189 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019
N. Munier et al., Strategic Approach in Multi-Criteria Decision Making,
International Series in Operations Research & Management Science 275,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02726-1_10
Chapter 10
SIMUS Applied to Quantify SWOT
Strategies
Abstract This chapter describes a methodology aimed at selecting a strategy based
on SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and threats) model (Humphey, Swot
analysis for management consulting. SRI Alumni Newsletter. SRI International,
1970/2005). Once the SWOT matrix is established, it is converted to a numerical
SWOT matrix, and from there, the methodology uses linear programming (LP) to
make the selection and for establishing a ranking. The procedure quantitatively
selects the best strategy.
10.1 Background
Using a mathematical procedure for identifying best strategies is not new; diverse
authors such as Alptekin (2013), Chang and Hwang (2006), David et al. (2009)
(QSPM), Dyson (2004), Hashemi et al. (2011) and others have already used math-
ematical methods to determine the ‘best’ strategy. There are multi-criteria decision-
making tools such as TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to
Ideal Situation) (Hwang and Yoon 1981), AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) (Saaty
1980) and others to generate scores for each strategy and making possible an edu-
cated selection.
The procedure described in this chapter is, as per these authors’ knowledge, the
frst to apply LP with several objectives to fnd the best strategy, where the objec-
tives are the different strategies, that is, combinations of external factors (opportuni-
ties and threats) and internal factors (strength and weakness), for one or several
projects, as in a portfolio.
However, most methods end by determining a SWOT matrix where the best
properties of each strategy are described, and then it is up to the management to
decide which of these strategies is ‘the best’. The method explained in this chapter
works with SIMUS, and it advances beyond the SWOT matrix by not only identify-
ing the best strategy but also quantifying it. Consequently, SIMUS starts from the
SWOT matrix and makes the selection.