Strategy management-3

INTRODUCTION
Business decisions are influenced by two sets of factors
Internal factors (The Internal Environment
External Factors( The External Environment)
Business Environment presents two challenges to the
enterprise
The challenge to combat the environmental threats
Exploit the business opportunities
Environmental Analysis is one of the first steps in Strategic
Management

definition
“The process by which strategists monitor the economic,
governmental/legal, market/competitive,
supplier/technological, geographic and social settings to
determine opportunities and threats to their firms”
“Environmental diagnosis consists of managerial decisions
made by analysing the significance of data (opportunities and
threats) of the environmental analysis”

Environmental Scanning is the monitoring, evaluating and
disseminating of information from the external and internal
environments to key people within the corporation.
A corporation uses this tool to avoid strategic surprise
and to ensure its long-term health.

TYPES OF ENVIRONMENT
1) INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
2) EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
BUSINESS
DECISION
INTERNAL
FACTORS
EXTERNAL
FACTORS

INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
Important internal factors are
1) Value System
The value system of founders and those at the helm of
affairs has important bearing on the choice of business, the
mission and objectives of the organization, business policies
and practices.
2) Mission and Objectives
The business domain of the company , priorities , direction
of development, business philosophy, business policy etc.
are guided by the mission and objectives of the company

3) Management Structure and Nature
The organizational structure, the composition of the Board
of Directors, extent of professionalization of management
etc. are important factors influencing business decisions.
4) Internal Power Relationship
Factors like the amount of support the top management
enjoys from lower levels and workers, share holders and
Board of Directors have important influence on the
decisions and their implementation.
The relationship between the members of Board of Directors
is also a critical factor.

5) Human Resources
The characteristics of the human resources like skill,
quality, morale, commitment, attitudes etc. could contribute
to the strength and weakness of the organization.
The involvement, initiative etc. of the people at different
levels may vary from organization to organization.
6) Company Image and Brand Equity
The image of the company matters while raising finance,
forming joint ventures or other alliances, soliciting market
intermediaries, entering purchase or sale contracts ,
launching new products etc.

OTHER FACTORS
1. Physical Assets and Facilities
2. R&D and Technological Capabilities
3. Marketing Resources
4. Financial Factors

EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
Two Types
a) Micro Environment
Consists of actors in the company’s immediate environment, that
affects the performance of the company.
b) Macro Environment
Consists of larger societal forces that affect all the actors in
company’s micro environment.

MICROENVIRONMENT
Also known as task environment and operating environment
Include
The suppliers
Marketing intermediaries
Competitors
Customers
Publics
More intimately linked with the company than macro factors
The micro forces need not necessarily affect all the firms in a
particular industry in the same way.
Some of the micro factors are particular to a firm

suppliers
Those who supply the inputs to the company.
Source/Sources should be Reliable
Uncertainty regarding the supply or other supply constraints
compel companies to maintain high inventories causing cost
increases.
Very risky to depend on a single supplier
The purchasing department should “market” itself to
suppliers, to obtain favourable treatment during the periods
of shortages.

customers
Major task of business is to create and sustain customers
Different categories of consumers
Individuals
Households
Industries and other commercial establishments
Government and other institutions
Depending on single customer is too risky
Choice of customer should be done by considering
Relative profitability
dependability
stability of demand
growth prospectus
extent of competition

competitors
A firm’s competitors include not only the other firms which
market the same or similar product but also all those who
compete for the income of the consumers
Desire competition
Generic competition
Product form competition
Brand competition

Marketing intermediaries
Firms that aid the company in promoting, selling and
distributing its goods to final buyers.
Include
the middlemen and merchants who “help the company find
customers or close sales with them”
Physical distribution firms which “ assist the company in stocking
and moving goods from their origin to their destinations”
Marketing service agencies which “assist the company in
targeting and promoting its products to the right markets”
Financial intermediaries which “finance marketing activities and
insure business risks”
Vital links between the company and the final consumers.

publics
Any group that has an actual or potential interest in or
impact on an organization’s ability to achieve its interests
E.g. Media publics, citizens action publics, local publics
Media attack on any company can influence the government
decisions affecting the company.
Environmental pollution is an issue often taken up by number
of local publics
Publics are not always threat to the business.
Fruitful cooperation between a company and the local publics
may be established for the mutual benefit.

MACRO ENVIRONMENT
Consists of larger societal forces that affect all the actors in
company’s micro environment-namely
the demographic,
economic,
natural,
technological,
political and
cultural forces
Also known as Societal Environment
The Societal Environment includes general forces that do not
directly touch on short-run activities of the organization but that
can, and often do, influence its long-run decisions.

Economic Environment
Important factors are:
Economic conditions
Economic policies
Economic systems
Economic condition
The economic conditions of a country –for example, the nature of
the economy, the stage of development of the economy, economic
resources, the level of income, the distribution of income and
assets, etc.- are among the very important determinants of
business strategies.
In a developing country, the low income may be the reason for
the very low demand for the product.

Economic Environment
Economic policies
Some types or categories of business are favourably affected by
government policy, some adversely affected, while it is neutral to some
others.
E.g. a restrictive import policy may greatly help the import competing
industries, while a liberalisation of the import policy may create
difficulties for such industries
Economic System
The scope of the private business depends on the economic system.
The freedom of the private enterprise is the greatest in the free market
economy.

Political & Government
Environment
Has close relationship with the economic system and
economic policy.
In many countries regulations to protect consumer interests
have become stronger.
Some governments specify certain standards for the products
to be marketed in the country; some even prohibit the
marketing of certain products.
Promotional activities are subject to various types of controls.
Eg: In India, Advertisement of alcoholic product is prohibited.
 and the packages must carry “injurious to health” warnings

socio-cultural environment
Major factors are:
the buying and consumption habits of people,
their language beliefs and values,
customs and traditions,
tastes and preferences,
Education
Strategy should be appropriate in the socio-cultural
environment.
Eg: nestle brews a very large variety of instant coffee to satisfy
different national tastes

Even when people of different cultures use the same product;
the mod of consumption, conditions of use, purpose of use or
the perceptions of the product attributes may vary so much
so that the product attributes, method of presentation,
positioning or method of promoting the product may have to
be varied to suit the characteristics of different markets.
E.g.: Vicks Vaporub, the popular pain balm is used as mosquito
repellent in some tropical countries

Language difference pose a serious problem.
e.g.
Preet-> Prestige for overseas market
In Japanese, General Motors’ “body by Fisher” means “Corpse by
fisher”
Colour
Blue: feminine and warm in Holland ; but masculine and cold in
Sweden
Green: favourite in Muslim world; but represents illness in
Malaysia
Red: popular in communist countries; but represents disaster in
Africa
White: death and mourning in China and Korea; but it expresses
happiness in some countries. Also it is the colour of bridal dress.

Demographic environment
Factors:
Size, growth rate, age composition, sex composition of
population, family size, educational levels, economic
stratification of the population, language, caste, religion, etc.
E.g.
Decline in birth rates in USA have affected the demand for
baby products. So Johnson &Johnson repositioned their
products like baby shampoo and baby oil, to the adult
segment, particularly to females.

Natural environment
Geological and ecological factors, such as natural resources
endowments, weather and climatic conditions, topographical
factors, location aspects in the global context, port facilities etc., are
relevant to business.
Differences in geographical conditions between markets may some
times call for changes in the marketing mix. Geographical and
Ecological factors also influence the location of certain industries.
E.g. industries with high material index tend to be located near the
raw material sources.
Topographical factors may affect the demand pattern
E.g.. In hilly areas with difficult terrain, jeeps may be in a greater
demand than cars.
Ecological factors have recently assumed great importance. The
depletion of natural resources, environmental pollution and the
disturbance of ecological balance have caused great concern.

Physical & technological
environment
Business prospects demands availability of certain physical facilities
E.g. demand for electrical appliances is affected by the extent of
electrification and the reliability of power supply.
Demand for LPG stoves depend on rate of growth of gas connections
 differing technological environment of different markets may call
for product modifications
E.g. Many appliances are designed for 110 V in USA. They should be
converted for 240v in India
Technological developments may increase or decrease the demand
for some existing products
E.g. voltage stabilizers help increase in sale of electrical appliances
in markets characterised by frequent voltage fluctuations
Introduction of TVs, Refrigerators, etc. with in-built stabilizers
adversely affects the demand for voltage stabilizers.

International Environment
Particularly important for the industries directly depending
on imports or exports and import-competing industries
Recession, economic boom, liberalization
Major international developments have their spread effects
on domestic business.
E.g. Oil price hikes increased the cost of production and the
prices of certain products such as fertilizers , synthetic fibres. So
usually, the demand for natural fibres and manures increased.
Also demand for automobiles that economise energy
consumption got increased.

The oil crisis also promoted some companies to resort to
demarketing
“demarketing” refers to the process of cutting consumer
demand for a product back to the level that can be supplied
by the firm.
E.g. The Indian Oil Corporation have publicised tips on how
to cut oil consumption

TECHNIQUES FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING
Involve two phases: Information gathering and Evaluation
1) Verbal & Written Information:
verbal information includes, information obtained by direct talk
with people, by attending seminars, meetings, etc..
Written or documentary information includes both published
and unpublished materials
2) Search and Scanning:
this involves research for obtaining the required information
3) Spying:
Eve though it is not considered as ethical, spying to get
information about the competitor is not uncommon
These 3 pertains to source of information/methods of gathering
information

4) Forecasting:
done by corporate planners or other staff personnel or
consultants
This pertains to use the information gathered by above
mentioned 3 methods for picturing the future scenario.

references
 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
by Francis Cherunilam,
Himalaya Publishing House
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
by J. David Hunger and Thomas L. Wheelen,
Addison-Wesley
EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS
by Robert Zegers and Cornelius J. Murombedzi

Strategy management-3

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