Abstract:

This paper presents an approach to this end, in several steps: - to define the object and the relevant scope for a convenient strategic analysis; - to describe the object with its environment trough relevant factors and variables; - to proceed to structural analysis, resulting in a shortlist of key-factors. From then on, the approach develops along two different, but interdependent lines: - on the one hand, a systematic Scanning of these factors; - on the other hand, a follow-up of the strategic analysis with hypotheses on future trends concerning the key-factors, the building of scenarios for the future, with analyses of the actors' roles. To implement this approach, three categories of data are required,, each of them leading to a specific scanning: economic and competitive scanning, technological scanning, social, cultural and political, scanning. For the 90s, the last category requires new developments, both at the conceptual level and at the level of data. Furthermore, it is cleat that the three types of environmental scanning will increasingly have to be carried out at the environmental level. A selection of case studies will easily illustrate the variety and interest of possible applications. This approach can be of some interest not only for Strategic marketing, and R&D (research-development], but also for the management of human resources, external and internal communication, and of course for the top management. This approach is relevant., not only for firms and businesses but also for every institution which has to set up its own strategy according to its environment and to hypotheses for the future.