The major automobile brands such as Ford, Toyota, GM, and Chrysler are interested in consumers' interest in "smart" technology in new automobiles, and GM recently studied consumers' interest in having 4G LTE wireless access via their automobile. The automobile brands must stay abreast of changing technology as well as consumer trends regarding the use of technology. The automobile company's collection of this type of information is referred to as:
a. environmental scanning.
b. consumer engagement research.
c. customer analysis.
d. target marketing.
Answer: a. environmental scanning.