Research Guides: MKTG 300: Principles of Marketing: Environmental Scan

Conducting an Environmental Scan

Environmental Scan, an examination of the external and internal environments:

External environment: political/legal/regulatory, economic, socio-cultural, technology, environment (PEST or PESTEL Analysis).
Industry environment: new entrants, suppliers, buyers, product substitutes, intensity of rivalry, position of the firm in the industry (Porter's Five Forces Analysis).
Firm-level: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT Analysis).

PESTEL/PEST Analysis: there are no readily available "PEST/PESTEL reports" in library databases. Best bets:

10-K: esp. the sections Risk Factor and MD&A.
IBISWorld: esp. sections like Industry Performance (esp. the Key External Drivers), Industry Outlook, Products & Markets, and Operating Conditions.
If you're doing a PESTLE analysis for a company or industry in the United States see United States Country Profile (MarketLine via EBSCOhost).

Five Forces Analysis:

Business Source Premier: the MarketLine industry profiles (available on select industries) contain a Five Forces Analysis section
IBISWorld: doesn't have an explicit Five Forces section, but many sections provide information that you can use to create your own analysis.

SWOT Analysis: The following are a list of resources to better understand SWOT:

SWOT Analysis [7-min video]
In business, a thorough understanding of an organisation’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in both internal and external environments is crucial. This video introduces the SWOT analysis and how it can be a helpful evaluative tool for businesses. Through real-life examples, students will see how a SWOT analysis can be applied in practice and why it is beneficial for strategic planning.
Marketing Plan Templates for Enhancing Profits [eBook]
by Elizabeth Rush Kruger
Publication Date: 2015-11-10
Marketing Plans for Services [book chapter]
by Pennie Frow; Adrian Payne; Malcolm McDonald
Publication Date: 2011-09-26
Chapter 7: Marketing planning Phase Two: the situation review (Part 2), p.141-182
Swot Analysis from the Encyclopedia of Management
Publication Date: 2012-03-01
Investopedia Overview of SWOT Analysis
How to Run a SWOT Analysis for Your Business (with template)

You can also use Business Source Complete to find existing SWOTs:

Business Source Premier This link opens in a new window Contains coverage for more than 2,300 journals covering a wide range of business topics. In addition, the databases includes access to company profiles, country reports, industry reports, market research reports and SWOT analyses.
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1. At the Advanced Search screen, type in the name of a company (e.g., Bank of America) in the first search box and click the Search button. NOTE: You can select CO Company Entity from the adjacent Select a Field (optional) drop-down menu for more precise results.

2. In search results, go to the Refine Results panel (on the left) and under Source Types select SWOT Analysis (if available).

3. In the Search Results list, click on the PDF Full-Text link to view the desired SWOT analysis.

4. Scroll through the profile to view and read the SWOT Analysis for that company. Use the output options (download, email, print, export, etc.) to save the document.