SUBJECT: EDUCATIONAL PLANNING

Topic (Environmental scanning)

Environmental scanning is a process that systematically surveys and interprets relevant
data to identify external opportunities and threats. An organization gathers information
about the external world, its competitors and itself. The company should then respond
to the information gathered by changing its strategies and plans when the need arises.

The environmental scanning process encompasses several steps. The first step is for
an employer to gather information about the world in which it operates, including
information about the economy, government, laws and demographic factors such as
population size and distribution.

Next, the organization should focus on its competitors. The company should examine
the research for trends, opportunities and threats that might impact its business.

The next step is to conduct an internal scan of the organization. Examine the company's
strengths and weaknesses. Consider where the company is now and where it plans to
be in five or 10 years. Interview or survey leaders of the company.

Sometimes an organization also might decide to gather information from community

service and religious groups and interview the leaders of the groups or use surveys.
This might help a company decide, for example, whether it should try to work with the
other organizations and what activities to pursue. The company then might decide to
plan joint activities that will meet the needs of both groups or to encourage employees
to get involved in community activities, such as building a house for Habitat for
Humanity or serving food to the homeless at the local shelter.

When conducting an environmental scan, a variety of methods should be used to collect

data, including publications, focus groups, leaders inside and outside the organization,
media, civic associations and the library. After the data is collected, the final step is to
analyze the data and identify changes that can be made.