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|CHAPTER 3 Analyzing the Marketing Environment 95
the marketing environment. They also spend more time in customer and competitor envi-
ronments. By carefully studying the environment, marketers can adapt their strategies to
meet new marketplace challenges and opportunities.
The marketing environment consists of a microenvironment and a macroenvironment.
The microenvironment consists of the actors close to the company that affect its abil-
ity to engage and serve its customers—the company, suppliers, marketing intermediar-
ies, customer markets, competitors, and publics. The macroenvironment consists of
the larger societal forces that affect the microenvironment—demographic, economic,
natural, technological, political, and cultural forces. We look first at the company’s
microenvironment.
Author The microenvironment The Microenvironment
Comment includes all the actors close
to the company that affect, positively or Marketing management’s job is to build relationships with customers by creating customer
negatively, its ability to create value for value and satisfaction. However, marketing managers cannot do this alone. Figure 3.1
and relationships with customers. shows the major actors in the marketer’s microenvironment. Marketing success requires
building relationships with other company departments, suppliers, marketing intermediar-
Microenvironment ies, competitors, various publics, and customers, which combine to make up the company’s
The actors close to the company that value delivery network.
affect its ability to serve its customers—
the company, suppliers, marketing The Company
intermediaries, customer markets,
competitors, and publics. In designing marketing plans, marketing management takes other company groups into
Macroenvironment account—groups such as top management, finance, research and development (R&D),
The larger societal forces that affect purchasing, operations, human resources, and accounting. All of these interrelated groups
the microenvironment—demographic, form the internal environment. Top management sets the company’s mission, objectives,
economic, natural, technological, political, broad strategies, and policies. Marketing managers make decisions within these broader
and cultural forces. strategies and plans. Then, as we discussed in Chapter 2, marketing managers must work
closely with other company departments. With marketing taking the lead, all departments—
FIGURE | 3.1 from manufacturing and finance to legal and human resources—share the responsibility for
Actors in the Microenvironment understanding customer needs and creating customer value.
Suppliers
Suppliers form an important link in the company’s overall customer value delivery
network. They provide the resources needed by the company to produce its goods and
services. Supplier problems can seriously affect marketing. Marketing managers must
watch supply availability and costs. Supply shortages or delays, natural disasters, and
other events can cost sales in the short run and damage customer satisfaction in the
long run. Rising supply costs may force price increases that can harm the company’s
sales volume.
Most marketers today treat their suppliers as partners in creating and deliver-
ing customer value. For example, cosmetics maker L’Oréal knows the importance
of building close relationships with its extensive network of suppliers, who supply
In creating value for customers, The Company liers inMtearrmkeetdiniagries Competitors Pub
marketers must partner with Supp
other firms in the company’s Customers Customers are the most
value delivery network. lics important actors in the
Marketers must work company’s microenvironment.
in harmony with other The aim of the entire value
company departments delivery system is to serve
to create customer target customers and create
value and relationships. strong relationships with them.
Marketing
