Let's look at environmental influences that are impacting strategic management. There are a multitude of influences that directly and indirectly impact the delivery of healthcare. In order for health care organizations to remain competitive a lot of time and money is being spent collecting information about the environment in which they operate.

Noted by our authors Swayne, Duncan &Ginter (2013), "To be successful, health care organization leaders much have an understanding of the external environment in which they operate, they must anticipate and respond to the significant shifts taking place within the environment" (p. 36).

What are some of the environmental influences strategic managers need to analyze? What happens if an organization fails to anticipate change and significant shifts taking place within the environment?

Swayne, L. E., Duncan, W. J., &Ginter, P. M. (2013). Strategic management of health care organizations (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.