Chapter 3 The environment of business: economy, state, technology and labour
Quiz
Which one of the following four statements is correct?
Businesses attempt to survive by largely ignoring the environment in which they operate.
Businesses are always affected by environmental changes that occur around them.
The environment is always more powerful than any individual business and hence businesses must adapt or die.
The relationship that exists between a business and its environment is complex and interactive.
Which one of the following four statements is correct?
Anglo-Saxon capitalism rejects state intervention of the economy at all costs.
Anglo-Saxon capitalism emphasises individualism and the concept of private property.
Social market capitalism sets out to control the workings of the free market.
Asian capitalism supports the concept of a free market and the state operates a ‘hands off’ approach.
Which one of the following four statements is correct?
The major contribution of business to the economy is in the provision of employment.
The major contribution of business to the economy is through foreign direct investment.
The major contribution of business to the economy is through the provision of income, the growth of assets and economic growth in general through activities both home and overseas.
The major contribution of business to the economy is its contribution to a country’s balance of payments.
Which one of the following four statements is correct?
State control and a centrally planned economy are still key features in many countries in the world.
Many former state controlled economies are now in transition, incorporating some features of a free market economy.
Workers are invariably better off under a social market system.
In Asian capitalist systems the state provides for all the welfare needs of individuals.
Which one of the following four statements is correct?
Since 1979 in the UK the State has had little involvement with business and has preferred to rely on market forces.
State run industries are invariably less effective than privately run industries.
In the UK, the role of the State in business has changed dramatically since the Maastricht Treaty.
Legal regulation of business in the UK has grown considerably in the last 50 years.
Which one of the following four statements is correct?
The EU originated from a handful of Western European countries with a focus on coal and steel production.
Employment issues lay at the heart of the Single European Act 1992.
The Copenhagen Summit agreed to the enlargement of the EU by 15 new countries joining in May 2004.
The UK has opted out of European Monetary Union because of the poor exchange value of the pound against the euro.
Which one of the following four statements is correct?
Technology is the key determinant of the structure and processes of a business.
Technology is much more important than size in its influence over the structure and processes of a business.
The influence of technology in most organizations is complex and dynamic and is affected by the processes of management decision making.
Electronic commerce has completely revolutionised the way businesses operate.
Which one of the following four statements is correct?
The introduction of new technology is invariably deskilling.
Job losses in manufacturing are a result of introducing new technology amongst the more highly skilled workers.
The impact of new technology varies considerably according to the type of organization, the nature of work and the skill level of the worker.
The introduction of computerised processes in offices has led to increased boredom amongst office workers.
Which one of the following four statements is correct?
In all developed countries labour markets have become more flexible in terms of hours worked and the nature of the employment contract.
The fall of employment in manufacturing in the UK is part of a global trend and has been no greater than that in other countries.
Women have a far greater chance of career progression in the public sector than in the private sector.
Globalization has resulted in significant increases in cross border labour market mobility.
Which one of the following four statements is correct?
In the UK, the largest number of trade union members comes from industries such as car manufacturing, chemicals, shipbuilding and coal mining.
In the UK, trade union membership in the public and private sectors has declined at about the same rate.
In the UK, while trade union membership has declined, the number of trade unions remains much the same.
In the UK, trade union power has weakened as a result of global competition and the introduction of restrictive legislation.