External environment
Understanding the external world you operate in and the dynamics of the situation you wish to influence are essential parts of effective campaigning and influencing. This involves among other things
- analysing the wider social, political and economic context in order to identify the factors that may help or hinder affecting change
- establishing who the key decision-makers are and where they stand on a particular issue
- considering the long-term trends that may impact on your ability to influence the policy process.
We have developed a series of resources to help you do this:
In Focus Guide - Making sense of the external environment
Explores why analysing the external environment is important, guiding you through some of the key tools and approaches you can use to help make sense of the external policy enrvironment and the implications for your policy and campaigning work. Tools included are PEST analysis, forcefield analysis, stakeholder analysis and influence mapping. It also points you towards useful further reading and resources.
Download pdf (PDF 225 KB)
Analysing the external environment - Forum for Change online discussion group
This group allows you to share tools and resources that help you analyse and understand the environment you are working in. It also provides a space in which to exchange insights on particular emerging issues.
http://www.forumforchange.org.uk/group/horizonscanning
Analysing the external environment reading and resources
This reading list is based on the Forum for Change seminar that we held on 20 January 2009, around analysing the external policy environment. It points you towards practical guides and reports as well as online resources and futures analysis. Please do add your own resources as part of the discussion.
Challenges to effectiveness and impact
Research from 2007 into the campaigning environment illustrating the challenges faced in achieving social and political change.
Dowload the report (PDF 3.91 MB)
Other NCVO resources
NCVO Third Sector Foresight helps organisations to understand how the world is changing around them and use this knowledge to make better decisions. On their website you can access a free bank of 'drivers' (trends and forces in the external environment) and a short guide to how to make sense of your environment through strategic analysis http://www.3s4.org.uk/how-to
What will campaigning be like in 5 years' time?
This new guide by Third Sector Foresight, NVCO, looks at the main drivers impacting on campaigning and influencing, including: how it might evolve over the next few years, the growth of new technologies, professionalisation of the discipline and the growth of consumer activism. The concise guide breaks down these issues into accessible chunks and has tips and suggestions that you can build into your organisational planning.
Download your free copy here
What will the policy making process and public policy agenda look like in 5 years' time?
This was the focus question for the scenario planning exercise we undertook as part of a Forum for Change seminar in January 2009. The attached document provides an overview of the exercise and a summary of the scenario narratives that were developed by participants.
Read the scenarios and add your comments here.
