Indonesian firms that are considering exporting to Canada must clearly understand their strengths and weaknesses and identify opportunities and challenges that could impact their success. An excellent way to get this information is to conduct a SWOT analysis.

Strengths are internal elements of a business that give a firm an advantage over others. For example, the firm may be unique, or it may have some degree of export experience, or their workforce may be highly flexible.

Weaknesses are internal elements of a business that could put a firm at a disadvantage. For example, the Indonesian firm may have no Canadian market experience, or they may have no web site, or they may have issues with consistency or products.

Opportunities are external elements that could give a business an advantage. An example would be if an Indonesian firm’s product is organic or fair trade, and there is increasing demand in Canada for organic, eco-friendly, or responsibly sourced products.

Threats are external elements that could cause trouble for a business. For example, Indonesian firms may find it difficult to consider exporting to Canada if there is a lot of competition in the Canadian market for a specific product, or if there is a high cost to participate in a Canadian trade show.