Environment Scanning definition

Environment scanning refers to thorough, consistent and often daily processing of an organisation’s internal and external environments in order to identify risks, trends and opportunities that could influence the organisation’s future, or the future of the industry or market. Environmental scanning differs from surveillance – the latter is tasked with a specific objective and a specific area.

Environment scanning looks for a wide range of factors that come under specific umbrellas, such as legal (changes to the legislative environment, health and safety best practice), ecological (climate change), technological (new mobile working technologies), socio-cultural (expectations of Generation Y) and economic (public appetite for spending).