SWOT Analysis for a Daycare Center
SWOT is a tool used by businesses, nonprofits and other organizations as a strategic planning process. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. A SWOT analysis for a day care center would consider internal operations and resources as well as external influences such as competing businesses.
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Getting Started
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Identify and gather potential participants from whom input is important, such as administrators, childcare workers, parents and children. Clearly determine your objectives for the SWOT process. The facilitator should appoint data collection assignments to various members of the group.
Knowing the Competition
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One group member should be given the task of collecting data about competing nearby day care centers, such as location, cost, available transportation, hours, food service and other facility components that may influence parents' decision-making process when choosing a day care center.
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Strengths
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Using a brainstorming approach, the group will list the day care center's strengths. These can be tangible, such as "transportation provided" or "ample educational toys" or intangible, such as "a caring staff."
Weaknesses
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Have the group explore the center's weaknesses, tangible and intangible, that keep the day care center from being the best it can be. This process often identifies problems with or between staff and administrators.
Opportunities and Threats
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Explore existing resources that may help resolve weaknesses and build on successes. Consider the time during which these opportunities will be available. Identify threats or conditions that may adversely affect the day care center and how these may be avoided or overcome.
Using the SWOT Data
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Sort the information identified during the process as it applies to the objectives, and begin making changes to the day care center accordingly. Revisit the results regularly to work toward improvements and meet objectives.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Michael Hashizume
