Environmental Scan Paper
MGT/498
June 18, 2015

Environmental Scan Paper
The purpose of an environmental scan is to examine the internal and external environment of a company, in an effort to identify needs, plan improvement tasks and monitor the changes. This process is essential when the company is planning to conduct a reorganization in an effort to improve productivity and reduce costs. If the environmental scan is conducted properly, it will help to align the organization with the desired objectives of the company.
On a positive note, the environmental scan can point out competitive advantages and strategies currently in place. The scan is a pretty well-rounded in that it can also assist in the creation of business strategies, which will continue benefit the organization and keep it at a competitive level. The final area that the environmental scan benefits the organization is in the monitor and control region. The process reviews the methods in which the company measures the effectiveness of the strategies in place.
Internal and External Environments
Completing the environment scan aids in identifying the organization’s in-house needs, assets, and values. The scan will also provide insight into the external environment (the industry) that the company operates within. Ultimately, the scan will help the company form a vision while also identifying their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) (Barnat, 2014). A SWOT analysis uses internal and external factors to create a plan for the company. The scan will need to include several factors to be considered a comprehensive environmental scan. The scan will include reviewing internal and external environments, a forecast of business trends, a description of the current workforce in place, and a future projection of workforce supply and demand (Barnat, 2014).
Company 1: L.A. Times
Based in southern California, the Los Angeles Times is a dominant source for local, national, and international news. The external environment for the LA Times are the local events, news trends, and networking within the industry. This external environment can also include financial, demographic, politics, lawmaking, community and cultural, competitive dynamics, and changing technology influencing the business market. Understanding how the environment has changed and continues to change allows the paper to remain competitive. The internal environment sets the standards for their vision, mission statement, and SWOT analysis.
Company 2: University California Los Angeles (UCLA)
UCLA uses environmental scanning in their planning process already. UCLA uses a periodic system; primarily focusing on the task environment. However, this only addresses the immediate needs of information on the external environment. UCLA has to go through many levels and requirements to get started, but there is a more efficient method. One such way is to identify the decision makers and get their view point on the possible trends and developments that effect the university. There is a high level of importance when it comes to having the university decision makers involved in the process. The participation will allow upper management to understand and identify issues that are priority and an understanding of the dynamics of the changing environment.
Competitive Advantages and Strategies
The Los Angeles Times classified section of the newspaper is made available to customers and the general public. In this section, customers are allowed to search for advertised jobs, post their resumes for free. The difference between the L.A. Times and the competitors is that the resume service is free and open to all viewers, whereas the online competitors charge for an extended viewing level. This keeps and gives the Los Angeles Times a competitive advantage. On the other hand, UCLA is communicating with other universities to see what they are doing, as far as recruiting new students, and changing with the technology times; hiring the best technologist in his or her field.
Create Value
The Los Angeles Times creates value by validation. The L.A. Times prints what is true and honest, like the article the newspaper printed about grading teachers. The Los Angeles Times states they printed this article because the paper felt the public had a right to know what was going on, and the right to the information. The L.A. Times relates to the community by providing relevant and accurate information rather than being an entertainment source. Meanwhile, UCLA creates value by putting their students and academic faculty first, by installing a vision, and mission statement plan, and having all faculty and administrators, and students follow it. Having instructors who have an understanding of the class or subject he or she is teaching, and treating the students as individuals, and not a number. Having the Board of Directors see University California Los Angeles as a learning institution and not a business deal adds value and creates values for all who are impacted by the university.
Sustain Competitive Advantage
The popularity and familiarity of the Los Angeles Times aids the paper in sustaining its advantage. The newspaper hits all corners of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. This popularity translates into high sales and income, which practically eliminates the competition. The dominating paper is better suited to acquire reporters and photographers that will bring stories to keep the newspaper on top.
How University California Los Angeles sustains their competitive advantage is by trying to keep the cost of classes down, obtaining quality instructors and keeping them, have top of the line compensation package, with pay incentives along with tenure. Looking at other universities and staying two steps ahead of the others.
Measurement Guidelines and Strategic Effectiveness
The Los Angeles Times reported that a particular teacher was teaching at an unacceptable level and the paper went as far as printing the teacher’s actual name. This teacher committed suicide and many of his colleagues blamed the newspaper for the teacher’s death. The Los Angeles Times newspaper failed to follow their typical process and method of measurement before the story was printed. The story was written without the proper research and ethical guidelines that the newspaper claims they have lined out. The information printed in the story was incorrect, especially about the effectiveness and dedication of the teacher.
University of California Los Angeles’ guidelines are a separation of duties, which are authorizing, approving, certifying, disbursing, receiving or reconciling. Authorization and approval is simply where transactions are approved by the person delegated for approval authority. Certification and disbursement is the prevention of unauthorized access to assets and the accounting records. Review and reconciliation is performed by employees who have a distinct understanding of the University’s financial system and are able to verify that the policies and procedures are being followed, are accurate and complete.
For the Los Angeles Times, following up and using their guidelines on fairness, honesty, and thorough research saved them. They ended up retracting the story and their major statements about the teacher. These guidelines help to keep the paper at an acceptable service level. Likewise, UCLA has guidelines to keep the financial part of the University in compliance. There is a system of checks and balances that has proven to be effective for the university.
Conclusion
In conclusion, according to the research gathered, this paper touched on the many different roles these two organizations practice regularly. Also discussed was how the measure guidelines paved a way for these two organizations to operate with integrity, values, and beliefs. A couple of other topics covered were the internal and external environments, how two totally different organizations can have the same internal environment. The internal addresses values and mission statements along with the external addressing demographics, culture, and religion. The intent of these measure guidelines is to keep companies on track morally and financially. All these values, environments, advantages, and strategies are a part of the formula for a solid and effective organization.

References
Barnat, R. (2014) Strategic Management: Formulation and Implementation. Retrieved from: http://www.strategy-formulation.24xls.com/en127
UCLA Admin Policies. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.adminpolicies.ucla.edu/
Zavis, A. (2010, September 20). Teacher's suicide shocks school. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/28/local/la-me-south-gate-teacher-20100928