SWOT analysis and GUT matrix for business management and problem solving: an application in a Brazilian case-study

The present research aims to use SWOT analysis to identify strategic problems of small business companies (SBCs) from the automotive selling parts of a brazilian city and use the GUT matrix for identifying a Priority Level (PL) result of each problem listed. This case-study is expected to bring improvements to the automotive pole in territory, as a way to quantify and prioritize the actions focused on the weaknesses and threats identified though the SWOT analysis (an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and is a structured method that evaluates those four elements on a strategic way), the GUT matrix (technique for priorization and decision making) will be used according its aspects of severity, urgency and tendency. It finds that solving problems of “Low cooperation between the companies” and increase the level of interaction between the companies will increase generation of information. Solve “infrastructure deficiency and accessibility to the Pole” problems will increase the Association’s recognition and representativeness, bringing closer and enabling the gradual implementation of a more adequate governance.