The General Environment Segments of the general environment include: Political/Legal Economic Sociocultural/Demographic Technological (Some include International) General Environment 4-1
The General Environment General environmental trends and events: Little ability to predict them Even less ability to control them Can vary across industries General Environment 4-2
Political/Legal Segment Tort reform Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Health care legislation & reform Deregulation of utility and other industries Increases in federally mandated minimum wages Taxation at local, state, federal levels Legislation on corporate governance reforms (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) 4-3
Economic Segment Interest rates Unemployment Consumer Price index Trends in GDP Changes in stock market valuations 4-4
Sociocultural/Demographic Segment More women in the workforce/More single-family homes/Postponement of family formation Greater concern for fitness & environment Greater disparities in income levels Increased aging population Greater ethnic diversity 4-5
Demographic Segment Aging population Rising affluence Changes in ethnic composition Geographic distribution of population Greater disparities in income levels 4-6
Technological Segment Genetic engineering Emergence of Internet technology Computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing systems (CAD/CAM) Research in synthetic and exotic materials Pollution/global warming Miniaturization of computing technologies Wireless communication Nanotechnology 4-7