In this study the relationship of the external environment scanning characteristics (scanning responsibility) with contingency factors (environmental change, organizational size, inflexible technology deployment in production and low cost orientation) is tested. A statistically coherent correlation is discovered between the environmental change (task environment) and the external environmental scanning responsibility in the research which was conducted by survey in 42 companies of food production sector. A statistically coherent correlation is also found between the organizational size and the external environmental scanning responsibility. However, no statistically meaningful relationship of scanning responsibility and inflexibility of technology with scanning characteristics is found. It is found that there is a negative but meaningful relationship between the scanning responsibility and the low cost oriented production.