INTRODUCTION

SWOT ANALYSIS

SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths,

Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It

involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the

internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective. The

technique is credited to Albert Humphrey, who led a convention at Stanford University in the

1960s and 1970s using data from Fortune 500 companies.

A SWOT analysis must first start with defining a desired end state or objective. A

SWOT analysis may be incorporated into the strategic planning model. Strategic Planning

has been the subject of much research.

Strengths: characteristics of the business or team that give it an advantage over

others in the industry.

Weaknesses: are characteristics that place the firm at a disadvantage relative to

others.

Opportunities: external chances to make greater sales or profits in the environment.

Threats: external elements in the environment that could cause trouble for the

business.

Identification of SWOTs is essential because subsequent steps in the process of

planning for achievement of the selected objective may be derived from the SWOTs. First,

the decision makers have to determine whether the objective is attainable, given the SWOTs.

If the objective is NOT attainable a different objective must be selected and the process

repeated. The SWOT analysis is often used in academia to highlight and identify strengths,

weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It is particularly helpful in identifying areas for

development.

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FACTORS

The aim of any SWOT analysis is to identify the key internal and external factors that

are important to achieving the objective. These come from within the company's unique value

chain. SWOT analysis groups key pieces of information into two main categories:

Internal factors – The strengths and weaknesses internal to the organization.

External factors – The opportunities and threats presented by the external

environment to the organization.

The internal factors may be viewed as strengths or weaknesses depending upon their

impact on the organization's objectives. What may represent strengths with respect to one

objective may be weaknesses for another objective. The factors may include all of the 4P's;

as well as personnel, finance, manufacturing capabilities, and so on. The external factors

may include macroeconomic matters, technological change, legislation, and socio-cultural

changes, as well as changes in the marketplace or competitive position. The results are often

presented in the form of a matrix. SWOT analysis is just one method of categorization and

has its own weaknesses. For example, it may tend to persuade companies to compile lists

rather than think about what is actually important in achieving objectives. It also presents the

resulting lists uncritically and without clear prioritization so that, for example, weak

opportunities may appear to balance strong threats. It is prudent not to eliminate too quickly

any candidate SWOT entry. The importance of individual SWOTs will be revealed by the

value of the strategies it generates. A SWOT item that produces valuable strategies is

important. A SWOT item that generates no strategies is not important.

CASE STUDY ( INTRODUCTION TO TOUR DE LANGKAWI )

The Tour de Langkawi is an annual cycling race which is held in Malaysia since 1996.

The name of the event comes from the starting point of the first few editions, in Langkawi,

Kedah, although some later editions did not include Langkawi in the race at all. The race is

part of the UCI Asia Tour.

Four jerseys are contested during the race, although in history the jersey colours

changed all the time to suit the sponsor, they are general classification, points classification;

King of the Mountains and Asian riders classification. In addition, there are two team titles to

honour teams classification and also Asian teams classification.

The tour is the biggest cycling event in Asia, and it is the only one in Asia to have

granted two hors-category (2.HC).

The race was formed based by the idea of former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir

bin Mohamad, along with the Late Wan Adli Wan Ibrahim and Izmee Che Ismail of First

Cartel, the race was successfully held for the first time in 1996. For the first few years, the

tour always started from Langkawi, however it is not lately. The tour also visited in Sabah

and Sarawak in 1997, however poor cargo service, led to a long delays by several teams to

getting the stuff and riders, force organisers to cancel second stage of the tour. [4] Since then,

the race never visited there again.

Several incidents spiced up the race in history, stages of the race were cancelled

twice due to heavy downpour in the final stage back in 2003 and 2006. During the first stage

in 2004, police officials mistakenly opening the way for public vehicles onto the race track

while the race was still ongoing to decide the winner of the first stage. After negotiations

between the riders, they decided to neutralise the stage.

Throughout the history, only Paolo Lanfranchi able to emerge twice as overall winner.

That was two stages that never missing from the calendar since 1998. Genting Highlands is

the toughest climb in the tour, except in 2008, it was replaced by Fraser's Hill due to security

reasons and set to comeback again in 2009. The tour ended with twelve laps criterium race

in Dataran Merdeka.

SWOT ANALYSIS FOR TOUR DE LANGKAWI RACE

STRENGTH :1. International cycling race.

Well known by most cyclist teams around the world.

2. Many volunteers.

Involves many volunteers for all stages in race.

3. Good sponsorship.

Attract many sponsor such as Telekom Malaysia (TM) and Proton as a Main

sponsors and many other sponsors such as Milo for drinks and Ciclista for shirts.

4. Excellent race sites.

Have many challenges routes such as at Terengganu that have a strong wind and at

Genting highland, Pahang that involve a very high climbing route that very tough for

cyclists.

5. Good media relation.

News of the race always shows in newspaper and television news. Besides that, RTM

always show live race at all stages of competition.

WEAKNESSES:1. Poorly training volunteers.

Most of volunteers no well-trained about the race that may cause few problem.

2. Not attract most of big cyclist teams and good cyclists.

Just few of cyclist big teams send their teams in each races such as Panaria team

and Selle Italia but although their send their teams, they just use thier second team

withot invloved their main cyclists.

3. Low prizes.

Although Tour de Langkawi is one of international race, our prize is still low compare

to other races such as Giro de Italia and Tour de France.

OPPORTUNITIES:

1. Good experience for our cyclists.

Our cyclists can gain expeience with compete with many international cyclists around

the world.

2. Tie-in with media.

Can make more strong relationship with media.

3. Global airlines market.

Will create a good transport competition between airlines such as Malaysia Airlines

(MAS) and Air Asia for participants and tools transportation.

THREATS:1. Weather.

Not good weather such as heavy raining or rain flood will decrease cyclists

performance,will disturd competition flows and increases chance to injuries occured.

2. Traffic problem.

With close from certain roads, traffic problem was occured at that places.

3. Celecritries not attending.

Some celebritries not attending their event at some stages although already deal to

attend and this will make some participants and fans who attended feel dissapointed

and bad expectation for next events.

4. Negative news on internet.

Some of news that created on internet are negative and will make public negatives

view about Tour de Langkawi such as about socialism of participants with public,

volnteers and staff of the events.