For example, if an individual in the marketing area would like to view and purchase the latest marketing books, he/she would click on the marketing function area, then click on the educational products bookstore, then click on the books to view and purchase the best selling marketing books.

Scanning the External Business Environment

Example: Political Cloud
Legislative bills that could either positively or negatively impact your company are continually being introduced at the federal, state, and local levels. Your company needs to be aware of this new legislation so that you can take the appropriate action.  To stay current on legislative action at the federal level click on the political cloud, then click on "U.S. legislative bill search", then click on "bill text", and simply type in the name of your industry, product, or other subject words.  For example, if you are in the packaging industry and are interested in exploring new legislation that could lead to the birth of new product lines for your company, type in the words "packaging materials" and then view any new legislation that could lead to laws that require new types of packaging materials.  Such information will give your company a competitive advantage in the market place.

Target Market
The geographic locations, demographic profiles (age, income, race, gender etc.),  psychographical profiles (motivations, interests, opinions, life-styles), and behavioristic profiles (purchase behavior) of a company's present and future target markets are continually changing.   By clicking on the target market, you will acquire a value-ranked drop-down list of the Internet sites that will allow you to find current information as it relates to the above elements.

Example: Demographics
For example, if your company needs to determine the demographic profile (age, income, race, gender, etc.) of the people in a specific area, follow this sequence: click on the target market and scroll down to demographics; click on the "map stats" site; and then click on the state and county that you would like to find demographic information on.  At this point, you can click on the "US counties General Profile" to get a general profile of the people in the specific area, or you can click on the STF files to acquire up to 143 different demographic variables that relate to the people in that specific area.   If you are conducting an analysis of the economic activity in the area i.e., the number of companies by SIC code, click on "County Business Patterns Economic Profile."

For example, if your company wanted to distribute it's product to a new area, you would want to conduct an analysis of that area in an effort to determine if the type of people that purchase your product live in that area; and in the numbers needed to make a profit.   Marketing your products to areas of the world that do not contain the people with a need for your specific product is not good business.

Delivered Value
Continually determining the value that your company offers to the target market is critical for the long term success of your company.  CATscanner's™ online Delivered Value Survey™ allows your company to continually assess the value that your company is delivering to the target market.

The Value that you deliver to your target market is determined by the following formula:                              

The Total Value components are product, service, personnel, and image; in other words, your target market perceives the Total Value of your offering by continually accessing your product offering, the service that accompanies the product, the personnel that your customers interface with, and the image that your company projects.

The Total Cost components are monetary price, time, energy, and psychic costs; in other words, your target evaluates the total cost of your product by what they have to pay for your product, the time that it takes to acquire your product, the energy that it takes to acquire your product, and the psychic costs to acquire your product i.e., what if my peer group does not like my purchase decision. Subtracting the Total Cost of acquiring your product from the Total Value that your product offers will equal the Delivered Value that your product is bringing to the target market.

By measuring the Total Value and Total Cost components, CATscanner™measures the Delivered Value of your product offering; i.e., is your company offering positive value, or is your company offering negative value to the target market..

Your target market is periodically provided with incentives to fill-out an on-line Delivered Value Survey™ that measures the Total Value and Total Cost components. The results of the Delivered Value Survey™ are continuously updated and accessible by simply clicking on the Delivered Value yellow circle. CATscanner™is a direct connection to your target market.

Competitors

An industry, as depicted on the green landscape of the CATscanner™ model, can be defined as a group of companies who produce similar products (that is why all of the buildings are the same). An industry may consist of 8 competitors, 80 competitors, 800 competitors, or 8000 competitors. Your company needs to continually monitor it’s significant competitors i.e., those competitors that can have a significant impact on your company. CATscanner™ monitors your significant competitors and feeds you the competitive information that you need in order to plan the appropriate offensive or defensive strategies. Knowing the moves that your competitors are making on your industry's chess board will allow you to play the game better, to gain competitive advantage.

As seen on the green landscape, the CATscanner™ connects you to 8 of your significant competitors; more can be added. By clicking on the building of a significant competitor, your company can acquire current information about the competitor.