Week 2: Organisational Environments, Culture & Globalisation

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key concepts in organisational environments, culture, and globalisation for exam preparation.

What is the external environment?

Everything outside the organisation that can affect how it operates.

What is the general environment?

The broader outer layer of factors that affect the organisation indirectly.

What is the task environment and what the four parts of the task environment?

The part of the external environment that affects the organisation directly and daily. The four parts are:

• Customers

• Competitors

• Suppliers

• Labour market

What are the six dimensions of the general environment?

Includes international, technological, socio-cultural, economic, legal-political, and natural environment.

International Dimension

Refers to global events, overseas competition, international trade, and global supply chains affecting organisations.

What is the international dimension of the general environment?

Refers to changes in technology and scientific knowledge affecting efficiency, innovation, and decision-making.

What is the technological dimension of the general environment?

Refers to values, beliefs, customs, demographics, and social trends that influence organisations.

What is the economic dimension of the general environment?

Refers to economic conditions such as interest rates, unemployment, consumer spending, and economic growth.

What is the legal-political dimension of the general environment?

Refers to laws, regulations, government policies, and political influences affecting organisations.

What is the natural environment?

Includes natural resources and environmental conditions such as climate, water, land, and sustainability pressures.

Why are competitors important in the task environment?

Because competitors push organisations to improve, innovate, and maintain a competitive advantage.

Why are suppliers important in the task environment?

Because suppliers provide the resources needed for operations, and disruptions can affect cost, quality, and productivity.

What is the labour market?

Refers to the people available for work, including their skills, availability, and wage expectations.

What is the internal environment?

Includes the factors inside the organisation that influence how it operates.

What is organisational culture?

The shared values, beliefs, behaviours, and ways of thinking that influence how people act in the organisation.

What is the visible level of organisational culture?

Includes tangible aspects like dress codes, office layout, symbols, and ceremonies.

What is the invisible level of organisational culture?

Includes deep beliefs, assumptions, values, and unwritten rules that guide behaviour.

What is environmental uncertainty?

Occurs when managers know their goals but lack full information about future events or alternatives.

What is a global mind-set?

The ability to understand, appreciate, and work effectively across different cultures and international environments.

What is systems thinking in relation to organisations?

Sees the organisation as an open system made up of interconnected parts.

What is boundary-spanning?

Involves interacting with the external environment to gather information and build relationships.

What are the four types of organisational culture?

Includes adaptability culture, achievement culture, involvement culture, and consistency culture.

What is the difference between adapting to and influencing the environment?

• Adapting = changing the organisation in response to the environment

• Influencing = trying to shape the environment to suit the organisation

What are the four stages of globalisation?

Includes domestic, international, multinational, and global.