PEST Analysis.

This acronym suggests that we look in four dimensions when undertaking an External Analysis. Political, Economic, Social and Technological trends and forces should be assessed.

PEST is an acronym for political, economic, social and technological. It’s a way of understanding how external forces impact your business. It was created by Harvard professor Francis Aguilar in 1967. It should be included in every business plan, in addition to a SWOT analysis, as it is part of risk management and strategy design.

P – Political Environment

According to Donna Lubrano, senior advisor at Northeastern University, the political environment is an analysis of what politics is doing to the business world.

“We see this currently in the U.S., particularly in the area of international business. We look at tariffs, trade deals as they are developed not only by the economics or business side but what political relationships influence those decisions,” Lubrano said.

Government regulations and legal issues affect a company’s ability to be profitable and successful, and this factor looks at how that can happen. Issues that must be considered include tax guidelines, copyright and property law enforcement, political stability, trade regulations, social and environmental policy, employment laws and safety regulations. Companies should also consider their local and federal power structure, and discuss how anticipated shifts in power could affect their business.

E – Economic

The economic factor examines outside economic issues that can play a role in a company’s success. For this analysis, look at interest rates, exchange inflation, unemployment, gross domestic product, credit availability and rise and fall of the middle class. Lubrano noted it’s important to look at what the Fed is doing in terms of the tax rate as “this is what your pocketbook/wallet lives on every day.”

S – Social

With the social factor, a business can analyze the socioeconomic environment of the given industry’s market to understand how consumer needs are shaped and what brings them to the market for a purchase. Among the items that should be examined are demographics, population growth rates, age distribution, attitudes toward work and job market trends.

“We look at what changes in culture and society are taking place. The drive to eat healthier, the drive to care for the environment, baby boomers staying in the workforce longer, adults have fewer children later in life. All of these impact how consumers buy houses, cars, etc.,” said Lubrano.

T – Technology

Technology plays a huge part in business, and it can impact it either negatively or positively. With the introduction of new products, new technologies and services, a certain marketplace can have a tough time adjusting so it’s important to assess the technology from all angles.

Specific items that need to be scrutinized include, but are not limited to, government spending on technological research, the life cycle of current technology, the role of the internet and how any changes to it may play out, and the impact of potential information technology changes.