all events outside a company that have the potential to influence or affect it
external environment are the forces and events outside a company that have potential to influence or affect an environment.
Ask adults what their favourite afterschool snack was, and most would tell you that when they were teenagers, fast foods such as hamburgers and thick-shakes were popular snacks, often replacing meals as well as being eaten in addition to them.
But conditions have changed:overall fast food sales, including hamburgers, chips and thick-shakes, have dropped in recent years.
Several trends in fast food companies' external environments are behind this decline.
For example, as part of the fight against childhood and adult obesity, parents, governments and schools are replacing fast foods with healthier alternatives, such as fruit and vegetables.