What is a PEST analysis?

政治因素

A shift in the political climate can have significant implications for all types of businesses, and the political climate is constantly changing. For example, new government leadership can change regulations and consumer habits. Leadership changes can also lead to changes in consumer protection laws and foreign trade and policy, which has a massive impact on international businesses.

Even something as simple as a period of political unrest can seriously affect your business. A strategic planning framework helps you prepare for potential shifts in politics and laws.

经济因素

Whether you’re a consumer or a business owner, every economic change significantly impacts your life. The economy's overall health can determine your business's potential success, with factors like inflation and rising unemployment making it harder for business owners to protect their bottom line.

Many businesses scale down operations when the economy is in poor health or inflation is high. As demand for products falls, so does production.

社会因素

With the internet and social media, social movements are stronger than ever. Shifts in consumer behavior and cultural attitudes can affect your business in several ways, and in the information age, those shifts happen quickly.

Changes in populations and demographics are also essential to consider. The population's average age naturally shifts, changing the demand for various products and services. If your demographic grows, you must increase production to meet higher demand.

技术因素

It seems like we’re constantly discovering groundbreaking technology, and that technology can benefit your business in several ways. However, technological changes can also introduce new threats and potential business risks. For example, cloud services are efficient and affordable, but cloud security can be challenging.

Understanding technological factors and how they impact your business is a key part of project collaboration. When your IT, sales, and executive teams focus on correctly implementing technology, cyber threats are less of a concern.

Identify the external factors

Once you’ve set goals you can define and measure, it’s time to start gathering data. You can research market trends, recent changes in government policies, trends in consumer behavior, and recent technological advancements. Use as many sources as possible to discover new information, including government stats, industry reports, expert interviews, and market research. The more data you collect, the better.

分析收集的数据

这是一个艰难的阶段，项目协作可以提供帮助。您已经研究并确定了外部因素，现在您必须弄清楚这些因素是如何影响您的业务的。如果不采用新技术，您的竞争力是否会下降？如果采用新技术，是否会对您的业务构成威胁？回答这些简单的问题可以帮助您了解您的业务可能受到的影响。

优先考虑关键发现

完成数据分析后，请优先考虑可能对您的业务产生重大影响的关键发现。例如，您可能会发现，如果不做相应的计划，通货膨胀将对您的业务产生负面影响。其他公司可能会发现某些技术因素的影响最大。找出对您的业务至关重要的因素并记录下来。

制定切实可行的策略

最后一步是利用从 PEST 分析中获得的知识制定行动计划。这一可行策略的目标是将政治、经济、社会和技术因素的负面影响降至最低。每年进行一次 PEST 分析有助于您为将来做好准备。

PEST 分析示例

查看 PEST 分析示例可能会让您更好地了解如何利用 PEST 分析来推动业务决策。在此示例中，我们将查看对一家技术企业的 PEST 分析：

• 政治：企业受益于自由贸易政策，但贸易争端构成潜在威胁。
• 经济：缺乏可支配收入是一个威胁，但发展中国家/地区的快速经济增长提供了机遇。
• 社会：消费者的负面情绪改变了对该品牌的看法。
• 技术：随着竞争对手不断创新和开发新技术，带来了挑战。

该企业通过不断创新和支持社会计划来提高公众认知，从而保持领先地位。随着发展中国家/地区的发展，该公司扩大了影响力，从而增加了销售额。

使用 Confluence 简化您的 PEST 分析

您想进一步了解您的企业和行业，从而更好地为将来做好准备吗？进行 PEST 分析是一个好的开始。PEST 分析可帮助公司确定和组织影响其业务的外部因素，而遵循项目协作最佳实践可确保分析过程高效、有效。

有了 Confluence，可以轻松让所有人保持一致。您可以使用 Confluence 白板就外部因素进行头脑风暴，并与团队伙伴实时协作，以确定这些因素如何影响您的业务。您还可以在 Confluence 白板中嵌入页面，以提供更多上下文和改进项目协作。通过利用 Confluence 的协作功能，您可以简化分析并做出更好的决策，从而推动业务向前发展。