The business landscape is an obvious oversimplification. First of all, your business might be in any number of industries, each of which has its own landscape. Furthermore, this landscape might pertain to any particular aspect of business, rather than just the entire thing.
There are many different facets to consider here, and turning your attention to what these might be could help you to make similar considerations in each of your business decisions. Too many different angles to mull over could lead to decision paralysis, but being more aware of what consequences your decisions could have might lead to a more informed outlook.
- Working Conditions
Looking at the gaming industry today, you’ll see that a lot of controversy has been generated over the working conditions that are typical for a lot of developers. These conditions include long, stressful hours, and ultimately, a lack of job security in the recent climate. While this might have once been thought to be the norm, much is being done to improve things due to a heightened awareness of it.
Similarly, if you understand which aspects of your working landscape needs improving, you can begin to take steps to tackle them, such as implementing intranet platforms like those provided by Claromentis Ltd to make remote and flexible working more possible.
- Where’s the Money?
This is one facet that you’re likely to consistently be keeping an eye on. Aligning your business with what’s currently popular is difficult when you’re also trying to ensure that your brand is consistent in its own identity.
To use gaming as yet another example, live service games were deemed potentially lucrative enough for Sony to shift their entire focus toward them, a move that later led to several projects being shut down due to several live service games in the industry performing poorly.
- Customer Attitudes
The way the landscape shifts might be most apparent in customer attitudes. What was desirable from a company in your industry today might not have been ten years ago, and it might have changed several times in between. This isn’t just about what’s popular from a commercial standpoint, but what people might value and how this is something that you either embrace as a brand, or move away from in favor of taking a more commercially appealing approach.
- Trends and Talking Points
When a controversy or topic becomes the focus of the entire industry, it behooves you to be informed about it. You don’t want to end up on the wrong side of a bad PR situation, and if your silence could implicate you in some way, you have to be careful how you navigate it. News of this kind that focuses on a particular industry (again, like crunch in gaming) can lead to audiences re-examining every brand in that industry.
- The Political Aspect
Taking a political stance when it comes to your company might be something that you’re often keen to avoid. Audiences have different stances on almost every issue, and while your business might make itself known through a certain position on something like sustainability, you might generally avoid alienating certain audiences. However, there will be times when this core value requires you to make a statement, due to how it relates to a current political situation.
