1.7 External factors
1.7.1 The External Factors Affecting Business Decisions:
Social
Demographic - Decisions on factors such as marketing and pricing may differ for businesses based on demographics.
Income — Income and spending have a positive relationship; therefore, income changes affect consumers' purchasing power.
Taste/trends - Consumer preferences change based on trends. By keeping up with these trends businesses can stay ahead of competitors and remain relevant.
Technological
ICT - Information and communication technology can help increase efficiency in communications and production.
Research and development - Research and development helps businesses stay competitive by understand changes in the market and finding cheaper materials and resources.
Automation - Automation can help business reduce costs and increase efficiency as tasks can be done with minimal human intervention. However this can put workers jobs at risk.
E-commerce - E-commerce allows businesses to reach a wider customer base and is able to run 24/7.
Environmental
Climate change - Costs may increase due to climate change because of a lack of natural resources. Additionally, governments may make new regulations or introduce pollution permits.
Weather/Natural Disasters - Weather or natural disasters can disrupt the production process by making transport more difficult. Adittionally, it may be difficult for consumers and businesses to interact if there is a lack or transportation/transportation routes.
Political
Tax - Taxation can influence the profitability of businesses by increasing costs.
Laws - Businesses may face challenges when trying to adapt to new laws or regulations set by the government.
Political stability - Depending on the political situation of a country factors such as imports and exports, which can impact business costs.