CITY COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, ZARIA (CCHSTZ)

NO. 1 GLOBAL HOUSE KANO-KADUNA EXPRESS WAY DAN MAGAJI,

ZARIA KADUNA STATE

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGY

(ND2)

PRESENTATION

COURSE:
ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL

QUESTION:
EXPLAIN THE BASIC CONCEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL UNDER THE
FOLLOWING;
1. DEFINITION
2. DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES
3. VISUAL TECHNIQUES FOR ASSESSING COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
4. THE PRINCIPLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL USING OPTIMAL
IGNORANCE AND OFF SETTING BIAS.
5. DESCRIBES THE CHARACTERISTIC OF ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL

BY GROUP (D) MEMBERS

S/N NAMES REG. NO.

1. SUNDAY LUKA CCHSTZ/EHT/008/22

2. ALBARKA JENNIFER YOHANNA CCHSTZ/EHT/005/21

3. NAJA’ATU MUHAMMED CCHSTZ/EHT/002/21

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INTRODUCTION

In the dynamic and interconnected global business landscape, organizations are

continually confronted with multifaceted and evolving external influences that shape their

operating environment. The process of environmental appraisal serves as a fundamental

pillar of strategic management, enabling businesses to systematically evaluate the

multitude of factors outside their immediate control that can impact their performance,

sustainability, and competitive positioning. This proactive strategy involves a

comprehensive examination of political, economic, social, technological, legal, and

environmental dimensions, collectively known as the PESTLE framework, to discern

opportunities, challenges, and uncertainties arising from the external environment. By

meticulously scrutinizing these external forces, organizations can gain critical insights

that inform their strategic decision-making, foster innovation, and bolster their ability to

navigate and thrive in an ever-changing business landscape.

DEFINITION:

Environmental appraisal is a strategic management process that involves the systematic

evaluation and analysis of external macro-environmental factors that can significantly

impact an organization's operations, strategies, and performance. This comprehensive

assessment encompasses political, economic, social, technological, legal, and

environmental dimensions, often referred to as the PESTLE framework. The primary

objective of environmental appraisal is to gain critical insights into the external forces

shaping the business landscape, enabling organizations to make informed strategic

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decisions, anticipate opportunities and threats, and adapt their strategies to dynamic

external influences.

DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES:

Environmental appraisal necessitates the collection and analysis of diverse data sources

to gain a comprehensive understanding of the external environment. Common data

collection techniques include:

a. Desk Research: This method involves gathering information from existing sources

such as industry reports, market analyses, economic indicators, government

publications, academic literature, and regulatory documents. Desk research provides a

foundational understanding of the external environment and helps identify key trends

and developments.

b. Surveys and Questionnaires: Organizations often utilize surveys and questionnaires

to gather primary data from stakeholders, customers, industry experts, and other

relevant parties. These tools enable the collection of specific insights, opinions, and

feedback regarding prevailing external factors and their potential implications for the

business.

c. Interviews: Conducting interviews with industry experts, thought leaders, regulatory

authorities, and other relevant stakeholders can yield valuable qualitative data and

nuanced perspectives on external environmental factors. These insights can offer in-

depth context and nuanced understandings of industry dynamics and emerging trends.

d. Observational Studies: Observational studies involve direct observation of market

trends, consumer behaviors, technological advancements, and other relevant

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 phenomena. This approach can provide firsthand insights into evolving social,

technological, and market dynamics, offering valuable qualitative data for

environmental appraisal.

e. Data Analytics: Leveraging advanced data analytics tools and techniques,

organizations can extract and analyze large volumes of structured and unstructured

data to discern patterns, correlations, and predictive indicators related to external

environmental factors. Data analytics offers a data-driven approach to understanding

and forecasting external influences.

VISUAL TECHNIQUES FOR ASSESSING COMMUNITY RESOURCES:

Visual techniques are valuable tools for assessing community resources as they offer a

tangible and accessible way to gather and present information about the resources

available within a community. Some visual techniques commonly used for this purpose

include:

a. Asset Mapping: This involves creating visual maps or diagrams that highlight the

physical and social assets within a community, such as parks, schools, healthcare

facilities, businesses, community centers, and other resources. Asset mapping allows

for a comprehensive overview of available resources and their spatial distribution

within a community.

b. Photovoice: Photovoice is a participatory visual research method that involves

community members capturing photographs that represent their perspectives on

community resources and challenges. These photos are then used as the basis for

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 community dialogue and action planning, providing a nuanced and community-

centered assessment of resources.

c. Geographic Information Systems (GIS): GIS technology enables the creation of

visual maps and spatial analyses that incorporate data on community resources,

infrastructure, demographics, and environmental factors. GIS can help identify

disparities in resource distribution, assess accessibility, and support informed

decision-making in resource allocation and development planning.

d. Community Walks and Surveys: Conducting visual assessments through

community walks and surveys allows for firsthand observation and documentation of

community resources, infrastructure, and amenities. This approach facilitates direct

engagement with community members and provides real-time visual insights into the

availability and condition of resources.

THE PRINCIPLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL USING OPTIMAL

IGNORANCE AND OFF-SETTING BIAS:

The principle of environmental appraisal involving optimal ignorance and off-setting bias

revolves around the recognition of inherent uncertainties and biases in the appraisal

process and the strategic management of these factors. Optimal ignorance refers to the

conscious decision to focus on critical, high-impact environmental factors while

acknowledging that complete knowledge of all external influences may not be feasible or

practical. This approach involves prioritizing the assessment of factors with the greatest

potential to shape organizational strategies and outcomes, thus optimizing the allocation

of resources and attention.

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Off-setting bias, on the other hand, involves recognizing and mitigating cognitive biases

and errors that may influence environmental appraisal. By systematically identifying and

addressing biases such as confirmation bias, anchoring bias, and availability bias,

organizations aim to enhance the objectivity and accuracy of their environmental

assessments, thereby facilitating more informed decision-making.

The application of optimal ignorance and off-setting bias in environmental appraisal

underscores the importance of strategic focus, critical thinking, and bias mitigation in

navigating the complexities of external environmental analysis, ultimately guiding

organizations toward more robust and adaptive strategic responses.

THE CHARACTERISTIC OF ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL

Environmental appraisal involves the assessment and analysis of various external factors

and influences that affect an organization, community, or system. The characteristics of

environmental appraisal include:

 Comprehensive and Holistic: Environmental appraisal aims to encompass a wide

range of factors, including social, economic, technological, political, legal, and

environmental dimensions. It seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the

external landscape in which an entity operates.

 Dynamic and Adaptive: Environmental appraisal is not a one-time activity but a

continuous and dynamic process. It involves monitoring and evaluating changes in the

external environment over time, allowing organizations to adapt their strategies and

operations in response to evolving conditions.

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 Multidisciplinary Approach: Effective environmental appraisal often requires input

from diverse disciplines such as economics, sociology, environmental science,

political science, and technology. By incorporating insights from various fields,

organizations can gain a more nuanced understanding of external influences.

 Uncertainty Recognition: Environmental appraisal acknowledges the existence of

uncertainty and complexity in the external environment. It involves assessing risk

factors, identifying potential disruptions, and preparing for contingencies in the face

of uncertainty.

 Strategic Focus: Environmental appraisal seeks to identify key trends, challenges,

and opportunities that are likely to have a significant impact on the organization's

goals and performance. It involves prioritizing the analysis of critical factors that are

most relevant to strategic decision-making.

 Decision Support: The primary purpose of environmental appraisal is to inform

decision-making processes within organizations. By providing insights into external

opportunities and threats, environmental appraisal helps guide strategic planning,

resource allocation, and risk management.

 Stakeholder Engagement: Effective environmental appraisal often involves

soliciting input from diverse stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers,

and community members. Engaging stakeholders in the appraisal process helps

capture a broad spectrum of perspectives and insights.

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 Ethical Considerations: Environmental appraisal should be conducted with ethical

sensitivity and responsibility. This includes considering the potential social and

environmental impacts of organizational activities and decisions, as well as adhering

to ethical standards in data collection and analysis.

 Context-specific: Environmental appraisal is tailored to the specific context and

industry of the organization. Different industries and sectors may have unique

external factors that need to be considered. Therefore, the appraisal process should be

customized to address the specific needs and challenges of the organization.

Environmental appraisal is a comprehensive, systematic, proactive, continuous,

decision-oriented, and context-specific process that helps organizations understand

and respond to the external factors that can impact their success.

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CONCLUSION

The basic concept of environmental appraisal involves assessing and analyzing the

various factors and conditions in the external environment that can impact an

organization or a project. This appraisal helps in understanding the opportunities and

threats that exist in the environment and allows organizations to make informed decisions

and develop effective strategies. Environmental appraisal typically includes the

evaluation of factors such as political, economic, social, technological, and ecological

aspects. It involves gathering relevant data, conducting research, and analyzing trends

and patterns to gain insights into the external environment.

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REFERENCES

1. Johnson, G., Scholes, K., & Whittington, R. (2019). Exploring Strategy: Text and

Cases. Pearson.

2. Grant, R. M. (2019). Contemporary Strategy Analysis: Text and Cases Edition.

Wiley.

3. Thompson, J. L., & Martin, F. (2010). Strategic Management: Awareness and

Change. Cengage Learning.

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