How to Conduct a SWOT analysis

1. Conduct a SWOT analysis for the existing Hal’s Hardware store. You can use the information in the case narrative, your personal knowledge of the retail hardware and tool industry, and information you obtain by following the Web Links or doing independent searches of the Web as you conduct your analysis. Create a diagram similar to Figure 1-12 to summarize your SWOT analysis results.
2. Conduct a SWOT analysis for Sarah’s proposed Hal’s Woodworking online business. You can use the information in the case narrative, your personal knowledge of the retail hardware and tool industry, and information you obtain by following the Web Links or doing independent searches of the Web as you conduct your analysis. Create a diagram similar to Figure 1-12 to summarize your SWOT analysis results.
3. Based on your SWOT analysis of the proposed online business, write a report that includes a summary of your assumptions and a list of specific recommendations for Hal’s Woodworking. These recommendations should specify the types of content that should appear on the Website, the features that Hal should make available on the site, and how the site might overcome any of the weaknesses or threats you identified in the SWOT analysis. Be sure to include an outline any costs or benefits that the company might experience by operating both businesses at the same time. Online businesses can find it difficult to establish trust with its customers; so how will Hal’s Woodworking Website attempt to overcome this challenge? How might Hal leverage its reputation as a friendly neighborhood store and its community involvement in an online environment? What factors of the “Second and Third Wave of Electronic Commerce” will you incorporate into Hal’s new website?

The following requirements must be met:

• Write between 1,000 – 1,500 words using Microsoft Word in APA 6th edition style.
• Use an appropriate number of references to support your position, and defend your arguments. The following are examples of primary and secondary sources that may be used, and non-credible and opinion based sources that may not be used.
  1. Primary sources such as government websites (United States Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Census Bureau, The World Bank), peer reviewed and scholarly journals in EBSCOhost (Grantham University Online Library) and Google Scholar.
  2. Secondary and credible sources such as CNN Money, The Wall Street Journal, trade journals, and publications in EBSCOhost (Grantham University Online Library).
  3. Non-credible and opinion based sources such as, Wikis, Yahoo Answers, eHow, blogs, etc. should not be used.