Assessing

• When assessing, the objective is to determine the timing and significance of the effects of environmental changes and trends that have been identified.
• Through scanning, monitoring, and forecasting, analysts are able to understand the general environment. So the intent of assessment is to specify the implications of that understanding.
• Without assessment, the firm has data that may be interesting but of unknown competitive relevance.
• Even if formal assessment is inadequate, the appropriate interpretation of that information is important.
• Accurately assessing the trends expected to take place in the segments of a firm’s general environment is important. However, accurately interpreting the meaning of those trends is even more important.
• Although gathering and organizing information is important, appropriately interpreting the intelligence the collected information provides to determine if an identified trend in the general environment is an opportunity or threat is critical.