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 a structural analysis, resulting in a short list 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 management of human resources, external and internal communication, and of course for the top management. This approach is relevant., not only for firms and business, but. also for every institution which has to set. up its own strategy according to its environment and to hypotheses for the future.
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.
This paper discusses some implications of the on-going adoption of scanning for marketing management and marketing research. Attention is given to the use of scanning data for decision support in marketing. This issue is examined empirically using scanning data on a number of brands of a fast moving consumer good sold in The Netherlands. Concise parsimonious market share models are calibrated using 'traditional bi-monthly Nielsen data'. These models are compared with models which are calibrated using scanning data. The model outcomes of these two operations are compared and evaluated. It is found that by using scanning data the quality of the model outcomes may be improved considerably.
The single-source based input-output check is, of course, intended for marketing research; it makes it possible to investigate campaign findings accurately, deploy advertising vehicles to best advantage and lastly, to improve the advertising media. On the other hand, the single-source method clearly enriches research in the media sciences also. Not only does it measure intermediary connections in the use of mass media, the input-output check too is of interest, though more with a view to scientific knowledge rather than to potential economic applications. Single source undoubtedly comes closer to dealing with the above-mentioned problem than most of the investigation methods in current use. The idea in itself is not new: the Advertising Research Foundation developed a single-source survey prototype for assessing advertising vehicles as early as 1961 and this model was put into practice in a panel of cable-TV households . For single source to come into its own, the following elements had to be refined: - computer, - scanner, - measuring instruments and barcodes. The 1980s have provided the necessary technical prerequisites for applying single source in a wide variety of fields, and in the 1990s, the extensive availability of these elements will create a cost-benefit ratio which ensures their application in practice. I should now like to go on to introduce the latest single-source tests conducted using the TELECONTROL system
Two methods of measuring television audiences are used in the Netherlands: 1. The electronic Peoplemeter, for which respondents have to press buttons to report their actual viewing behaviour and 2. The Scanner-method, which uses the day-after telephone interview to collect the data. In the following paper the results based on these two methods will be compared. The comparison will concentrate on the measuring of the reach-figures of commercials. We will discuss the results on total reach, cumulative reach and average reach. Although there are great differences in the figures, many of them can be explained by the different definitions used. After uniforming the definitions the remaining differences must be explained by the way of measuring itself. This clears up the fundamentals of both methods. If some effort is made to bring the definitions in line, both systems will be very well to use side by side of each other. The Peoplemeter produces elaborated television-data, the Scanner offers multi-media data.
This paper discusses the development of scanning, particularly in Europe, and the uses of consumer sales data captured at the point-of-sale in marketing research.
The paper examines the various possibilities of using scanning data to improve the marketing of retailers. As a start, the method, the benefits and the status of scanning are described. Retail marketing encounters a number of general and special problems. They result in a series of major weaknesses, which are characteristic for current retail marketing. With the advent of scanning, the trade has a new and powerful source of information at its disposal, informing the retailer in a fast and detailed way about the sales at the individual point of purchase. This was up to now impossible. Scanning data has the potential to help retailers in decision-making in such critical marketing areas as product assortment management, space allocation and shelf management, pricing, promotion and advertising. The tools will be information systems, special analyses, marketing experimentation and customer panels.
The operating environment for many businesses is increasingly affected by social and political pressures, in addition to economic and technological ones. The need for systematic planning is generally accepted by business, but until recently it covered only the economic and technological aspects of its environment - social and political trends were taken into account only implicitly. There is nothing new in saying that societal dimensions are relevant. What is new is the attempt to develop planning procedures in which the more qualitative social aspects are explicitly considered. The development of multiple scenarios has provided such a mechanism. Each of the scenarios must be internally consistent, but discontinuities can be built in to them, so that "the future" need not reflect the past to any great degree. In addition, these scenarios provide the basis for scanning and monitoring the business environment. This paper describes two scenarios : a "hard times" for the United Kingdom; and "hard times" for the United States. The presentations of each are quite different, and illustrate the variety of ways in which scenarios can be developed. The final section of the paper provides a brief description of the development and use of scenarios.