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The idea that environmental scanning can be a key factor in sustained competitive advantage calls for the integration of business strategy and the environment. Not surprisingly, environmental scanning is widely viewed as the first step in the process that links strategy and the environment. The main debate over the roles of strategy and environment is nowadays concerned with the primary importance of environmental scanning to strategy formulation and implementation. More specially, effective scanning of the environment is seen as necessary to the successful alignment of competitive strategies with environmental requirements and the achievement of outstanding performance in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This chapter explores the above relationship in the British electronic manufacturing industry. It is based on the empirical evidence and the findings of a survey of 132 Chief Executive Officers’ (CEO) views on environmental scanning and strategy in SMEs. It is concluded that there is a significant relationship between increasing the environmental scanning of the firm, and the success of small- and medium-sized manufacturing firms in electronic industry. Accordingly, because of the dynamic nature of the electronics industry, obtaining information on environmental factors facilitates alignment between business strategy and its environment.

This study investigated the impact of the type of strategy on the type of environmental scanning activity of Egyptian CEOs at Egyptian banks. Results indicated that CEOs with a cost‐leadership strategy were involved in environmental scanning activities that provide information concerning threats. Their counterparts with a differentiation strategy were involved in environmental scanning activities that provide information concerning opportunities.

This study examines the scanning/strategy relationship in the context‐specific setting of the health care industry. It extends the current research on the strategy/scanning relationship to include performance. Results confirm the moderating role played by environmental scanning activities in the strategy/performing relationship, thus providing further evidence for the contingency relationship among the environment, the organization's internal processes, and performance.

This paper examines the connection between environmental scanning for market intelligence, organizational culture and generic strategies. The generic strategies, based on the Miles and Snow typology, are related to the organizational culture types developed by Deshpande et al. An enhanced model of the one proposed by Deshpande et al. is presented. By providing a more complete model, it is possible to more accurately represent an organization’s interaction with its environment with respect to its generic strategy and scanning approach. Propositions are presented pertaining to the type of scanning approach utilized by organizations in each quadrant. The paper concludes with planning implications for each quadrant.

Some small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Thai food industry put a lot of effort into keeping up with changes of consumption patterns locally and in the South East Asia region. To see how successfully they are able to create competitive advantage, aims to examine the impact of environmental scanning practices on new product development (NPD) outcomes among SMEs in the Thai food industry. The technology strategy of the company influences how much it uses environmental scanning, and technology turbulence can play a role in exactly how critical is good knowledge of the external environment.

Qualitative research was conducted using semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with food experts and SME owners.

Results suggest that SMEs that practice environmental scanning are better able to develop appropriate new food products. Technology strategy plays a role in how much scanning they use, with a more proactive technology strategy requiring more extensive scanning. Environmental turbulence, including changes in technology, can cause failure in NPD if scanning does not keep companies aware of the situation.

A simple conceptual model is proposed to show how technology strategy, technological turbulence, and environmental scanning affect NPD performance.

Environmental scanning is a key factor to sustained competitive advantage of the firm and it is becoming increasingly important in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) theory and practice. Not surprisingly, it is widely viewed as the first step in the process of strategic management. The main debate in strategy and environment management is nowadays concerned with the primary importance of environmental scanning to strategy formulation and implementation. Moreover, effective scanning of the environment is seen as necessary to the successful alignment of competitive strategies with environmental requirements and the achievement of outstanding performance in SMEs. This paper explores the above relationship in the context of the British electrical and electronic industry. It is based on the empirical evidence and the findings of a survey of 132 chief executive officers (CEO) and their perception of environmental scanning and strategy in SMEs. It is concluded that there is a significant relationship between increasing the environmental scanning of the firm, and the success of the firm’s performance in small and medium sized enterprises.

This study aims to establish the laser links between satellites among large-scale distributed satellite systems; a combined attitude control strategy containing two stages is proposed in this paper.

These two stages are: one is the attitude initial pointing control to change the attitude of satellite pointing to the other satellite based on the position information of each satellite; the other one is the high precision attitude tracking control to scan the uncertainty cone because the initial pointing control accuracy is not enough to establish the laser link. At the initial pointing control stage, a method to determine the target attitude of each satellite is presented based on the position information of each satellite, and the fuzzy adaptive control algorithm is used to control the satellites to its calculated attitude. Then, at the high precision attitude tracking control stage, a strategy for laser link acquisition and scanning the uncertainty cone by the lasers of the spacecraft is proposed, and an angular velocity tracking scanning controller is designed while the convergence of the attitude tracking error is ensured through Lyapunov–Krasovskii theory.

Simulations are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm, and the laser link for a large-scale distributed satellite system with super long distance is achieved through a combined attitude control strategy.

A combined attitude control strategy is valid for a large-scale distributed satellite system with super long distance.

A combined attitude control strategy can be used to achieve laser link acquisition for a large-scale distributed satellite system like space gravitational wave detection.

A combined attitude control strategy can provide a way to solve the typical problem that pointing control accuracy is not enough to establish the laser link for a large-scale distributed satellite system.

The purpose of this paper is to mainly focus on the relationship between the scanning strategy and surface quality. Surface quality, including surface roughness and flatness, is important for printed parts. So this paper optimizes the surface quality by changing the scanning strategy.

This paper is based on the phenomenon after the printed parts. A clear trend can be seen that the surface roughness on the side face shows a clear zigzag shape, so an optimized scanning strategy is used. Surface roughness in measured in macrostructure first by Mitutoyo and the flatness is measured by Hexagon Metrocogy. After that, microstructure on the side face is seen by RTEC to explain this phenomenon.

The surface quality on the side face shows a significant optimize by changing the scanning strategy. The surface quality on the positive face has some optimization to some degree.

This paper determines the relationship between the surface roughness on the side face and the scanning strategy. Few studies focus on the surface roughness, especially on the side face. Some studies try to optimize the surface roughness on the positive face. However, researchers always neglect the surface roughness on the side face. 2. This paper measures not only the surface roughness, but also the flatness. Surface roughness has a significant impact on the surface quality. However, it still has some limitations. Flatness is also measured to make this paper more representative. 3. This paper explains why scanning strategy can affect the surface quality. These images explain the research better and not just at the theoretical level.

This paper aims to present an investigation into the variation of scan vector hatch rotation strategies in selective laser melting (SLM), focussing on how it effects density, surface roughness, tensile strength and residual stress.

First the optimum angle of hatch vector rotation is proposed by analysing the effect of different increment angles on distribution of scan vectors. Sectioning methods are then used to determine the effect that the chosen strategies have on the density of the parts. The top surface roughness was analysed using optical metrology, and the tensile properties were determined using uni-axial tensile testing. Finally, a novel multi-support deflection geometry was used to quantify the effects of rotation angles on residual stress.

The results of this research showed that the hatch rotation angle had little effect on the density, top surface roughness and strength of the parts. The greatest residual stress deflection was measured parallel to unidirectional scan vectors. The use of hatch rotations other than alternating 90° showed little benefit in lowering the magnitude of residual stresses. However, the use of rotation angles with a good suitability measure distributes stresses in all directions more evenly for certain part geometries.

All samples produced in this work were made from commercially pure titanium, therefore care must be taken when applying these results to other materials.

This paper serves to increase the understanding of SLM scanning strategies and their effect on the properties of the material.

This chapter attempts to reinvigorate scholarly interest in executive scanning by outlining a model to guide future research on executive search within the context of international strategy. Executive scanning has received considerable empirical attention but only limited theoretical attention. Most of this research has studied scanning as the receipt rather than the search for information. Based on the application of learning theory, we outline a model advancing two broad categories of executive search exploitative and explorative, consisting of six specific search behaviors. We advance search as integral to managerial decisions relating to the various aspects of internationalization, notably choice of location, corporate strategy, and mode of entry. The implications for future research are presented.