Quality and Project Management
SWOT analysis helps an individual or an organization to identify internal (Strengths (S) and Weaknesses (W)) and external (Opportunities (O) and Threats (T)) factors for success. The analysis then enables the individual or organization to focus on exploiting strengths and opportunities while addressing weaknesses and threats to improve performance. There are also other factors that affect a person or organization’s performance, which include political, economic, social and technological (PEST) factors. A PEST analysis considers each of the external forces particularly how they affect a person or organization. This is followed by the development of a plan for dealing with these forces for optimal performance. In this paper, I perform my SWOT and PEST analyses as a hopeful engineering student.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Mathematics
Mathematics is a core subject in engineering because almost every engineering unit or activity requires the application of some mathematical functions. I am not only good in mathematics but also have a great passion for mathematics. I know I will not find engineering to be challenging because I believe I will comfortably solve or try to solve any engineering problem. I will also use my mathematics knowledge to model various engineering problems in order to come up with right answers.
Critical thinking skills
I understand that engineering requires critical thinking. I have severally been considered a critical thinker at home and at school. I know I have critical thinking skills especially when it involves mathematics.
Computer knowledge and passion
Computer is currently a fundamental requirement in engineering considering that almost all of the engineering practices that were earlier done with hand are now done using computer programs such as drawing (Madsen and Madsen, 2012). I have great passion for computers and I love learning new knowledge. I have a personal computer that I use to get information using the internet and practice using various software such as modeling software. When times come, I will seek to learn to use all the required engineering software and I highly believe I will be able to use them because of my passion for computers.
Weaknesses
Fear for examinations
I know that in engineering, I will have to sit for several examinations before I complete the course, all of which I must pass for certification purposes and convince registration board, employers and clients that I am a qualified engineer who should be given the go ahead to handle engineering projects. My fear for exams is a major weakness that risks preventing me from being a successful engineer.
Opportunities
Scholarships
There are several scholarships offered by various organizations that I can apply and which can help me to realize my dreams in engineering.
Excellent learning environment
I believe I am in the best university with excellent teaching environment, lecturers and facilities that will help me become a successful engineer. The institution has laboratories furnished with modern equipments, tools and technologies that will help me learn the modern engineering. The laboratory is rich of useful learning materials and the school has internet connectivity that helps me to get learning material from the internet especially from the school’s e-library. I also have great classmates and friends with whom we can hold discussion to solve various engineering problems and hence enhance our mastery of the content. Our lecturers are also willing to assist us, which is an excellent opportunity for me to learn engineering and become a successful engineer.
Threats
Competition
I face competition from already graduated students, fellow students and technicians especially diploma holders.
Globalization including outsourcing from developing countries
In the effort to reduce operating costs, firms are now outsourcing engineering knowledge, works and services from developing countries where there is plenty of low cost labor (Prikladnicki and Audy, 2012). This threatens my ability to secure an engineering job or contract in my country.
PEST Analysis
Political
Policies
Policies may be established that may or may not favor engineering. Political agreements between my country and others may widen market for engineers. On the other hand, foreign countries may impose import restrictions in the effort to safeguard their domestic engineers and engineering firms, which narrows my market as an engineer. Further, in the effort to support local firms, encourage environmental sustainability and encourage innovation, various governments provide tariffs and grants to their local firms, investors and innovators. Should this happen in my country, it will have the impact of enhancing my career.
Economic
Economic downturns
Economic downturns have been known to negatively affect engineering as engineering firms avoid further investments followed by employee reduction due to high levels of uncertainty and reduction in incomes (Platt 2003). In case of an economic downturn, I risk failing to secure a job or losing a job.
Social
Quality conscious consumer
The modern consumer is becoming more and more quality conscious, which applies even to the engineering field (Sinha, 2003). Accordingly, there is high competition to provide customers with high quality products through innovation and quality control. To remain competitive in the field, I have to be innovative towards quality improvement at reduced cost.
Social responsibility
The modern consumer is also much concerned about the social responsibility of a firm or service provider. Consumers are also concerned about the environmental impact of almost everything they purchase especially so because of the current focus on environmental responsibility (Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell 2010 & Hoekstra 2013). This means that engineers must be innovative to come up with environmentally friendly engineering products for them to remain competitive in the field.
Technological
New and emerging technology
Technology is emerging at an extremely high rate, which has two consequences. Firstly, it means that engineers must always stay updated with respect to technology in order to identify new technology and consequently apply it for competitiveness purposes. Secondly, this leads to technology obsoleteness that has associated costs particularly cost of disposing off old technology and acquiring new technology.
Personal Plan Based on Key Issues Generated by the Analysis
Usefulness of Applying SWOT and PEST Analysis and Possible Alternatives
SWOT and PEST analyses help in identifying factors that determine success. In this case, SWOT and PEST analysis has helped me to identify factors that will affect my success in engineering. In particular, SWOT analysis has helped me to gauge my strengths and compare them with my weaknesses (internal factors), which gives me two options. The first option is to exploit my strengths and strategize on how to address my weaknesses to ensure success in engineering. Secondly, if my weaknesses are too great and important that I cannot address them, I have the option to avoid studying engineering and select another course that best fits me. In this case, I find that I can address my weaknesses because they are minor compared to my strengths.
The SWOT analysis has also enabled me to understand and gauge external factors (opportunities and threats) that will affect my career. This also gives me two options: exploit available opportunities and strategize on how to address identified threats or drop the course if threats are so important and/or there are few or no opportunities. In this case, I find that there are several opportunities and I should focus on exploiting them and address identified threats mainly because they are addressable.
Finally, PEST analysis has helped me to identify factors, although beyond my control, that will probably affect me as an engineer. This has consequently enabled me to know how to address these factors to ensure that I am successful as engineer.
SCORE (strengths, challenges, options, responses and effectiveness) is an alternative to SWOT analysis that would give the same insight because like SWOT analysis, SCORE assesses strategic issues including strengths and challenges. It goes further to identify possible options and consequent responses. On the other hand, PEST analysis does not have an alternative that would give the same insight.
Bibliography
Ferrell, O.C., Fraedrich, J. & Ferrell, L 2010, Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases (7th ed.). Mason, OH: South Western Cengage Learning.
Hoekstra, A.Y 2013, The Water Footprint of Modern Consumer Society. Third Avenue, NY: Routledge.
Madsen, D.A. & Madsen, D.P 2012, Engineering Drawing & Design (5th ed.). Clifton Park, NY: DELMAR CENGAGE Learning
Platt, D.K. (2003). Engineering and High Performance Plastics Market Report: A Rapra Market Report. Shropshire, UK: Rapra Technology Limited.
Prikladnicki, R. & Audy, J.L.N 2012, Managing Global Software Engineering: A Comparative Analysis of Offshore Outsourcing and the Internal Offshoring of Software Development. Information Systems Management, vol. 29, pp. 216-232.
Sinha, A. K 2003. Quality Assurance: Need of Hour for Civil Engineering. In S. Kumar & H.S. Niranjan Eds. Advances in Civil Engineering: Perspectives of Developing Countries Volume 1 (pp. 226-234). New Delhi, India: Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
