Factors in SWOT Analysis Applied to Micro, Small-to-Medium, and Large Software Enterprises:: an Austrian Study

Many companies are conducting a SWOT analysis as part of the strategic planning process to identify the organisations’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats before proceeding to the formulation of a corporate strategy. This paper reports on the results of an empirical survey and seeks to identify differences in SWOT analysis factors between micro, small-to-medium and large software enterprises. A questionnaire was used to interview a random sample of key executives in 174 Austrian software enterprises. The important role of micro and small-to-medium software enterprises is outlined in an overview of the Austrian computer software industry. The empirical results show, that in general, almost every identified discriminating endogenous success factor is viewed more negatively by managers of micro-enterprises compared to larger firms. In return, managers of Austria’s large software enterprises perceive major barriers to companies growth in the business environment. Due to the highly globalised nature of the software industry, the findings are also applicable for other countries in the European Union.  2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.