SWOT analysis came from a study conducted at Stanford Research Institute in the 1960s.

This analysis can come in very handy at this time of disillusionment with the market and one's devalued sense of job equity.

It is an exercise in personal reflection and applying your strengths to what opportunities you can match (no matter how slim it looks) in the macro environment, but it is also very private. So most people may not want to share this information. But there is great value to be derived from sharing insights such as these. The climate of cut-throat competition in IB will not apply here. We are at crossroads with many paths to take and there can be a lot of creative options. The herd has to break up. It no longer makes sense to guard closely your secrets because the field is no longer narrow and exclusive, not ANYMORE!!! If you stay in the narrow realm of strict IB now, it may prove helpful 3-5 yrs down the road if enough professionals have left the field. So that's the upside for those who stick around. But for many, it will prove wise to try and break out from the pack now and this is where brainstorming and sharing insights can prove helpful.