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Essay: Business environment

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POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT

Political factors, in the context of the external environment in which a business functions, are a type of external constraint acting upon a business. They’re related to actions of governments and political conditions in the location where the business conducts business or seeks to conduct business. Government actions and political realities influence the success of the business.

Political environment can also affect government policies at local to federal level. Companies should be ready to deal with the local and international outcomes of politics. Changes in the government policy make up the political factors. The change can be economic, legal or social. It could also be a mix of these factors.

Change in the political factors can affect business strategy. The stability of a political system can very well decide about the appeal of a particular local market because Government is a major consumer of goods and services. Government is liable for protecting the public interest and thus it views business organizations as a vehicle for social reform. Government pass legislation, which impacts the relationship between the firm and its customers, suppliers and other companies.

Below, is a list of political factors affecting business:

§ Bureaucracy

§ Corruption level

§ Freedom of the press

§ Trade control

§ Education Law

§ Anti-trust law

§ Employment law

§ Discrimination law

§ Data protection law

§ Environmental Law

§ Health and safety law

§ Competition regulation

§ Regulation and deregulation

§ Tax policy (tax rates and incentives)

§ Government stability and related changes

§ Government involvement in trade unions and agreements

§ Import restrictions on quality and quantity of product

§ Intellectual property law (Copyright, patents)

§ Consumer protection and e-commerce

§ Laws that regulate environment pollution

ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

A business has many decisions to make – what to produce, how to produce, for whom to produce. However, these decisions will be affected greatly by the economy in which the firm operates. Even if the economy is quite stable, the business always has to monitor its own operations, those of the opposition and any changes to customers’ habits or even lifestyles. Where there is instability in the economy the decisions of the business will be even harder and difficult and even more important.

Economic environment refers to the aggregate of the nature of economic system of the country, the structural anatomy of the economy to economic policies of the government the organisation of the capital market, the nature of factor endowment, business cycles, the socio-economic infrastructure etc.

When the economy becomes unstable, that’s when problems will occur, when services and goods start to become in short supply or the price of the goods and services go so high that people are not able to afford them anymore. A rise in unemployment could mean that the production and supply of goods decrease and the amount of money to purchase the available goods decreases as well – due to wages being reduced. As there are less people in employment, the taxes being paid to the government are less (they need the taxes to fund services such as housing, health e.g. and education, etc.).

Economic factors that affect the business environments are as under:

· Government economic policies

· Rate of interest set by the central bank of any country

· Per capita Income which has a huge impact on business environment by changing their consumption behaviour

· Privatization policy by the government

· Instability in the economy due to bad political conditions in the county affects the business environment

· Customs duty structure

· Airline air freight charges

· Foreign investment in the country

SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

Social environment of business means all factors around the business which affect it socially. It refers to the nature of social organisation and development of social institutions like caste, religion, customs, and socio-economic factors like class structure, social mobility, women employment etc.

Society is ever changing. The tastes and continuously changing trends are a part of it. It is highly affected by social media and social networking sites.

A business has some responsibilities towards society as it uses resources from society, so it has to return something to the society. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR policy functions as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards, and international norms.

Below is a list of social factors which impact customer needs and size of markets:

§ Lifestyles

§ Buying habits

§ Education level

§ Emphasis on safety

§ Religion and beliefs

§ Health consciousness

§ Sex distribution

§ Average disposable income level

§ Social classes

§ Family size and structure

§ Minorities

§ Attitudes toward saving and investing

§ Attitudes toward green or ecological products

§ Attitudes toward for renewable energy

§ Population growth rate

§ Immigration and emigration rates

§ Age distribution and life expectancy rates

§ Attitudes toward imported products and services

§ Attitudes toward work, career, leisure and retirement

§ Attitudes toward customer service and product quality

TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT

Technology has revolutionized the world. It is changing rapidly with newer innovations. It has influenced operations of the business over the world. Its influence is felt in practically all aspects on the day-to-day operations of businesses, both large and small.

Technology has also changed the face and the pace of how business functions. Business processes have been modified and organizations are now working much more efficiently than ever. At the same time, technology has opened a new way of communication, allowing businesses to communicate and collaborate beyond borders.

The growing use of IT and its tools, smartphones and various smart devices have taken the business to a next level. Today, it’s seen that those organizations are higher ranked are usually more advanced in technology. Technology has, in fact, made organizations to go digital.

The rapid development of technology requires quick reaction by businesses in order to survive in an emerging competitive environment and keep up with new trends and innovative services which other competitors might be offering.

These technological factors can include both products and processes and can present opportunities and threats but it is vital for competitive advantage and is a successful driver in globalisation. Products can be marketed in new ways and processes present immense Value to the business.

LEGAL ENVIRONMENT

The legal environment refers to the principles, rules and regulations established by the government and applicable to people. These regulations come through various legislations. The government has passed and enacted various Acts. Now due to globalization of economy, it became necessary to make changes in these Acts.

The legal environment plays a very crucial role in determining the success of a business. The government imposes taxes among other regulatory measures to promote economic growth and to cushion consumers from exploitation. Therefore, before establishing or when running a business, it is imperative to understand the role of regional tax measures and regulatory measures to determine how they affect business.

An understanding of the legal environment of business is relevant—indeed, essential—to functioning well within disciplines like accounting, finance, management and marketing. Additionally, a solid understanding of the legal environment can help avoid liability or at least minimize risk. In business, it is not enough to comport one and one’s business ethically. Business must also ensure that it understands the legal environment in which it is working. Therefore, it is important for the organization, for its employer, and for all the other people who may be relying on business expertise—such as employees and their family—to understand the legal environment. Such an understanding will help to avoid or lessen the likelihood of liability exposure, enabling organization to manage business affairs successfully, unhampered by unmanaged legal liability risks.

Most of the countries have consumer protection laws aimed at making sure that business act fairly towards their consumers. A few examples are

· Weight and Measures Act, 1976: This Act was enacted to establish standards of weights and measures, to regulate inter-State trade or commerce in weights, measures and other goods which are sold or distributed by weight, measure or number, to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Goods sold should not be underweight. Standard weighting equipments should be used to measure goods.

· Trade Description Act, 1968: It means deliberately giving misleading impression about the product is illegal. The Act makes it a criminal offence to apply a false trade description to goods. The Act covers descriptions given both verbally and in writing. It covers any factual statement about the physical qualities of the product, e.g. size, capacity, performance, place of manufacture and previous history.

· Consumer Credit Act, 1974: According to this Act, consumers should be given a copy of the credit agreement and should be aware of the interest rates, length of loan while taking a loan. The Act also regulates what may be taken as security, limits the ways in which credit organisations can advertise and gives the county courts the ability to intercede in the case of unfair or unjust credit agreements. It also gives additional rights to the debtor, including certain limited rights to cancel concluded agreements.

· Sale of Goods Act, 1979: According to the Act, it is illegal to sell products with serious flaws or problems and goods sold should conform to the description provided. The Act applied to contracts where property in ‘goods’ were transferred or agreed to be transferred for a monetary consideration, in other words: where property (ownership) in personal chattels was sold.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Business is interconnected with nature in two ways. Firstly, business gets its raw materials from the nature, whose quality and availability can affect the business to a large extent. Secondly, natural calamities which are uncontrollable and uncertain, can bring disaster for the business.

The analysis of the mega environment must also cover aspects like extent of endowment of natural resources in the country, ecology, climate, etc. These constitute the natural environment.

In today’s nature disturbances, upcoming of global warming and other hazardous issues to the environment, companies around the world are integrating environmental interest with business and are becoming proactive in finding ways to reduce environmental impact. Additionally, consumers are favouring businesses that contribute to protecting natural resources. These interconnections are explicit domains where business is heavily implicated.

There are no hard and fast rules with regard to location of plant. In practice, a large number of factors have to be considered while choosing a suitable location. Moreover, these factors differ from situation to situation and from time to time.

ENVIRONMENT SCANNING TECHNIQUES

It is essential for a company to understand the environment in which it is working, in order to stand and survive in the market. The understanding of environment can be meant as environmental scanning. This environmental scanning is used by the companies to judge its position among its competitors. It helps to identify positive points and negative points, that is, strengths and weaknesses of the company. It provides knowledge about the upcoming opportunities and threats to the company. Thus, environmental scanning gives a proper base to the company for looking its current position and improving for the better. It shows the scope of betterment in future.

There are various techniques of environmental scanning, each having its own usefulness but having some drawbacks at the same time.

SWOT ANALYSIS

SWOT analysis is an acronym of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. It is the simplest technique of all because it does not take much time and doing it forces the management to think about the company in a whole new way. SWOT analysis is calculated by a SWOT matrix.

SWOT analysis, as per the name suggests, helps company to identify its strengths and weaknesses, understand and grab the opportunities on the way and taking precautions against threats that may harm it.

Strengths and weaknesses are the internal factors of the company which can be changed from time to time but not without some work. Opportunities and threats are the external factors which cannot be changed nor there is any control over them.

Areas typically considered in the internal factors include financial resources, human resources, physical resources, access to natural resources, and current processes.

Some example of strengths, as an internal factor, that a company can consider are patents, strong brand names, good reputation among customers, cost advantages from proprietary know-how, exclusive access to high grade natural resources, favourable access to distribution networks. Some example of weaknesses, as an internal factor, that a company can consider are lack of patent, weak brand names, poor reputation among customers, high cost structure, lack of access to the best natural resources, lack of access to key distribution channels.

Areas typically considered in the external factors include market trends, economic trends, funding, demographics, relationships with suppliers and partners, and, political, environmental and economic regulations.

Some example of opportunities, as an external factor, includes an unfulfilled customer needs, arrival of new technology, loosening of regulations, removal of international trade barriers. Some example of threats, as an external factor, that a company can face include shifts in consumer tastes away from the firm’s products, emergence o f substitute products, new regulations, international trade barriers.

It is important to study SWOT analysis to determine the status of the company and providing for better future.

ENVIRONMENT THREAT AND OPPORTUNITY PROFILE(ETOP)

ETOP is the acronym of Environment Threat and Opportunity Profile. It is an environmental scanning technique in which environment is divided into different sectors and then impact of each sector is analysed separately. The impact is measured on three measures of scale: positive, negative, neutral, marked as +,-,0 respectively.

ETOP considers the environmental information and determines relative impact of threats and opportunities, for the systematic evaluation of environmental canning. It helps organization to identify opportunities and threats and to consolidate and strengthen organization’s position. It provides the strategists of which sectors have a favourable impact on the organization.

Some of the environmental factors that can be covered while undergoing ETOP analysis includes political factors, legal factors, economic factors, social factors and alike.

The strategic managers must keep focus on following dimensions:

· Issue selection

Focus on issues which have been selected, should not be missed as there is a probability of landing at incorrect practices. Some of the important issues may be related to market share, competitive pricing, customer preferences, technological change, economic policies, competitive trends, etc.

· Accuracy of data

Data should be collected from good sources otherwise the entire process of ETOP may fail. The relevance, importance, manageability, variability, and low cost of data are some of the important factors to be kept in focus.

· Flexibility in operations

Due to uncertainty in business situations, a company will be benefited by devising proactive and flexible strategies in their plans, structures, strategy, etc.

· Impact study

It should be conducted focusing on the various opportunities and threats and the critical issues selected. Efforts must be made to make the assessment more objective.

ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITY PROFILE(OCP)

OCP is the acronym of Organizational Capability Profile. It is summarized statement which provides overview of strengths and weaknesses in key result areas likely to affect future operation of the organization. Information in this profile may be presented in qualitative terms or quantitative terms.

The organizational capability profile is drawn in the form of a chart. The strategists are required to systematically assess the various functional areas and subjectively assign values to the different functional capability factors and sub factors along a scale ranging from values of -5 to +5.

After the preparation of OCP, the organisation is in a position to assess its relative strength and weaknesses vis-a-vis its competitors. If there is any gap in area, suitable action may be taken to overcome that. OCP shows the company’s capacity. OCP tells about company’s potential and capability. OCP tells what company can do.

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE PROFILE(SAP)

SAP is the acronym of Strategic Advantage Profile. It is a summary statement, which provides overview of the advantages and disadvantages in key areas likely to affect future operations of the firm. It is a tool for making a systematic evaluation of the strategic advantage factors, which are significant for the company in its environment. The preparation of such a profile presupposes detailed analysis and diagnosis of the factors in each functional area.

SAP describes the organisation’s competitive position in the market place. It indicates what the organisation has done or is doing in comparison to its competitors to generate competitive advantage for itself. It is external-oriented.

INTERACTION MATRIX – PORTER’S FIVE FORCES OF MODEL

Source: www.tutorialspoint.com

The mix, character and power of the competitive forces operating in a company’s industry varies from one industry to another. The most powerful tool used for systematically diagnosing the basic competitive pressures in a market and assessing strength, weakness, opportunities and threats, is the five-forces model of competition.

Five forces model of competition was developed by Harvard Business School’s Michael E. Porter in 1979. It emphasizes on the five important factors that help determine whether or not a business can be profitable on the basis of the present strategy it is following. The strategy the business follows is what ultimately drives competition and profitability and not on what product or services it is providing.

RIVALRY AMONG EXISTING COMPETITORS

In today’s cut-throat market, competitors are prone to use whatever weapons they have in their business to attain better market positions and earn good profits as well as brand loyalty. The challenge is to adopt a competitive strategy that produces competitive edge over rivals. This strategy consists of offensive and defensive moves, action and reaction patterns, adjust and readjust process. Thus, the current leaders of the market cannot be very sure of their continued leadership in future.

Rivalry gets stronger when competitors are active in making strategies against strategies, moves after moves. Competition increases as the products of rival sellers become more standardized and diminishes as the products of industry rivals become more strongly differentiated. Competitors to stand in market, thus, should have diverse strategies and objectives.

THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS

Val Renault, Section 14. SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, Retrieved from http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources/swot-analysis/main

Tim Berry, What is a SWOT Analysis?, Retrieved from http://articles.bplans.com/how-to-perform-swot-analysis/

SWOT Analysis, Retrieved from http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/59535/7/07_chapter%201.pdf

Smriti Chand, Environmental Threat and Opportunity Profile, Retrieved from http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/organization/environmental-threat-and-opportunity-profile-%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80/23557/

ETOP Analysis, Retrieved from http://www.bbamantra.com/etop-environmental-threat-and-opportunity-profile/

BMS Team, Organizational Capability Profile, Retrieved from http://www.bms.co.in/organizational-capability-profile-ocp/

Strategic Management – Environmental Scanning Techniques – Notes – Business Management, Study notes for Business Administration. Banaras Hindu University,Business Administration, Retrieved from http://www.docsity.com/en/strategic-management-environmental-scanning-techniques-notes-business-management/52577/

Jim Makos, Political factors affecting business, Retrieved from http://pestleanalysis.com/political-factors-affecting-business/

Alex Pirouz, The Impact of Technology in Business, December/January 2012 issue of Business Review Australia magazine

Andrew J. Hoffman and Susse Georg, INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT A history of research on business and the natural environment: conversations from the field, Retrieved from http://webuser.bus.umich.edu/ajhoff/pub_academic/2013%20Routledge%20Intro-2.pdf

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The Business Environment, Essay Example

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The business environment is ever changing; thus, presenting a number of challenges to businesspersons around. Therefore, this business environment will demand managers and business leaders to come to terms with the changes by adopting the needed changes. The managers should garner the needed experience and management skills to meet these growing challenges. I believe that the Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Henley School of Business will enable me to play a leading role towards changing the future businesses not only in South Africa, but globally.

The MBA program has provided me with the necessary tools that will allow me to understand, as well as implement business and management principles. The business and management principles are important in the modern business environment because I will use them to better my managerial skills and that of others. Since I have working for more than 8 years in challenging positions with mining companies and non-governmental organizations, I will be able to increase my knowledge towards understanding the problems that businesses and markets face nowadays. This will offer me an opportunity to address these challenges, thus making the future of the businesses bright. I believe also that leadership is a core principle while pursuing MBA program. Therefore, with my program I will encourage businesses to adopt a culture of effective leadership among their managers and other leaders. If the businesses understand that leadership is about influencing others, they will succeed in their everyday operations.

Decision-making and strategic planning are important elements towards the success of the business. The MBA program equipped me with knowledge regarding the role of business investing in strategic planning and decision-making approaches to make the needed changes in an organization. The strategic planning will ensure that the business develop effective mission and objectives and develop and implement approaches to realize the mission and work towards objectives. This can be carried out through adopting market research, feasibility studies, or cost-benefit analysis. MBA provides all these tools and by encouraging companies to adopt these strategies will ensure that the businesses will survive in future.

In the present business environment and in future, coordinating the works of others in a team is important towards attaining the goals of a business. Thus, the MBA program will equip me with team skills and knowledge that I will use to influence others. I believe that teamwork is an important component of any given business because it boosts motivation, hence increasing productivity among the team members. Teamwork permits businesses to be more flexible and responsive. In addition, teams also motivate workers to be more creative, to develop a broader view of objectives, and to contribute across the whole business. Thus, with my MBA, I will emphasize and encourage businesses to adopt teams. . With my MBA, I believe that the companies will be effective in meeting their goals if they embrace teams that are multi-cultural team. This is because cross-border mobility has become widespread, which forces managers to form multi-cultural teams. MBA program has thought me to encourage businesses to develop effective communication strategies that will allow them to communicate effectively with different teams and departments. The communication process should be two-way to make sure that every activity in the business and avoids duplication of responsibilities.

Globalization is another principle that I believe with my MBA program, I will be able to encourage businesses to adopt. It has a reality that business should go past their boundaries to global arena through expansion strategies to reap the full benefits of markets. The business will realize the benefits of going global since they will increase their market share and diversify their businesses, thus reducing potential risks. When businesses move to global environments, they will gather more experiences, because they will meet diverse persons form different cultures. In addition, through the MBA program I will be in a position to encourage the business world to create and adopt multi-cultural environment. Multi-cultural environment will allow the business to have diverse workforce that will allow the company to increase productivity through diversity.

MBA stresses the importance of technology and information systems in the present business environment and in future. The present business environment demands businesses to adopt latest technologies in business in order to survive. It is no doubt that technology and information systems play a vital role to the success and future of the business .MBA programs demands that business should be at par with technologies to remain relevant in the market. Technology has emerged to key drivers in the world that business should become part of this changing trend. I will ensure that I stress the importance of technology wherever I will work and in business forums and workshops. The managers should be equipped with better ways of managing employees through technology and information systems in a business to realize the full potential of the business. Technology should integrate with the element of creativity and innovation. I believe that encouraging businesses to adopt innovation and creative strategies are important towards fashioning an enabling environment that enhances problem-solving skills and developing outstanding strategies to pursue business strategies.

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How to Write a Business Essay: an Ultimate Guide

Table of Contents

Writing an essay can be boring. A lot of essays are basically the same thing over and over again. You write an introduction, then you write your supporting paragraphs, and then you create a conclusion. Overall, the process is not a lot of fun, and you can often feel as though you are simply going through the motions for the sake of churning out extra work. But since you have to write an essay, it’s worth considering the many ways that you can make the process faster and easier. In this ultimate guide, we’ll discuss the best way to write a business essay so you can get through the process faster and with relatively little trouble.

It might seem obvious, but the first thing you need to do when you write an essay is to read the essay question. You need to be sure you understand each part of the essay question and how the parts of the question work together. You would be surprised how many students only glance at the question and then write a paper that only partially addresses the assignment. You don’t want to lose points because part of your paper isn’t on topic. If you find any parts of the paper that you don’t understand or that require explanation, be sure to contact your instructor for clarification before you start writing.

Read the essay rubric

These days, most essays have a grading rubric included with the question. A grading rubric is like a cheat sheet for writing your essay. When you review the essay rubric, you’ll see exactly how your instructor will grade your paper and what your instructor will be looking for. When you write your paper, you will therefore know exactly what to include and how to write about it in order to maximize your points—and you’ll also see what you can spend less time on because it won’t contribute to your overall grade.

Make friends with your library

Many students automatically turn to search engines like Google in order to research their papers, but this is not the most effective way to find high-quality business sources for your paper. Instead, take advantage of your library’s databases. Your college or university library will likely have dedicated business databases that collect high-quality academic articles on business topics. Using these resources in your paper will make your essay stronger and more effective, and it will put your paper on a solid academic footing.

Compile your sources before you write

Many students use the start-and-stop method to write their papers, composing a sentence or two and then stopping to look up more information in order to keep going. This, however, is an inefficient way to work. A better way is to read through your research sources before you start and copy into a separate file a series of quotations and facts that you might use in your paper, creating in-text citations and reference list entries for each before you start. Doing so will make sure that you don’t have to stop for research and have a ready bank of pre-cited material to work with as you write.

Outline before you write

Outlining is an important skill that will both save you time and improve the quality of your essay. Take time before you write to lay out your paper from beginning to end. Start with your thesis statement and carefully lay out the body paragraphs with a topic sentence, supporting details (including research, quotes, and citations ), and a closing paragraph . Plan your transitions to link paragraphs together. Any amount of outlining can be helpful, but the more effort that you put into outlining at this stage, the easier it will be to write your paper, and the less likely it will be that you get stuck in a tangent that goes nowhere or meander into a point that requires you to change your thesis and revise you whole essay.

Remember to revise and proofread

When you finish the draft of your paper, you aren’t done yet. The first draft is rarely the finished product. You should always set aside time to read your work back and to make revisions to make it clearer. You also need to carefully proofread for mechanical grammar, punctuation, and syntax issues to ensure that your paper is as close to perfect as possible. You don’t want to leave points on the table because your paper had easy to fix minor spelling or grammar errors.

Consider professional writing help

Another great way to get your paper done quickly is to seek out custom professional help from an essay writing service with academic experts. An online writing company such as this can create business papers for college students and deliver them fast. When you utilize professional writing assistance, you can receive a custom-written essay that can serve as a great model to help you understand how a professional would approach your business topic and organize and develop an essay to address your assignment. Using a model such as this can save you time and effort as you work on your own paper, allowing you to focus on the learning process more than the mechanics of academic essay writing.

Join the thousands who have sharpened their business writing skills with our award winning courses.

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How to Write a Business Essay for Impactful Communication and Analysis

So, you've got a business essay coming up, and you're feeling a mix of excitement and a tad bit overwhelmed, right? Totally get it. Writing a business essay might sound boring, but trust me, it's a skill that's gonna come in handy when you're out there in the real world.

In this article, we're dishing out some awesome tips just for you if you have question on how to start a business essay. Think of it as your secret weapon to tackle those business essays like a pro. We'll keep it real, easy, and super practical – no fancy jargon or complicated theories. Let's dive into the world of business essay writing, where your words can make a big impact. In case you lack time or motivation to finish your assignment, use our business essay writing service to streamline the process.

What Is a Business Essay

Business essays are written pieces that explore and analyze various aspects of business-related topics, often focusing on management, marketing, finance, or entrepreneurship. They provide a platform for students and professionals to articulate their understanding of business concepts, theories, and real-world applications. Typically written in a formal and structured manner, a business essay requires critical thinking, research skills, and the ability to communicate ideas effectively. Whether delving into case studies, discussing industry trends, or evaluating business strategies, the essay aims to provide insights, draw conclusions, and contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamic world of business.

How to Write an Introduction for a Business Essay

A business essay introduction sets the tone for the entire paper and captures the reader's attention. Here are some steps and tips to help you write an effective introduction for a business essay:

• Understand the Purpose of the Introduction

Clearly understand the purpose of your essay. Are you providing an overview of a business concept, analyzing a case study, or arguing a specific point? Tailor your introduction accordingly.

• Start with a Hook

Grab the reader's attention with a compelling hook. This could be a relevant quote, a surprising fact, a rhetorical question, or a thought-provoking statement. The goal is to make the reader want to continue reading.

• Provide Context

After the hook, provide some background or context related to the topic of your essay. Help the reader understand the significance and relevance of the subject matter in the business world.

• Thesis Statement

Clearly state your thesis or the main argument of your essay. This should be a concise and focused statement that outlines what the reader can expect from the rest of the essay. Make sure it is specific and reflects the purpose of your writing.

• Outline the Scope

Briefly outline the main points or areas that your essay will cover. This gives the reader a roadmap of what to expect and helps them understand the structure of your essay.

• Use Clear and Concise Language

Keep your introduction clear and concise. Avoid unnecessary jargon or complex language that might confuse the reader. Aim for clarity and precision.

• Be Relevant

Ensure that every sentence in your introduction is directly related to the topic of your essay. Avoid going off on tangents or providing excessive information that doesn't contribute to the main points.

• Consider the Tone

Choose a tone that is appropriate for your audience and the nature of your essay. Business essays can vary in tone, from formal and academic to more conversational, depending on the context.

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Business Essay Introduction Example

Here’s an example of an introduction for an essay titled “The Rise of E-commerce: Shaping the Future of Retail”:

The retail landscape is undergoing a seismic shift as e-commerce continues to redefine the way consumers shop. In this essay, we explore the profound implications of this digital transformation on traditional retail models and analyze the key strategies businesses are employing to thrive in this dynamic environment. From changing consumer behaviors to the strategic use of technology, the impact of e-commerce on the retail sector is undeniable, prompting businesses to adapt or face the risk of obsolescence.

How to Write a Business Essay

Working on a business essay might seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. In this guide, we'll break down the process into simple steps to help you navigate through it smoothly. In this next section. We’ll be breaking down the essentials of drawing up a business essay from start to finish. From defining your main argument to structuring your points effectively, let's explore the key strategies that will set you on the path to success. 

Analyze the Prompt

Start by carefully reading and understanding the essay prompt. This involves breaking down the question to grasp what it's asking for, identifying the main topics, and recognizing any specific tasks or points to cover. This step helps you set the stage for a focused and relevant essay by ensuring you address all aspects mentioned in the prompt. You can hire a business essay writer to expedite the process if you want.

Think of a Thesis Statement

When writing a business essay, think of the thesis statement as the essay's compass. It should be a concise, strong sentence that lays out your main argument or viewpoint on the topic. Your thesis guides the entire essay, so make sure it's specific, debatable, and gives readers a clear idea of what to expect in your writing.

Create an Outline

We’ve already shared tips on how to write an introduction for a business essay, so let’s move on to the next stages. Organize your thoughts by outlining the main points and structure of your essay. This doesn't have to be too detailed; just a roadmap that helps you see how different ideas connect. An outline ensures a logical flow in your writing and prevents you from going off track. By the way, have you already picked business essay topics ? If not, here’s a list of great ideas you can use!

Provide Topic Background

Before diving into your main points, the business essay writing format implies giving your reader some context about the topic. Briefly introduce the key concepts, relevant facts, or historical background that will help readers understand the importance and relevance of your essay.

Write the Main Body

Start developing your essay by expanding on the main points outlined in your thesis. Each paragraph should focus on a specific idea or argument supported by evidence or examples. Be clear and concise, ensuring a smooth transition between paragraphs. It’s the most difficult part of the assignment, meaning you can use our college essay service to simplify it.

Write a Conclusion

Summarize your key points and conclusively restate your thesis. The conclusion should tie up the loose ends and leave a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid introducing new information but rather reinforce your main argument. For more details about how to write a conclusion for an essay , please refer to our guide.

Add a Bibliography

List all the sources you used in your research. Be meticulous about citing your references properly, following the chosen format (APA, MLA, etc.). This adds credibility to your essay and avoids plagiarism issues.

Edit and Proofread

As you’ve learned how to write a business essay, it’s time to master the art of self-revising. Review your essay for clarity, coherence, and grammatical errors. Editing ensures that your ideas flow smoothly, and proofreading catches any overlooked mistakes. It's a crucial step to polish your essay and present a professional piece of writing. Do you have another assignment on business management ? This guide will help you!

Choose the Writing Format

Reiterate the importance of selecting and adhering to the chosen writing format throughout the essay. Consistency in formatting, citations, and other style elements contributes to the overall professionalism of your work.

Business Essay Example

Business essay examples offer practical assistance to students tackling assignments by showcasing the application of essential writing principles in a real-world context. As a tangible reference, it demonstrates an effective essay structure and how to formulate a clear thesis statement and provide coherent arguments. By examining examples, students can glean insights into research techniques, proper citation practices, and overall essay organization, empowering them to approach their business assignments with increased confidence and proficiency.

Example 1: “The Impact of Technological Advancements on Modern Business Operations”

This essay explores the multifaceted impact of technology on operational efficiency, innovation, customer relations, and global connectivity. From integrating automation and artificial intelligence for streamlined processes to facilitating global expansion through digital platforms, technology emerges as a driving force shaping the success and sustainability of contemporary enterprises. While acknowledging the numerous benefits, the essay also highlights the challenges and ethical considerations inherent in adopting these technologies, emphasizing the need for businesses to navigate these complexities responsibly for long-term growth and competitiveness.

Example 2: “Sustainable Business Practices: A Strategic Imperative for Corporate Success”

This essay explores the pivotal role of sustainable business practices as a strategic imperative for corporate success in the contemporary entrepreneurship scene. Addressing environmental concerns, social consciousness, and economic viability, the essay delves into the multifaceted benefits of adopting sustainable approaches. It discusses how businesses can align profitability with responsible practices, emphasizing environmental stewardship, social impact, and community engagement. The essay underscores the importance of regulatory compliance and risk mitigation in business by examining the economic advantages and innovation opportunities arising from sustainable initiatives.

Final Considerations

Students engage in writing business essays to develop essential skills and knowledge crucial for success in the professional world. These essays serve as a platform for honing critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills, allowing students to articulate and analyze complex business concepts. Through the process of researching, organizing thoughts, and constructing coherent arguments, students gain a deeper understanding of business principles and practices. Business essays also cultivate the ability to synthesize information, evaluate various perspectives, and present well-reasoned conclusions. If you find with task troublesome, you can always tell us, ‘ write my research paper ,’ and one of our wordsmiths will fulfill the assignment quickly.

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1.2 Understanding the Business Environment

• What are the sectors of the business environment, and how do changes in them influence business decisions?

Businesses do not operate in a vacuum but rather in a dynamic environment that has a direct influence on how they operate and whether they will achieve their objectives. This external business environment is composed of numerous outside organizations and forces that we can group into seven key subenvironments, as Exhibit 1.4 illustrates: economic, political and legal, demographic, social, competitive, global, and technological. Each of these sectors creates a unique set of challenges and opportunities for businesses.

Business owners and managers have a great deal of control over the internal environment of business, which covers day-to-day decisions. They choose the supplies they purchase, which employees they hire, the products they sell, and where they sell those products. They use their skills and resources to create goods and services that will satisfy existing and prospective customers. However, the external environmental conditions that affect a business are generally beyond the control of management and change constantly. To compete successfully, business owners and managers must continuously study the environment and adapt their businesses accordingly.

Other forces, such as natural disasters, can also have a major impact on businesses. While still in the rebuilding stage after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, the U.S. Gulf Coast suffered another disaster in April 2010 as a result of an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil-rig, which killed 11 workers and sent more than 3 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. This event, which played out for more than 87 days, severely affected the environment, businesses, tourism, and people’s livelihoods. Global oil conglomerate BP, which was responsible for the oil spill, has spent more than $60 billion in response to the disaster and cleanup. Seven years after the explosion, tourism and other businesses are slowly recovering, although scientists are not certain about the long-term environmental consequences of the oil spill. 7

No one business is large or powerful enough to create major changes in the external environment. Thus, managers are primarily adapters to, rather than agents of, change. Global competition is basically an uncontrollable element in the external environment. In some situations, however, a firm can influence external events through its strategies. For example, major U.S. pharmaceutical companies have been successful in getting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to speed up the approval process for new drugs. 8 In recent years, the five largest companies in the S&P Index— Google , Facebook , Amazon , Microsoft , and Apple —have spent close to $50 million on lobbying activities in the nation’s capital in an effort to help policy makers understand the tech industry and the importance of innovation and an “open” internet. 9 Let’s now take a brief look at these varied environmental influences.

Economic Influences

This category is one of the most important external influences on businesses. Fluctuations in the level of economic activity create business cycles that affect businesses and individuals in many ways. When the economy is growing, for example, unemployment rates are low, and income levels rise. Inflation and interest rates are other areas that change according to economic activity. Through the policies it sets, such as taxes and interest rate levels, a government attempts to stimulate or curtail the level of economic activity. In addition, the forces of supply and demand determine how prices and quantities of goods and services behave in a free market.

Political and Legal Influences

The political climate of a country is another critical factor for managers to consider in day-to-day business operations. The amount of government activity, the types of laws it passes, and the general political stability of a government are three components of political climate. For example, a multinational company such as General Electric will evaluate the political climate of a country before deciding to locate a plant there. Is the government stable, or might a coup disrupt the country? How restrictive are the regulations for foreign businesses, including foreign ownership of business property and taxation? Import tariffs, quotas, and export restrictions also must be taken into account.

In the United States, laws passed by Congress and the many regulatory agencies cover such areas as competition, minimum wages, environmental protection, worker safety, and copyrights and patents. For example, Congress passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to deregulate the telecommunications industry. As a result, competition increased and new opportunities arose as traditional boundaries between service providers blurred. Today the dramatic growth in mobile technology has changed the focus of telecommunications, which now faces challenges related to broadband access and speed, content streaming, and much-needed improvements in network infrastructure to address ever-increasing data transmissions. 10

Federal agencies play a significant role in business operations. When Pfizer wants to bring a new medication for heart disease to market, it must follow the procedures set by the Food and Drug Administration for testing and clinical trials and secure FDA approval. Before issuing stock, Pfizer must register the securities with the Securities and Exchange Commission . The Federal Trade Commission will penalize Pfizer if its advertisements promoting the drug’s benefits are misleading. These are just a few ways the political and legal environment affect business decisions.

States and local governments also exert control over businesses—imposing taxes, issuing corporate charters and business licenses, setting zoning ordinances, and similar regulations. We discuss the legal environment in greater detail in a separate appendix.

Demographic Factors

Demographic factors are an uncontrollable factor in the business environment and extremely important to managers. Demography is the study of people’s vital statistics, such as their age, gender, race and ethnicity, and location. Demographics help companies define the markets for their products and also determine the size and composition of the workforce. You’ll encounter demographics as you continue your study of business.

Demographics are at the heart of many business decisions. Businesses today must deal with the unique shopping preferences of different generations, which each require marketing approaches and goods and services targeted to their needs. For example, the more than 75 million members of the millennial generation were born between 1981 and 1997. In 2017 they surpassed baby boomers as America’s largest generation. 11 The marketing impact of millennials continues to be immense. These are technologically savvy and prosperous young people, with hundreds of billions of dollars to spend. And spend they do—freely, even though they haven’t yet reached their peak income and spending years. 12 Other age groups, such as Generation X—people born between 1965 and 1980—and the baby boomers—born between 1946 and 1964—have their own spending patterns. Many boomers nearing retirement have money and are willing to spend it on their health, their comforts, leisure pursuits, and cars. As the population ages, businesses are offering more products that appeal to middle-aged and senior markets. 13

In addition, minorities represent more than 38 percent of the total population, with immigration bringing millions of new residents to the country over the past several decades. By 2060 the U.S. Census Bureau projects the minority population to increase to 56 percent of the total U.S. population. 14 Companies recognize the value of hiring a diverse workforce that reflects our society. Minorities’ buying power has increased significantly as well, and companies are developing products and marketing campaigns that target different ethnic groups.

Social Factors

Social factors—our attitudes, values, ethics, and lifestyles—influence what, how, where, and when people purchase products or services. They are difficult to predict, define, and measure because they can be very subjective. They also change as people move through different life stages. People of all ages have a broader range of interests, defying traditional consumer profiles. They also experience a “poverty of time” and seek ways to gain more control over their time. Changing roles have brought more women into the workforce. This development is increasing family incomes, heightening demand for time-saving goods and services, changing family shopping patterns, and impacting individuals’ ability to achieve a work-life balance. In addition, a renewed emphasis on ethical behavior within organizations at all levels of the company has managers and employees alike searching for the right approach when it comes to gender inequality, sexual harassment, and other social behaviors that impact the potential for a business’s continued success.

Managing Change

Balancing comes easy at h&r block.

In an industry driven by deadlines and details, it’s hard to imagine striking a balance between work and everyday life for full-time employees and seasonal staff. Fortunately, the management team at H&R Block not only believes in maintaining a strong culture, it also tries to offer flexibility to its more than 70,000 employees and seasonal workers in 12,000 retail offices worldwide.

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, and built on a culture of providing exceptional customer service, H&R Block was recently named the top U.S. business with the best work-life balance by online job search site Indeed. Analyzing more than 10 million company reviews by employees, Indeed researchers identified the top 20 firms with the best work-life balance. H&R Block headed the 2017 list, followed by mortgage lender Network Capital Funding Corporation , fast food chain In-N-Out Burger , Texas food retailer H-E-B , and health services company Kaiser Permanente , among others.

According to Paul Wolfe, Indeed’s senior vice president of human resources, empathy on the part of organizations is a key factor in helping employees achieve balance. Wolfe says companies that demonstrate empathy and work diligently to provide personal time for all employees tend to take the top spots on the work-life balance list. “Comments we have seen from employee reviews for these companies indicate ‘fair’ and ‘flexible work environments,’” he says. Surprisingly, none of the tech companies known for their generous work perks made the top 20 list in 2017.

In this 24/7 world, when no one is far from a text or tweet, finding time for both family and work can be difficult, especially in the tax services industry, which is so schedule driven for a good part of the year. Making a commitment to help workers achieve a healthy work-life balance not only helps its employees, but it also helps H&R Block retain workers in a tight labor market where individuals continue to have choices when it comes to where and for whom they want to work.

• How does management’s support of employee work-life balance help the company’s bottom line?
• What can other organizations learn from H&R Block when it comes to offering employee perks that encourage personal time for workers even during the busy tax season?

Sources: “Career Opportunities,” https://www.hrblock.com, accessed May 25, 2017; “About Us,” http://newsroom.hrblock.com, accessed May 25, 2017; Abigail Hess, “The 20 Best Companies for Work-Life Balance,” CNBC, http://www.cnbc.com, May 4, 2017; Kristen Bahler, “The 20 Best Companies for Work-Life Balance,” Money, http://time.com, April 20, 2017; Rachel Ritlop, “3 Benefits Companies Can Provide to Boost Work-Life Balance,” Forbes, http://www.forbes.com, January 30, 2017.

The application of technology can stimulate growth under capitalism or any other economic system. Technology is the application of science and engineering skills and knowledge to solve production and organizational problems. New equipment and software that improve productivity and reduce costs can be among a company’s most valuable assets. Productivity is the amount of goods and services one worker can produce. Our ability as a nation to maintain and build wealth depends in large part on the speed and effectiveness with which we use technology—to invent and adapt more efficient equipment to improve manufacturing productivity, to develop new products, and to process information and make it instantly available across the organization and to suppliers and customers.

Many U.S. businesses, large and small, use technology to create change, improve efficiencies, and streamline operations. For example, advances in cloud computing provide businesses with the ability to access and store data without running applications or programs housed on a physical computer or server in their offices. Such applications and programs can now be accessed through the internet. Mobile technology allows businesses to communicate with employees, customers, suppliers, and others at the swipe of a tablet or smartphone screen. Robots help businesses automate repetitive tasks that free up workers to focus on more knowledge-based tasks critical to business operations. 15

Concept Check

• Define the components of the internal and the external business environments.
• What factors within the economic environment affect businesses?
• Why do demographic shifts and technological developments create both challenges and new opportunities for business?

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The Science of Strong Business Writing

• Bill Birchard

Lessons from neurobiology

Brain scans are showing us in new detail exactly what entices readers. Scientists can see a group of midbrain neurons—the “reward circuit”—light up as people respond to everything from a simple metaphor to an unexpected story twist. The big takeaway? Whether you’re crafting an email to a colleague or an important report for the board, you can write in a way that delights readers on a primal level, releasing pleasure chemicals in their brains.

Bill Birchard is an author and writing coach who’s worked with many successful businesspeople. He’s drawn on that experience and his review of the scientific literature to identify eight features of satisfying writing: simplicity, specificity, surprise, stirring language, seductiveness, smart ideas, social content, and storytelling. In this article, he shares tips for using those eight S’s to captivate readers and help your message stick.

Strong writing skills are essential for anyone in business. You need them to effectively communicate with colleagues, employees, and bosses and to sell any ideas, products, or services you’re offering.

• Bill Birchard is a business author and book-writing coach. His Writing for Impact: 8 Secrets from Science That Will Fire Up Your Reader’s Brain will be published by HarperCollins Leadership in April 2023. His previous books include Merchants of Virtue, Stairway to Earth, Nature’s Keepers, Counting What Counts, and others. For more writing tactics, see his website .  

Partner Center

Globalization in Today’s Business Environment Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Globalization is probably the most important force affecting businesses today. The technological developments of the recent times have made international commerce a necessary paradigm for all businesses. This is because it has become easy to import labor without the physical transfer of workers. In addition, it is easy to sell goods and services to people who live in far off places without the necessity of opening a front office in their locality.

In order to have a truly global business, the following three things are important to consider. These are; an investment in a robust information technology system to support business processes, development of cross cultural interaction capacity and thirdly, development of strategic partnerships to leverage on the expertise of global carriers (Gilson, 2010).

Firstly, information technology systems for global commerce include an appropriate website, online support for products, reliable servers and information exchange infrastructure, and online security tools. As an international business, a website is the front office and makes it possible for everyone interested in using your services to have access to primary information. In addition to this, there is need to have a strong support infrastructure to ensure the site changes according to the needs of the clients and that it is kept safe from cyber crime.

Secondly, it is important to have the capacity to engage with clients in different parts of the world. This calls for cross cultural interaction capacity. It may mean having a local website for each language represented in the target market, and in this case, also having support staff with an understanding of the local languages (Flannes & Levin, 2005).

However, culture goes far deeper than language. Developing an understanding of the various cultural issues that affect the conduct of business in different parts of the world will give the venture a strategic advantage.

Finally, there will be need to develop strategic partnerships with online vendors and other online carriers to facilitate the international business (Pavlovich, 2005). It is very expensive for an individual company to develop its own international supply and distribution network. Online vendors make these processes easy.

They have already developed the infrastructure for supporting international commerce hence it is cheaper to use their services to enter the international market (Froeb & McCann, 2009). For instance, it is convenient to use PayPal as an online payment facilitator, rather than building that capacity internally from scratch.

On the issue of regulation, it is true that for every benefit produced, there is a cost incurred. Regulation normally seeks to protect interests other than profits hence regulation usually leads to reduced profits (Boella, 2000). This may be because of the use of quota systems, limiting of market penetration, or an absolute ban on the exchange of certain good and services.

In situations where regulation establishes a monopoly, the absence of competition leads to reduced standards of service and loss of motivation for innovation (Boella, 2000). In such markets, customers bear with either overpriced goods or poor quality offerings. While the company makes profits, monopolies rarely live up to their full potential just because there is no competition. In some cases, the industry stagnates and never fully recovers.

In conclusion, expansion in today’s business environment requires appropriate information technology infrastructure as a business support system. In order to launch operations globally, there is need to work with online vendors producing key business support service in order to cut down on business development costs. It also calls for the development of cross cultural relations capacity.

Boella, M. (2000). Legal Aspects. In A. Ingold, I. Yeoman, & McMahon-Beattie (Eds.), Yield Management (pp. 20-27). London: Cengage Learning.

Flannes, S., & Levin, G. (2005). Essential People Skills for Project Managers. Vienna, VA: Management Concepts.

Froeb, L., & McCann, B. T. (2009). Managerial Economics: A Problem Solving Approach. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

Gilson, S. (2010). Creating Value Through Corporate Restructuring: Case Studies in Bankruptcies, Buyouts, and Breakups . New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons.

Pavlovich, K. (2005). Marriages and Divorces: Strategic Alliances in the Networked Economy- A Case of New Zealand. In Strategic Management in the Aviation Industry (pp. 327-350). Hampshire: Ashgate Publishing.

• Economic Social Responsibility
• Globalization Features and Consequences
• Monopoly in the Unites States of America
• Outsourcing Pros and Cons for Firms and Vendors
• PEXA as a Natural Monopoly in the Current Environment
• The Beginning of the Modern World
• Major Challenges, Solutions and Future Prospects for Singapore
• Importance of American Imperialism to the Economy and Society
• Concept and History of the Economic Globalization
• Rival Ad-Tech Firms to Become One
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, November 6). Globalization in Today's Business Environment. https://ivypanda.com/essays/business/

"Globalization in Today's Business Environment." IvyPanda , 6 Nov. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/business/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Globalization in Today's Business Environment'. 6 November.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Globalization in Today's Business Environment." November 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/business/.

1. IvyPanda . "Globalization in Today's Business Environment." November 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/business/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Globalization in Today's Business Environment." November 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/business/.

Business Essay Format: Types & a Writing Guide

Business essay format implies many details that are equally important to consider. Start with defining a business research paper type and then go deeper into the details of the work.

We offer to follow this proven algorithm. Take simple steps to make business management essay writing easier:

• First, let’s figure out the main challenges of business essay
• Second, get familiar with the methods you can use for your essay about business.
• Then, follow the steps necessary for writing a good quality paper.
• Finally, check out the real business essay examples we picked for you.

⬇️ Don’t waste time – all of this is below! ⬇️

🏁 Business Paper Format

• 📑 Business Paper Types
• ✍️ How to Write a Good Paper
• ⏲️ After You Wrote Your Paper

The Business essay format requires an analytical description of a specific situation in the market. Depending on the assignment, a student shall provide a way to explain, improve, or stabilize the situation.

During your studies, you will be asked to write essays about business many times. Even if management and finance are not your key subjects.

Students intending to link their careers with ventures and management are assigned more specific research papers about business (business plans, marketing analysis, and description of the business environment). In such a way, they can train their strategy-planning skills and global vision.

Research Paper about Business. Main Challenges

• Undefinable focus group size. If business research does not consider a vast target audience, its results may be inaccurate. Meanwhile, only budget and time determines how many people will be surveyed. Nobody knows how many is enough or too few.
• Biased population. The people surveyed in the course of business research may have the same background and income level. The researcher shall address different groups of people to see the whole picture.
• High cost. Some business research requires much investment. In particular, this statement is valid for long-term analysis that explores business cycles. But there are many NGOs and international organizations that offer grants to projects with a feasible business proposal.
• The research quickly outlives its usefulness. The modern world evolves exponentially. For business ideas, two-year-old research data is desperately outdated.
• Low precision of findings. Research papers about business are based on assumptions. It is possible to study the current situation, but no predictions are 100% accurate.

📑 Business Research Paper Types

Business research is a valuable source of detailed information on all business levels. Its findings are crucial for the development of an enterprise and its return on investments. The research helps establish the goals, find the weak points, and test a venture’s opportunities. There are multiple types of research in business.

Let’s dive in!

Business Research Paper. Quantitative Methods

Survey-based research.

Survey-based research involves asking questions through online polls, surveys, or questionnaires. Companies use this method to collect market data and make correct business decisions. Previously, marketing specialists surveyed people in person. Now they question the population online via mailout or social media.

There are four types of survey research. The first two of them focus on the time frame. The last two differ by the purpose and do not emphasize statistical accuracy.

• Cross-sectional surveys gather data from the audience at a selected point in time.
• Longitudinal surveys collect data from the audience across a long period to understand how the respondents’ behavior changes throughout the given period.
• Explanatory surveys collect ideas and insights for business challenges.
• Descriptive surveys explore the public opinion, typical behavior, or attitude of a group of people.

Correlation Analysis

Correlation analysis is done to understand the co-dependence between two or several entities. In methodology, it is similar to a cause-effect study. But the results of correlation analysis are not conclusive. They require qualitative research or descriptive conclusions. The main features of correlation analysis are:

• It establishes the relationship strength between two numerical variables.
• The result is formulated as a positive (strong or weak), a negative, or no relationship.
• It is usually calculated in percentage.

Experimental Research

Experimental research intends to prove a theory. It is useful in exploring the consumer’s behavioral traits and finding out the possible ways to increase revenue. The researchers watch a focus group that undergoes the predesigned scenarios. Later they analyze the audience’s typical and divergent behavior to use the knowledge in improving their business.

• It consists of a hypothesis, a variable that the researcher manipulates, and a set of evaluated variables.
• Experimental research is done in a controlled environment.
• The results can be used in a cause-effect study.

Cause-Effect Study

Cause-effect study shows which factors are the cause and which are the consequences. It is planned and structured, which makes its findings conclusive. The researchers select a set of variables and apply mathematical analysis to their evolution in time.

More than often, this study is the next step to experimental research. Having determined the relationships between the variables, researchers can predict their future development. These are the most typical features of a cause-effect study:

• It is quasi-experimental research.
• It uses experimentation to find if a relationship between factors is causal or they are not related.
• There are always dependent and independent variables, so the main challenge is to consider all the elements.

Business Research Paper. Qualitative Methods

Case study: research papers about business.

Case studies are the most wide-spread practice in marketing research. They provide insights into the client’s behavior and preferences. It is also the best way to explore the possibilities of a given product in the market.

A case study usually describes and explains the success or effectiveness of a product or activity. As well as allows analyzing their negative aspects.

• The researchers need to explain why they selected such or another case.
• The right selection of the point of view on the subject defines the efficiency of the study.
• Many companies publish their case studies on their websites to boast of their success and attract new clients.
• A case study investigates a fact in a real-life context to find trends.

Online Research Paper about Business

Researchers find literature sources online, analyze their relevance to the given problem, and compare it. This comparison makes online research a semi-qualitative method as it requires ranging the materials by their importance. Still, it is a collection of secondary data, and one shall be very selective about the resources.

• Online research consists of analyzing available materials at libraries, annual reports, company listings, etc.
• The advancement of online databases has made this method the quickest and simplest one.
• It can be used at the initial stages of more in-depth investigations, like cause-effect or experimental studies.

Website Visitor Profiling

The method is also called website intercept surveys. It has emerged in recent years as thousands of new companies appear on the market.

Enterprises need to find out which of their website visitors are potential clients. They place client surveys right on their websites to collect direct feedback. Another source of visitor profiling is website analytical information. It shows the number and frequency of visits, returning clients, and which data they consume the most.

These are the main features of the profiling:

• It provides companies with extensive comprehension of who visits their website and why. No business can succeed without knowing their clientele!
• Most survey questions are about client satisfaction, path, and intentions.
• The demographical profiling follows all the statistical laws. That is why the more people answer the survey questions, the more accurate the results become.
• The researchers can explore user experience with the website and analyze questions and answers on more global client-related issues.

Interviews are similar to surveys, with the only difference in the depth of answers. Interviews allow clients to give open-ended responses, express themselves, and share their experience of dealing with the company.

Interviews are perfect for finding a solution to a question that could not be answered through quantitative research. For example, why a particular group of clients avoids purchasing certain goods.

• Extensive answers are a benefit, as they provide more accurate and personal information than standardized questionaries. But they are also a drawback, making feedback analysis a lengthy and resource-consuming task.
• The method is highly effective in collecting in-depth information on personal opinions, preferences, and experiences.
• For business research purposes, interviews contain the same set of questions for all the clients. It facilitates processing the answers.

✍️ How to Write a Good Business Research Paper

Conduct a primary research.

It is the broadest stage that encompasses all the possible sources, including social media posts and blogs. Not only research materials contain the information that is essential for a business.

Go beyond the boundaries!

Sometimes, unexpected insights wait in the most unexpected places. If your subject area involves the human factor, ask your friends and relatives what they think about the topic. It happens that people who are distant from your research issues show the most realistic view of things.

Literature for Your Business Essay Writing

This step is required to generate ideas and decide which information you are going to use. The latter will help you when choosing a topic and outlining the structure.

Review the books, guidelines, reports, and journals on the subject matter. Soon you will learn that not all its aspects are equally covered in the literature. Make a note of the most and the least accessible and reliable literature.

Most research, including business one, starts with a literature review part. To write something new, you should know what has been written by others and build your paper.

Choose Your Business Essay Topic

Avoid selecting topics that are insufficiently discussed in the literature (you have noted them in the previous step). Still, if you have much to write on the poorly covered topics, it is your advantage, and you will meet less competition.

If you have too few options, conduct brainstorming. Write down everything that comes to your mind, then cross out the weakest versions until the best one is left.

You can as well use the list of topics on the most perspective spheres in business .

Outline Your Business Essay Structure

The structure of all essays about business varies enormously according to the subject field, expected length, writer’s qualification, and research purpose. Still, some sections remain in all of them. The following paragraphs are the crucial parts that you can use as a template.

• Introduction. If you doubt how to write a business essay introduction, write it after the background information. Summarize the critical idea and comment on how you will address it. You can add definitions of terms you will use in the essay. Conclude the introduction with a thesis statement. It should consist of a sentence or two that concisely represent the purposes and scope of your paper.
• Literature review. This section describes any available background information you consider relevant to the title of your essay.
• Findings or analysis. If you write a research paper, this part discusses the results of your research. For a business essay, dedicate this section to analyzing the literature from the previous paragraph or the given business situation.
• Conclusion. Start with reiterating the main points of your findings. Then draw a logical conclusion of these points. Make your point of view transparent to the reader. Finally, give some recommendations for further study of the subject matter.
• Bibliography. The citation style determines the rules of this part.
• Appendices . Insert here the supporting materials (graphs or charts) that are too large to be included in the main body.

⏲️ After You Wrote a Business Paper

Edit & proofread.

The difference between proofreading and editing is the level of text taken into account for each check and correction. You edit words (spelling) and sentences (grammar, punctuation, and syntaxis). Meanwhile, you proofread the entire paper, verifying its logical flow, overall focus, and organization.

For this reason, put your work aside for a day or two before you start proofreading it. Try to read it as if it was for the first time. If you have to read something several times to understand, change that part or delete it. Eliminate all the unnecessary filler words.

Use Our Business Paper Checklist

Here’s a very helpful checklist with the aspects necessary for a good research paper. Go through the questions below and make notes on what needs to be revised.

• Does the title of your paper match the thesis statement and conclusion?
• Does your business essay follow a logical order?
• Are all the numerical examples taken from reliable sources, and are they up-to-date?
• Is the topical sentence at the beginning of each main body paragraph supported by what follows it?
• Are there references to all the used sources?
• Are there sources in your bibliography that you never referenced? (If yes, delete them)
• Is the language academic and easy to understand?
• Is the spelling, grammar, syntaxis, and punctuation correct?

We sincerely hope that this guide improved your understanding of how to write a research paper about business.

If something is still not fully clear, go through it again, try to find another angle of perception.

Remember that creativity is always welcome in any kind of writing, though be careful – don’t overdo it.

Below you can find additional sources that we recommend to read.

Breathe out and just do it!

🔗 References

• Business Research: Definition, Methods, Types, and Examples
• Guide for Writing in Business; Southwestern University
• Academic Writing in the Business School: The Genre of a Business Case Report
• Qualitative and Quantitative Research for Small Business
• HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL WORKING PAPERS COLLECTION
• Recent Papers in Business Management; Academia.edu

Research Paper Analysis: How to Analyze a Research Article + Example

Film analysis: example, format, and outline + topics & prompts.

Business Essay Topics

A Comprehensive List of Unique Business Essay Topics

15 min read

Published on: May 1, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

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Are you a student struggling to come up with a good topic for your business essay?

Choosing the right topic is crucial to the success of your essay. A well-chosen topic can make your paper stand out, while a poor choice can make it fall flat. It can be challenging to narrow down the options and find a topic that is interesting and relevant.

But worry not, we've got you covered! 

In this blog, we'll provide you with a comprehensive list of business essay topics that are sure to impress your professors. We'll cover everything from business ethics to trending topics. Whether you're an undergraduate, or graduate student, we have topics that will suit your level of study.

So, if you're ready to take your business essay to the next level, let's dive in!

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Business Management Essay Topics

If you're studying business management, you may be tasked with business essay writing. Here are some topics to help you get started:

• The role of effective communication in business management
• How to develop and implement successful business strategies
• The impact of leadership styles on organizational culture and productivity
• The benefits and challenges of global expansion for businesses
• The importance of ethical behavior in business management
• How to effectively manage workplace diversity and inclusivity
• The role of technology in modern business management
• The impact of environmental factors on business management decisions
• The benefits and drawbacks of decentralized decision-making in business management
• How to effectively manage change in the business environment

Human Resources Essay Topics

Human resources is a critical function in any organization, responsible for managing the recruitment, training, and retention of employees.  Check out the following HR essay topics for inspiration: 

• The importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace
• Strategies for effective employee recruitment and retention
• The role of human resources in ensuring workplace safety
• How to manage conflict in the workplace
• The impact of technology on human resources management
• The importance of employee engagement and motivation
• The impact of employee benefits on job satisfaction and retention
• How to effectively manage remote employees
• The role of human resources in managing employee performance and development
• The impact of globalization on human resources management practices

Organizational Behavior Essay Topics

Organizational behavior is the study of how people interact within organizations. It covers topics such as leadership, teamwork, communication, and motivation. 

Here are some topics to inspire your writing: 

• The impact of leadership styles on organizational culture and employee behavior
• How to effectively manage conflict in teams and organizations
• The role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership
• The impact of diversity on organizational behavior and performance
• The importance of employee motivation and engagement in achieving organizational goals
• The impact of organizational structure on employee behavior and job satisfaction
• The role of communication in creating a positive organizational culture
• How to develop and implement successful change management strategies
• The impact of employee empowerment on organizational behavior and performance
• The importance of ethics and social responsibility in organizational behavior

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Business Ethics Essay Topics

Business ethics refers to the moral principles and values that guide behavior in the world of business. It covers topics such as corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and fair trade.  Let’s take a look at business ethics essay topics to get you started:

• The importance of corporate social responsibility in modern business
• The ethics of business practices in developing countries
• The impact of globalization on business ethics
• The role of ethical leadership in creating a culture of integrity in organizations
• The ethics of outsourcing and offshoring
• The impact of environmental regulations on business ethics
• The ethics of marketing practices and advertising
• The role of ethics in supply chain management
• The ethics of executive compensation and corporate governance
• The ethics of data privacy and cybersecurity in business

Supply and Demand Essay Topics

The law of supply and demand is a fundamental concept in economics. It explains how the availability of goods and services and the desire for them determine prices in the market.

If you're studying economics, you may be asked to write an essay on a topic related to supply and demand.  

Here are supply/demand business essay ideas to consider for your next assignment.

• The impact of supply and demand on price stability in markets
• The role of elasticity in supply and demand analysis
• The impact of technology on supply and demand in modern markets
• The effects of government policies on supply and demand
• The role of advertising in shaping consumer demand
• The impact of income inequality on consumer demand and market outcomes
• The effects of globalization on supply and demand in different industries
• The role of consumer behavior in shaping supply and demand
• The impact of shortages and surpluses on market outcomes
• The role of the labor market in shaping supply and demand in the economy

Business Law Essay Topics

Business law covers the legal regulations and requirements that apply to business activities and operations. It is an important field for business students, and here are some topics for help: 

• The role of contract law in business transactions
• The legal requirements for forming a business entity
• The impact of intellectual property laws on businesses and innovation
• The legal requirements for protecting consumer privacy in business operations
• The role of antitrust laws in regulating competition and market power
• The legal requirements for workplace safety and health
• The impact of employment laws on hiring and termination practices
• The legal requirements for protecting the environment in business operations
• The role of international trade laws in shaping business practices and outcomes
• The impact of bankruptcy laws on business operations and reorganization

Entrepreneurship Paper Topics

Entrepreneurship is the process of starting and growing a new business venture. It requires a combination of innovation, risk-taking, and business acumen. Check out the following topics related to entrepreneurship: 

• The role of creativity and innovation in entrepreneurship
• The challenges and opportunities of social entrepreneurship
• The impact of government policies on entrepreneurial activity
• The role of entrepreneurial ecosystems in supporting new business ventures
• The importance of market research in developing successful business ideas
• The challenges and opportunities of international entrepreneurship
• The impact of technology on the entrepreneurship landscape
• The role of mentorship and networking in supporting new entrepreneurs
• The importance of financial management in entrepreneurship
• The challenges and opportunities of female entrepreneurship

International Business Essay Topics

International business is a complex and dynamic field that encompasses a wide range of issues related to global commerce and trade.

Let’s take a look at some potential essay topics: 

• The role of cultural differences in international business negotiations
• The impact of globalization on the international business landscape
• The challenges and opportunities of cross-border mergers and acquisitions
• The impact of international trade agreements on global business practices
• The role of international finance in supporting global business ventures
• The challenges and opportunities of international marketing and branding
• The impact of geopolitical factors on international business operations
• The role of corporate social responsibility in global business practices
• The challenges and opportunities of emerging markets in international business
• The impact of digital transformation on international business models

Value Essay Topics

Values are the guiding principles that shape our beliefs, actions, and attitudes towards life. In business, values play an essential role in defining a company's culture, ethics, and identity. 

If you're looking for value essay topics, here are some ideas to inspire your research and writing:

• The importance of ethical values in business decision-making
• The role of values in shaping company culture and employee behavior
• The impact of shared values on team collaboration and productivity
• The relationship between personal values and career success
• The role of social and environmental values in sustainable business practices
• The importance of values-based leadership in creating a positive organizational culture
• The influence of cultural values on international business operations
• The role of values in shaping consumer behavior and brand loyalty
• The impact of technological advancements on traditional values and ethical frameworks
• The intersection of religious and secular values in the workplace

Argumentative Business Essay Topics

Let's take a look at some argumentative essay topics for business students:

• The pros and cons of remote work for businesses and employees
• The ethical implications of using artificial intelligence in business decision-making
• The impact of social media on consumer behavior and brand reputation
• The effectiveness of traditional marketing vs. digital marketing strategies
• The role of government regulation in business operations and profitability
• The benefits and drawbacks of globalization for businesses and economies
• The impact of minimum wage laws on small businesses and their employees
• The ethics of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy
• The effectiveness of diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace
• The role of unions in protecting the rights and interests of employees

Persuasive Business Essay Topics

Here are 10 persuasive business essay topics to inspire your business essay writing:

• Should companies be required to disclose their carbon emissions and environmental impact?
• Should employers offer unlimited paid time off for their employees?
• Should businesses be allowed to pay employees less than a living wage?
• Should companies be required to offer equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender or race?
• Should corporations be held responsible for the social and environmental impact of their supply chains?
• Should businesses be required to prioritize sustainability in their operations and products?
• Should employers be allowed to monitor employees' social media activity outside of work?
• Should businesses be required to offer mental health services to employees?
• Should companies be allowed to patent and profit from genetic engineering and biotechnology?
• Should businesses be required to disclose the diversity of their leadership and staff?

Business Extended Essay Topics

Let's explore some extended essay topics for business students:

• An analysis of the impact of corporate social responsibility on shareholder value
• The effectiveness of leadership development programs in improving business performance
• An investigation of the relationship between workplace diversity and organizational performance
• A case study of a successful corporate turnaround strategy
• An analysis of the impact of technology on the future of work
• An investigation of the factors that contribute to successful mergers and acquisitions
• A comparative study of the marketing strategies of two competing companies in the same industry
• An examination of the role of corporate governance in preventing corporate scandals and failures
• A study of the relationship between employee engagement and customer satisfaction in service industries
• An analysis of the effectiveness of performance management systems in improving employee performance and motivation

Business Essay Topics For College Students

Here are some business essay topics for college students:

• The impact of social media marketing on consumer behavior
• The challenges and opportunities of e-commerce in developing countries
• The effect of workplace diversity on organizational performance
• The ethics of corporate social responsibility
• The impact of globalization on small businesses
• The importance of supply chain management in business operations
• The use of big data in business decision making
• The challenges and benefits of implementing sustainable business practices
• The role of innovation in driving business growth and success

Essay Topics For BBA Students

If you're a BBA student struggling to select a topic for your assignment, we have some inspiring topic ideas for you.

• Exploring ways to make the workplace more inclusive for people with disabilities.
• Strategies for reducing psychological pressure in the workplace.
• Developing effective short and long-term goals for business success.
• Analyzing the effectiveness of a thesis statement in a business essay.
• Discussing a business concept that does not work and exploring alternative solutions.
• The group training and cons of ai based technology in job analysis: A comparative study.
• Examining the impact of massive changes in an unethical business environment on employee morale and company reputation
• An analysis of the business strategies used to select a higher demand for products aimed at children in the toy industry
• How can companies create a supportive work environment for people with disabilities and reduce psychological pressure in the workplace?
• Storage and cons of AI-based technology in job analysis: A critical analysis of its impact on job roles and responsibilities.

Business Essay Topics IELTS

Here are business essay topics for IELTS:

• How has globalization affected the way businesses operate?
• Discuss the impact of social media on modern businesses.
• Should companies prioritize profit over social responsibility?
• In what ways can small businesses compete with large corporations?
• Evaluate the effectiveness of different leadership styles in business.
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of remote work for businesses.
• Should businesses be allowed to collect and use personal data for marketing purposes?
• Evaluate the impact of e-commerce on traditional brick-and-mortar stores.
• Discuss the role of government regulation in promoting ethical business practices.
• Should businesses prioritize sustainability over economic growth?

Interesting Business Essay Topics 

• The impact of social media on consumer behavior: A case study of Instagram.
• Exploring the role of emotional intelligence in leadership effectiveness.
• The ethics of corporate social responsibility: A critical analysis.
• An investigation into the challenges of managing virtual teams in the 21st century.
• The impact of globalization on small businesses: Opportunities and challenges.
• The role of corporate culture in driving business success: A case study of Google.
• How to effectively manage workplace diversity: Strategies for creating an inclusive workplace.
• An analysis of the factors contributing to successful entrepreneurship in the tech industry.
• The impact of e-commerce on traditional brick-and-mortar businesses.
• The role of innovation in driving sustainable business growth: A case study of Tesla.

Trending Business Essay Topics for Exam- 2024

With the business landscape constantly evolving, it's important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends. Here are some trending business essay topics to help you ace your upcoming exam.

• The impact of COVID-19 on small business management and entrepreneurship
• The role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership and management
• The importance of effective communication in business organizations
• The impact of e-commerce on traditional retail business models
• The role of innovation and creativity in business success
• The impact of organizational culture on employee motivation and performance
• The challenges and opportunities of managing a diverse workforce
• The impact of corporate governance on business ethics and social responsibility
• The role of supply chain management in achieving competitive advantage
• The challenges and benefits of implementing a sustainability strategy in business operations

Trending Business Essay Topics for Assignments

Take a look at thelatest business assignment topics for your next asdsignment: 

• The top reasons why outsourcing is obligatory in the fashion industry: An analysis.
• Addressing the racial bias factor in the field of supply and demand: Challenges and solutions.
• The importance of having a correct perception of job objectives.
• The benefits of free online promotion for video games.
• The impact of work environment on employee productivity and job satisfaction.
• Top reasons why outsourcing is becoming obligatory in the fashion industry.
• The impact of remote work on productivity and work-life balance
• Analyzing the strategies of successful startup companies in today's market
• The role of social media marketing in the growth of small businesses
• Examining the ethical concerns of data privacy in the digital age

Small Business Essay Topics

• The impact of technology on small business growth and success.
• The role of entrepreneurship in small business development.
• Analyzing the challenges faced by small businesses in accessing funding and financing.
• How to effectively market a small business on a tight budget.
• The importance of creating a strong brand identity for small businesses.
• The benefits and drawbacks of small business franchising.
• The role of social media in the success of small businesses.
• The impact of government regulations on small businesses.
• The importance of customer service in small business success.
• The role of small businesses in economic growth and development.

How to Pick a Business Essay Topic That Stands Out

Follow these steps to choose an ideal topic for your business essay:

Step 1: Understand the Assignment Requirements Before selecting a topic, make sure you understand the assignment requirements. Consider the length, format, and scope of the essay to help guide your topic selection.

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas Think about your own experiences, interests, and knowledge in the field of business. Brainstorm a list of potential topics that align with the assignment requirements.

Step 3: Research Current Business Trends Research current events, news articles, and emerging trends in the business world. Consider how these trends relate to the assignment requirements and incorporate them into your topic ideas.

Step 4: Narrow Down Your List Review your list of potential topics and identify the ones that stand out the most. Consider which topics you have the most knowledge and passion for, as well as which ones are the most unique.

Step 5: Conduct a Preliminary Search Before finalizing your topic, conduct a primary search to ensure there is enough information available to support your essay. Look for scholarly articles, books, and other sources that can help you develop your argument.

Step 6: Finalize Your Topic Based on your research and evaluation, select the topic that you are most confident and passionate about. Make sure your topic is specific, manageable, and aligns with the assignment requirements.

By following these steps, you can pick a business essay topic that showcases your knowledge and expertise in the field.

The Bottom Line!

Writing a business essay can be a tiring task, but it can also be a rewarding one. By choosing the right topic you can create an insightful essay that impresses your professor and earns you a top grade. 

However, if you are short on time or need additional assistance, our Essay Writer AI is here to help!

Our essay writing service online can provide you with expert guidance and support to help you achieve academic success. 

So, don't hesitate - order from our business essay writing service now and get started on your journey to becoming a successful business student!

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Business Environment and Organisation

Introduction

This paper seeks to outline the finer details of business environment and how it affects the operations of a business entity. Business environment basically means the surrounding factors and influences that affect trade. It can be categorized into two; internal and external. The internal environment covers the employees, the management and the stakeholders as well as a business’ premises and machines. The external environment comprises of a business suppliers, competitors, customers and most importantly the government, and bilateral trade agreements and quotas.

In this paper, we shall be focused on finding out the implication of international trade and the European dimension for businesses in the United Kingdom. We will be specifically zero in on the value of international trade, economic integration and global markets in the United Kingdom. Similarly, attention is given to the impact of two micro economic policies and the influence of the global economy on United Kingdom-based organizations and stakeholders.

For any organization, profit making or not, to operate efficiently and in line with its aims, it must have a well thought out and executable design as well as structure. Organizational structure and design borrow from each other. An organizational structure is a format within which an institution or a business entity devises and executes its daily operations or processes. It can be described as a process of coordinating and controlling the human resources, communication and technology as well as other inputs. For an organization to institute a structure, it has to enlist the use of a versatile design. A good design must support an organization to attain the goals it is aiming for. Normally, the staff discusses the needs of the organization and then come up with a rubric to meet the needs. Good designs accompanied with a deliberate workforce effort are essential to realizing an effective organizational structure (Burton et al, 2006).

In the second part of this paper, we are going to outline and discuss some issues in management of an organization. We are going to specifically analyze Unilever’s business environment. Unilever is a renowned corporation which has its headquarters in the United Kingdom. It has several investments and business interests spanning the entire world. Unilever deals with Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). FMCGs are the day to day commodities which are essential for ordinary living. These are soaps, body lotions, beauty products, tea leaves, tissue papers, cooking fats and many others.

In FMCGs industry, Unilever is an established and the most revered player. Since it deals with the production, distribution and eventual sale of the most essential commodities in life as well as operating in many countries, it is the most appropriate organization to use for a business environment case study. The history of this company shows us that it is a merger of two different companies based in United Kingdom and the Netherlands. With this foundation, it has two head offices; one in the UK and the other in Netherlands. This has resulted in the adoption of a simpler organizational structure.

Task 1: Explore the Significance of International Trade and the European Dimension for United Kingdom’s Businesses

Importance of foreign international trade, economic integration and global markets into uk business organizations.

International trade is the exchange of goods and services through the borders. This type of business has formed the firm foundation in the modern business world because the manufacturers and distributors attempt to gain from a wider market rather than looking at their own borders. Each and every firm intending to throw its nets wide must focus on the globalization of its marketing and distribution operations. The foreseeable constraints of venturing into international trade are deeply rooted in the standardizations and trade barriers formed through economic integrations and blocs formations.

Many economies have learnt that they cannot effectively compete with the do-it-alone approach. Therefore there is a rise in regional economies coming together and forming bigger economies. This grouping and regrouping of states have a huge impact on the social, political and most important economic dimensions of organizations. There many benefits that come along side this integrations as well as demerits. Any organization in need of these benefits and willing to take the accompanying risks will surely take these challenges and reap from the goodies of global market. Just like any other multinational firm, Unilever’s presence in the global market has helped in the continuous development of new market segment.

In order to benefit from the economies of scale, the corporation shakes off the saturation in the European domestic market by gathering for the needs of international buyers. International trade is also important bearing in mind the corporation’s portfolio resources and products. To tap from these undoubted benefits of international trade, Unilever utilizes the various available options of internationalization. The concept of mergers and acquisitions has given the corporation a huge milestone in venturing into international trade. Among the many firms that have entered in an international partnership with the corporation are: Pepsico which works together to market and distribute Lipton, a ready-to-drink tea, Inmarko which is the leading ice cream corporation based in Russia and the imminent acquisition of Sara Lee division of body and laundry production. In a nutshell, the company has been able to secure a total of twenty acquisitions.

Economic integration is basically the amalgamation of monetary and financial regulations and laws between two or more hitherto independent parties who have similar interests. It is a coming together in order to push for better trade terms and to boost efficiency among the members and with the non-members. It involves drawing up terms of engagement and setting up conditions with which businesses must meet. It also aims at regulating competition. An example of economic integration is the European Union (EU). Though E U is thought to be a political outfit, it has an economic objective that led to its formation. It draws most of its members from Europe who have ratified its statutes.

Unilever can be said to be a global corporation based on the attributes described before. This is justified by its presence in many nations and the use coordinated brands in global market. It however has one centralized office in the United Kingdom which manages the entire strategy. The European Union policies which affect tariffs and free trade agreements are going to have a final trickledown effect on the revenues and operations of Unilever. The elimination of trade restrictions and barriers within the European market means that the revenues are going to rise because of easy penetration to domestic regions. The removal of all tariffs on trade is one of the major benefits enjoyed by the corporation.

The impact of two micro economic policies and the influence of the global economy on United Kingdom-based organizations and stakeholders

Microeconomic policies are so far successful in creating structural changes in United Kingdom’s organizations. These policies are the kinds of long term modifications in the patterns of producing output. The immediate reforms achieved are the reduction in inflationary expectations and maximization of production and job opportunities. The main aim of microeconomic policies is developing the operations of organizations, industries and markets with an objective of improving aggregate supply levels. The United Kingdom’s government has been at the forefront in seeing that efficiency, flexibility and less costly production is the order of the day because these factors indirectly affect the supply side of the economy. There is need for firms to maximize efficiency and minimize production cost through adoption of current technologies for production of goods and services. Organizations such as Unilever which are technically efficient will tend to minimize the quantity of resources required for a given production activity.

The government of United Kingdom has tried to see that there is healthy competition in the country. Microeconomic policies help firms to oversee the conduct of sectors which are competitive in that all the players are given a chance to compete with the each other in the market. There are some micro economic reforms which uses approaches such as corporation structures and privatization.

The United Kingdom’s government has tried to improve micro economic reforms so that the long term constraints to economic growth can be eliminated. Constraints to economic growth could be brought about by inefficient allocation of resources, undeveloped infrastructure, unstable price structure and underemployment of available labor. As a result, producers increase their prices and consumers buy cheap foreign goods thereby dampening growth. In order to achieve microeconomic objectives, policy makers must remove the obstacles in order to have efficient allocation of resources which is ideally supposed to be automatically done by the markets. In this case, pricing policies in the United Kingdom have been advantageous in stabilizing the market forces but have hindered the market from charting its own course.

Due to the increased competition brought about by privatization and deregulation, firms will manage to reduce cost and increase productivity with an aim of maximizing profits. Through the government, there are competition policies and licensing regulations that have been put in place. In order to cut production costs, Unilever has been replacing human labor with automated systems. Some critics view this as a precursor to unemployment in the country.

Microeconomic policies are very useful because they tend to bring about the element of competition among players in any given sector. Competition makes some firms to struggle while others reduce their prices and move towards the profit margin. Others who are unable to stay afloat exit the market. When a firm has more profit which is obtained from its revenue, it will invest and expand its business. As a result the firm will need more employees thereby creating more jobs opportunities and indirectly expanding the economy (Yip, 2007).

Economic implications for the United Kingdom of entry to the Economic Monetary Union (EMU)

The Economic Monetary Union is the adoption of one currency by the European Union member countries. This move has been achieved through the development of one European Central Bank and formulation of a common monetary policy. Such adoption of single currency has elicited a series of mixed reactions due to the economic implications. Some school of thought may argue that the adoption of EMU is irrelevant because it focuses strictly on the financial services sectors (Smith & Grant, 2003).

The critics of Economic Monetary Union claim that putting together economies of different sizes is going to be detrimental. This will mean that the entire Europe economy will be the least common denominator. In simpler terms, the economic muscle of the member states is going to be achieved through striking a balance between the participating economies. The poorly performing economies are going to pull down the perceived successful ones. Despite this pessimistic view of EMU, there will ultimately be a lot of attractiveness of euro financial assets due to eliminated exchange risk and improved liquidity. In addition the stability in macroeconomic environment is very instrumental in reduction of financing and investments risks. It is no doubt that the introduction of euro as the common currency in the European Union has improved prices transparency. There are no fears by someone using euro resulting from using different currency (Smith and Grant, 2003).

The firms in the Union’s territory are able to comfortably compare prices without worry of actual value being distorted by conventional highly and volatile exchange rates. From an external point of view, the consolidated EMU area is in a position to be self sufficient and independent of the Asian or American influences. Thus partnership has a political effect. The mutual relationships between nations are going to be fostered since the bad blood is eliminated by continually partnering in the formulation and improvement framework of the common market policies. The European Union firms, in which our organization of discussion is part, are going to increase their profitability through elimination of currency exchange transaction costs. Other trade focused proponents of this worth venture claim that no cent will be lost on the fluctuating exchange rates. Trading as a bloc makes Europe compete effectively with other regional giants in the Far East and America.

In conclusion, all these discussed issues notwithstanding, Unilever is regarded as a strong organization with a big history behind it. It is an absolute truth that it has a future that is beyond limit. This can be evidenced by the way it is well organized and designed. It also deals with all its stakeholders on mutually beneficial basis. In addition, since it operates in many countries around the world, it has always upheld the rule of law while engaging with the various governments and in its operations.

Task 2: Identify the Mission and Responsibilities; Investigate the Economic Environment and Behavior of Organizations

Unilever’s vision, mission, goals, objectives.

It is no doubt that almost everyone has ever utilized Unilever’s products. An estimate of two billion people uses their products daily. It has been possible to achieve this unprecedented customer base because of a well articulated vision and mission statement. The statements are backed by specific objectives and precise ways of attaining the goals. The company also gives environmental conservation a priority and at the same time focuses on business expansion. Through such a noble vision, Unilever is one of the most successful multinational companies in the recent past. Unilever believes that success is solely dependent on maintaining the highest levels of standards in corporate conduct towards customers, employees and the society in general. There has been a focus over the past few years on sourcing raw materials in sustainable manner. The communities in which Unilever operates have greatly benefited from its support through a detailed corporate social responsibility.

The main mission of Unilever is to cater for the needs of all people around the world. The corporation envisages its customers’ desires by reacting to the market forces in a creative and competitive manner. This corporation is well established because its approaches are deeply rooted in the local cultures of the areas in which it operates. This has aided it to capture and maintain an even wider market throughout the world unlike its competitors. Its long term success emanates from its commitment to customer satisfaction and unique standards of performance as well as quality in its products. Both the staff and management collectively work as a unit and have the willingness to grasp new ideas and integrate them as quickly as possible.

An evaluation of the extents to which Unilever achieves its objectives of its stakeholders

The success of this corporation has been attributed to towering relationships which it has developed and maintained with a number of people and other organizations acting as its most direct stakeholders. Its stakeholders are the consumers, input providers and shareholders. Other stakeholders are the government, regulating bodies, the society, scholars, and individuals who are concerned with what the corporation produces and the impacts of it products on the consumers (Jones, 2005).

This corporation manages to achieve its objectives by engaging its stakeholders in unique and different ways. The stakeholders are engaged in different levels and ways depending on their interest. The corporation sees that the interests of the consumers are also met. It continuously sends its team to the field so that they can analyze and understand various tastes, needs and trends of existing and targeted consumers.

The corporation also holds several meetings with local governments and civil society organizations. The engagement with the governments is fundamentally based on issues like change of regulations, licensing, trade terms, tariffs and tax matters. It also engages other associated companies in several areas such as nutrition, and conducts various research projects with an aim of improving its products and market share. The key step of engaging the stakeholders is that most of it is made from the local levels, to regional levels and finally at the global arena. There is always an improved partnership with intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations throughout the world. This partnership brings in the much needed expertise and adds knowledge in several vital areas as well as bringing on board the practical initiatives from the ground.

This corporation operates in using multiple approaches to guarantee its stakeholders contentment. For example on environment concerns, it is in no doubt that it has created a friendly atmosphere which will sustain its business for a long time to the future. It works hand in hand with other partners in making the environment safe and also provides information on the importance of maintaining a healthy environment. In Kenya, for instance, Unilever engages it social responsibility capacity to plant over a billion trees in the next five years.

The corporation maintains and defends the right of its customers. Unilever has strong co-operation with the governments and various organizations which it engages with directly or indirectly for example trade unions. The main reason why this organization involves its stakeholders is because it is more concerned with maintaining its legitimate interests in business. To make sure that its objectives are observing corporate ethics, the corporation supports the introduction of competition laws. It also makes sure that the staff conducts their duties according to the rules and regulations of fair competition (Jones, 2005).

This corporation values its staff such that it creates an environment where mutual trust is a main principle. This is why it offers safe and rich working conditions for the staff. It guarantees to its staff all the basic freedoms.

The social responsibilities of Unilever and the strategy they employ to meet all its social obligations

This firm believes that for it to succeed there has to be a consistent maintenance of corporate behavior among its employees to the consumers, society, and immediate competitors. There is a good observance of business codes, principles and regulations which characterize its operational standards because they are embraced by everyone in Unilever. The corporation dutifully performs it roles and meet its obligation with a lot of honesty, uprightness, integrity, and sincerity. It respects human rights in relation to its staff employment and remuneration terms by making sure that their interests are always put forward. Not only does it respect the rights of the staff but also the individuals and other firms it interacts with (Jones, 2005).

Unilever ensures that its staff adheres to the laws of every country which it operates in. The corporation has dedicated itself to improvement in an environment where there is common trust and value and where everyone is held liable for the performance and status of the firm. This corporation recruits, employ and support qualified candidates on individual basis of academic merits, experience and abilities required for each and every position it advertises. The management is dedicated to seeing that the socio-economic wellbeing of the staff is looked into and in doing so, it does not allow forced labor or compulsory labor to children. The staff is given freedom to freely associate with each other and with those from outside the corporation. The staff benefits from effective communication system and receives regular support from the upper management of the organization in terms of consultation.

On the other hand, consumers benefit from this corporation by being provided with high quality branded products and services whose prices are always stable. They are offered products which are of high utility and safe for its probable use. Before releasing any new product to the market, Unilever makes sure that the consumers are well informed about it through prior advertisements and appropriate branding (Jones, 2005).

Similarly, its suppliers have greatly benefited from this corporation because they have established mutual working relationship with it and even its other business partners. Unilever also involves the society in its corporate activities and ensures that it has fulfilled its social responsibilities to the whole community.

This corporation values the environment it operates in because it is committed to making continuous improvements within the organization with a view of constantly assessing environmental impacts with an intention of establishing long term. The corporation has developed fair competition laws among its staff. In their lines of duty, they have a natural inclination to conduct themselves in accordance with the principles of free and fair competition.

There is high maintenance of business integrity in that both the staff and the management do not give nor receive any bribe. There is a rule that corruption should be reported immediately to the management. There is maintenance of a high rate of transparency because its accounting records are well audited and reported periodically. The code of conduct is also examined and anybody who breaches it is supposed to follow the procedures listed by the joint secretaries.

This corporation has a management board which ensures that the principles set out are complied with. They also make sure that the principles set out are implemented to the letter. This board meets regularly to discuss emerging issues and oversee the whole corporation besides making major decisions.

The corporation makes sure that its consumers meet their everyday needs in matters of nutrition, sanitation and personal care. The corporation produces brands which make people feel good and gain more in life. Its key objective is sustainability which really acts as the backbone of the main business. Through the products that it sells to the consumers, it has an aim of inspiring people. It regards the customer satisfaction as a fundamental part of development and it is for this reason that the corporation is in touch with the society. In order to succeed, the corporation always ensures that corporate standards are maintained to the highest level possible.

There are various fields in which Unilever deals in, some of the major ones are: nutrition, hygiene and personal care. The subsequent responsibilities undertaken by this corporation is clearly explained by the nature of business that it engages in. It is involved in promotion of its customers’ health diet and living standards in collaboration with healthcare bodies such as United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO). In order to provide healthy nutrition to the society, this corporation has developed new policies which promote proper diet and educate consumers of the importance of using healthy products. The corporation is involved in global campaigns which are related to hygiene. Through these campaigns it has managed to prevent, on a wider scale, some hygiene related diseases.

This corporation ensures that the environment is managed accordingly through consideration of some factors such as farming, aquatic life and water. It has also introduced proper marketing programs which sustain fisheries and water conservation activities in the whole world.

How economic systems attempts to allocate and make effective use of resources for Unilever

The main aim of Unilever is to utilize resources available to it for maximizing profit in the various countries it operates. Its multidimensional products and status as a market leader in all other aspects and responsibilities emanates from a deeper background. This corporation has spread its wings to a wider world economy and is recognized as a responsible to the entire society. Having occupied this big space, this corporation has become the main target of attack from those companies which disagrees with the way it runs its business. Being one of the leading FMCG corporations with several interests represented both geographically and functionally. This firm utilizes various economic systems in seeing that economic resources are allocated properly. It uses central planning where the management identifies and designs the production of the kinds of goods and services required by the prospective consumers. After identifying these commodities, it produces and distributes them to the earmarked regions.

The process of identifying the much needed goods and services globally needs proper deliberation and understanding of complexity of such an exercise. Several people are often involved in this exercise where factories and suppliers are given guidelines of what they ought to produce or not. This corporation has planners who approximate and plan the allocation of the required resources in producing the forecasted output. This corporation has employed many people who efficiently utilize these non-human resources to produce optimum output and are in turn given wages or salaries. The numbers of staff is also controlled for the corporation to plan how to cater for the amount of salaries and wages they will be paid. The reason behind planning for this allocation of resources is for employees to work towards realizing the optimum output. The management also plans for the prices at which these commodities will be sold at.

By using free market economy, the corporation always focuses on demand and supply forces in determining both the prices and quantities for the commodities. The general public will create demand and supply which will later determine prices and quantities of output produced. The final market prices are very critical to both the producers and consumers in determining how much will be produced and supplied and bought respectively. By doing so, Unilever’s management has several motives such as the reward of an enterprise, adequate information to producers and consumers, price that shows costs and benefits and the simplicity in which resources can be maximally allocated and utilized (Yip, 2007).

The corporation takes risk of producing goods and services with an expectation of some returns after the sales are made. There is also the fundamental need to maximize revenues and minimize costs. For this to be realized, Unilever depends on the superior market information which enables it to access supplies at a low cost and to strategically place the prices of its commodities. It also has very effective mechanisms of systematizing production in the most competent way and looking for resources at an affordable cost. Consumers constantly require information which will guide them of what is in the market.

This corporation needs to give the prices of the various commodities which it is offering in the market. Prices in any firm, is a focus point in that it gives a signal to both suppliers and consumers. Consumers have to know the amount of money they are supposed to part with for any given product. The amount of money allocated by consumers for a consumption of a product reflects its true value and the maximum possible utility they can draw from it.

It is also notable that Unilever keeps on inventing and innovating new and viable ideas for all the products it can manufacture. By doing so, it is able to expand the demand and for new products as well as fostering higher and better returns. The corporation also focuses in procuring and moving the resources which are necessary to produce the new products. When a variety of complementary and substitutable products are availed in the marketplace, it gives the consumers multiple consumption choices and the competing firms will have to adjust their respective prices and quantities in order to maximize revenues and establish themselves in the market.

The impact of social welfare and industrial policy initiatives on Unilever and the wider community

The main purpose of developing industrial policies within organizations is to establish a course of action which will provide support that is helpful in achieving development goals which depends on manufacturing and industrial sectors. These policies justify that market failures hinder free markets and therefore many countries do not manage to achieve development targets. For this reason, government can overcome the problem of market failures through intervention and ensuring that there is free and fair competition. Industrial policies are very important because they tend to favor large corporations such as Unilever. These policies are widely accepted and supported because they provide a more effective way of dealing with market failures. In the process of dealing with market failures, the governments can come with better ways of accessing quality information, empowering legal and institutional frameworks, providing adequate infrastructural support, and avails to the business entities a favorable environment needed for industrial and economic development.

In an effort of preventing or avoiding market failures, planners focus on industrial policies which attract and level competition. There are some unavoidable externalities which bring about increase in costs and therefore some interventions are more important and urgent than others because they aim at reducing these costs and realization of the benefits resulting from economies of scale. There are various externalities that hamper free and fair competitions which can either be within or outside business entities and countries. Examples of these externalities are perennial problems in the labor market which at times tends to be rigid and inadequate finances for stimulation of growth. The cost associated with accessing information is also a major externality which hinders open and fair competition. There are also those industrial policies which focus on ways of overcoming information externalities and by doing so, they create an enabling environment which permits organizations to comply with international standards , engage in experimentation, come up with new product lines and access new markets while expanding the existing markets. Since Unilever makes proper use of industrial policies, it seems to enjoy good environment in which the producers will find resources required for the business.

Economic growth is enhanced by an efficient market economy which allows access to markets and economic capital. The aim of industrial policy is to aid industrial sector and its growth. Being a non-governmental organization, Unilever sets crucial conditions for a complete strengthening of plurality and democracy in the societies which has its operations in. Therefore, the improvement of non-governmental organizations has an impact on individuals and the overall development of society. Social welfares are very important in the society because they lead to development of projects which are individually beneficial and can adjust to the need of the society. Projects which are beneficial to the society should be in the hands of private sector because they are very close to the society and understand their needs.

How the market structures which Unilever uses deviate from the model of perfect competition

Market structure is the manner in which a corporation experience competition during the delivery of goods and services. The structures are very dynamic and both extremes do exist depending on the market in which one is operating and the type of goods being dealt with. The theoretically existing market structures are: perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly and monopoly. Out of these existing market structures, it is not possible to single out one to be prevailing in the Unilever products market. This so because there is no clear cut differentiating between them. However, perfect competition is a far much distinct structure from the other three structures. Unilever has a wide range of its consumer products in distribution worldwide. The corporation’s complexities in organizational structure coupled with an expansive portfolio of products have made the Unilever to operate in all market structures except perfect competition.

Perfect competition prevails when there are many sellers and buyers present in a market. This means that no single player will bring much influence in the entire market. The presence, withdrawal or change of strategy by a distributor in this market structure has an insignificant effect in price and demand. The market forces are left to take their full swing operation. In this market, the consumers view all products to be identical thus selection of a product to be purchased is indiscriminate. However, this is not case in most household consumer products. Consumers are very sensitive in the selection of such products, especially those that affect their health and general appearance. The earlier mentioned expansive portfolio of Unilever house hold products affects the final consumer’s health and appearance. These effects either instant or long term are evident in its advertising slogan; adding vitality to life. By considering the corporation’s profile, Unilever is not the type in which its presence in the market cannot be felt by fellow competitors as well as consumers. Therefore, saying that a perfect competition is the kind of market structure in which Unilever is operating will be a complete fallacy (Yip, 2007).

Monopolistic competition prevails when there are few restrictions to the entry of the market. The presence of a corporation in the market will therefore be determined by it creativity and ability to overcome the few existing restriction. Such restrictions may not necessarily be economic but rather anything which may retard the growth and performance of a player in that particular market. The many companies operating in this kind of market structure have little to influence since they have small market share. Unilever’s market share cannot be generalized as small globally but rather largely variable. It is dependent on geographical diversification characterized by expansion and venturing into emerging markets. The aspect of small market share may not be entirely dismissed but can be stated as a fairly potential scenario to occur. This is evident in the penetration in to the new markets already colonized by competitors as well as situations where others are proving too strong to eat into the corporation’s market share. The products in this case are very distinct thus one can easily differentiate between products of different companies.

The Unilever products can easily be identified and are available in a large sea of household products from which a consumer chooses from. The marketing strategists in Unilever must therefore apply non-price competition strategies. Advertising is the most common non-price strategy available for Unilever, where fellow market players’ provide close substitutes of its products. Another tool in use by the corporation is the rolling out of an ambitious research and development program which has seen it deliver the most optimal innovative designs of products. All these characteristics describe a monopolistic competition which becomes one of the prevailing market structure (Yip, 2007).

Oligopolistic market structure exists when a few firms dominate market and thus enjoys a majority of market revenue. This is evident in its market share which according to Fortune 500 list of large companies in Europe, it revenue was at $ 45,679 million which placed them at fifty-fourth slot in the year 2000. This commanding market share coupled with European Union stringent standardization rules makes it hard for new products to hit the market.

Monopoly on the other hand means that there is only one supplier. Therefore there is no competition expected. The sole supplier dictates the prices, supply quantities and the quality control. This hypothetical structure hardly prevails unless there are influences from regulators like governments and other authorities empowered by pacts and international agreements. There are high barriers making it totally impossible for other firms to enter the market. It is hard to experience this kind of a market structure currently. It can only be seen in specialized products distributed by the government due to their nature to influence the national security. We can therefore confidently dismiss this structure to be non-existing in Unilever’s products.

To sum it up, all market structures except monopoly are in practice at Unilever. However the perfect monopolistic structure carries less weight because the cumulative market share of this corporation is big enough to shake off potential high caliber competitor. Any organization interested in the manufacture and distribution of household goods can only do best by either franchising or merging with Unilever. The consolidation of European resources through European Union’s elimination of trade barriers and restrictions has come up with far reaching opportunities as well as setbacks for main stream organizations. For Unilever, it is a great milestone as it is for other multinational organizations to see different regions get in to agreements of forming trading blocs. The usually complex management structure can be simplified through creation of regional offices. The basis of such regional offices is going to be the preset blocs.

The relationship between market forces and Unilever’s response

Market forces are the demands and supplies which is a reflection of all price-conscious sellers and buyers of the products available in the market. The desires of sellers and buyers are in the two extreme ends. Sellers will want the highest possible prices while buyers want to own the goods for free if possible. Since taking goods freely is not possible they are therefore asking for minimum prices possible. The price is expected to go up with an increase in demand while an excess supply will make the price to fall. Such varied desires constitute never ending market forces. It is worth to note that the market forces are only possible when there are no external interferences.

The already mentioned rich portfolio of Unilever products can be put into the following categories: washing powder and detergents, beverages and butter and margarine. These products must attract many buyers as well as producers being the fast moving consumer goods are on demand daily. In fact, the demand is poised to rise given the ever rising populations of the world accompanied by rapid urbanization.

It is the dream of every organization in business to make profit and reduce cash outflows as much as possible. Unilever being no exception has put in a lot of efforts to stay up beat so as to maintain and grow its market share both in Europe and global market. We are now exploring its response to such dynamic challenges accompanying variations in market forces, the actual effects in revenue and long term reputation of the corporation.

The corporation has a deliberate effort to guard its market share. The main strength of Unilever is the expansive geographical diversification of its products. These will translate to the final returns because; the poor results of one region are likely to be cushioned by those of the other. To illustrate this, the corporation was in operation in eighty eight different countries in the year 2002. Management teams in every region have decision making autonomy so that the products available for distribution in their respective regions are tailor made to just meet the consumer needs. This brilliant approach ensures the avoidance of obsolescence as well as delivery of the most relevant goods in the market.

Paying attention to human capital offers enormous opportunity to the long term strategy of the corporation. This global organization believes that a highly motivated human capital is going to impact positively on the general outlook. It is this reason therefore that has made the company to invest on human resources development through recruitment and training of employees from varied disciplines and qualifications. To ensure that every talent in the society is utilized one can enter the company’s amazing human resource through graduate trainee program or specialized skill direct entry (Yip, 2007).

Another notable strategy which may look more of welfare based than economic is the formulation and implementation of a well detailed safety, health and environmental policy. This has a lasting perspective and a wide focus beyond what can be seen immediately. However, there are short term benefits of this. An employee who is always safety conscious is going to deliver better results than the other who has no attention to safety. It is also worth noting that some economic blocs like the European Union cannot accept a company’s products if they have no practical move to conserve and protect the environment. The most recent example is the black tea sourcing sustainability commitment which came by through the certification by Rain Forest Alliance. Among the immediate benefits of this tea sourcing sustainably, Unilever has been able to launch its Rain Forest Alliance compliant tea in the European market (Smith & Grant, 2003).

The years of poor performances globally prompted the organization to embark on an ambitious path to growth strategy in the year 2000. The strategy has specific action points to be discussed next. First of all, the ambiguity surrounding the amorphous number of brands was eliminated through the reduction of brands to the four hundred most important core products. The unsuccessful brands were successfully removed from the market which led to the increase in sales of the top brands from 75% to 93%.

The corporation has been able to also tap from emerging markets by penetrating those which are already colonized by the competitors such as; Procter & Gamble, Nestle and Kraft Foods. Among the major advantages of Unilever is its ability to carry out research and identify the consumer trends of needs. With this information at hand, the response is efforts to cater for them. Just to illustrate this proactive approach, the major concerns in the world of late are nutrition and weight. Majority of the people are currently shifting their focus to ways of living healthier lifestyles. So as to move in tandem with this trend Unilever acquired Slimfast, an organization offering weight management services and nutritional consultancy. The intense competition faced worldwide has necessitated the Corporation’s top management to make acquisitions. The top acquisitions are Ben & Jerry, Slimfast and Best Foods among other twenty worldwide. This ability to make huge acquisitions and conglomerate firms have put itself in a position it is enable to enjoy competitive advantage. The corporation saved EUR750 in cost and operating margins rise by 15.7 per cent in the first three quarters (Smith and Grant, 2003).

The behavior and competitive strategies employed by Unilever and the role of Competition and regulatory bodies

Unilever is carefully working together with the Competition Commission so as to achieve a balance between its profits and legitimacy. Striking a balance has been a headache for both parties bearing in mind their varied intention of promoting competition.

Competition Commission will always strive to provide a fair play ground for the players in a given industry. It ensures also that no one takes unfair advantage by punishing the final consumer. To achieve this, the commission closely monitors the interaction of competitors and partners in the market. The changes in businesses set up including concentrations through mergers and takeovers are very useful so as to eliminate the competition among the players in the market. The recent proposed acquisition of United States based Sara Lee’s body and laundry division by the Unilever is being reviewed in line with European Union Merger Regulation.

The commission seeks to establish the ultimate effects on shelf prices of these products after the elimination of competing suppliers of a good number of household cleaning products. Through such a strategy, the corporation is able to wade off expenses that could have resulted from competition and huge advertisement. However, if this is viewed as move to club together and drive others out of business it will be totally unacceptable and the commission is going to advice the relevant bodies accordingly. Sanctions and license suspension may the worst penalties that the company can get if found guilty. But leaving alone this pessimistic approach of the role of competition Commission, there are a lot to be achieved.

The corporation’s expansion strategy has seen it adopt an earlier mentioned path-to-growth master plan aimed at growing it market share. Its unrivalled enormous infrastructure has played a paramount role in venturing into emerging markets. The other strategy has been the focus on the internal structures of management and building of global leadership. A well oiled management machine has been achieved through internalization of the concept of growth by every member of the management team. A fast decision making and improved accountability can only be achieved through the continuous improvement of organizational structure (Jones, 2005).

Burton, R. M, DeSanctis, G. and Obel, B. (2006) Organizational Design: A step by step Approach. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Jones, G. (2005). Renewing Unilever: Transformation and Tradition . London: Oxford University Press.

Smith, D. & Grant, S. (2003). UK Current Economic Policy. 3rd Ed. New York: Heinemann.

Yip, G. S. (2007). Managing Global Customers: An Integrated Approach . London: Oxford University Press.

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