Week 1: Social, Democratic and Technological

Demographic change

Change in the size or structure of a population, such as its age, gender or location.

Ageing population

A rise in the average age of a population as birth rates fall and life expectancy rises.

Dependency ratio

The proportion of the population not of working age compared with those who are.

Corporate social responsibility

A business accepting responsibility to society and the environment, not only to its shareholders.

Social audit

An independent check on a firm's social and environmental performance against its stated claims.

Pressure group

An organised group that campaigns to influence business or government decisions without holding office.

Consumer boycott

An organised refusal to buy a firm's products in order to force a change in its behaviour.

Automation

Replacing human labour with machinery or software to carry out a process.

E-commerce

Buying and selling goods and services over the internet.