AN APPLICATION OF SWOT ANALYSIS AS A STRATEGIC PLANNING TOOL: A CASE OF CADBURY, INC. IN CONFECTIONERY INDUSTRY

Abstract

This paper provides analysis on Cadbury, Inc and confectionery industry. The paper analyzes the external and internal forces affecting the company, the industry it operates and its business level strategies. Considering the situational features such as opportunities and threats when designing the environmental analysis and making realistic marketing plan is very crucial because a company will benefit from its own strengths, eliminate its weaknesses, benefit from environmental opportunities and protect itself from environmental threats. On the simple basis of product quality and taste, Cadbury proves to be superior to other commercially available chocolate even with the seeming similarities in texture. This paper deals with two main research flows: environmental analysis and situational factors which allows organizations to compose an effective marketing plan. This study provides a framework that implement a common consensus on these research flows by specifiying some important issues for future research and by making effective strategy analysis in the confectionery industry.