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Environmental Scan Paper

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Environmental Scan Paper
Environmental scans are critical to have in the business industry. An environmental scan is an examination of the internal and external environment of the organization. It is necessary to conduct an environmental scan in order to determine the organization’s goals and what steps to take to reach those goals. Environment scanning is processed to determine development and forecasts of elements that will influence the success of the business. According to an article by (Environmental Scanning - Internal & External Analysis of Environment, 2013). Environmental scanning refers to possession and utilization of information about occasions, patterns, trends, and relationships within an organization’s internal and external environment. Organizations can identify any competitive advantages with an environmental scan. The environmental scan can also help guide in creating a business strategy in which it will help add value to the company and overcome competition by identifying opportunities and minimizing threats.
Internal and External Environments
Organizations should focus first on the internal analysis of the environment. Internal scan involves observation of teams, employee interaction, brand awareness, organizational structure, operations, training, etc. The internal analysis helps to identify strengths and weaknesses of an organization. Internal factors can be controlled by the business; some factors include business image, reputation, management structure, staff, brand etc.
Competition is big, especially in a fast pace environment that is continuously changing day by day. Therefore external environment is imperative as it adds very important elements to the effectiveness of the company’s long-term plans. External factors are all those things that cannot be controlled, such as government regulations, and competition. Because of the dynamic environment, it is important to be able to identify the moves and actions of the competitor. Exploring and enhancing innovation and service to stay ahead of the competition are forward-thinking ways to keep external factors from threating the survival of your business (Lindblad, 2013).
Leap Wireless
Leap Wireless is a cell phone company that offers plans at best prices without having to sign a contract. Part of Leap’s external factors consists in the services they provide such as affordable monthly services, smartphones, and the flexibility that any consumer wishes for. Leap Wireless has been a threat to the competition by offering all these services without having to be tied up in a contract or having to pay any termination fees. Leap also offers broadband services and modems of high quality value that also does not require contracts. Leap has been able to stay on top of the competition by keeping its customers by providing great devices and dependable service. Currently they serve over 6 million customers nationwide. Leap’s government affairs department is committed to driving positive change for their customers and for the company. They maintain active, ongoing dialogue with the legislative and regulatory bodies that oversee their industry ("Leap Wireless", 2013). Part of the Leap’s internal factors consists of employees being part of a team working towards the common goals of customer and employee satisfaction. Leap’s workplace thrives on entrepreneurial spirit and creativity. They take pride of their ability to reach their goals efficiently ("Leap Wireless", 2013). Leap is proud to say that their employees are passionate about improving the customer experience. They deliver value by making personal connections with their customers and team members. Part of the internal scan for Leap Wireless overall consist in just that, delivering excellent customer experience to customers and employees. Leap Wireless offers excellent benefits to its employees who consist of paid vacation and sick time, education assistance, excellent health, dental and vision insurance, 401k, fitness reimbursement and more. Leap Wireless excels in its internal environmental scan. Leap is also involved in giving back to the community. They are part of the nonprofit organization “Building Together”. The company encourages its employees to take a paid day off to volunteer a day out of work to help rebuild homes of many unfortunate home owners across the nation that do not have the means to make necessary repairs to their homes.
Goodwill Industries International, Inc.
Goodwill Industries International is a non-profit organization that provides employment, job training, and other community based programs for people with disabilities, people without job experience or education. Goodwill is funded by a network of thrift retail stores which operate as nonprofits across the nation. Goodwill manages well its external factors by having a long standing history of excellent reputation. Goodwill leaders travel the world spreading the vision of helping people in need. Today, Goodwill brings its reputable model of self-sustainability, backed by a 110+ year-old history of success, to markets that can support it by working closely with a wide range of local stakeholders ("Global Presence", 2013). Goodwill’s internal factors consist in offering training for jobs in specific fields such as healthcare, IT, retail sales, management, food services, manufacturing, banking and more. Goodwill serves people with disabilities, senior’s veterans, youth, people with criminal backgrounds and immigrants. They are committed in helping people better their lives by earning a career that can enable them to achieve their goals.
Both companies create value and sustain competition advantage by respecting their customers and employees. Each organization has the ability to create and deliver value to their consumers by their resources and their capabilities. Leap Wireless and Goodwill are different companies, but both develop their core competencies into competitive strengths. This allows them to deliver strategic advantage. Leap wireless already offers unlimited talk, data, text, long distance and desirable handsets. Other companies have tried to offer something similar to win customers but Leap has been on top of the competition by designing and delivering solutions to its consumers to offer a better price and better services than its competitors. One example; Leap Wireless is the first wireless company to offer unlimited music downloads. They changed the mobile music with Muve Music which was recognized by an esteemed panel of judges in the Mobile Excellence Awards.
Goodwill has sustained competitive advantage by earning the trust and support of 83 million dono9rs in the United States and Canada. According to "Goodwill Industries International, Inc." (2013), every 33 seconds of every business day, someone gets a good job, with help from Goodwill. Goodwill embraces continuous improvement, bold creativity and change. They strive to meet the highest ethical standards and honor their heritage by being socially, financially and environmentally responsible.
Both companies measure their performance by knowing the different areas of their business and how each area operates. Both focus on measurable factors that are linked to the drivers of success in each organization. Leap for example use key performance indicators (KPI’s) and SWOT analysis to carefully identify the key areas that drive the business and find ways to measure them. Goodwill puts performance measurement in place to ensure the progress of the organization.
The measurements guidelines that each company uses are successful as both carefully monitor the organization’s internal and external environments by processing environmental scans, in which helps detect early signs of opportunities and threats that may influence their current goals and plans.
References
Environmental Scanning - Internal & External Analysis of Environment. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.managementstudyguide.com/environmental-scanning.htm
Global Presence. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.goodwill.org/about-us/global-presence/ Leap Wireless. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.leapwireless.com/careers/working-at-Leap
Lindblad, M. (2013). Internal & External Factors that Affect an Organization. Retrieved from
http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/internal-external-factors-affect-organization-11641.html

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