Explain the external factors that influence a selected business
considering trading internationally
The external environment are all the factors outside the business that have an
impact on Waitrose; in order to analyse the external environment i’m going to make a
PESTLE analysis. The PESTLE analysis is a framework to analyse key factors
influencing an organisation from the outside, including political, economic,
sociological, technological, legal and environmental.
Waitrose & Partners is a chain of British supermarkets, which forms the food retail
division of Britain's largest employee-owned retailer, the John Lewis Partnership. Its
head office is located in Bracknell, Berkshire, England. Waitrose & Partners has 338
shops across the United Kingdom, including 65 "little Waitrose" convenience shops,
and a 5.1% share of the market, making it the eighth-largest retailer of groceries in
the UK. They also export products to 52 countries and have locations in the Middle
East
Political
External factors such as political factors are likely to have a big impact on
businesses like Witrose for a number of reasons. The political environment in this
pestle analysis focuses on the governmental activity and its impacts on Waitrose.
For example free trade and Brexit.
One of the most positive aspects of modern-day politics is the free trade that has
been established between a number of countries. Waitrose, which operates in the
United Kingdom, but also has locations abroad, gets benefit from this. Free trade
allows Waitrose to import foreign products for sale in their stores at cheaper prices
while maintaining a healthy profit margin. While free trade has been affecting UK
businesses positively for a long time, the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the
European Union might affect this.
On the other hand, Brexit, the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European
Union is a Political factor that can cause a massive impact to Waitrose’s operations.
We don’t know where the United Kingdom will stand following Brexit, especially in
terms of trade regulations and tariffs, but many of the possible consequences are
negative for UK retailers. For example, if the United Kingdom leaves the European
Union, also called “hard Brexit”, this might result in the loss of many free trade
policies with European suppliers, resulting in a higher product cost for end
consumers.
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