Employing strategic analysis (SWOT) in commercial banks to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage

Survey studyforviews of a sample of managers working in Commercial Banks in the Middle Euphrates Region

Thesis have submitted to the Council of the College of Administration and Economics at the University of Karbala، for granting a master’s degree in financial and banking sciences

Submitted by 

Zahraa Taraf Sagheer Al-Masoudi

Supervised by

Asst.Prof. Dr. Ali Hussein Olaywi Al-Hilawy

The study aims to address the elements of strategic analysis (SWOT) and highlight its effects in achieving, maintaining and sustaining competitive advantage, because it is a general pivotal goal for most banks, especially for banks that operate within a rapidly changing environment and with renewed challenges in the desires and needs of customers,Which called for the need to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage appropriate to the capabilities and capabilities of those banks to achieve excellence in their field of specialization through exclusivity, renewal, innovation and continuity in providing services to their customers compared to their competitors.

  The central problem of the study is ((Is it possible to employ the strategic analysis (SWOT) in achieving the sustainable competitive advantage of the commercial banks, the study sample)), This study proceeded from the description of its problem with a number of intellectual and applied questions, the answer to which aims to clarify the theoretical philosophy, intellectual implications and applied implications of the variables that the study dealt with, namely (SWOT analysis, (sustainable competitive advantage). This study was applied by surveying the views of a sample of working managers of a number of commercial banks in the Middle Euphrates region represented by (Baghdad, Al-Ittihad, Al-Khaleej, Al-United, International Development, Al-Ahli Al-Iraq, Assyria, Sumer Al-Tijari, Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Mansour, Al-Iktissad for Investment and Finance, Babel ), With a total number of (100) respondents for the period from 1/8/2022 to 9/29/2022, a number of statistical analyzes and tests were used using statistical programs (AMOS), (Excel), (Spss), and a special measurement tool was designed to collect data necessary that serve the subjects of the study, The study reached a set of results, the most important of which are:

 1- The relationship between competitive advantage and strategic analysis (SWOT) is a reciprocal relationship. Strategic analysis causes better performance for banks, and in return, superior performance requires more strategic analysis of the competitive environment.

The study concluded with a set of recommendations that other banks can benefit from, the most important of which were:

1- The need for greater attention by the surveyed banks to the strategic analysis (SWOT) because of its positive impact on achieving sustainable competitive advantage.

  Keywords: Strategic analysis (SWOT), sustainable competitive advantage.

Employing strategic analysis (SWOT) in commercial banks to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage

Survey studyforviews of a sample of managers working in Commercial Banks in the Middle Euphrates Region

Thesis have submitted to the Council of the College of Administration and Economics at the University of Karbala، for granting a master’s degree in financial and banking sciences

Submitted by 

Zahraa Taraf Sagheer Al-Masoudi

Supervised by

Asst.Prof. Dr. Ali Hussein Olaywi Al-Hilawy

The study aims to address the elements of strategic analysis (SWOT) and highlight its effects in achieving, maintaining and sustaining competitive advantage, because it is a general pivotal goal for most banks, especially for banks that operate within a rapidly changing environment and with renewed challenges in the desires and needs of customers,Which called for the need to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage appropriate to the capabilities and capabilities of those banks to achieve excellence in their field of specialization through exclusivity, renewal, innovation and continuity in providing services to their customers compared to their competitors.

  The central problem of the study is ((Is it possible to employ the strategic analysis (SWOT) in achieving the sustainable competitive advantage of the commercial banks, the study sample)), This study proceeded from the description of its problem with a number of intellectual and applied questions, the answer to which aims to clarify the theoretical philosophy, intellectual implications and applied implications of the variables that the study dealt with, namely (SWOT analysis, (sustainable competitive advantage). This study was applied by surveying the views of a sample of working managers of a number of commercial banks in the Middle Euphrates region represented by (Baghdad, Al-Ittihad, Al-Khaleej, Al-United, International Development, Al-Ahli Al-Iraq, Assyria, Sumer Al-Tijari, Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Mansour, Al-Iktissad for Investment and Finance, Babel ), With a total number of (100) respondents for the period from 1/8/2022 to 9/29/2022, a number of statistical analyzes and tests were used using statistical programs (AMOS), (Excel), (Spss), and a special measurement tool was designed to collect data necessary that serve the subjects of the study, The study reached a set of results, the most important of which are:

 1- The relationship between competitive advantage and strategic analysis (SWOT) is a reciprocal relationship. Strategic analysis causes better performance for banks, and in return, superior performance requires more strategic analysis of the competitive environment.

The study concluded with a set of recommendations that other banks can benefit from, the most important of which were:

1- The need for greater attention by the surveyed banks to the strategic analysis (SWOT) because of its positive impact on achieving sustainable competitive advantage.

  Keywords: Strategic analysis (SWOT), sustainable competitive advantage.