C. Case on External Environment analysis. Read the case below then answer the following questions: (8 marks)

Smart IT Solutions is a Bahrain based company providing IT products, solutions and services to many organizations including NBB, K Hotel and Al Osra supermarkets. Company signed a deal with the Govt. of Bahrain to develop a specific IT solution for managing the Traffic issues. Smart IT Solutions has been procuring some of the parts/ products only from companies in China and experienced major delays during Covid 19 pandemic. Hence, new agreements were signed with companies in Taiwan and South Korea to provide those parts/ products. In the year 2022, the company will be developing innovative IT solutions targeting the ever-increasing population of social media users in Bahrain. Smart IT Solutions is facing challenges from the local and international rival companies, in finding and retaining customers. However, plans to start their operations in Saudi Arabia are in progress considering the promising economic conditions and phenomenal sociocultural reforms happening there. The proposal to start operations in the UK is currently on hold due to the Omicron variant issue. The company is concerned about the new Govt. rule in Bahrain regarding the increase of Value Added Tax (VAT) from 5% to 10% to be effective from 1st of January 2022.

The above case discusses several external environmental factors related to Smart IT Solutions. (a) List 4 of them (2 marks), (b) mention if they are specific or general environmental factors (2 marks) (c) provide one example from the case for each (4 marks)

Environnemental Factor	General or Specific environment	Example from the case
Customers	Specific environment	IT products, solutions and services are provided to organizations including NBB, K Hotel and Al Osra supermarkets.
1.
2.
3.
4.