A293 - External Environment Flashcards
What is perfect competition?
A market where a business has a lot of competitors
What are the features of competition? (5)
1) Many firm
2) Similar products
3) Low prices
4) Advertising + customer service important
5) Lower costs
How can a business increase competitiveness? (4)
1) New firms
2) Selling new products
3) Cutting prices
4) Increasing advertising
How can a business decrease competition in their market? (4)
1) Takeover/merger
2) Internal growth
3) Patent
4) Collusion - agreeing on prices
Why do businesses benefit from reduced competition?
Higher market share, more profit, less advertising, less need for quality
How can Holden respond to increasing competition?
Meet needs of customers better - superior product/price
Incentives
Market research - Kapok?
What is business ethics?
What is morally right or wrong for a business to do e.g. HR, sourcing of materials, production
What are advantages of good ethics? (3)
1) Customers willing to pay more
2) May increase sales
3) Good reputation
What are disadvantages of good ethics? (3)
1) Increase costs
2) May lose profits
3) Damaging if claim to be ethical but not
What is Fair Trade?
Trade between companies in developed countries and producers in developing countries in which fair prices are paid to producers
What are the benefits of using Fair Trade? (5)
1) Can charge more
2) Increased sales
3) Employees attracted to business
4) Looks good to investors
5) Reputation
What are negatives of using Fair Trade? (3)
1) More expensive
2) Reduced profit
3) If increase RRP - less customers
What is a social benefit?
Where something good comes to society from business activity e.g. employment, tax revenue - inward investment
What is a social cost?
Where a problem in society is caused by business activity e.g. pollution, redundancies
Why should Holden move to Bowton? (6)
1) Less tariffs
2) Less transportation (costs)
3) Better for environment
4) Lower fabric costs
5) Help UK recover
6) More ethical?
Why should Holden not move to Bowton? (4)
1) Chinese redundancies - expensive
2) Not helping Ch economy - ethics
3) Initial expense
4) May have to change supplier
What are sustainable materials?
Materials that can be obtained without diminishing ability to provide in the future
Why should Holden use Kapok? (4)
1) Better for environment - investors
2) Fair Trade - improve image
3) Can charge more
4) Catch up to competition - proven to work
Why should Holden not use Kapok? (5)
1) More expensive - recovering economy, luxury
2) Absorb or increase RRP?
3) More transport
4) Exchange rates
5) New supply chain
How does the government help with environmental problems? (6)
1) Taxation
2) Rules + regulations
3) Adverts + education
4) Carbon permits
5) Recycling
6) Grants + lower tax on biofuels
Why should green-belt areas be reduced? (3)
1) More businesses - unemployment
2) Economy improves
3) Inward investment
Why should green-belt areas not be reduced? (3)
1) Environment - bad long-term
2) Protest groups - businesses fail
3) Reduction in property values
Should Bowton reduce green-belt areas?
Yes - more likely to be positive
- More wealth - improve Bowton
How could Holden be sustainable if they build a new factory?
Recycled materials + build brand image, - expensive or low quality
Brown field + Support of Bowton, - not ideal
How could Holden be sustainable if they rent in Bowton?
Green energy + less electricity from fossil fuels, - expensive
Recycled packaging + less raw materials USP, - quality
How could Holden be sustainable if they stay in China?
Improve waste disposal + reduce pollution, - expensive
Reduce packaging + cheaper, - limit to effectiveness
What is GDP?
Gross Domestic Product - total value of country’s output in a year
What is economic growth?
Businesses produce and sell more, employment + consumer income rises