BUS602: Marketing Management

• Ad-hoc scanning - Short term, infrequent examinations usually initiated by a crisis or a special request. 

• Regular scanning - Studies done on a regular schedule (say, once a year). 

• Continuous scanning - (also called continuous learning) - continuous structured data collection and processing on a broad range of environmental factors. 

Most commentators feel that in today's turbulent business environment the best scanning method available is continuous scanning. This allows the firm to act quickly, take advantage of opportunities before competitors do, and respond to environmental threats before significant damage is done. 

Each can standalone or be employed in conjunction with the other two approaches.