What is business environment

1. What Is Business Environment?
A business organization does not exist in a vacuum. It is in fact dependent on
the external and internal environment. For efficient and rational decision making a business
organization must understand its relationship with its environment.
A business firm is an open system and it affects and is affected by outside
events and factors which make up the external environment. Business environment may offer
opportunities for the firm or threats to the firm. A business firm is also affected by a
number of internal factors, which are forces inside the business organization. While the policy
makers and the managers at the top level are concerned with the external environment, the
middle level and lower level management are more concerned with the internal environment.
Business is an important condition of an economy in present times. With the passage of
time, social organizations, needs and situations underwent a series of changes. With the
industrial revolution, radical changes took place in western countries and thereby business
became the central activity of all human activities. Under the present circumstances, business
occupies an important position in society. Business helps a country to attain economic
growth, creates employment opportunities and makes available different types of goods and
services for human consumption. Thus, business captured an important position in human life.
Classification of business:

2. Classification of Business and Industrial Activities:
Primary Activities
Primary businesses and industries are those which extract (i.e. mine, quarry, farm, fish or drill)
things normally provided by nature, e.g.
1.fish from the sea;
2. metal from the earth;
3.food from the land.
They produce raw materials in the form of oil, iron, coal or limestone, which are used to make
other products. Also, they may also produce final products such as fish or fruit.
Secondary Activities
Secondary businesses and industries are those involved in manufacturing products. That is, they
turn the raw materials produced by the primary industries into things that can be sold and used.
e.g.
1.metal into cars
2.wood into furniture
3. wheat into bread
Tertiary Activities
Tertiary businesses and industries are those involved in selling goods and services. For example,
banks, window cleaners, hairdressers and lawyers do not make things but instead sell a service or
their expertise. Other examples include transport, insurance and places of entertainment such as
leisure centres and cinemas.
Components of Business :
(Pls note the chart we did in class- industry, commerce, trade & aids to trade)

3. Business Environment may be defined as a set of conditions – Social, Legal, Economical,
Political or Institutional that are uncontrollable in nature and affects the functioning of
organization.
Business Environment has two components:
1. Internal Environment
2. External Environment
Internal Environment: It includes 5 Ms i.e. man, material, money, machinery and management,
usually within the control of business. Business can make changes in these factors according to
the change in the functioning of enterprise.
External Environment: Those factors which are beyond the control of business enterprise are
included in external environment. These factors are: Government and Legal factors, Geo-
Physical Factors, Political Factors, Socio-Cultural Factors, Demo-Graphical factors etc. It is of
two Types:
1. Micro/Operating Environment
2. Macro/General Environment
Micro/Operating Environment: The environment which is close to business and affects its
capacity to work is known as Micro or Operating Environment. It consists of Suppliers,
Customers, Market Intermediaries, Competitors and Public.
(1) Suppliers: – They are the persons who supply raw material and required components to the
company. They must be reliable and business must have multiple suppliers i.e. they should not
depend upon only one supplier.
(2) Customers: - Customers are regarded as the king of the market. Success of every business
depends upon the level of their customer’s satisfaction. Types of Customers:
(i) Wholesalers
(ii) Retailers
(iii) Industries
(iv) Government and Other Institutions
(v) Foreigners
(3) Market Intermediaries: - They work as a link between business and final consumers.
Types:-
(i) Middleman
(ii) Marketing Agencies
(iii) Financial Intermediaries
(iv) Physical Intermediaries
(4) Competitors: - Every move of the competitors affects the business. Business has to adjust
itself according to the strategies of the Competitors.

4. (5) Public: - Any group who has actual interest in business enterprise is termed as public e.g.
media and local public. They may be the users or non-users of the product.
Macro/General Environment: – It includes factors that create opportunities and threats to
business units. Following are the elements of Macro Environment:
(1) Economic Environment: - It is very complex and dynamic in nature that keeps on changing
with the change in policies or political situations. It has three elements:
(i) Economic Conditions of Public
(ii) Economic Policies of the country
(iii)Economic System
(iv) Other Economic Factors: – Infrastructural Facilities, Banking, Insurance companies, money
markets, capital markets etc.
(2) Non-Economic Environment: - Following are included in non-economic environment:-
(i) Political Environment: - It affects different business units extensively. Components:
(a) Political Belief of Government
(b) Political Strength of the Country
(c) Relation with other countries
(d) Defense and Military Policies
(e) Centre State Relationship in the Country
(f) Thinking Opposition Parties towards Business Unit
(ii) Socio-Cultural Environment: - Influence exercised by social and cultural factors, not
within the control of business, is known as Socio-Cultural Environment. These factors include:
attitude of people to work, family system, caste system, religion, education, marriage etc.
(iii) Technological Environment: - A systematic application of scientific knowledge to
practical task is known as technology. Everyday there has been vast changes in products,
services, lifestyles and living conditions, these changes must be analyzed by every business unit
and should adapt these changes.
(iv) Natural Environment: - It includes natural resources, weather, climatic conditions, port
facilities, topographical factors such as soil, sea, rivers, rainfall etc. Every business unit must
look for these factors before choosing the location for their business.
(v) Demographic Environment :- It is a study of perspective of population i.e. its size, standard
of living, growth rate, age-sex composition, family size, income level (upper level, middle level
and lower level), education level etc. Every business unit must see these features of population
and recognize their various need and produce accordingly.
(vi) International Environment: - It is particularly important for industries directly depending
on import or exports. The factors that affect the business are: Globalization, Liberalization,
foreign business policies, cultural exchange.

5. Characteristics of business environment:-
1. Business environment is compound in nature.
2. Business environment is constantly changing process.
3. Business environment is different for different business units.
4. It has both long term and short term impact.
5. Unlimited influence of external environment factors.
6. It is very uncertain.
7. Inter-related components.
8. It includes both internal and external environment.