Agent Skills: Strategic Environmental Analysis

Strategic Environmental Analysis

Perform strategic environmental analysis using SWOT, PESTLE, and Porter's Five Forces frameworks. Creates structured assessments for competitive positioning and strategic planning.

What is Strategic Environmental Analysis?

Strategic environmental analysis examines internal and external factors that impact an organization's ability to achieve its objectives. Three complementary frameworks provide different perspectives:

| Framework | Focus | Perspective | Best For | |-----------|-------|-------------|----------| | SWOT | Internal + External | Organization-centric | Quick strategic assessment | | PESTLE | External macro-environment | Environment-centric | Market entry, regulatory planning | | Porter's Five Forces | Industry dynamics | Competition-centric | Industry attractiveness, positioning |

Framework 1: SWOT Analysis

What is SWOT?

SWOT analyzes four dimensions affecting strategic success:

| Dimension | Type | Question | Focus | |-----------|------|----------|-------| | Strengths | Internal | What do we do well? | Leverage | | Weaknesses | Internal | What do we do poorly? | Improve or mitigate | | Opportunities | External | What trends favor us? | Pursue | | Threats | External | What could harm us? | Defend against |

SWOT Workflow

Step 1: Define Scope

## SWOT Scope Definition

**Subject:** [Organization / Product / Initiative]
**Purpose:** [Strategic decision to inform]
**Time Horizon:** [Current state / 1-year / 3-year]
**Analyst:** swot-analyst
**Date:** [ISO date]

Step 2: Identify Strengths

Internal capabilities that provide competitive advantage:

| Category | Example Questions | |----------|-------------------| | Resources | Unique assets? Strong financials? Key partnerships? | | Capabilities | Core competencies? Skilled workforce? Technology? | | Market Position | Brand recognition? Customer loyalty? Market share? | | Culture | Innovation culture? Agility? Employee engagement? |

Step 3: Identify Weaknesses

Internal limitations that hinder performance:

| Category | Example Questions | |----------|-------------------| | Resources | Funding gaps? Aging infrastructure? Missing skills? | | Capabilities | Inefficient processes? Technical debt? Skill gaps? | | Market Position | Weak brand? High churn? Limited reach? | | Culture | Resistance to change? Silos? Leadership gaps? |

Step 4: Identify Opportunities

External conditions that could benefit the organization:

| Category | Example Questions | |----------|-------------------| | Market | Growing segments? Unmet needs? Geographic expansion? | | Technology | Emerging tech? Automation potential? Digital channels? | | Regulatory | Favorable regulation? Deregulation? Incentives? | | Competitive | Competitor weaknesses? Market consolidation? |

Step 5: Identify Threats

External conditions that could harm the organization:

| Category | Example Questions | |----------|-------------------| | Market | Declining demand? Commoditization? Price pressure? | | Technology | Disruption? Obsolescence? Cyber risks? | | Regulatory | New compliance? Trade barriers? Legal risks? | | Competitive | New entrants? Substitutes? Aggressive competitors? |

Step 6: Strategic Implications

Cross-reference quadrants to identify strategic options:

| Combination | Strategy Type | Approach | |-------------|---------------|----------| | S-O | Offensive | Use strengths to capture opportunities | | W-O | Developmental | Address weaknesses to pursue opportunities | | S-T | Defensive | Use strengths to counter threats | | W-T | Survival | Minimize weaknesses and avoid threats |

SWOT Output Format

## SWOT Analysis: [Subject]

**Date:** [ISO date]
**Analyst:** swot-analyst
**Purpose:** [Strategic context]

### Strengths
| # | Strength | Impact | Evidence |
|---|----------|--------|----------|
| S1 | [Description] | High/Med/Low | [Supporting data] |

### Weaknesses
| # | Weakness | Impact | Evidence |
|---|----------|--------|----------|
| W1 | [Description] | High/Med/Low | [Supporting data] |

### Opportunities
| # | Opportunity | Impact | Timing |
|---|-------------|--------|--------|
| O1 | [Description] | High/Med/Low | Near/Mid/Long term |

### Threats
| # | Threat | Impact | Likelihood |
|---|--------|--------|------------|
| T1 | [Description] | High/Med/Low | High/Med/Low |

### Strategic Implications
| Strategy | S/W | O/T | Recommendation |
|----------|-----|-----|----------------|
| S-O: Offensive | S1, S2 | O1 | [Action] |
| W-O: Developmental | W1 | O2 | [Action] |
| S-T: Defensive | S3 | T1 | [Action] |
| W-T: Survival | W2 | T2 | [Action] |

SWOT Mermaid Diagram

quadrantChart
    title SWOT Analysis
    x-axis Internal --> External
    y-axis Negative --> Positive
    quadrant-1 Opportunities
    quadrant-2 Strengths
    quadrant-3 Weaknesses
    quadrant-4 Threats
    "Strong brand": [0.3, 0.8]
    "Skilled team": [0.2, 0.7]
    "Legacy systems": [0.3, 0.3]
    "Limited budget": [0.2, 0.2]
    "Growing market": [0.8, 0.85]
    "New technology": [0.7, 0.75]
    "New competitor": [0.8, 0.25]
    "Regulation change": [0.7, 0.15]

Framework 2: PESTLE Analysis

What is PESTLE?

PESTLE examines six macro-environmental factors:

| Factor | Focus | Example Considerations | |--------|-------|------------------------| | Political | Government, policy | Elections, trade policy, stability, taxation | | Economic | Economy, markets | GDP, inflation, interest rates, unemployment | | Social | Society, demographics | Population, culture, lifestyle, attitudes | | Technological | Technology, innovation | R&D, automation, digital transformation | | Legal | Laws, regulations | Employment law, consumer protection, IP | | Environmental | Ecology, sustainability | Climate, resources, sustainability mandates |

PESTLE Workflow

Step 1: Define Context

## PESTLE Context

**Subject:** [Organization / Market / Initiative]
**Geography:** [Region / Country / Global]
**Time Horizon:** [Current / 1-3 years / 3-5 years]
**Purpose:** [Market entry / Strategy / Risk assessment]

Step 2: Analyze Each Factor

For each PESTLE factor:

1. Identify relevant trends in that category
2. Assess impact on your organization (positive/negative)
3. Rate importance (High/Medium/Low)
4. Determine timing (immediate/near-term/long-term)
5. Identify strategic implications

Step 3: Rate and Prioritize

| Impact Rating | Description | |---------------|-------------| | High | Fundamental to strategy, requires response | | Medium | Moderate effect, should monitor | | Low | Minimal impact, awareness only |

PESTLE Output Format

## PESTLE Analysis: [Subject]

**Date:** [ISO date]
**Geography:** [Scope]
**Analyst:** pestle-analyst

### Political Factors
| Factor | Trend | Impact | Importance | Timing | Implication |
|--------|-------|--------|------------|--------|-------------|
| [Factor] | [↑/↓/→] | +/- | H/M/L | Now/Near/Long | [Action] |

### Economic Factors
| Factor | Trend | Impact | Importance | Timing | Implication |
|--------|-------|--------|------------|--------|-------------|

### Social Factors
| Factor | Trend | Impact | Importance | Timing | Implication |
|--------|-------|--------|------------|--------|-------------|

### Technological Factors
| Factor | Trend | Impact | Importance | Timing | Implication |
|--------|-------|--------|------------|--------|-------------|

### Legal Factors
| Factor | Trend | Impact | Importance | Timing | Implication |
|--------|-------|--------|------------|--------|-------------|

### Environmental Factors
| Factor | Trend | Impact | Importance | Timing | Implication |
|--------|-------|--------|------------|--------|-------------|

### Summary: Key Factors
| Priority | Factor | Category | Strategic Response |
|----------|--------|----------|-------------------|
| 1 | [Most impactful] | [P/E/S/T/L/E] | [Action] |
| 2 | [...] | [...] | [...] |

PESTLE Mermaid Diagram

mindmap
  root((PESTLE))
    Political
      Government stability
      Trade policy
      Taxation
    Economic
      GDP growth
      Inflation
      Exchange rates
    Social
      Demographics
      Consumer trends
      Education
    Technological
      Innovation rate
      Automation
      R&D investment
    Legal
      Employment law
      Consumer protection
      Data privacy
    Environmental
      Climate policy
      Sustainability
      Resource scarcity

Framework 3: Porter's Five Forces

What are the Five Forces?

Porter's Five Forces analyze industry structure and profitability:

| Force | Question | High = | |-------|----------|--------| | Competitive Rivalry | How intense is competition? | Lower profits | | Threat of New Entrants | How easy to enter market? | More competition | | Threat of Substitutes | Are alternatives available? | Price pressure | | Bargaining Power of Suppliers | Can suppliers dictate terms? | Higher costs | | Bargaining Power of Buyers | Can buyers dictate terms? | Lower prices |

Five Forces Workflow

Step 1: Define Industry

## Five Forces Context

**Industry:** [Specific industry definition]
**Scope:** [Geographic / Segment focus]
**Purpose:** [Entry decision / Positioning / Strategy]
**Date:** [ISO date]

Step 2: Analyze Each Force

Competitive Rivalry:

| Factor | Assessment | |--------|------------| | Number of competitors | Few / Many | | Industry growth | High / Low | | Product differentiation | High / Low | | Exit barriers | High / Low | | Fixed costs | High / Low |

Threat of New Entrants:

| Barrier | Height | |---------|--------| | Capital requirements | High / Low | | Economies of scale | Strong / Weak | | Brand loyalty | Strong / Weak | | Regulatory barriers | High / Low | | Access to distribution | Easy / Hard |

Threat of Substitutes:

| Factor | Assessment | |--------|------------| | Substitute availability | Many / Few | | Switching costs | High / Low | | Price-performance ratio | Better / Worse | | Buyer propensity to switch | High / Low |

Bargaining Power of Suppliers:

| Factor | Assessment | |--------|------------| | Supplier concentration | High / Low | | Differentiation of inputs | High / Low | | Switching costs | High / Low | | Forward integration threat | High / Low |

Bargaining Power of Buyers:

| Factor | Assessment | |--------|------------| | Buyer concentration | High / Low | | Volume of purchases | Large / Small | | Product differentiation | High / Low | | Switching costs | High / Low | | Price sensitivity | High / Low |

Step 3: Rate Forces

| Rating | Industry Attractiveness | |--------|------------------------| | 1 (Very Strong Force) | Very Unattractive | | 2 (Strong Force) | Unattractive | | 3 (Moderate Force) | Neutral | | 4 (Weak Force) | Attractive | | 5 (Very Weak Force) | Very Attractive |

Five Forces Output Format

## Porter's Five Forces: [Industry]

**Date:** [ISO date]
**Scope:** [Geography / Segment]
**Analyst:** five-forces-analyst

### Force Analysis

| Force | Rating (1-5) | Key Drivers | Strategic Implication |
|-------|--------------|-------------|----------------------|
| Competitive Rivalry | [1-5] | [Top factors] | [Response] |
| New Entrants | [1-5] | [Barriers] | [Response] |
| Substitutes | [1-5] | [Threats] | [Response] |
| Supplier Power | [1-5] | [Factors] | [Response] |
| Buyer Power | [1-5] | [Factors] | [Response] |

### Industry Attractiveness

**Overall Score:** [Sum/5 = Average]
**Assessment:** [Very Attractive / Attractive / Neutral / Unattractive / Very Unattractive]

### Strategic Recommendations

1. **[Priority 1]:** [Action to address strongest force]
2. **[Priority 2]:** [Action to build competitive advantage]
3. **[Priority 3]:** [Action to improve positioning]

Five Forces Mermaid Diagram

flowchart TD
    subgraph Industry
        CR[Competitive Rivalry<br/>Rating: X/5]
    end

    NE[Threat of<br/>New Entrants<br/>Rating: X/5] --> CR
    SUB[Threat of<br/>Substitutes<br/>Rating: X/5] --> CR
    SUP[Supplier<br/>Power<br/>Rating: X/5] --> CR
    BUY[Buyer<br/>Power<br/>Rating: X/5] --> CR

    style CR fill:#f9f,stroke:#333
    style NE fill:#bbf,stroke:#333
    style SUB fill:#bbf,stroke:#333
    style SUP fill:#bfb,stroke:#333
    style BUY fill:#bfb,stroke:#333

Combined Analysis

When to Use Each Framework

| Scenario | SWOT | PESTLE | Five Forces | |----------|------|--------|-------------| | Quick strategic assessment | ✅ Primary | Supporting | - | | Market entry decision | Supporting | ✅ Primary | ✅ Primary | | Competitive positioning | ✅ Primary | Supporting | ✅ Primary | | Regulatory planning | Supporting | ✅ Primary | - | | Investment decision | ✅ Primary | ✅ Primary | ✅ Primary | | Annual strategic review | ✅ Primary | ✅ Primary | Supporting |

Integrated Analysis Workflow

For comprehensive strategic analysis:

1. Start with PESTLE - Understand macro-environment
2. Apply Five Forces - Analyze industry dynamics
3. Conduct SWOT - Position organization within context
4. Synthesize - Create unified strategic recommendations

Structured Data (YAML)

strategic_analysis:
  version: "1.0"
  date: "2025-01-15"
  analyst: "strategic-analyst"
  subject: "Acme Corp Market Expansion"

  swot:
    strengths:
      - id: S1
        description: "Strong brand recognition"
        impact: high
        evidence: "Top 3 in brand awareness surveys"
    weaknesses:
      - id: W1
        description: "Limited digital presence"
        impact: medium
        evidence: "20% of sales from online"
    opportunities:
      - id: O1
        description: "Growing Asian market"
        impact: high
        timing: near_term
    threats:
      - id: T1
        description: "New market entrant"
        impact: high
        likelihood: high

  pestle:
    political:
      - factor: "Trade agreements"
        trend: positive
        impact: positive
        importance: high
    economic:
      - factor: "Interest rates"
        trend: increasing
        impact: negative
        importance: medium
    # ... other factors

  five_forces:
    competitive_rivalry:
      rating: 3
      key_drivers: ["Many competitors", "Low differentiation"]
    threat_new_entrants:
      rating: 4
      key_drivers: ["High capital requirements"]
    threat_substitutes:
      rating: 2
      key_drivers: ["Digital alternatives emerging"]
    supplier_power:
      rating: 4
      key_drivers: ["Many suppliers available"]
    buyer_power:
      rating: 2
      key_drivers: ["Large buyer concentration"]
    overall_attractiveness: 3.0

  synthesis:
    key_insight: "Market attractive but digital disruption imminent"
    priority_actions:
      - "Accelerate digital transformation (address W1, T1)"
      - "Expand Asian operations (leverage S1, capture O1)"
      - "Build strategic supplier partnerships (counter S-T)"

When to Use Strategic Analysis

| Scenario | Recommended Approach | |----------|---------------------| | Annual planning | SWOT + PESTLE | | New market entry | PESTLE + Five Forces | | Competitive response | SWOT + Five Forces | | M&A due diligence | All three frameworks | | Product launch | SWOT (focused) | | Risk assessment | PESTLE (focused) |

Integration

Upstream

• stakeholder-analysis - Identify who provides input
• capability-mapping - Link strengths to capabilities
• Domain research - Gather market data

Downstream

• Requirements - Strategic requirements
• Business cases - Investment justification
• Roadmaps - Strategic initiatives

Related Skills

• capability-mapping - Internal capability assessment
• stakeholder-analysis - Stakeholder perspectives
• value-stream-mapping - Operational efficiency
• benchmarking - Competitive comparison
• risk-analysis - Risk identification and mitigation

User-Facing Interface

When invoked directly by the user, this skill operates as follows.

Arguments

• <subject>: Organization, product, market, or initiative to analyze
• --mode: Analysis framework (default: swot)
  • swot: SWOT analysis only (~4K tokens)
  • full: SWOT + PESTLE + Porter's Five Forces (~12K tokens)
  • pestle: Macro-environment analysis only (~4K tokens)
  • porter: Industry structure analysis only (~4K tokens)
• --output: Output format (default: both)
  • yaml: Structured YAML for downstream processing
  • mermaid: Mermaid diagram visualization
  • both: Both formats
• --dir: Output directory (default: docs/analysis/)

Execution Workflow

1. Parse Arguments - Extract subject, mode, and output format. If no subject provided, ask the user what to analyze.
2. Execute Based on Mode:
   • SWOT: Analyze Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats with strategic implications (S-O offensive, W-O developmental, S-T defensive, W-T survival).
   • Full: Spawn the strategic-analyst agent for comprehensive SWOT + PESTLE + Porter's Five Forces with cross-framework synthesis.
   • PESTLE: Analyze Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental factors with impact and likelihood ratings.
   • Porter: Analyze Competitive Rivalry, Threat of New Entrants, Threat of Substitutes, Supplier Power, Buyer Power with overall industry attractiveness score.
3. Generate Output - Produce YAML structure, Mermaid diagrams (quadrantChart for SWOT, mindmap for PESTLE, flowchart for Five Forces), and summary report.
4. Save Results - Save to docs/analysis/swot-analysis.yaml and/or docs/analysis/swot-analysis.md (or custom --dir).
5. Suggest Follow-Ups - Recommend capability-mapping for gap identification, risk analysis for threat elaboration, and decision-analysis for strategic option evaluation.

Version History

• v1.0.0 (2025-12-26): Initial release