Bmw Swot

SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS

• Indigenous entrepreneurial spirit, small business base and work ethic

• Good industrial relations

• Strategic location of County

• Diverse tradition of Arts, Heritage and Culture

• Strong literary tradition

• Vibrant community and voluntary sectors involved in service provision and impacting on all aspects of life in the County

• Strong local social conscience and value systems

• Well developed enterprising range of agricultural businesses supported by high level of cooperative activity

• Largely unspoilt rural landscape

• Sustainable rural communities

• A willingness among organisations and agencies to foster co ordination and co operation.

• Increased culture of co-operation and partnership

• Growth in outreach services

• New County Council strategies on Waste, Water and Housing

WEAKNESSES

• No third level educational institution

• Underdeveloped ICT infrastructure and low uptake of IT in local industry

• Weak tourism base

• Over reliance on declining industries and sectors

• Loss of young people and a brain drain from the County

• Lack of choice in employment opportunities

• Low wage economy

• Low level of inward investment

• Peripherality

• National criteria too restrictive for local impact

• Lack of female participation in workforce

• Inadequate childcare

• Poor social infrastructure

• Poor transportation infrastructure

• Deficiencies in capacities of water and sewerage services

• Lack of serviceable development land

• Shortage of housing, especially social housing

• No alternative energy sources

• Weak infrastructure for arts, culture, heritage and sports

• Poor image of County and low priority on national stage

• Constraints on farm development caused by quotas, waste and succession issues

• Low return from farming

• Lack of coordination of service delivery at local level

• Hidden poverty

• Underemployment

• Over reliance on short term funding

• Real and perceived barriers to cross border activities, e.g. uncertainty, currency difference, past experiences etc

• Lack of social and recreational amenities

• Barriers to participation in full time adult education

OPPORTUNITIES

• Cross-border economic, social and cultural development

• Expansion of existing businesses and agricultural sector

• Development of lifelong learning

• BMW strategy, Objective 1 status, EU initiatives

• Council’s strategies on waste, sewerage, housing

• Attraction of inward investment, both private and public

• Unspoilt environment for agriculture, tourism

• Third level outreach facilities

• Development of ICT business

• Development