Contemporary Developments in Business and Management Assignment

Contemporary Developments in Business and Management - Assignment Example The elements of the general environment are the political systems, economic systems of societies, socio-cultural elements, technological systems of societies, ecological systems, and legal systems. The task environment is the segment of the external environment with which an organization interfaces on a regular basis and is of immediate interest to the organization. It is within the organization's control. The elements of the task environment are the customers and clients, competitors, suppliers, labor supply, government agencies, etc. Guinness is in the beer brewing industry founded in 1759, with breweries (by way of license arrangements) in almost 50 countries and exports to around 150 countries. Next, the beer industry's policies and decisions are analyzed with regards to political influences. This is followed by using Robert Miles's dimensions of corporate social responsiveness to determine the effectiveness of the industry's response. Lastly, recommendations for improvement in t he response of the industry are made. Alcohol is a dependence-producing drug that causes detrimental societal and physical effects. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it leads to diseases, early mortality, accidents, and violent crimes. Due to these social influences, the beer industry operates within a tight legal environment. Legislation exists in various nations to curb the advertising and excessive consumption of alcohol. Examples include control on drunk driving, operation hours of pubs, advertising, distribution, and even import controls, such as in Sweden. Another external influence to which the beer industry is subjected is the economy. Beer as a luxury product  depends on the economy to stimulate demand. With the economic development of the developing nations, the demand for higher quality beverages, and hence beer is set to grow. Ecologically, beer brewing contributes to global warming by emitting carbon dioxide. The use and disposal of bottles and packagi ng also contribute to environmental pollution. Hence, beer brewing is a cause of concern for many environmentalists. Technological influence is not as great as political influence in the beer industry. No doubt, the proper application of technologies such as the brewing facilities and the bottling and packaging technology could help to cut costs and increase efficiencies. However, technologies may be imitated by competitors and any competitive advantages will soon disappear.