Environmental scanning as a moderator of strategy–performance relationships: an empirical analysis of physical therapy facilities

Convenient = competitive? How Brick-And-Mortar Retailers can cope with Online Competition

Due to the rise of online retailing, traditional brick-and-mortar retailers need to understand what customers find convenient when shopping at physical locations and focus their efforts on those convenience dimensions to remain competitive. We test a service convenience model in the auto-parts retailing industry and examine how various dimensions of service convenience affect customers’ perceptions of the retailer (i.e., service quality, product quality, and perceived value), and subsequently their behavior (i.e., customer loyalty and share of wallet). The results suggest that in traditional retailing, the most important convenience dimensions are decision convenience and benefit convenience. We find that service convenience exerts its effect on customer loyalty and share of wallet through perceived service quality and perceived value, and product quality has an indirect effect through perceived value. Service convenience is an important driver of customer loyalty and share of wallet, and this study demonstrates the mechanism through which it happens.

A comprehensive environmental scanning and strategic analysis of Iranian Public Hospitals: a prospective approach

OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted to provide a strategic direction to public hospitals in Iran via environmental scanning in order to equip hospitals to plan and perform proactively and adapt with the everchanging environment.

RESULTS

A mixed method study including in-depth interview and survey were used to determine influential environmental factors based on PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental) and Douglas West framework to determine the effectiveness and feasibility of factors. Issues identified at micro environmental level were over prescription, inequality in distribution of healthcare services and high demands for luxurious health services. Issues identified at the macro environmental level were related to changes in disease patterns, inappropriate hospital budgeting, economic sanctions, government corruption and healthcare centralization. In order to tackle the issues identified, it is paramount to enhance bed distribution management, improve strategic policies for a more equitable payment system, and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of services by implementing a strategic inventory control. Furthermore, the considerable impact of economic sanctions on financial resources of Iranian hospitals should not be ignored.

Environmental scanning in business organisations

Purpose

– This study aims to analyse the environmental scanning and information sources used by Jordanian firms. Furthermore, the relationship between environmental scanning and organisational characteristics (firm size and industry type), as well as organisational performance, is explored.

Design/methodology/approach

– The empirical research was coordinated via a survey of 190 Jordanian publicly quoted firms. The results of the survey provided a rich source of data in relation to a variety of practices associated with environmental scanning in these firms.

Findings

– The findings of this study show that scanning focus was higher for the general environmental sectors than the task environmental sectors. The results also demonstrate that these firms rely more on internal sources of information. Larger firms have more scanning activities, while smaller firms tend to focus on different sources of information. Additionally, some differences in the industry sector in terms of scanning behaviour were identified. This study also supports the literature regarding the positive relationship between environment scanning and organisational performance by providing new empirical evidence from the context of Middle East countries.

Originality/value

– This paper provides empirical evidence on the nature and the practice of environmental scanning and its value for organisational performance in business firms in a Middle East context. From a theoretical perspective, this study engages in the “convergence versus divergence” debate regarding managers’ scanning behaviour around the world.