SWOT Analyses

In preparing a business plan, businesses undertake a SWOT analysis, identifying their internal strengths and weaknesses and taking account of and addressing external factors—including markets and opportunities, and adverse events and threats.

Northwest Indiana was examined much as a business would examine itself. In this case, we looked at each of the three geographical areas:

• Shoreline Analysis
• Urban Analysis
• Kankakee Analysis

Issues of Concern

• Northwest Indiana’s political and economic isolation from the rest of the State. (State policies and practices should be reformed and aligned to support better decision-making that will contribute to improved regional outcomes.)
• Real and perceived lack of government efficiency and effectiveness
• Recovery from environmental degradation
• Sprawl to green space
• Loss of farmland
• Need for a comprehensive plan for shoreline usage
• Impact of 30% floor obsolescence tax
• Inadequate highway infrastructure
• Uneven performance of K-12 schools
• A need to study the use of TIF and STIF as fiscal tools of development
• Lack of regional financial capacity and local taxing authority including lack of local share match for capital projects