ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING

What is environmental scanning?

November 2008 WARP Fall Conference

What is environmental scanning? Definition:

The process of collecting, analyzing, and distributing information for tactical and strategic purposes

November 2008 WARP Fall Conference

What is environmental scanning?Purpose of an environmental scan:To provide strategic intelligence by

evaluating potentially significant environmental changes Conveys both current environmental status and

how it is changing trendsAlerts planners to trends that are converging,

diverging, interacting, accelerating, or decelerating

Ideal end-goal: allows for adaptive planning before these trends occur or fully develop

November 2008 WARP Fall Conference

What is environmental scanning?Other characteristics:Often refers only to the environment that is

external to the organization (also called the macroenvironment)

Good strategic planning requires information on internal organizational factors, so whenever possible include these also(unless obtained in separate processes)

November 2008 WARP Fall Conference

What is environmental scanning?How it fits in the planning cycle:One cycle in the strategic planning process

November 2008 WARP Fall Conference

Demographic EnvironmentAGEGENDERMARITAL STATUSBIRTH RATERELIGIONSOURCE OF LIVELIHOOD AND INCOMELIFESTYLE AND INTERESTS

November 2008 WARP Fall Conference