Developing an Environmental Scanning System.

A step-by-step approach is provided for developing an environmental scanning system for colleges and universities to assist them in planning for the future. The objectives of such a system are to detect social, scientific, economic, technical, and political interactions important to the organization; defire potential threats -nd opportunities from these developments; xomote a future orientation in management and staff; and alert management and staff to trends which are converging, diverging, speeding up, slowing down, or interacting. Each developmental step required in creatIng an ongoing environmental scanning program is reviewed; these are: (1) the development of a program structure, i.e., the literature review needed, personnel to do tne scanning, and types of available information resources; (2) developing a comprehensive taxonomy, including an electronic filing system; (3) identifying and assigning information resources; (4) securing scanners; and (5) training s:anners and abstractors. It is noted that incorporating a systematic environmental scanning system process should enable decision makers to anticipate what is happening in the state, region, nation, and world, and, correspondingly, to plan more effectively. Contains 18