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Lifestyles

share of women working in the automobile body and abroad for many of their employees. With virtual confer-
repair industry tripled. Furthermore, the share of men encing becoming more widespread, business travel as it is
participating in the field of dressmaking also increased known today will evolve and change. The technological
dramatically during the same period. Gender is no longer development of the Internet will have major implications
a predetermination of a person’s role in business and as the and influences on global business and marketing proce-
twenty-first century continues, more and more occupa- dures.
tions should become gender-neutral. Business operations must integrate new and different
marketing procedures to keep current with the changing
THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL CLASS job market. The trend of online education has opened up
ON BUSINESS OPERATIONS the market for the consumer and the employee to teach
and learn at home. The consumer of the twenty-first cen-
What comprises social class? Is it the neighborhood in
which one lives? The occupation one has? The income one tury has less time to dedicate to a brick-and-mortar post-
earns? The wealth one has acquired? There is no generally secondary educational institution; schools that
agreed-upon definition of social class, but most people understand this trend will benefit. Changes in the corpo-
agree that social class does exist. Grouping people together rate and postsecondary educational marketplace require
and assigning them a status in society is as old as society lifelong learning by both employees and employers in
itself. order to service the consumer.
The social class of a particular group of people influ- Marketing operations must embrace e-commerce,
ences the role of business and marketing operations. The internal links via Intranets, and Internet marketing and
key to success in business and in marketing operations is retailing because these tools can extend business opera-
tions and create new opportunities for growth. As tech-
twofold. First, identify the market for the product. Sec-
ond, identify the social class one is dealing with in that nology, lifestyle, and employment change, business and
market. Businesses must become familiar with the cus- marketing operations must also change in innovative ways
toms and culture of the particular social class with which as a matter of survival.
they are trying to do business.
CONCLUSION
THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL Consumers today require businesses to provide them with
ACTIVITIES ON BUSINESS convenience to help simplify their harried lifestyles. This
OPERATIONS requires business and marketing operations to be aware of
Marketing to a particular group often incorporates depic- the impact of such demographic variables as family, job,
tions of social activities as a part of the advertising cam- cultural background, social class, social activities, and
paign. For example, Mountain Dew commercials once employment. All these demographic variables play an
portrayed young teenagers riding mountain bikes and essential role in business operations. Lifestyles and tech-
engaging in extreme sports. A commercial for Grey nology have both changed radically, and the global mar-
Poupon mustard portrayed upper-class adults using the ketplace is a reality. The key to business success is to
product while being chauffeured in a luxury car. In both understand the diversity that exists in the global market-
examples, the companies needed to verify who constituted place and to respond innovatively and swiftly to society’s
the market for their product first. Second, they had to changing needs. Corporations that understand the
learn the characteristics of those people. lifestyle changes of the twenty-first century global market-
place will be able to thrive and continue to service their
Playing golf is reinforced in the corporate culture in
consumers.
many organizations as an important social activity. Instead
of remaining inside on a beautiful afternoon, the execu- SEE ALSO Consumer Behavior; Fads
tives get to conduct business while on the greens. The
social activity is an advantage for executives looking to BIBLIOGRAPHY
“close a deal,” or make a connection in other business cir- Alexander, William M. (1999). An efficiency measure for a sus-
cles. tainable quality of life. Global Ideas Bank. Retrieved Novem-
ber 18, 2005, from
http://www.globalideasbank.org/SD/SD-94.HTML
EMPLOYMENT INFLUENCE ON
BUSINESS OPERATIONS Lovgren, Stefan (2004, February 26). English in decline as a first
language, study says. National Geographic News. Retrieved
Jobs have changed significantly because of technological November 18, 2005, from
advances and global influences. Many corporations do http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0226_04
business at an international level, which requires travel 0226_language.html

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