Planning and the SWOT Analysis

Instructions

Business Management Project 1 – Planning and the SWOT Analysis

Purpose  

The purpose of this project is to introduce you to the planning process and to complete a SWOT analysis to determine a company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Using the information gathered to complete the SWOT, you will begin to build a Strategic Plan identifying and discussing the company’s goals and objectives.

Outcome Met by Completing This Assignment

• Employ effective planning processes to develop strategies, goals, and objectives to enhance organizational performance and sustainability. 

Instructions and Case Background

Note: Before starting work on Project I, you must read the Project 1 rubric very carefully. 

You are requested to complete Project 1 in the role of a recent business degree graduate, newly hired by Silver Airways.  Your manager has requested your assistance in conducting a SWOT analysis and developing the goals and objectives for a strategic plan. The strategic plan is necessitated by Silver Airways’ CEO requesting an assessment of the airline’s ability to become a “major U.S. airline” and the subsequent steps it needs to take to make that happen.

You will use the course materials for Weeks 1 – 3 and your research findings based on Silver Airlines’ links below. This information will allow you to analyze the current state of Silver Airways to determine its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats toward becoming a major US airline.

You will complete a SWOT table identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats you identified for Silver Airlines. Based on your SWOT table, you will then develop and explain your goals and their related objectives.

Your manager has informed you of the following facts: Florida-based Silver Airways recently announced its acquisition of Seaborne Airlines, headquartered in Puerto Rico.  Expanding its flight routes within the Caribbean makes the company the highest volume airline to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.  In addition to its Bahamas and Caribbean flights, Silver Airways serves the southeast and a few northeast states.

Your manager has provided you with the links found below and indicated that route expansion, a new fleet of aircraft, and the acquisition of Seaborne Airlines should be considerations in your analysis. Of course, the focus of your analysis is Silver Airways and not Seaborne Airlines.

Your analysis, SWOT table, goals, and objectives must be supported by a logical and well-reasoned evaluation of the facts ascertained from the course materials and links provided.

Research Links

• Silver Airways
• Seaborne Airlines
• Silver Airways/SeaborneAirways
• Silver Airways Announces Major Strategic Growth Developments and New Leadership

You may do additional research related to Silver Airways to enhance your SWOT analysis, SWOT Table, and goals and objectives.

How to Set Up the Paper

Create a Word or Rich Text Format (RTF) document that is double spaced. Use 12-point font. The final product will be 5-6 pages in length, excluding the title and reference pages.  Write clearly and concisely.

Create an APA compliant title page that provides the paper’s title, date, name, course number, section number, and instructor’s name.

Use all of the following centered Bolded and left-justified Bolded headings in the same order they appear in completing your project.

                                                                      Introduction

• Write an Introduction paragraph. The introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of the paper and will describe to the reader the intent of the paper, explaining the main points covered in the paper. This intent should be understood before reading the remainder of the paper so the reader knows exactly what is being covered in the paper. The introduction is often written after the paper is completed. (Use in-text citations as required.)

                                                        SWOT Table

• Using the research from the websites provided and any additional research, complete a SWOT Table for Silver Airways using the format below.
• Provide a minimum of three strengths, three weaknesses, three opportunities, and three threats. See the grading rubric for specifics and further guidance.
• Provide an in-text citation for each item presented in the SWOT Table.

                                               SWOT Analysis:  Silver Airways

• Write a paragraph explanation for each quadrant (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) on the SWOT Table that explains each item in each quadrant  (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats). Support your reasoning. Remember, there must be a minimum of three items in each quadrant. Be certain to label each of the paragraphs Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, or Threats and make it clear to the reader which item within each of those headings is being discussed. (Use headings below and in-text citations as required.)

Strengths Explanations Paragraph  

Weaknesses Explanations Paragraph 

Opportunities Explanations Paragraph 

Threats Explanations Paragraph 

                                                         Goals and Objectives

• You will now begin to build the framework for the Strategic Plan to be developed. Identify and explain three (3) major strategic goals that the company should attain based on its acquisition of Seaborne Airlines. Each strategic goal will be one sentence, followed by an explanation of the importance of each goal. (Use in-text citations as required.)
• For each strategic goal, provide at least two one-sentence objectives to support each strategic goal. The relationship of each objective to its strategic goal must be demonstrated. (Use in-text citation as required.)

The assignment rubric displays how the assignment is graded and how to earn additional credit for various paper sections.

Make sure to use the research and course materials to support your analysis.

STUDENTS: The format and framework for your goals and objectives must be as follows:   

STRATEGIC GOAL 1: Must be written as a one-sentence goal. The goal must be followed by a brief explanation of the goal’s significance. (Use in-text citations and references as appropriate.)

Objective 1:  Must be written as a one-sentence objective. The objective must be followed by a brief explanation of support for that objective as it relates to its goal. (Use in-text citations and references as appropriate.)

Objective 2: Must be written as a one-sentence objective. The objective must be followed by a brief explanation of support for that objective as it relates to its goal. (Use in-text citations and references as appropriate.)

STRATEGIC GOAL 2: Must be written as a one-sentence goal. The goal must be followed by a brief explanation of the significance of that goal. (Use in-text citations and references as appropriate.)

Objective 1: Must be written as a one-sentence objective. The objective must be followed by a brief explanation of support for that objective as it relates to its goal. (Use in-text citations and references as appropriate.)

Objective 2: Must be written as a one-sentence objective. The objective must be followed by a brief explanation of support for that objective as it relates to its goal. (Use in-text citations and references as appropriate.)

STRATEGIC GOAL 3: Must be written as a one-sentence goal. The goal must be followed by a very brief explanation of the significance of that goal. (Use in-text citations and references as appropriate.)

Objective 1: Must be written as a one-sentence objective. The objective must be followed by a brief explanation of support for that objective as it relates to its goal. (Use in-text citations and references as appropriate.)

Objective 2: Must be written as a one-sentence objective. The objective must be followed by a brief explanation of support for that objective, as it relates to its goal. (Use in-text citations and references as appropriate.)

                                                                Conclusion

• Create a concluding paragraph. The conclusion paragraph highlights the major findings covered in the paper.

                                                                References   

Use the checklist below to ensure your paper’s compliance with assignment instructions.

NOTE:  It is your responsibility to learn about instructor and general academic expectations concerning the proper citation sources as specified in the APA Publication Manual, 7th Ed. (Students are held accountable for in-text citations and an associated reference list only.)