Example of SWOT analysis tools

4. Advantages and disadvantages of SWOT analysis

Advantages of SWOT analysis

List of advantages of SWOT analysis, especially in educational and organizational contexts:

• Easy to use: an easy-to-understand tool that does not require complex methods or specialized knowledge.
• Comprehensive perspective: simultaneously encompasses internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats).
• Encourages strategic thinking: encourages participants to analyze the current situation and plan for future development.
• Decision support: helps to set priorities and align resources with goals.
• Flexibility: can be used for businesses, projects, institutions or educational programs.
• Participatory approach: often involves multiple stakeholders (e.g. students, teachers, employees), which contributes to a better understanding of the situation.
• Identifies opportunities for development: highlights where resources can be best used.
• Identifies risk areas: warns of threats and weaknesses that need to be mitigated or removed.

Disadvantages of SWOT analysis

The disadvantages of SWOT analysis, on the other hand, are as follows:

• Generality and subjectivity: results depend on the assessment of the participants, so they may be imprecise or biased.
• Lack of prioritization: SWOT identifies factors but does not determine their importance or order of resolution.
• It does not provide solutions: it describes the situation but does not offer specific strategies or action steps.
• Statistical limitations: does not use quantitative data or measurable indicators, unless they are additionally included.
• Possible over-complexity: if too many factors are included, the analysis can become unwieldy and dysfunctional.
• Short-term perspective: focuses on the current situation, so it easily ignores long-term trends and changes.
• Context-dependent: the same factor can be a strength in one context and a weakness in another (e.g., the size of the institution).
• Risk of superficial use: often used as a formality in planning, without deeper elaboration or subsequent monitoring.