Strategic Analysis and Environmental Scanning Training Course

Module 1: Introduction to Strategic Analysis and Environmental Scanning

• Defining strategic analysis: purpose, scope, and benefits
• What is environmental scanning and why it’s critical for strategy
• The interconnectedness of internal and external factors
• Different levels of analysis: macro, industry, and firm-specific
• The strategic analysis cycle: scanning, monitoring, forecasting, assessing
• Practical session: Participants discuss their current organizational approach to strategic analysis and identify gaps

Module 2: Macro-Environmental Analysis: PESTLE Framework

• Understanding the PESTLE framework (Political, Economic, Sociocultural, Technological, Legal, Environmental)
• Identifying key forces within each PESTLE dimension
• Analyzing trends and their potential impact on your industry/organization
• The concept of “driving forces” of change
• Applying PESTLE to identify strategic opportunities and threats
• Practical session: Conducting a PESTLE analysis for a selected industry or market

Module 3: Industry and Competitive Analysis: Porter’s Five Forces

• Introduction to Porter’s Five Forces model: understanding industry attractiveness
• Analyzing the threat of new entrants and bargaining power of buyers
• Assessing the threat of substitute products or services and bargaining power of suppliers
• Understanding the intensity of rivalry among existing competitors
• Identifying strategic implications of industry structure
• Practical session: Applying Porter’s Five Forces to analyze the competitive landscape of a specific industry

Module 4: Internal Analysis: Resources, Capabilities, and Core Competencies

• Differentiating between resources (tangible/intangible) and capabilities
• Identifying core competencies: what your organization does uniquely well
• The Value Chain analysis: understanding value creation activities
• Assessing organizational strengths and weaknesses
• Linking internal strengths to external opportunities
• Practical session: Performing a basic internal analysis for a hypothetical or participant’s organization

Module 5: SWOT Analysis: Integrating Internal and External Perspectives

• Combining internal strengths/weaknesses with external opportunities/threats
• Developing a comprehensive SWOT matrix
• Identifying strategic implications from the SWOT analysis
• Using SWOT to generate strategic options
• Common pitfalls and best practices in conducting SWOT analysis
• Practical session: Completing a SWOT analysis for a provided case study and deriving strategic implications

Module 6: Scenario Planning and Strategic Foresight

• Introduction to scenario planning: preparing for multiple futures
• Steps in developing strategic scenarios
• Identifying critical uncertainties and driving forces for change
• Using scenarios to test strategic options and build organizational resilience
• The role of strategic foresight in anticipating disruptions
• Practical session: Developing two contrasting scenarios for a future industry landscape

Module 7: Competitive Intelligence and Data Collection

• Defining competitive intelligence and its ethical boundaries
• Sources of competitive information (public, purchased, primary)
• Techniques for gathering competitive data (e.g., market research, competitive benchmarking)
• Organizing and synthesizing competitive intelligence
• Using intelligence to inform strategic decisions
• Practical session: Identifying key competitive intelligence needs for a target competitor and outlining data collection methods

Module 8: Analyzing Emerging Trends and Disruptions

• Identifying weak signals and early indicators of change
• Understanding the lifecycle of trends and their potential impact
• Differentiating between fads, trends, and fundamental shifts
• Analyzing disruptive technologies and business models
• Strategies for responding to and leveraging emerging trends
• Practical session: Brainstorming emerging trends relevant to a specific industry and discussing potential disruptive impacts

Module 9: Communicating Strategic Insights and Recommendations

• Structuring strategic analysis findings for clarity and impact
• Tailoring presentations for different audiences (e.g., board, executives, functional teams)
• Using data visualization effectively to convey complex information
• Developing actionable recommendations based on analysis
• Communicating uncertainty and assumptions clearly
• Practical session: Preparing and delivering a short presentation summarizing strategic insights and recommendations

Module 10: Building an Ongoing Strategic Analysis Capability

• Establishing a continuous environmental scanning process
• Designating roles and responsibilities for strategic analysis
• Integrating strategic analysis into the annual planning cycle
• Leveraging technology and analytical tools
• Fostering a culture of strategic thinking and curiosity within the organization
• Practical session: Developing a basic roadmap for implementing a continuous strategic analysis process within an organization

Requirements:

·       Participants should be reasonably proficient in English.

·       Applicants must live up to Armstrong Global Institute admission criteria.

Terms and Conditions

1. Discounts: Organizations sponsoring Four Participants will have the 5th attend Free

2. What is catered for by the Course Fees: Fees cater for all requirements for the training – Learning materials, Lunches, Teas, Snacks and Certification. All participants will additionally cater for their travel and accommodation expenses, visa application, insurance, and other personal expenses.

3. Certificate Awarded: Participants are awarded Certificates of Participation at the end of the training.

4. The program content shown here is for guidance purposes only. Our continuous course improvement process may lead to changes in topics and course structure.

5. Approval of Course: Our Programs are NITA Approved. Participating organizations can therefore claim reimbursement on fees paid in accordance with NITA Rules.

Booking for Training

Simply send an email to the Training Officer on training@armstrongglobalinstitute.com and we will send you a registration form. We advise you to book early to avoid missing a seat to this training.

Or call us on +254720272325 / +254725012095 / +254724452588

Payment Options

We provide 3 payment options, choose one for your convenience, and kindly make payments at least 5 days before the Training start date to reserve your seat:

1. Groups of 5 People and Above – Cheque Payments to: Armstrong Global Training & Development Center Limited should be paid in advance, 5 days to the training.

2. Invoice: We can send a bill directly to you or your company.

3. Deposit directly into Bank Account (Account details provided upon request)

Cancellation Policy

1. Payment for all courses includes a registration fee, which is non-refundable, and equals 15% of the total sum of the course fee.

2. Participants may cancel attendance 14 days or more prior to the training commencement date.

3. No refunds will be made 14 days or less before the training commencement date. However, participants who are unable to attend may opt to attend a similar training course at a later date or send a substitute participant provided the participation criteria have been met.

Tailor Made Courses

This training course can also be customized for your institution upon request for a minimum of 5 participants. You can have it conducted at our Training Centre or at a convenient location. For further inquiries, please contact us on Tel: +254720272325 / +254725012095 / +254724452588 or Email training@armstrongglobalinstitute.com

Accommodation and Airport Transfer

Accommodation and Airport Transfer is arranged upon request and at extra cost. For reservations contact the Training Officer on Email: training@armstrongglobalinstitute.com or on Tel: +254720272325 / +254725012095 / +254724452588