includes the actors and forces outside marketing that affect marketing management’s ability to build and maintain successful relationships with customers

consists of the actors close to the company that affect its ability to serve its customers, the company, suppliers, marketing intermediaries, customer markets, competitors, and publics

are distribution channel firms that help the company find customers or make sales to them.

help the company stock and move goods from their points of origin to their destinations.

are the marketing research firms, advertising agencies, media firms, and marketing consulting firms that help the company target and promote its products to the right markets.

include banks, credit companies, insurance companies, and other businesses that help finance transactions or insure against the risks associated with the buying and selling of goods.

A business that provides similar products or services to your business.

the study of human populations-- size, density, location, race, occupation, and other statistics,age, gender,

involves people, and people make up markets

shifts in age, family structure, geographic population, educational characteristics, and population diversity

include people born between 1946 and 1964 •Majority are retired or preparing to retire •Usually buys groceries, pharmaceutical products, insurance etc.

includes people born between 1965 and 1976 –Less materialistic –Family comes first (e.g. usually buys children’s product, home appliances) –Hesitant about change and innovation, prefer to stick to what they know

gen Y or echo boomers) include those born between 1977 and 2000 –Comfortable with technology –Tweens (ages 8–12) –Teens (13–19) –Young adults (20’s)

is important in segmenting people by lifestyle of life state instead of age

consist of factor that affect consumer purchasing power and spending patterns •Inflation and Deflation

offering financially cautious buyers greater value— the right combination of quality and service at a fair price

natural resources that are needed as inputs by marketers or that are affected by marketing activities •Trends –Increased shortages of raw materials –Increased pollution

Most dramatic force in changing the marketplace •New products, opportunities •Concern for the safety of new products

laws, government agencies, and pressure groups that influence or limit various organizations and individuals in a given society

consists of institutions and other forces that affect a society’s basic values, perceptions, and behaviors

are persistent and are passed on from parents to children and are reinforced by schools, churches, businesses, and government

are more open to change and include people’s views of themselves, others, organization, society, nature, and the universe