Chapter 3: Evaluating the External Environment
3.6 Conclusion
This chapter explains several considerations for examining the external environment that executives must monitor to lead their organizations strategically. Executives must be aware of trends and changes in the general environment, as well as the condition of their specific industry, as elements of both have the potential to change considerably over time. While PESTEL analysis provides a useful framework to understand the general environment, Porter’s five forces is helpful to make sense of an industry’s profit potential and competitive environment. Strategic groups are valuable for understanding close competitors that affect a firm more than other industry members. When executives carefully monitor their organization’s environment using these tools, they greatly increase the chances of their organization being successful.
Exercises
- In groups of four or five, use the PESTEL framework to identify elements from each factor of the general environment that could have a large effect on your future career.
- Use Porter’s five forces analysis to analyze an industry in which you might like to work in the future. Discuss the implications your results may have on the salary potential of jobs in that industry and how that could impact your career plans.
