WHAT ARE SOME EXTERNAL OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS THAT FACE MANY F...

131) What are some external opportunities and threats that face many firms? Answer: Some of the opportunities and threats are: availability of capital can no longer be taken for granted; consumers expect green operations and products; marketing is moving rapidly to the Internet; global markets offer the highest growth in revenues; commodity food prices are increasing; political unrest in the Middle East is raising oil prices; computer hacker problems are increasing; intense price competition is plaguing most firms; unemployment and underemployment rates remain high globally; interest rates are rising; product life cycles are becoming shorter; state and local governments are financially weak; drug cartel-related violence in Mexico; winters are colder and summers hotter than usual; home prices remain exceptionally low; global markets offer the highest growth in revenues. Diff: 2 Objective: 1.04 Define and give examples of key terms in strategic management. Learning Outcome: Define strategic management and identify its basic concepts