Environmental Scanning, Importance, Factors, Technique

Environmental Scanning is the process of gathering information about events and their relationships within an organization’s internal and external environments. The basic purpose of environmental scanning is to help management determine the future direction of the organization.

Every organization has an internal and external environment. In order for the organization to be successful, it is important that it scans its environment regularly to assess its developments and understand factors that can contribute to its success. Environmental scanning is a process used by organizations to monitor their external and internal environments.

The purpose of the scan is the identification of opportunities and threats affecting the business for making strategic business decisions. As a part of the environmental scanning process, the organization collects information regarding its environment and analyzes it to forecast the impact of changes in the environment. This eventually helps the management team to make informed decisions.

The purpose of the scan is the identification of opportunities and threats affecting the business for making strategic business decisions. As a part of the environmental scanning process, the organization collects information regarding its environment and analyzes it to forecast the impact of changes in the environment. This eventually helps the management team to make informed decisions.

As seen from the figure above, environmental scanning should primarily identify opportunities and threats in the organization’s environment. Once these are identified, the organization can create a strategy which helps in maximizing the opportunities and minimizing the threats. Before looking at the important factors for environmental scanning, let’s take a quick peek at the components of an organization’s environment.

Importance of Environmental Scanning

1. SWOT Analysis

As we saw previously in the environmental scanning meaning, it is a complex process. The close study of the internal and external environment of an organization will reveal some very valuable information, i.e. the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a company.

Let us take a brief look.

• Strength: After analysis of the internal environment of a company, we will be able to identify the strengths that give the company a competitive advantage. The entrepreneur can use this information to maximise these strengths and earn more profits.
• Weakness: Study of the internal environment also point out the weaknesses of the company. For the growth and stability of the company, these identified weaknesses must be corrected without delay.
• Opportunity: Analysis of the external environment helps with the identification of possible opportunities. The entrepreneur can prepare to capitalize on these.
• Threats: Analysis of the external environment will also help in the identification of any business threats from competitors or any other factors. The company can come up with a strategy to diffuse such threats or minimize its impact.

2. Best Use of Resources

Environmental scanning helps us conduct a thorough analysis and hence leads to the optimum utilization of resources for the business. Whether it is capital resources, human resources or other factors of production, their best use and utilization is very important for any business. Environmental scanning will help us avoid any wastages and allow for the most effective and economical use of these resources.

3. Survival and Growth of the Business

It is a very competitive world and for any business to survive and thrive it is a difficult task. But if the business employs all the techniques of environmental scanning it can gain a significant advantage. It will allow the firm to prepare for future threats and opportunities while at the same time eliminating their weaknesses and improving on their strengths.

4. Planning for Long Term

A business must have a plan for both short term and long term. The planning of long-term objectives can only occur after proper analysis and environmental scanning meaning. This will help the entrepreneur plan the necessary business strategy.

5. Helps in Decision Making

Decision making is the choice of the best alternative done by management. Environmental scanning allows the firm to make the best decision keeping in mind the success and growth of the business. They point out all the threats and weaknesses. And they also identify the strengths of the firm.

Important Factors for Environmental Scanning

• Events

These are specific occurrences which take place in different environmental sectors of a business. These are important for the functioning and/or success of the business. Events can occur either in the internal or the external environment. Organizations can observe and track them.

• Trends

As the name suggests, trends are general courses of action or tendencies along which the events occur. They are groups of similar or related events which tend to move in a specific direction. Further, trends can be positive or negative. By observing trends, an organization can identify any change in the strength or frequency of the events suggesting a change in the respective area.

• Issues

In wake of the events and trends, some concerns can arise. These are Issues. Organizations try to identify emerging issues so that they can take corrective measures to nip them in the bud. However, identifying emerging issues is a difficult task. Usually, emerging issues start with a shift in values or change in which the concern is viewed.

• Expectations

Some interested groups have demands based on their concern for issues. These demands are Expectations.

Business Environment Scanning Techniques:

• SWOT Analysis:

Assessing Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats helps in understanding internal capabilities and external factors affecting the business.

• PESTLE Analysis:

Examining Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental factors provides a comprehensive view of the external environment.

• Market Research:

Gathering data on market trends, customer preferences, and competitor activities through surveys, interviews, and data analysis helps in understanding the market dynamics.

• Competitor Analysis:

Analyzing competitors’ strategies, strengths, weaknesses, and market positioning provides insights into competitive threats and opportunities.

• Scenario Planning:

Developing scenarios of possible future events and assessing their potential impact on the business helps in preparing for different eventualities.

• Benchmarking:

Comparing the organization’s performance and practices with industry standards and best practices helps in identifying areas for improvement and staying competitive.

• Trend Analysis:

Tracking long-term trends in technology, consumer behavior, regulatory changes, etc., helps in anticipating future developments and adapting the business strategy accordingly.

• Industry Reports and Publications:

Keeping abreast of industry reports, market studies, and relevant publications provides valuable insights into industry trends, challenges, and opportunities.

• Networking:

Engaging with industry experts, attending conferences, and participating in industry forums helps in staying informed about the latest developments and building valuable connections.

• Technology Monitoring:

Monitoring technological advancements relevant to the business helps in identifying opportunities for innovation and potential disruptions.

• Global Analysis:

Understanding global economic trends, geopolitical developments, and international trade policies helps in assessing global opportunities and risks.

• Regulatory Analysis:

Keeping track of changes in regulations and compliance requirements helps in identifying potential regulatory risks and opportunities.

• Consumer Feedback:

Gathering feedback from customers through surveys, reviews, and social media helps in understanding customer preferences and improving products or services.

• Internal Reports and Feedback:

Leveraging internal data and feedback from employees, managers, and stakeholders helps in identifying internal strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

• Environmental Scanning Tools:

Utilizing specialized software and tools for environmental scanning, such as automated news aggregators, social media monitoring tools, and data analytics platforms, helps in efficiently gathering and analyzing relevant information.