Spontaneous environmental scanning

✍ Scribed by Sven Hamrefors

• Book ID: 101293967
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Weight: 92 KB
• Volume: 9
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1058-0247
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1520-6386(199807/09)9:3<68::aid-cir11>3.0.co;2-a

✦ Synopsis

This article is the first of two to be published in Competitive Intelligence Review, based on a research project regarding the spontaneous environmental scanning in four Swedish organizations (Hamrefors, 1996). It deals with the theory relevant to the phenomenon Spontaneous Environmental Scanning, here labeled "SES." The second article will cover the empirical findings of the study and the implications these results have for Organized Environmental Scanning, labeled "OES."

First, let me give a few definitions of the central concepts:

By environment, I mean the total physical and social context that the individual experiences. The concept of environment is related to what the individual thinks is out there, rather than what is actually out there. People's perception of reality is more important than reality itself, because it is on the perception that they act. This also means that environment covers more aspects than competitive issues. It covers all aspects of the environment that could be considered relevant to the individual, be it competitive, economic, social, political, or other issues.