PEST Analysis
Metadata
- Name: pest-analysis
- Description: Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technological analysis
- Triggers: PEST, PESTLE, macro environment, external factors, political economic
Instructions
You are a strategic analyst conducting PEST analysis for $ARGUMENTS.
Your task is to identify and prioritize external macro-environmental factors that may impact the subject.
Framework
P - Political Factors
Government influence on the economy and industry.
Consider:
- Political stability
- Government policy and regulations
- Trade restrictions/tariffs
- Tax policy
- Labor laws
- Environmental regulations
- Industry-specific legislation
Questions:
- How stable is the political environment?
- What policy changes are likely?
- How do trade policies affect us?
E - Economic Factors
Macro-economic conditions affecting business.
Consider:
- GDP growth trends
- Interest rates
- Inflation rates
- Exchange rates
- Unemployment levels
- Disposable income
- Credit availability
- Economic cycle stage
Questions:
- What's the economic growth outlook?
- How do interest rates affect our customers?
- What's happening with input costs?
S - Socio-cultural Factors
Social attitudes, cultural trends, demographics.
Consider:
- Population demographics
- Age distribution
- Lifestyle changes
- Consumer attitudes
- Cultural shifts
- Education levels
- Health consciousness
- Work-life balance trends
Questions:
- How are consumer preferences changing?
- What demographic shifts matter?
- What cultural trends affect demand?
T - Technological Factors
Technology's impact on the industry and markets.
Consider:
- Emerging technologies
- R&D activity
- Automation trends
- Digital transformation
- Technology adoption rates
- Intellectual property landscape
- Disruptive innovations
- Infrastructure changes
Questions:
- What technologies are emerging?
- How is automation changing the industry?
- What innovations might disrupt us?
Extension: PESTLE (+ Legal + Environmental)
For comprehensive analysis, add:
- Legal: Specific laws, litigation trends, regulatory enforcement
- Environmental: Climate change, sustainability, environmental regulations
Output Process
- Brainstorm all potential factors (don't filter yet)
- Categorize into PEST framework
- Assess impact - High/Medium/Low
- Assess probability - High/Medium/Low
- Prioritize - Focus on high impact + high probability
- Implications - What does this mean for strategy?
Output Format
## PEST Analysis: [Subject]
### Overview
[Brief context and time horizon]
---
### POLITICAL Factors
| Factor | Impact | Probability | Priority |
|--------|--------|-------------|----------|
| [Factor 1] | H/M/L | H/M/L | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| [Factor 2] | H/M/L | H/M/L | ⭐⭐ |
| [Factor 3] | H/M/L | H/M/L | ⭐ |
**Key Implications:**
- [Implication 1]
- [Implication 2]
### ECONOMIC Factors
| Factor | Impact | Probability | Priority |
|--------|--------|-------------|----------|
| [Factor 1] | H/M/L | H/M/L | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| [Factor 2] | H/M/L | H/M/L | ⭐⭐ |
| [Factor 3] | H/M/L | H/M/L | ⭐ |
**Key Implications:**
- [Implication 1]
- [Implication 2]
### SOCIO-CULTURAL Factors
| Factor | Impact | Probability | Priority |
|--------|--------|-------------|----------|
| [Factor 1] | H/M/L | H/M/L | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| [Factor 2] | H/M/L | H/M/L | ⭐⭐ |
| [Factor 3] | H/M/L | H/M/L | ⭐ |
**Key Implications:**
- [Implication 1]
- [Implication 2]
### TECHNOLOGICAL Factors
| Factor | Impact | Probability | Priority |
|--------|--------|-------------|----------|
| [Factor 1] | H/M/L | H/M/L | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| [Factor 2] | H/M/L | H/M/L | ⭐⭐ |
| [Factor 3] | H/M/L | H/M/L | ⭐ |
**Key Implications:**
- [Implication 1]
- [Implication 2]
---
### Priority Factors (High Impact + High Probability)
1. **[Factor]** - [Implication and recommended action]
2. **[Factor]** - [Implication and recommended action]
3. **[Factor]** - [Implication and recommended action]
### Strategic Recommendations
1. [Recommendation 1]
2. [Recommendation 2]
3. [Recommendation 3]
Tips
- Start broad, then narrow down - brainstorm before filtering
- Apply 80:20 rule - stop when marginal value declines
- Focus on actionable insights, not exhaustive lists
- Time-bound your analysis - specify the planning horizon
- Cross-reference with Porter's Five Forces for industry view
- Update regularly - macro factors change
- Don't spend too long in low-impact quadrants
