The most important aspect of SWOT analysis is to generate a strategy that matches those strengths against market opportunities. If, however, your SWOT analysis fails to generate any new ideas or strategy, then this is due to lack of information for each of the four main factors – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Accordingly, you MUST conduct additional research to redo the analysis. If this fails, then the focus of your assignment should be a thorough and detailed explanation as to the specific issues with your SWOT analysis, and how you will remedy this issue going forward.
