Question

Case Study 2 (10%) Michael runs his own enterprise in the tourist area in Montego Bay Jamaica. He produces dolls and many styles and designs notably depicting the traditional Jamaican high school uniforms. He manages a group of people with disabilities who make the dolls in a traditional style, mainly selling to tourists through local shops, and pays them a basic salary as well as a profit share. Michael designs all the dolls, which are quite different to the standard items in most tourist stores. His quirky designs and their popularity with shoppers have come to the attention of Phillip Brown, who runs a relatively large factory producing puppets, dolls and other tourist-friendly wares. Phillip approaches Michael to suggest that he Phillip buy his Michael’s enterprise, including his designs, and that Michael and his employees all come and work at Phillip’s factory. He is offering a lot of money, and Michael doesn’t know whether he wants to maintain his independence or go for the security offered by a lump cash sum and guaranteed employment. He wants to develop a SWOT analysis to take a snapshot of his current situation and help him consider the decision:

Looking at the case study above:

Consider how his weaknesses align with the threats:

• Does this highlight any vulnerabilities that his business may not have been aware of?

• Can anything be turned into an opportunity? Consider any other potential matches:

• Are any threats balanced by opportunities, for example, as one supplier closes is another opening?

Your SWOT should give you a deeper understanding of an issue that can then contribute to your decision-making process.