Introduction
SWOT analysis is a framework or tool that is used to assess the performance of an organization. The tool analyzes the strengths, the firm opportunities, its weaknesses and the possible threats of an organization. These factors help the firm no its position and therefore, helps it to carve a sustainable niche in the market. In case of a school or college, this tool helps the college management analyze I position in regard to that of its competitors in terms of facilities, equipments and performance (Bateman, & Snell, 2013). In this paper, we shall discuss these factors in relation to BCC College and see the advantages it has and that it can improve to have a good competitive power as well as the weaknesses and threats that it can try to improve in order to have a competitive advantage over the others.
Strengths: these are attributes that of the college that possibly will be beneficial to and have a positive effect on the achievement of the college’s objectives. There is a possibility to formulate strategies that can be used to develop the strengths.
The BCC College has great academic support programs that help the student in achieving their academic goals. Student support services in the institution are excellent. Students are well supported where they have problem or difficulties in solving issues such as finances. The college in collaboration with other agencies offers scholarships for bright students that lack adequate finances for college fee (WWU & WSL, 2009). The institution has student monitoring programs that help the students in following the right academic path to attain academic Excellency. All this is wrapped by motivated professional staff that helps the students professionally in realizing their goals.
The library and research programs for students and departments are well equipped. The college library is self-sufficient to cater for the needs of the students. The department resource centers are equipped with all the necessary material and equipment required for various research programs. Additionally, these facilities and others within the institutions are well-maintained by ensuring all the equipments such as books, computers and printing machines and other laboratory and library equipments.
There is diversity of learning programs, specialty programs and high-quality departments in the college. The BCC College offers a variety of courses that attracts many students. Its performance in these programs has been a big credit in the market. It also offers special programs for persons with disabilities and therefore it provides equal opportunities for all members of the society (WWU & WSL, 2009). Moreover, the departments are high-quality in dealing with academic issues that ensure the students achieve their academic goals and provide them, students, with internship opportunities to give them the required experience in the related field.
Weaknesses: these are attributes of the college or its departments that have a negative effect on the achievement of the college goals. The college should formulate strategies on how to minimize these weaknesses.
The BCC College has aging infrastructure, technology and equipment. Despite there being adequate facilities and infrastructure to cater for the college population, the available facilities are outdated and therefore not efficient in their usage. The college is incapacitated in this sector since it cannot adequately meet the technological requirements of the large population (Samuels, 2005). It is also incapacitated in the personnel, facilities and funding to meet the growing student demand. Recent enrolments have been uncontrollable and thus there is a high population of the student body compared to that of the teaching staff.
The college does not offer off-campus and alternative programs such as on line courses. This is due to lack of sufficient funds to expand its programs. Despite there being a high demand for on line courses, the college has been unable to initiate these courses. The college lacks professional development in its departments. The departments in the college have stagnated and show no sign of growth or development there communication systems and data collection and processing methods are not up to date therefore making the college lag behind in technology absorption and embrace.
There are no appealing incentive programs for employees in the faculties. The faculties also experience staff shortage, sufficient structures which inhibit personal privacy and provide little or no space for storing faculty materials (Hong Pan, 2011). All this coupled with the low and old machines makes the individual department not to be efficient enough to contribute as required to the achievement of the college objectives.
Opportunities: these are external factors that will most likely help the college in achieving its goals and objectives. The college can therefore identify strategies on how to exploit the opportunities.
The college should improve technology. This will enhance communication within the faculties and also increase the rate of producing materials required for varies activities within the department. It should also improve its teaching and learning infrastructure by ensuring that all the resource centers including the library and laboratory have adequate modern equipment that provide students with relevant updated information (Samuels, 2005). The students should also be provided with adequate learning resources so that they can achieve academic excellence. In addition they should establish a comprehensive and quality online education services.
The BCC College needs to increase planned enrolment so that it can admit student according to the available resources within the institution. In its plan to increase growth within the college, the institution should consider and pay attention to the student’s needs in terms of resources and teaching staffs. There should be a well undertaken cross-disciplinary collaboration within and outside the various departments to ensure that the departmental mission aligns with the college strategic plan on how to achieve its mission.
Threats: they are external conditions that have a negative effect to the college or department in achieving its objectives.
The college budge has been a major threat in its operations. There are no enough budge to cater for the increasing needs of the college population. The cost of running the colleges are high and the costs of other necessary resources are high too (Hong Pan, 2011). There is too much attention in the growing enrollment but little attention on the retention. Consequently, students are admitted greedily but there are no adequate resources. Poor remunerations for faculty workers lower their morale and therefore they are demoralized in working hard to attain the set objectives.
If the college focuses on addressing the factors that are affecting it operation such as the high number of students in relation to the teaching staff, then the administration will focus on reducing the number of student enrolled and concentrate on increasing the number of the teaching staff. This will create a good balance in the teacher-student ratio and eventually realize good performance. The simple application of this recommendation will see the college achieving high academic performance and teacher and student satisfaction.
References
Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. (2013). Management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Hong Pan, R. (2011). Study on the Influential Factors of Employment for the Economic Management College Students in Agricultural University under Financial Crisis Background. Canadian Center of Science and Education.
Samuels, T., Perry, C., & University College Chester (2005). A SWOT analysis of Halton's Healthy Living Project: Prospects for sustainability. Chester: Centre for Public Health Research.
Western Washington University & Washington State Library (WWU & WSL). (2009). SWOT analysis: Western Washington University College of Business and Economics. Bellingham, Wash.: Western Washington University.
