What Factors Affect The Economy In a Broad Way?
There are primarily 4
macro-economic aspects that are analysed to assess their effect on the economy.
The PEST analysis or Broad Factor Analysis is the method deployed to assess the
macro-environmental factors of an economy.
The four macro-economic
aspects are:
• Economic
• Political
•
Socio-demographic
•
Technological
These four major
macro-economic factors affect the economy overall and have a major impact on
the business environment, opportunities and the threats prevailing in the
industry for all the players. The aforementioned aspects are used in the
analysis of the effect on the economy.
We will study the impact
of each of these factors that affect the economy in a broad way.
Effect of the
Macro-Economic Aspects of the Economy
We perform the PEST
analysis on the basis of 4 primary economic aspects. Below are the effects that
each macro-economic aspect has on the economy.
Economic: There are 4 economic factors that affect the
economy in a broader fashion. These are:
• Inflation
• GDP
growth rate
• Interest
rate
• Foreign
exchange rate
Each of these aspects
has a profound impact on the macro-economic aspect of the economy. For
instance, a higher interest rate may affect the company’s capital and its
ability to take loans for expansion. Similarly, a high GDP growth rate signals
the potential in the market and bolsters investor confidence. Furthermore, a
low foreign exchange rate reduces the risks posed by foreign competitors.
Political: Political factors can go a long way in
affecting the dynamics of an economy or business. A few examples of political
factors are:
• Tax
policies
•
Employment laws
• Barriers
to Overseas trade
•
Government regulations
• Political
stability
Political factors
constitute the national factors that affect the workings of companies. If a
foreign firm is looking to enter a new market, it analyses the political
landscape in the economy as it may directly affect the growth of the company.
Additionally, governmental regulations also play a key role in defining the
economic environment.
Socio-demographic
Factors: These factors
constitute the social and demographic factors affecting the economy. These
factors constitute a general outline of the physical conditions prevailing in
the economy. A few examples of socio-demographic factors are:
• Education
level of the population
• Health
consciousness
•
Age-related changes
•
Population growth
• Natural
conditions
Socio-demographic
factors directly affect consumer demand trends and preferences. Companies
analyse these factors closely to determine the growth potential and assess the
profitability of their venture. If the socio-demographic factors are not in
favour of the company, it may choose not to enter the market which hinders
economic development. Similarly, an educated population has a small learning
curve that can prove beneficial for the company in ensuring low customer
education costs.
Technological Factors: With the integration of technology in almost
every aspect of people’s lives, it has now become a deciding factor that
tremendously affects the economy. Some of the technological factors are:
• Latest
technologies
•
Investments in R&D
•
Scientific advances
•
Technology integration
The information age has
witnessed a huge impact on economic development. Today, the technological
aspect can prove to be the primary factor that affects economic development. A
higher technological barrier may lead to fewer entrants entering the market
that hinders economic development.
Conclusion
The PEST model is a key
component in the analysis of the economic environment. These macro-economic
factors can prove to be crucial for companies that are developing business
strategies to enter a new market. These factors combined, convey the market potential
to the investor, as well as the threats that their venture may experience in
the market.
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