Social Factors - Trends & Behaviours

Social Factors - Trends & Behaviours

• Social factors are trends and changes affecting how society behaves, presenting challenges and opportunities for organisations.
• Social change involves significant alterations in social structures, cultural patterns, and behaviour over time. This change can happen at societal, community, or individual levels, influenced by various factors like economic shifts, technology, politics, and culture.
• People's behaviour is influenced by popular trends and fashion changes, impacting product and service demand. This can be a significant challenge for organisations.
• Beliefs, including religious beliefs (e.g., Christianity, Islam), influence the type of products or services people buy. Religious festivals (e.g., Eid, Diwali, Christmas) can affect purchase times and opening dates.
• Media (e.g., social media, TV, film) affect consumer demand.
• Crime levels affect safety measures, insurance costs, and other business issues for organisations.
• Education levels influence desired behaviours and the types of products and services offered in a society.
• Family and work structures influence products demanded and work patterns. This includes time-off patterns such as holidays or expected illness.

Causes of Social Change

• Economic Factors: Industrialisation led to shifts from agrarian to industrial production, including urban development, changing labour markets and daily life, impacting job markets and communication technologies, like the internet and AI.
• Political Factors: Laws (e.g., civil rights and labour laws), social welfare initiatives, leadership styles, and changes in government structures influence social change.
• Cultural Factors: Increased education and knowledge sharing have led to changes in social norms, specially those involving gender equality and diversity.
• Technological Factors: Social media, digital platforms, information sharing in communities, and scientific advancements influence relationships and societal development.

Society's Behaviours & Beliefs

• The way people behave is impacted by expectations and trends.
• 'Society' can refer to a country's entire population or specific sub-sections (e.g., North Yorkshire, Wales).
• People's beliefs have a major impact on organisations.

Demographics

• Demographics break down a country's population into categories (e.g., income, gender, ethnicity, age, class).
• Understanding these demographics is important for businesses to understand and better serve their customers.

Social Responsibility

• Organisations should be mindful of how their actions affect others.
• Social responsibility and consider welfare and environmental impacts.
• Common aspects of social responsibility are recycling, waste reduction, donating to charity, supporting local communities, and using ethical suppliers.

How Social Factors Affect Organisations

• Organisations need to consider all factors influencing society's behaviours.
• The impact of trends on what consumers are willing to buy must be considered and adjusted as necessary.

Next Steps

• Conduct further research on the social aspects of a particular organisation using PESTLE analysis.
• Prepare for a quiz on social factors next time, using available resources.