The impact of a firm's strategic orientation on environmental scanning practices in two Australian export industries

This exploratory research examined the environmental scanning practices of 129 Australian beef and wine exporters. It focused on the amount of scanning undertaken, its relationship to strategic orientation (measured by entrepreneurship), and characteristics that influence use of information sources. Respondents did not consider environmental scanning a specific function of strategic planning. The customer, economic, and competitor sectors were perceived most important to scan. Analysis of scanning performed in various environmental sectors helped identify each firm's strategic orientation. The results indicated that industry type, not organisation size and export experience, had a major impact on the amount of scanning undertaken.