The TOWS matrix—A tool for situational analysis
Abstract
This article has two main purposes. One is to review general considerations in strategic planning and the second to introduce the TOWS Matrix for matching the environmental threats and opportunities with the company's weaknesses and especially its strengths. These factors per se are not new; what is new is systematically identifying relationships between these factors and basing strategies on them. There is little doubt that strategic planning will gain greater prominence in the future. Any organization—whether military, product-oriented, service-oriented or even governmental—to remain effective, must use a rational approach toward anticipating, responding to and even altering the future environment.
References (14)
- Howard H. Stevenson
Defining corporate strengths and weaknesses
Sloan Management Review
(Spring 1976) - K. Andrews et al.
Business Policy: Text and Cases
(1965) - A. Chandler
Strategy and Structure: Chapters in the History of American Industrial Enterprise
(1962) - G.A. Steiner et al.
Management Policy and Strategy
(1977) - R. Vancil
Strategy formulation in complex organizations
- H.I. Ansoff
Corporate Strategy
(1965) - C.W. Hofer et al.
Strategy Formulation: Analytical Concepts
(1978)
Cited by (574)
Co-designing a landscape experiment to investigate diversified cropping systems
2024, Agricultural SystemsIntensive food and feed production in sole-cropped, large fields with high fertilizer and pesticide inputs to achieve high yields, has contributed to detrimental environmental impacts. To move towards more sustainable agricultural landscapes, cropping system diversification has been suggested as a promising practice for which the use of digital technologies could be potentially beneficial. Understanding the impact of diversified, newly arranged cropping systems and their management requires long-term experimental data at the landscape scale and practical experiences in using digital technologies which are hardly available. Experimental platforms in an agricultural landscape setup with farmers' involvement could meet such demands but have not been set up in many regions nor has the process of designing such platforms been described systematically.
The overall objective of this study was to describe how an experimental platform can be co-designed jointly by researchers and practitioners to study and understand the impact of diversification practices compared to current cropping systems in Eastern Brandenburg, Germany. Specifically, we aimed to re-design an intensively managed field into smaller field segments that we called patches and to assess the potential of a co-created landscape experiment for sustainable agricultural production focussing on both, the practitioners´ and scientists´ perspective.
We used the DEED research cycle (Describe, Explain, Explore and Design) as a conceptual framework to co-design the landscape experiment called patchCROP within a commercial farm. Patches were implemented as 0.5 ha fields within the original field based on yield and soil maps using advanced cluster analysis which considered soil heterogeneity. The original narrow crop sequence was diversified by integrating new crops, cover crops and flower strips for a five-year crop rotation. To cultivate the patches, large machinery was used during the first years but will be replaced over time with autonomous field robots. Workshops and various methods such as a SWOT analysis were used to adjust the management practices towards pesticide reduction.
The SWOT analysis revealed opportunities and drawbacks to develop such a research platform in a participative manner from both the scientific and practical farming perspective. We found that the farmer-centric position focused mainly on the economic return and feasibility of future field operations in the diversified field. The scientific perspective on the other hand described needs and potentials about the research process for evaluating dynamic, interdependent or opposing natural processes and their interactions like productivity, biodiversity and ecosystem service changes in an agricultural landscape context.
Co-designed landscape experiments have the potential to simultaneously assess the impact of newly developed cropping systems on biodiversity and ecosystem services beyond the field level, crop performance and soil quality at multiple scales, and the implications for multiple actors. This is a step forward to extend systems-based research from single plot to landscape research in an on-farm environment, allowing the exploration of diversification measures with new digital technologies in the long run.
A roadmap to consolidate research and innovation in agricultural water management in Bosnia and Herzegovina
2024, Agricultural Water ManagementBosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) accumulates challenges in the areas of research and innovation (R&I), agricultural water management (AWM) and their intersection. In the decade 2012–2022, the BiH gross domestic product per capita in current US$ increased by 6.2% annually. However, improvements are slowly arriving in R&I and AWM. In this period, relevant challenges to AWM have materialized, such as climate change effects or the need to implement an interconnected vision of ecosystem services. In the R&I arena, the societal demand for knowledge goods remains low, while the reforms of higher education and R&I funding systems have become urgent. This paper set out to elaborate a realistic and feasible policy roadmap to consolidate R&I in AWM in BiH. The methodology included an assessment of policies and sector performance, the analysis of stakeholder perceptions, the development of strategic directions and the design of a strategy. Desk research and stakeholder consultations (33 interviews, six workshops, 179 persons in total) were used to take stock of the current situation and expectations for the future. Stakeholders were divided into knowledge supply and knowledge demand, with five and six subcategories, respectively. Relations were established among the key enabling factors, the needs and the capacities of the involved stakeholders. The TOWS (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Strengths) matrix permitted to identify policy strategies. A Weaknesses – Opportunities, conservative or mini-maxi strategy was selected, owing to the relevance of system weaknesses (such as low investments, poor return of R&I to society or low R&I for AWM adaptation) and opportunities (such as the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, Smart Specialization or regional partnerships). The policy roadmap was structured along three policy goals: strengthen R&I, strengthen AWM and identify / fund local R&I priorities for AWM. Policy goals included policy instruments promoting eco-efficient use of resources and sustainable development of rural areas.
Application of strategic planning and multi-objective decision-making models in integrated watershed management: A case study in the Cheshmeh-Kileh Watershed, Iran
2024, Journal of HydrologyIntegrated Watershed Management (IWM) is an essential concept in water resources, soil, and vegetation management emphasizing economic, social, and environmental issues. This study consisted of main and secondary goals. The main purpose of this study was focused on the use of strategic planning models in explaining the IWM. To implement this goal, the comanagement approach and stakeholders' opinions were used to collect strengths (S), weaknesses (W), opportunities (O), and threats (T). Also, management strategies for the optimal management of soil and water resources and improving the living conditions of the stakeholders were presented based on strategic planning analysis. Towards that, semi-structured interviews were conducted with local stakeholders, technical experts, and policymakers to gather and formulate S, W, O, and T, briefly known as SWOT, for the Cheshmeh-Kileh Watershed in Iran. The PESTEL (i.e., political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal) model was also used to examine the comprehensive indicators. The factors of the SWOT model were studied and analyzed from political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal aspects. In both strategic planning models, the Condorcet algorithm was used to weight the factors. Based on the opinions of local stakeholders, 55 factors were identified to examine comprehensive and problem-oriented management. By comparing the results of the SWOT evaluation matrix and the combined SWOT and PESTEL evaluation matrix developed based on the comprehensive indicators, it was concluded that the status of the evaluation matrix was in the best state and the growth and development strategies. In addition, the studied watershed was at a medium to high level based on management status and had strengths and suitable opportunities for growth and development. Considering that in the studied area, an integrated governance structure for the watershed management has not been developed and the different sectors management is not done in an integrated manner. Therefore, the results of the current study, which were compiled from the consensus of various stakeholders, can have a significant impact in providing optimal and comprehensive watershed management patterns.
Navigating environmental sustainability in ship recycling industry: Integrated SWOT-TOWS-ANP approach
2024, Ocean EngineeringShip recycling is the complex and systematic engineering procedure of disassembling maritime vessels with the primary objective of extracting and recovering valuable materials. The environmentally responsible and safe dismantling of end-of-life ships is currently a significant concern and a formidable undertaking. Turkey stands out as one of the four key nations in global ship recycling, notably centered in the Aliaga region. This study concentrates on conducting a thorough strategic analysis of the ship recycling industry, emphasizing its environmental impact by using the real case of the Aliaga region. The research utilized a combined SWOT-TOWS-ANP triangle method to identify the best possible strategy for the Aliaga ship recycling facility, with a specific focus on the environmental implications. When examining both the environmental aspect and the overall subfactors, based on their respective weighted averages, it can be observed that the most significant sub-factor is “S1 Recycling of ships in conformity with international regulations.” The strategy with the highest average weight is the “SO1 Attempting to increase market share in the European ship recycling industry” with 0.15255. From the environmental perspective, “WT2 The aim of highlighting the economic and environmental contributions of the ship recycling industry to seek further incentives by garnering support from the public and government officials” has been the most significant strategy to be followed. The analysis results are expected to guide industry stakeholders in establishing a safe, reliable, cleaner, and finally more sustainable ship recycling industry.
Liberating Structures in Strategic Planning: Methods to Foster Engagement
2024, Academic RadiologyThis paper describes the innovative approach of using liberating structures to the development of the AUR 2023 strategic plan, and lessons learned in their application. The 2023 strategic plan built on the results and approach of the prior 2015 plan. Similar to the 2015 strategic plan, traditional tools such as a SWOT analysis and strategic retreat were used. In addition, the 2023 process included tools called liberating structures and was iteratively co-produced through a series of virtual meetings over 18 months. Advantages of liberating structures included increased creativity and speed in moving through meeting tasks, increased number of meaningful contributions from AUR members and increased engagement from participants during discussions and meetings. The 2023 AUR strategic plan is provided along with examples of completed goals and those under early implementation. Lessons learned from using these tools for strategic planning can be applied to other society and group meetings. Moving forward, the 2023 strategic plan will be a living document, which will be reviewed at each Board of Directors meeting and periodically adapted.
Determining maritime silk road strategies for ports along the route of belt and road initiative: A case of eastern Aegean ports
2023, Research in Transportation Business and ManagementThe Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is notable for its endorsement of free trade agreements and an international economy founded on open regional cooperation. BRI intends to facilitate trade and investment by establishing a transportation corridor connecting China with participating countries. BRI comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) and the Maritime Silk Road (MSR). It is anticipated in the literature on strategic port planning that ports will update their strategies in response to substantial developments in the business environment. In this respect, one of the issues that have to be examined and looked into in the long-term port policies for the succeeding ten to thirty years is the MSR. The objective of the study is to ascertain alternative strategies that could be implemented in the ports located in the eastern Aegean region with regard to MSR. The selection of a semi-structured interview was made in order to ascertain the Swot sub-factors pertaining to the eastern Aegean ports. In order to determine the best alternative strategy given the findings of the TOWS study, the Analytic Network Process method was preferred in the analytical phase of the research. The findings of the study indicate that the best strategy for ports in the eastern Aegean region is “Trying to be the main port along to MSR route”.
- ∗
He has had many years of business and consulting experience in the United States and Europe, working with such companies as Volkswagen, Hughes Aircraft Company, etc.