Selected Tool for

Policy Analysis
1.Stakeholder Analysis
2.SWOT Analysis
3.Force Field Analysis
4. Gender Analysis

WMSU Reporters:
Ronald Jay I. Yee
Joehnette P. Bustillo

WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY

 Stakeholder Analysis
Is the process of identifying the individuals or group
that are likely to affect or be affected by a proposed
action, and sorting them according to their impact on
the action and the impact of the action will have on
them.
Is frequently used during the preparation phased of
a project to assess the attitude of the stakeholders
regarding the potential changes.
Types of Stakeholder
 Primary Stakeholders-are those ultimately affected either
positively or negatively by an organization’s action.
 Secondary Stakeholders-are the “intermediary”, that is
persons or organizations who are indirectly affected by an
organization’s actions.
 Key Stakeholders-who can also belongs to the first two
groups have significant influence upon or importance
within an organizations.
4 Step Process for Stakeholder Analysis
STEP I- Identify Key Stakeholder

Assess:
 Who are the potential beneficiaries?
 Who might be adversely impacted?
 Have vulnerable groups been identified?
 Have supporters and opponents been identified?
 What are the relationship between the stakeholders?
The first step of a Stakeholder Analysis is to identify the key stakeholders-
whose participation will be sought- from the large array of institutions
and individuals that could potentially affect or affected by the proposed
intervention.
STEP II- Assess Stakeholder interest and potential impact of the
project on these interest

Assess:
 What are stakeholder expectations of the project?
 What are the benefits likely to be for the stakeholders?
 What resources might the stakeholders be able and willing to
mobilize?
 What stakeholder interest conflict with project goals?
Once the key stakeholder groups have been identified, their
possible interests in the project can be considered. Some
stakeholders interests are less obvious than others and may be
difficult to define , especially if they are hidden, multiple, or in
contradiction with the stated aims or objectives of the organization
or individual. The above questions can guide the inquiry into the
interests of each stakeholder or group.
STEP III- Assess INFLUENCE and IMPORTANCE

For each group, assess

 Power and status (political, social and economics)
 Degree of organization
 Control of strategic resources
 Informal influence (e.g. personal connections)
Power relations with other stakeholders
Influence refers to the power that stakeholders have over a project.
It can be exercised by controlling the decision –making process
directly and by facilitating or hindering the project’s
implementation. This control may come from a stakeholder’s status
or power, or from informal connections with leaders.
Importance relates to the degree to which achievement of project
goals depends on the active involvement of a given stakeholder.
Stakeholders who are important to a project generally those who
needs the project seeks to meet as well as those whose interests may
converge with the objectives of the project. Some stakeholders may
be very important to a project but lack influence. These
stakeholders may require special efforts to enable them to become
active participants to ensure their needs will be met.
STEP IV- Outline a Stakeholder Participation Strategy

Plan stakeholder according to:

 Interest, importance and influence for each group
 Particular effort needed to involve important stakeholders who
lack influence
 Appropriate forms of participation throughout the project cycle

On the basis of the previous three steps in the stakeholder analysis

process, some preliminary planning can be done on how the
different stakeholder groups can best be involved in subsequent
stages of the project. As a rule of thumb. The appropriate
approaches for involving stakeholder of differing levels of influence
and importance can be as follows:
 Stakeholders of high influence and high importance should be
closely involved throughout to ensure their support for the
project.
 Stakeholders of high influence and low importance are not the
target of the project but may oppose the intervention; therefore
they will need, as appropriate to be kept informed and their
views and acknowledgement to avoid disruption or conflict.
 Stakeholders of low influence and high importance require
special efforts to ensure that their needs are met and their
participation is meaningful; and
 Stakeholders of low influence and low importance are unlikely
to be closely involved in the project and require no special
participation strategies (beyond any information sharing
strategies aimed at the “general public”)
 SWOT ANALYSIS
 SWOT stands for STRENGHTS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES
and THREATS.
 It is the way of summarizing the current state of organization and helping
to devise a plan for the future, one that employs the existing strengths,
redresses existing weaknesses, exploits opportunities and defends against
threats.

Helpful Harmful

Internal Origin STRENGTH WEAKNESS

(Organization)

External Origin OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

(Environment)
• STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES are considered to be
internal factors which you have some measure to control.

• OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS are considered

external factors over which you have no control of.
STRENGTHS
 Is something that has a positive implication. It adds value, or
offers your organization a competitive advantage. Strengths
include tangible assets such as available capital, equipment,
credit and other valuable resources.

The sort of questions you can ask to ascertain your strengths

are:
- What do we do well?
- What resources do we have at our disposal?
- What do others see as our strengths?
- What areas are we seen as being expert in?
WEAKNESSESS
 These are the characteristics of your product that are
detrimental to growth. Weaknesses are those things that detract
from the value of your offering or place you at a disadvantage
when compared with you competitors.

The type of questions you would be asking and discussing to

identify your weaknesses are:
-What can be improved or altered?
-What do we do badly?
-What should we avoid?
-Have we self-imposed any constraints?
OPPORTUNITIES
 Opportunities can occur for variety of reasons and may result
from changes within the market, advances in technology, new
production methods, etc.

THREATS
 The final part of the SWOT process involves assessing the
external risks your organization faces. These are referred as
threats and are made od external factors that are beyond your
control.
 Force Field Analysis

 is a method for listing and evaluating the forces for and against
an situation. It helps you analyze all of the forces that have an
influence on the current situation. Human behavior is caused
by forces – beliefs, expectations, cultural norms, etc. Some of
these forces are positive, pushing us forward, and some of these
forces are negative, preventing us from achieving a set goal. A
force field analysis diagram demonstrates these driving forces
and restraining forces that would influence a problem. A force
field diagram can be used in all kinds of situations that occur in
life from different points of view.
Force Field Analysis Can be Use to:

• Determine whether proposed change practical or not

• Identify obstacles and disadvantages to the desired result

• Help come up with solutions to reduce the influence of the obstacles

Advantages of Force Field Analysis

1. On A Force Field Analysis provides a visual summary of various forces

for and against a particular change, with all the information that has been
collected regarding a potential decision into a single graph.

2. Force Field Analysis help us identify obstacles that lie ahead so that we
can make a plan to strengthen the forces supporting the decision and take
actions to reduce or avoid the forces preventing it.

3. A Force Field Analysis Diagram can be used as a visual aid, and it will
help simplify communication among the staff and to break down
communication barriers.

4. A Force Field Analysis diagram can assist the group to develop a

common understanding of the subject, and all the groups members will
have a clear concept of the opinions and the options related to the
situation.
Disadvantages of Force Field Analysis
1. Force field analysis requires every group member to
participate so that they can have all the information needed
for a better analysis, which can be difficult to achieve.

2. Unlike other methods, when full participation isn't

possible, it would be difficult to provide a complete picture of
the driving forces and restraining forces.

3. Another potential problem is that Force Field Analysis may

have a bad influence on team work. Because a force field
analysis may lead to a division in the group between those
who support the change and those who are against the
change.
How to Use Force Field Analysis

Step 1: Determine the Problem and Aim

What is the part that needs to be changed about the current situation?
What kind of result do we need to reach after the change?

Step 2: Identify the Driving Forces

What are the forces that would support the change of situation and to
get to the desired aim? How can those forces help? Place those driving
forces on the one side of the Force Field Analysis diagram, with arrows
pointing to the center. Are there any inter-relationships among those
driving forces? Have a good analysis.
Step 3: Identify the Restraining Forces
• What are the forces that prevent the proposed change from
developing and maintain the current status? Place those forces
on the other side of the Force Field Analysis diagram. Are
there any inter-relationships among those forces?

Step 4: Decide if the Change is Practical

• After listing the driving forces and restraining forces on the
Force Field Analysis diagram, compare them and decide if it is
realistic to put the proposed change into action.
 Gender Analysis
Concepts
 Is the process of assessing the impact that a development activity
may have on females and males, and on gender relations ( The
economic and social relationship between males and females
which are constructed and reinforced by social institutions.)
 It can be used to ensure that men and women are not
disadvantage by development activities, to enhance the
sustainability and effectiveness of activities, or to identify
priority areas for action to promote equality between men and
women.
 SUMMARY OF KEY GENDER ANALYSIS STEPS

1. Collect sex disaggregated household, workplace and community

data/information relevant to the program/ project for each area
below.

The following factors may influence the accuracy and coverage of data:

• Who is present
• Time of day, season and location
• Who is the facilitator/interviewer
• Language difficulties
• Collect information of all relevant work
• Local women’s organization
• Cross-check data
• Technical and sectoral expertise
2.Assess how the gender division of labor and patterns of decision-making affects
the program/project, and how the program/project affects the gender division of
labor and decision making.
• What work is done, and by whom?
• Different types of work to consider are:
Productive (formal or non-formal sectors), reproductive, essential household and
community services, and community management and politics.
• How much time is needed to undertake each activity, and when is the work
done?
• Where does each activity take place?

3.Assess who has access to and control over resources, assets and benefits,
including program/project benefits.
• Who has access to productive resources and assets such as land, forest, water
supplies, equipment, labor, capital, credit, new technology and training?
• Who has control over how this resources and assets are used, and over who
uses them?
• Who belongs to formal and informal groups or organization, who gets
mentored or promoted?
• Who benefits from the product of women’s and men’s labor, and who benefits
from the development activities and education and training opportunities?
4. Understand women’s/ girls and men’s/ boys different needs, priorities and
strengths.
• Women and men may also have different views about gender relations,
how they have change already, and how they should change in future.
5. Understand the complexity of gender relations in the context of social
relations, and how this constrains or provides opportunities for addressing
gender inequality.
• This aspect of gender analysis considers social, cultural, religious,
economic, political, environmental, demographic, legal and institutional
factors and trends, and how they will impact on the program or project.
6. Assess the barriers and constraints to women and men participating and
benefiting equally from the program/project.
• This is essential step in the process of gender and social analysis which is
often missed.
Who benefits and participates, how and why or why not, also needs to be
monitored closely during implementation.
7. Develop strategies to address barriers and constraints, include these
strategies in program/project design and implementation, and ensure that
they are adequately resourced.
• Strategies and activities need to be identified to overcome barriers to
women and men participating and benefiting.
• Assess which constraints, barriers, or imbalances can realistically be
addressed over the life of the project.

8. Assess counterpart/partner capacity for gender sensitive planning,

implementation and monitoring, and develop strategies to strengthen
capacity.
• An assessment of counterpart institutional capacity to implement gender-
sensitive activities is essential as early as possible in the project cycle, so
that appropriate strategies for strengthening this capacity can be explored
and costed. ( Hunt 2000)
9.Assess the potential of the program/project to empower women, address
strategic gender interest and transform gender relations.
• It is useful to distinguish between practical gender and
strategic gender interest which may be addressed during
program or project implementation.
• Practical gender needs are the immediate and practical needs
women have for survival, which do not challenge existing
culture, tradition, and gender division of labor, legal
inequalities, or any other aspects of women’s lower status of
power.
• Strategic gender interests focus on bringing about equality
between females and males, by transforming gender relations
in some way, by challenging women's disadvantage position
or lower status, or by challenging and changing men’s roles
and responsibilities.
10. Develop gender-sensitive indicators to monitor participation,
benefits, the effectiveness of gender equality strategies and changes in
gender relations.

Indicators:
1. Require the collection of sex-disaggregated information whenever
possible on who participates and benefits.
2. Assess whether the program or project has different and impacts
for male and females, and assist us to analyze why these
differences between women and men occur.
3. Assess whether the program or project is bringing about a change
in gender relations, and assist us to analyze how gender relations
are changing, and how this impacts on the achievement of the
overall program or project objectives.
4. Involve both women and men in developing indicators, and in
collecting and analyzing information.
11. Apply the above information and analysis through out the
program/project cycle.

• Requires to formulation of a range of questions which will vary

according to the nature and sector of the project or program, and
the social and development context.
Reference:
• https://www.edrawsoft.com/create-force-
field-analysis-diagram.php
• https://www.edrawsoft.com/force-field-
analysis-advantages-and-
disadvantages.php
• https://www.edrawsoft.com/force-field-
analysis-definition.php