Strategic planning for rural engineering college using SWOT-AHP method

Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) technique examines both internal and external factors of an organisation. The combination yields analytically determined priority factors and make them commensurable. The prioritized SWOT factors are then used to formulate strategic planning for an organisation. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method is applied in order to evaluate SWOT factors systematically and commensurate their intensities which has also the ability of taking these factors into consideration in a hierarchical structure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the critical factors of the rural engineering college as perceived by its stakeholders through SWOT analysis method and to utilize them in developing effective strategies for the college. It would be crucial for policy makers to understand the relative importance of critical factors. To support their decision making process, a SWOT analysis was used in combination with AHP in this study. Ten SWOT factors and the relative weight of SWOT groups were examined through responses to questionnaire to the stake holders. The result can be utilized to prioritize factors to develop effective strategies for the college.