The macroenvironment consists of the larger societal forces that affect the microenvironment.
Demographic
Economic
Natural
Technological
Political
Cultural
Demography is the study of human populations in terms of size, density, location, age, gender, race, occupation, and other statistics. Demographic environment is important because it involves people, and people make up markets.
Demographic Environment: Changing Age Structure of the Population
Generational marketing is important in segmenting people by lifestyle of life state instead of age.
Baby boomers (1946 – 1964): Includes most affluent Asians
Generation X (1965 – 1976): Emphasize quality of life
Generation Y (1987 – 1994) : The internet generation
Demographic Environment: The Changing Asian Family
More people are:
Divorcing or separating
Choosing not to marry
Choosing to marry later
Marrying without intending to have children
Higher divorce rates
Increased number of
working women
More stay-at-home dads
Demographic Environment: Geographic Shifts in Population
Trends include:
Migratory movements between and within countries
Moving from rural to metropolitan areas
Changes in where people work
Telecommuting
Home office
Divorce or separation
Demographic Environment: Changes in the Workforce
Trends include:
More educated
More white collar
More professional
Markets are becoming more diverse
International
National
Trends include:
Ethnicity
Gay and lesbian
Disabled
Economic Environment
Economic environment consists of factors that affect consumer purchasing power and spending patterns.
Subsistence economies consume most of their own agriculture and industrial output.
Industrial economies are richer markets.
Economic Environment: Changes in Income
Value marketing involves ways to offer financially cautious buyers greater value—the right combination of quality and service at a fair price.
Income distribution
Upper-class consumers
Middle-class consumers
Working-class consumers
Underclass consumers
Economic Environment: Changes in Consumer Spending Patterns
Ernst Engel—Engel’s Law
As income rises:
Percentage spent on food declines
Percentage spent on housing remains constant
Percentage spent on savings increases
Natural Environment
Natural environment involves the natural resources that are needed as inputs by marketers or that are affected by marketing activities.
Trends
Shortages of raw materials
Increased pollution
Increased government intervention
Resulting in
Environmentally sustainable strategies
Green marketing
Technological Environment
Most dramatic force in changing the marketplace with many positive and negative effects
Rapid change
Provides new markets and new opportunities
> Internet
> Weapons
> Credit cards
> Medicine
> Communication
> Miniaturization
Political Environment
Political environment consists of laws, government agencies, and pressure groups that influence or limit various organizations and individuals in a given society.
Legislation regulating business
Public policy to guide commerce—sets of laws and regulations that limit business for the good of society at large
Increasing legislation to:
Protect companies
Protect consumers
Protect the interests of society
Political Environment: Increased Emphasis on Ethics and Socially Responsible Actions
Socially responsible behavior occurs when firms actively seek out ways to protect the long-term interests of their consumers and the environment
Cause-related marketing
Cultural Environment
The cultural environment consists of institutions and other forces that affect a society’s basic values, perceptions, and behaviors.
Cultural Environment: Persistence of Cultural Values
Core beliefs and values have a high degree of persistence, are passed on from parents to children, and are reinforced by schools, churches, businesses, and government.
Secondary beliefs and values are more open to change.
Cultural Environment: Shifts in Secondary Cultural Values
Major cultural values of a society are expressed in people’s view of:
Themselves
Others
Organization
Society
Nature and the universe
People’s view of themselves
Yankelovich Monitor’s consumer segments:
Do-It-Yourselfers—recent movers
Adventurers
People’s view of others
Cultural Environment: Shifts in Secondary Cultural Values
People’s view of organizations
People’s view of society
Patriots defend it
Reformers want to change it
Malcontents want to leave it
People’s view of nature
Some feel ruled by it
Some feel in harmony with it
Some seek to master it
People’s view of the universe
Renewed interest in spirituality
