Environmental scanning (ES) is an indispensable activity practiced by top executives to align their organizations to turbulent environments. However, although the subject has generated a vast body of literature, it remains an underdeveloped domain in sub-Saharan Africa in general, and in Botswana in particular. Consequently, there is a paucity of literature on the subject and this has unfortunately limited a fuller understanding of how ES in transitional contexts is practiced. The research reported here thus investigated the scanning behaviour of CEOs of SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) in Botswana's manufacturing sector. Data were gathered via mail-delivered questionnaires sent to respondents based in the cities of Gaborone and Francistown. The key findings of the study were: (1) the CEOs in the study display a propensity to scan the task environment with greater frequency focusing most on the customer, competitor and suppliers sectors; (2) CEOs in the sample are systematic scanners and frequently use the continuous scanning mode; (3) the sampled CEOs consider personal sources (customers, business associates, managers and suppliers) as their preferred sources of information; and (4) CEOs use a mosaic of sources but tend to rely on personal sources more than impersonal. Recommendations are made for future research on CEO scanning.
© 2008 by K. G. Saur Verlag, An Imprint of Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, Federal Republic of Germany
