In groups of three, pick a local healthcare organization with which you are familiar. Conduct a SWOT analysis on the organization. After completing the SWOT analysis, use the template in exhibit 8.12 to prioritize the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats you identified.

Exhibit 8.12

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Organization's mission and vision Strengths What are your best capabilities? Which assets are most important to your mission and vision? What are your core competencies? What differentiates you from your competitors? Who are the most important people on your staff? How strong are your finances? How loyal are your customers? What unique resources do you have? How advantageous is your location? How do you compare to your competitors in terms of price, value, and quality? What proprietary knowledge, superior technological skills, or Are administrative or structural issues impeding you from important patents do you possess? achieving your mission and vision? Do you have important alliances or joint ventures? Are your costs higher than those of your competitors? Opportunities What external changes present possible opportunities? Are these changes technological? Customer related? Legislative? Weaknesses In what critical areas do you need to improve? What necessary expertise or staff do you currently lack? In what areas do your competitors have an advantage? Do you rely on one set of customers too much? What trends are likely to affect your industry? Might you be able to attract and acquire important capabili- ties you do not have? Are any of your competitors failing to meet their customers' needs? What areas of growth might you be able to expand into? Are there niche markets you are not serving? Could you package your products or services differently to better meet customers' needs? Would any partnerships or alliances help you meet your mis- sion and vision? Do you lack adequate cash flow and capital reserves to meet current and future needs? Do you have adequate profit (income) levels? Do you lack needed capabilities? Do you have too much debt? Does the organization's culture align with its strategic direction? Threats Are any of your competitors better positioned than you? Are there organizations that might enter the market and become new competitors? Could key staff be hired away? What effect will new laws have on your organization? Could new technology destroy your core competencies? Do you have any insurmountable weaknesses? How will demographic changes substantially affect your existing products and services? Are your partners happy with the current arrangement? What are the major threats in the next five years to achieving your mission and vision?