Definitions for "Environmental scanning"
A systematic method of looking for drivers that influence the future. The process can be passive or active, continuous or occasional. "Environmental" here is not restricted to the natural environment, but covers all types of environment - see PINCHASTEM.
The process of carefully monitoring external and internal environments for changes that pose threats or opportunities to the service organization.
A process of analyzing trends that allows decision makers both to understand the external environment and the interconnections of its various sectors and to translate this into planning and decision-making processes (Morrison, 1992).