Final answer:
Scanning for information and events that affect operational and strategic planning is known as Environmental monitoring. This process uses current knowledge to assess potential future scenarios and determine how economic changes affect demand or supply. So, the correct answer is option c.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of scanning for information and events that will impact short-term operational planning and long-term strategic planning is best called Environmental monitoring (C). Environmental monitoring involves keeping track of the external and internal factors that might affect an organization's success.
This approach is proactive in identifying potential opportunities and threats that can influence both immediate operations and future strategies.
Gap analysis, on the other hand, is typically used to compare actual performance with potential or desired performance. SWOT analysis is a tool that identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organization. 'Planning to plan' is not a formal management term.
The goal of environmental monitoring is to use current knowledge to forecast consequences and develop scenarios for future options. It also involves analyzing economic changes to determine if they affect demand or supply, which refers to something in the list of demand factors or supply factors.