1. Business environment -The combination of internal and external factors that influence a company's operating situation. The business environment can include factors such as: clients and suppliers; its competition and owners; improvements in technology; laws and government activities; and market, social and economic trends.

2. buyer and seller relationship In quality control, extended relationship between buyers and sellers based on confidence, credibility, and mutual benefit. The buyer, on its part, provides long-term contracts and assurance of only a small number of competing suppliers. In reciprocation, the seller implements customer's suggestions and commits to continuous improvement in quality of product and delivery.
3. Channels of distribution The path through which goods and services travel from the vendor to the consumer or payments for those products travel from the consumer to the vendor. A distribution channel can be as short as a direct transaction from the vendor to the consumer, or may include several interconnected intermediaries along the way such as wholesalers, distributers, agents and retailers. Each intermediary receives the item at one pricing point and movies it to the next higher pricing point until it reaches the final buyer. Coffee does not reach the consumer before first going through a channel involving the farmer, exporter, importer, distributor and the retailer.
4. environmental set Measurement, statistic, or value that identifies the presence or level of the factor affecting the environment. A set of such indicators and their trend points to the overall condition or quality of the environment.
5. intermediaries Firm or person (such as a broker or consultant) who acts as a mediator on a link between parties to a business deal, investment decision, negotiation, etc. In money markets, for example, banks act as intermediaries