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WHAT ARE THE MAIN ISSUES, BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE, FACING BUSINESS OVER THE MEDIUM TO LONG TERM?

Economic factors.  Factors in the economic environment must be constantly evaluated, since the state of the economy affects the goals and objectives and ways of achieving them.  This rate of inflation, the international balance of payments, levels of employment, business and lending rates, etc.  Each of these may represent either a threat or new opportunity for the company.  Thus, the fluctuations of the dollar against foreign currencies may cause gain or loss of large sums of money, as stated in Economic Issues Facing Business.

Political factors.  For business political stability in society is very important.  It depends on the level of investment and other types of resources in certain regions.  The ratio of administrative authorities to the business are expressed in the establishment of various privileges or duties that are either developing business in the region, or creating unequal conditions for different organizations.  It also uses the techniques of lobbying the interests of certain industry groups in government agencies, which also affects the entire business as a whole.

Social and cultural factors.  In organizing, the activity cannot be ignored than the cultural environment in which it occurs.  It is, above all, about the prevailing social values of life and traditions.  On this basis the standard of conduct is based.  There is known fundamental difference between American and Japanese standards.  In the first case, the standard is expressed in “individualistic” approach to the organization, while the second – in “family” approach, as described in How Social and Demographic Change Influence Business.  Hence the norm of conduct in one case, a desire for career growth with a regular change of jobs (in theU.S. it is believed that people should change jobs every few years).

Scientific and technical progress.  This factor determines whether to increase production efficiency and, consequently, the effectiveness of ways to satisfy consumers.  To enable the organization to be competitive, you need to collect, store and distribute large amounts of information about innovations occurring in the environment of business.  In recent years, have appeared completely new processing technology resources and information: the computer and laser technology, robotics, satellite communications, biotechnology, etc.  The researchers say there is the high rate of technological change, and this trend continues.

International factors.  If previously it was thought that the international environment is the object of interest only to those organizations that work for export, now changes in the international community and affect virtually all businesses.  In today’s world there is a tendency of market globalization.  This means the blurring the boundaries between businesses in different countries, developing transnational corporations have an increasing impact of international economic and political organization.  The factors responsible for the development of international business include: lower costs of doing business abroad, the desire to get away from trade restrictions within the country, as well as investment and production opportunities in other countries.

In general, all of the external environment can be characterized as follows: there is a relationship of environmental factors or the force of impact, of the change of one factor that will act on the others.  The environment has brought a lot of different factors affecting the organization, which demonstrates its complexity.  Environment is characterized by a high degree of volatility or mobility.  A large number of factors and their variability lead to the fact that the accuracy of the information is lost about the processes occurring in an environment that increases the uncertainty and complexity of environmental decision-making process.

Initially, the concept of “crisis” is perceived as a negative phenomenon, the mere thought of which begins in the minds of people and they panic, the fear is then generated by uncertainty.  But, despite the entire inherent negative aspects, a crisis has some positive points.  Its positive impact on the economy is reflected in the fact that most businesses are beginning to wonder about the effectiveness of its operations, analyze costs in order to reduce costs, seek new and more profitable decisions.  At this stage, the IT department can play an important role by offering the best solutions to maintain the effective functioning of the business.

More recently, enterprises experienced rapid growth to extend their presence, both on domestic and foreign markets.  The main task in this situation was not to miss a moment and take its place in the market.  With the advent of the crisis in the country, many companies are seriously thinking about their business.  As a fact, started a wholesale reduction in costs, review of the cost structures, minimizing the unprofitable activities.   But, unfortunately, not always optimization is a deliberate action that results from the preliminary analysis.  It happens that the leaders are beginning to cut costs and staff without considering the consequences of such measures and their impact on the business system.

The main advice we can give the owners and top managers – starting with the optimization of the analysis of the performance of individual structures, business systems, analyzing both lines of business, and the range of products or services.  Today, the market is represented by the mass of instruments that could facilitate this task.  For example, many enterprises have long been used by ERP-systems, CRM-system and many others.  Their list was supplemented with systems of class BI (Business Intelligence), which can not only analyze the current state of business, but also to build predictive models to predict the results of the adoption of various management decisions, as described in 10 critical perpetuation issues facing business.  With the application of modern systems for enterprise performance, management executives and managers have the opportunity to receive reports on receivables though every day; moreover, these reports are available in real time.

According to analysts, the second place in popularity among owners and executives will own decisions on managing costs and expenses, providing the possibility of analyzing its cost structure as for whole lines of business, and for selected categories of goods and services.  To take this analysis full, it is necessary that IT departments have picked up a complete solution, containing technological and methodological tools for analysis.

In general, it should be noted that, subject to a competent and balanced approach, a wave of optimizations that shook companies will only benefit the business; making it “healthier” to that in the future it will reflect positively on the economy as a whole.  One of the key elements of strategic management is to analyze the external environment and market monitoring.  And the threats that await the company and the opportunities that are available to us – all this there is in the business environment, part of which is business.  In the external environment company threatens competition, unscrupulous suppliers, rapidly changing tax laws, social upheavals and many other “surprises”.  At the same time the company is waiting for buyers, the resources necessary for our business.

Analysis of external factors helps to develop strategic solutions that provide algorithms of interaction with the environment in the short and long term, which will maintain its capacity to the level necessary to achieve the goals, will help uncover threats and opportunities.  External environment can be divided into two parts: macro-and microenvironment, as stated in Business Expansion and Handling Problems.  If the macro is difficult for us to exercise significant influence or control processes, the dynamics of the microenvironment may directly depend on the choice of our strategy.

When analyzing the external environment within which we operate, we can distinguish a number of factors affecting the possibility of its development.  For this purpose, use the technique called TEMPLES (Technology, Economics, Market, Politics, Laws, Ecology, Society).  It allows the group to consider issues associated with the external environment, dividing them into several sub-groups for the relevant definitions and classifications.  Each of these factors is subjected to appropriate analysis to find out what difficulties may arise when working in this field and which open positive opportunities.  It is convenient to analyze the above reasons, the light of various (mostly long-term and medium-term) outlook, when it is necessary to predict what changes the company expects in the future and find strategies, appropriate to the situation, as stated in 6 small business issues too important to ignore.

Scientific and technological achievements seriously alter the functioning of the firm’s environment.  There are new technologies, new products, which certainly enhances competition.  Many companies regularly monitor trends in scientific and technological progress, which has a positive impact on their activities.  Scientific and technological developments, by changing consumer lifestyles, improve the quality of customer satisfaction. Scientific and technological innovations appear in the design, engineering models, distribution and sales, marketing, thereby influencing the overall strategy of the organization.

As the global economy significantly affects the lives and activities of the company, there should be considered carefully, economy-wide processes (for example, rising unemployment and inflation, increase in the number of companies working on the import or export).  Political factors seriously affect the different types of businesses.   Typically, the political factors are: political situation in the country; stability; loyalty to the authorities; protectionism in the sector; the availability of administrative barriers; system for the protection of property.

This should take into account such important driving force, as a change in the socio-political system, the outbreak of religious intolerance and the revival of nationalism.  One cannot discount threat of armed conflict, a sharp reduction in import or export embargo and various trade sanctions targeted at the economic repression.

Changes in legislation directly affect many kinds of business activities, as stated in The Challenges Facing Small Businesses.  These changes occur at a high level, and in specific issues in the sectors (for example, range of issues associated with the introduction of any sanctions and regulations, changes in labor legislation and work in progress).

Currently, an increasing number of companies are paying attention to environmental conditions.  Therefore, the range of issues related to its defense, play an important role in strategic planning in many developing industries and companies.
The strategy of development (particularly in the case of long-term strategy), many companies often consider as demographic factors.  If the company provides a population of such services and goods that are differentiated by age or category of buyers falling into different groups, or gender, then such an analysis can be an extremely valuable contribution to the development of strategy.  Thus, at present time, there has increased the birth rate in many countries, resulting in the increased demand for related goods and services, as described in What Influences the Success of a Small Business.  Hence, this factor stimulates the development of precisely those sectors that are associated with the production of goods and services to meet diverse demands and needs of young families.

The demographic situation has considerable on influence specific characteristics of the regions that host the data of the company or enterprise.  For example, there may be a constant flow or, conversely, the outflow of population from the region, the ethnic composition often plays a decisive role in the structure of demand.  The company’s activity is often a significant degree, and depends on various social factors.  They may include social needs and demands of determining the vital activity of employees of the business, issues relating to the social life of the region where the enterprise is located.
Here are a number of social factors affecting the company’s activity: demographic situation in the region; age and sex structure of population; average level of income and subsistence; cultural environment and moral values, religion; level of education.  The social factors that play a significant role in the functioning of the enterprise also include a way to attract staff to the profession and as a part of the business, namely: how important and / or prestigious for them it is to work in state enterprises or are they completely satisfied with the work under the contract.  In addition to social factors that include life style of employees, the degree of their involvement in solving internal managerial problems, a qualitative change in relations between staff members are at different levels of hierarchy inside people’s expectations from the work of your organization; various risks, fears, etc, which also influence business this days.

All in all, the influence of different factors can be perceived by the companies all over the world, and the consequences can be felt for a long time after some event, considerable change or crisis.  Nowadays each company is under influence of some factors, such as demographical, economical, social, cultural and political, and each company faces challenges and the competition at the international market.

 

References

 

10 critical perpetuation issues facing business (1997). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/1997/02/17/smallb2.html

2005 Survey:  The Top Challenges Facing Business Analysts (2005). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.bia.ca/articles/TheTopChallengesFacingBusinessAnalysts.htm

6 small business issues too important to ignore (2010). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://washingtontechnology.com/articles/2010/10/11/fast-50-small-biz-trends.aspx

Business Expansion and Handling Problems (2009). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.myownbusiness.org/s12/

Business Issues (2010). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.ibx.com/about_ibc/business_issues/index.html

Business issues facing discrete manufacturers (2010). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.articlesbase.com/software-articles/business-issues-facing-discrete-manufacturers-2877490.html

Critical Issues Facing Business Today (2009). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.aarm.org/critical_issues.html

Economic Issues Facing Business (2010). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.ehow.com/facts_7183067_economic-issues-facing-business.html

Ethical Issues in Business (2010). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ethical-issues-in-business.html

How Social and Demographic Change Influence Business (2010). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.suite101.com/content/how-do-social-and-demographic-change-influence-business-a244334

Issues facing small business during the coming year (1999). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4182/is_19991227/ai_n10132614/

Top 10 Economic Development Issues facing Small Businesses inWinter Park(2010). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.vacationsinc.com/1923/top-10-economic-development-issues-facing-small-businesses-in-winter-park/

The top nine issues facing business in 2008 (2008). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.cpasuccess.com/2008/01/the-top-nine-is.html

The Challenges Facing Small Businesses (2010). Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol11/challenges.htm

What Influences the Success of a Small Business (2009).  Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://www.ehow.com/list_5787156_influences-success-small-business.html

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Renewable energy

is an energy from sources that are inexhaustible on a human scale.

Environmental Schools of Thought

Write 350- to 700-words below in which you select two of the following environmental schools of thought found among the terms in the worksheet. The environmental schools of thought are:

• Anthropocentric
• Biocentric
• Deep ecology/ecocentric

Explain how your chosen two schools of thought view a local environmental issue differently. Be sure to address any ethical concerns or controversies surrounding this environmental issue.

Your Response:

I would like to say that two environmental schools of thought of my choice will be anthropocentric and biocentric. It is well-known fact that both schools of thought view a local environmental issue differently. Thus, I would like to discuss ethical concerns and controversies surrounding environmental issues from different positions taking into account position of each school of thought.

First of all it is necessary to mention that traditional ethics reflects the moral phenomena and processes in the system “human – human” or “human – society”. Whereas in the environmental ethics major moral and spiritual aspects of relationships are observed in the system “human – society – nature”. It should be noted that the fundamental rules and principles of ethics have traditionally anthropocentric in nature and applied only to the direct person’s action in relation to another person. Nature is not evaluated from a moral point of view: its status as a whole practically does not depend on the nature and extent of human activity. Changes in habitat were mostly local in nature and were evaluated from a pragmatic point of view. In our time, the expansion of the crisis of environmental trends has led many researchers to reject anthropocentric ethics and search of capabilities include the nature of the responsibility of the person.

On the issue of the relationship between human and nature were identified two ideological poles – they are anthropocentric and biocentric concepts; biocentric concept acquired the most widely spreading only recently and find more and more followers. Both approaches are different in their nature and currently anthropocentrism beginning to be seen as a negative form of philosophy. It seems to me that anthropocentrism continues to represent a type of discriminatory attitudes of people that do not meet the requirements of true ethics. It is wrong that anthropocentrism tries to satisfy only the legitimate interests of citizens and to do so at the expense of other species. In such a way anthropocentrism has proven its untenable features as philosophy, and as a scientific approach to determining the status of human beings in the natural environment, and as a practical guide to action, justifies all the actions of human beings towards other living forms. Anthropocentrism oriented society to a maximum consumerism, people treated the environment and animals as own pantry, as an inexhaustible source of wealth.

Biocentrism has another character and  I think that biocentrism is the most ethical philosophical concept; biocentrism implies that not only one kind or several kinds, but exactly every living creature has a right to exist, that it is the BIOS, and not just a man should stand in the spotlight. Rights of bios should be protected in legislation. Biocentric approach to understanding of the role and place of humans in nature will help to solve environmental problems much better than other ecological approaches.

For the conclusion it is necessary to say that anthropocentrism and biocentrism are terms that characterize the human world, i.e., human views on the surrounding world and own place in this world. We know that development of technology, theft of natural resources, destruction of animals and plants, environmental pollution has led to the depletion of natural resources and put humanity before the global environmental crisis. For humanity, it becomes apparent that biocentrism looks like a new ideological orientation, which would not have opposed human nature and will help to overcome ecological crisis.

References:

Begon, M., Townsend, C. R., Harper, J. L. (2006). Ecology: From individuals to ecosystems. (4th ed.). Blackwell.

Des Jardins, J. R. (2006). Environmental ethics: An introduction to environmental philosophy (4th ed.).Belmont,CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

Light, A. & Rolston, H., III (Eds.). (2003). Environmental ethics: An anthology.Malden,MA: Blackwell Pub.

Raven, P., Berg, L. & Hassenzahl, D. (2010). Environment. (7th ed.).Hoboken,NJ: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.