The general environment includes political, sociocultural, economic conditions, global and technological environments. These factors eventually affect all businesses. The task environment includes factors that the organization interacts with directly and that have a direct impact on the organization’s ability to achieve its goals. Elements in the general environment influence the organization through the medium of the task environment. e task environment typically includes competitors, suppliers, and buyers (customers or distributors); businesses that produce substitute products for those sold in the industry; and businesses that provide complementary products/services.