External Influences Flashcards
Competition
Rivalry amongst sellers
Market
Any situation where buyers and sellers are in contact in order to establish price
Non physical markets
Grown because of convenience that they offer
Physical markets
Still exist because of the personalisation that they offer
Mark up
Difference between the cost of making an item and the price at which it is sold
If market price rises, what happens to mark up?
Mark up rises
If market price falls, what does the business do?
The business must lower its costs or accept a lower mark up for the product therefore reducing profit
6 strategies to increase market share
1) Be aware of customer needs and meet them
2) Sell more to existing customers
3) Find out why old customers no longer use your products
4) Have a clear marketing plan
5) Use a variety of marketing techniques - pricing, advertising & promotion
6) Merge with a competitor
Market dominance
The measure of strength of a business and its product(s) relative to the competition
Barriers to entry
The factors that could prevent a firm from entering and competing in a market
5 barriers to entry
1) Large start up costs. These will mainly be capital costs such as premise and machinery
2) Having the marketing budget to break customer loyalties
3) The inability to gain economics of scale
4) The possibility that existing businesses will start a price soon
5) Legal restrictions such as patents
Price
The amount customers pay for a product
Cost
The amount spent by a business making the product
Merger
Where 2 companies join together to form a new longer business
Acquisition
Where control of another company is achieved by buying a majority of its shares (may also be known as a takeover)
4 sanctions of anti-competitive behaviour
1) Businesses involved can be fined 10% of their global turnover
2) Customers & competitors of the firm(s) involved can sue for damages as a result of being affected by the anti-competitive behaviour
3) Individuals can be disqualified from being a company director
4) The CMA can also fine an individual, such as a director, if that person fails to comply with the CMA’s requests for information provision during a ‘Competition Act Investigation’
Demand
The amount of a good/service that customers are willing and able to buy at any given price
Supply
The amount of a good/service that sellers are willing and able to sell at any given price
Equilibrium
The situation in a market where demand is equal to supply
8 demand factors
1) Price
2) Income
3) Wealth
4) Advertising, promotional offers & public relations
5) Taste and fashion
6) Demographic changes
7) Government action
8) Price of other products ( Substitutes & Complements)
2 supply factors
1) Price
2) Costs
Elasticity of demand
Measures how sensitive quantity demanded is to a change in price
Inelastic demand
Quantity in insensitive to a change in price
Elastic demand
Quantity is sensitive to a change in price
Globalisation (simplified)
When companies start manufacturing and selling in other countries around the world.
World trading in eachothers markets.
6 reasons why products are manufactured outside the UK
1) Cheaper cost of production
2) Cheaper labour
3) Reduced trade restrictions
4) Cheaper resources
5) Better infrastructure
6) Internet
4 factors that have facilitated globalisation
1) Technology
2) Easy movement of money
3) Increase in the movement of people
4) Rise of multinationals
Multinationals
A company that is based in one country but manufactures and sells products in a variety of other countries
4 reasons why companies are keen to become multinationals
1) Economies of scale can be obtained
2) Ability to take advantage of lack of legal constraints
3) New markets with less competition
4) Ability to take advantage of lower wages
4 positives of multinational companies
1) Employment opportunities for LEDC’s
2) Develop local skills
3) Investment in local areas (infrastructure)
4) Utilisation of resources
7 negatives of multinational companies
1) Future prospects of employees aren’t positive
2) Domestic country workers lefts without jobs
3) Low wages
4) Unsafe working conditions
5) Child labour stopped them from being in education
6) Local companies driven out through competition
7) Income goes back to domestic market e.g. USA