A SWOT analysis is a simple framework into which an individual or a group can organise some thoughts – specifically, the pros and cons associated with an enterprise or action. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Using this simple framework will help you clarify these issues and gain a more strategic understanding of your current situation. However, a SWOT analysis does not lead directly to new goals or objectives – you’ll need to go to tool 1.3 for that step.

A SWOT analysis can be done for the whole sheep production enterprise (eg, “let’s have a look at where we think our sheep enterprise is going over the next 5 years”), or for selected parts of it, eg, the breeding program, or even to assess the pros and cons of an action such as re-sowing a pasture.

A SWOT analysis can be done by an individual, but the tool is much more powerful if more than one person is involved because different people will see the enterprise in different ways.

Download the SWOT analysis worksheet (58 Kb)