Introduction

Aim 

The aim of this unit is to provide learners with an understanding of different organisations, the
influence of stakeholders and the relationship between businesses and the local, national and
global environments.

Unit abstract 
Organisations have a variety of purposes that depend on why they were established. Some
operate for profit, whilst others do not. Organisations structure themselves and operate in ways
that allow their objectives to be met. Every organisation has a range of stakeholders whose
interests need to be satisfied, but stakeholders have competing interests that may be hard to
reconcile.

Businesses operate in an environment shaped by the government, competitors, consumers,
suppliers, and international factors. Learners will understand that some influences on the
business environment are direct and clear, for example taxation policies on corporate activities.
Other influences are less clear, perhaps coming from the international arena and sometimes with
only an oblique impact on the national business environment.
It is within this business environment that organisations function and have to determine
strategies and a modus operandi that allow them to meet their organisational purposes in ways
that comply with the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks. In addition, business markets take
various forms and the structure of a market enables an understanding of how organisations
behave. In this unit learners will consider how different market structures shape the pricing and
output decisions of businesses, as well as other aspects of their behaviour.


 Learning outcomes 
On successful completion of this unit a learner will:
1 Understand the organisational purposes of businesses
2 Understand the nature of the national environment in which businesses operate
3 Understand the behaviour of organisations in their market environment
4 Be able to assess the significance of the global factors that shape national business activities.