Q. Where can I get a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis refers to the examination of an entity's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. These analyses can be used to quickly understand a company or industry; however, it's often best to build your own SWOT or PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental).

The best resources for finding a SWOT analysis of a company:

• Business Source Complete
  • Search for a known company (ideally public). On the results page, select "SWOT Analyses" under "Source Types" from the filters on the left.
• MarketLine Reports via Business Source Complete
  • Company profiles here usually include a SWOT analysis. Enter a company name in the second search box below "SO MarketLine".

The best resource for finding a SWOT analysis of an industry:

• IBISWorld 
  • Search for a company or industry and select a relevant industry report. On the side-navigation, select "Industry at a Glance" to view "SWOT in the Industry".

The best resource for finding a PEST analysis of a country:

• Passport
  • Search for "PEST Analysis" in the search box. Examine results for specific countries (e.g. PEST Analysis: The USA)

In general, the best resources for building your own SWOT, PEST, or PESTLE can be found on the Industry Research guide.