An Investigation into Marks & Spencer's Business Environment Factors

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the internal and external factors affecting Marks & Spencer, a prominent retail firm. It begins with an introduction to the business environment and its impact on the company. The report delves into the relationship between Marks & Spencer and its external environment, emphasizing the exchange of information for strategic decision-making and operational control. It utilizes SWOT and PESTLE analyses to evaluate the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, as well as the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors influencing its operations. The report further explores how Marks & Spencer impacts the external environment through CSR initiatives, employee turnover, waste disposal, and product/service quality. The conclusion summarizes the findings, highlighting the company's strategic use of internal and external assessments and its positive contributions to the external environment.

Introduction
The business environment is an amalgamation of
internal and external factors that impose implication
on the operation of the business activities regulated
by the concerned business organisation. The report
highlights upon the relationship between the Marks
and Spencer and the external environment. It focuses
on the identification of the internal as well as
external factors that affect the activity of the
company in the marketplace. The report provides the
overall determination of the numerous ways in which
Marks and Spencer effect the external environment.
An investigation into the relationship between
Marks and Spencer and its external environment.
A business organisation and its concerned
external environment are broadly interconnected as
they exchange information among themselves so as
to formulate appropriate strategies and decision that
can facilitate the company to grow and expand
further in its marketplace (Fernández-Olmos and
Ramírez-Alesón, 2017). Marks and Spencer also
required information pertaining to the external
environment so as to provide assistance to the
planning stage of the business. It briefs the company
about the factors that neds to be taken into
consideration so as to formulate and determine the
decisions in various conflicting situations of the
business organisation.
An investigation into the relationship between Marks and Spencer and its external environment.
The exchange of information between both i.e. Marks
and Spencer and the external environment can facilitate
the company with implementing its control functions so
as to directed the company about the area which needs
to be evaluated and control so as to increase the
effectiveness and efficiency of the operations carried out
by the respective company in the target market. Thus, it
can be said it helps the company to assess the variables
existing in the environment and to map the changes and
alterations that may take place due to the same. The
information derived from the external environment also
allows the company to combat the issues and concerns
arising due to the complexities and uncertainties in the
market. Hence, Marks and Spencer acquire and gather
the relevant information from the external environment
so as to gain insights about the prevailing market
scenarios, current market situations, technological
advancement, economic changes and activities, social
implication, political diversions, competitors move etc.
The external environment allows the business
organisation to acquire the resources that can be
optimized and utilised by the companies in order to
enhance the current operations of the business to an
advanced level which can further lead to the greater
ability for the business to earn and generate revenues
(Halbert and Ingulli, 2020).
Marks and Spencer is a retail firm that requires
inputs and resources such as manpower, finance,
method and procedures, technology, machine and
material etc. in order to regulate the manufacturing
and production, management and operations and
sales, marketing and advertisement functions of
the concerned company. In order to facilitate the
smooth acquisition of the resources it is very
essential for the company to interact with the
external environment so as to identify the
resources a company needs to undertake in order
to run its day to day operations. The sale of goods
and services is also dependent on the external
environment as it influences and manipulates the
capability of the company to generate sales in its
respective target market. This is due to the
existence of the various forces that governs the
sales operations of the company.
The external environment of Marks and Spencer
possess a power over the company as the
environment is very inclusive in nature and the
possession over the resources, necessary
information and analysis etc. The external
environment of Marks and Spencer is likely to
offer the possible opportunities to the company as
well as may impose the uncertain threats as well.
The company needs to identify the possibilities
and capitalise on the opportunities as well try to
eliminate the threats in order to maintain a good
position in its respective market industry.
Internal and External Factors

The external and internal factors effects of Marks
and Spencer
In order to assess the internal market environment
SWOT analysis is take into consideration.
SWOT Analysis
Swot Analysis is an assessment method
which provides a concrete and systematic evaluation
of the strength of the business organisation as well as
the weaknesses. The SWOT analysis also provides
the prevailing opportunities as well as the upcoming
threats of the company (Gogokhia and Berulava,
2020).
Strengths
The strengths can be termed as the assets of
the company that provides the same with a
competitive and sustainable market advantage in the
environment. The strength of Marks and Spencer lied
within its popularity and customer base all across the
globe. The company provides the availability of the
wide range of the products to the consumers to select
and choose from and this can be considered to one of
the strengths of the company. The amalgamation of
the popular and renowned brand in the company also
provides Marks and Spencer with a competitive
advantage in the market environment.
Weakness: The company faced the backlash and
poor publicity with regard to the labelled as non-
trendy brand which in turn effected the profitably of
the company worldwide and the retention of the
consumers in the company also got affected due to
the same. The company's manual work as enhanced
and encourage the expenditure of the company which
can be stated as one of the weaknesses of the
respective company.
Opportunities: There are various opportunities existing
in the market that can capitalised by Marks and Spencer
such as internalisation of the business operation which
leads to the enhancement of the worldwide presence4
and availability of the brand. The company also has the
opportunities to increase and enhance the customer base
by segmenting the available market into small groups in
order to concentrate and align the resources bin a better
manner.
Threats: Marks and Spencer can face the threat of
losing its hold on the current position in the market due
to the emerging competitors in the industry which are
also catering to the same target market that marks and
Spencer is focusing on. The company is also at risk of
losing its current brand value due to the prevailing
rivalry and aggressive competition in the market
environment. In order to combat the threats, the
management of the respective company needs to
formulate and come up with the contingency plans and
risk management strategies so as to overcome the
uncertainties in the market and sustain and grow in the
market for a long time phrase.
In order to evaluate the external environment of the
Marks and Spencer, PESTLE analysis can be
PESTLE Analysis: It refer to identification of the
implication caused by the forces prevailing in the
external environment of the business enterprise
that has the ability to impact the operations of the
proposed venture.
Political Factors
Although free trade policy in multiple
countries has open the door for various business
opportunities for Marks and Spencer but the UK'S
decision to step back from its membership in
European Union may impact the operation of
marks and Spencer in the market environment.
The trade regulations as well as the tariff policies
may also get affected because of the Brexit which
in turn can make huge impact on the functioning of
the business in the long term.
Economic Factors
There numerous economic factors in the external
environment that may affect the operations of the
business organisation. One of the same can be
termed as the dispute or conflict of the
organisation with the small retailers because of the
hike in the prices charged for the offering
produced by the organisation.

Social: Social factors can include the introduction of
various initiatives and programs that may facilitating
in the intrinsic cost reduction of the concerned
business organisation. The alterations in the choices
and preferences of the consumers. The emerging new
trends in the market can also lead to generate various
effects on the working of the business organisation.
Technological Factors: The emergence of new
technology can outgrow the prevailing technologism
utilised by the Marks and Spencer's which may
adversely and immediately effect the operations of
business enterprise. The new modification in the
software and platforms utilised by the company can
also impact the operation of the enterprise.
Legal Factors: There are various legal
implications in the regulation of the business in the
retail industry. All the legal formalities imposed on
the company needs to be taken into consideration so
as to facilitate the smooth functioning of the
operations and administration of the business. The
introduction of new laws pertaining to the movement
of operation in the retail industry may create an
impact on the functions performed by Marks and
Spencer in the business environment.
Environmental Factors: Since, the business
organisation take so many resources and inspiration
from the society and the environment, they are liable
to pay their due towards the same by providing and
contributing in the services that promote the
upliftment of the environment and society as a
whole. Marks and Spencer also dedicates its services
to the production of environment friendly products
so as to meet up to the expectations of the members
of the society and to do produce sustainable products
for the same as well.
The different ways in which Marks and Spencer can
impact on the external environment
There are numerous different ways in which Marks and
Spencer can create an impact on the external
environment. Two of the different ways through which
the company can facilitate the same are mentioned
below: -
CSR Initiatives and Activities
The company's corporate social responsibility
can have positive impacts on the functioning of the
business as they are ought to contribute in the
development of the environment and society in large.
The company's undertaking of important health and
society programs can help to improve the standard of the
external environment of the business organisation. The
company can acquire goodwill in the market and can
also win the faith as well as the trust of the individuals
prevailing in the market domain in order to persuade the
same to invest in the company's products as well as
services.
Employee turnover ratio: The high employee turnover
ratio of Marks and Spencer can also cause implication of
the business in the external environment as it may lead
to enhancement of employability which is one of major
concerns of the individuals in the society. The
company’s functioning needs to be such that its lead s to
higher employment opportunities for the individuals
seeking jobs in the environment in order to facilitate
them with an opportunity to showcase their potential in
their respective performance at their concerned
workplace (Vlados and Chatzinikolaou, 2019).
Waste Disposal: The disposal of waste is one of the
major issues or complications existing in the society
currently. Marks and Spencer can incorporate various
measures in order to reduce the waste generation during
the manufacturing process as well as the production
process of the organisation.
This can create good impact on the external
environment of the company and can also
contribute in making the products and offerings of
the company more sustainable in the future.
Quality of the products and Services: The
standard of products and service quality opted by
Marks and Spencer in its desired products and
offering can create an impact on the external
environment as there are numerous forces in the
external environment. If the company will focus
on producing the quality products and services, the
company will have a good and desirable impact on
the external environment and vice versa.
From the above derived information, it can be
stated and concluded that Marks and Spencer is
utilising the assessment generated from the
internal and external environment wisely and is
incorporating all the appropriate measures so as to
regulate its functioning in the market environment.
The company's corporate social responsibility
initiatives and other attributes are also facilitating
an effective impact on the external environment of
the organisation.
CONCLUSION
From the above derived information, it can be
stated and concluded that Marks and Spencer is
utilising the assessment generated from the
internal and external environment wisely and is
incorporating all the appropriate measures so as to
regulate its functioning in the market environment.
The company's corporate social responsibility
initiatives and other attributes are also facilitating
an effective impact on the external environment of
the organisation.