Which of the following should not be considered one of the controllable elements in a firm's marketing strategy:?

The best option should be E- The Economic Environment

E the economic environment^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The economic environment cannot be considered as a controllable element of the marketing strategy

The question is getting me confused, as I look closer and find multiple answers to this question.

First of all, what do we consider in a firm's marketing strategy?

1. The price of a product is essential,

2. Promotion is also important to meet the target audience,

3. Selection of a target market is one very good factor to also be considered and is a controllable element,

Now I start weighing between the other2 options;

-Is the economic environment out of it?

-Do we consider the sales-force design more?

-What is a 'Economic Environment' and what does it involves?

The economic environment consists of external factors in a business' market and the broader economy that can influence a business.

The Economic Environment involves both the Micro and Macroeconomic environments,

-Macroeconomic influences are broad economic factors that either directly or indirectly affect the entire economy and all of its participants, including your business.

These factors include such things as: Interest rates, Taxes, Inflation, Currency exchange rates, Consumer discretionary income, Savings rates, Consumer confidence levels, Unemployment rate, Recession and Depression

- Micro-economic factors influence how your business will make decisions. Unlike macroeconomic factors, these factors are far less broad in scope and do not necessarily affect the entire economy as a whole. Micro-economic factors influencing a business include: Market size, Demand, Supply, Competitors, Suppliers and  Distribution chain, such as retailer stores,

-What about the "Sales-force'?

-Given this critical role, the sales force is one of the most valuable resources for an organization. Even in challenging economic times, a winning sales force is still a key engine for growth. The sales force is also a costly resource and building or reshaping one involves considerable time and expense. The sales force connects an organization to its lifeblood—its customer base.

-Implementing the right design for your sales force and carefully evolving it as market conditions change requires a thorough understanding of customer needs and potential:

i-Which activities should the sales force engage in to create the ideal customer experience? And, how can these activities be organized into effective and “recruit-able” selling roles?

ii-Which skills and areas of expertise make up the right profile for each selling role?

iii-What is the most cost-effective mix of sales channels and sales teams to optimize market coverage?

iv-Which accounts, products, services and activities should be assigned to each team?

v-What is the optimal size of each sales team and how should effort be allocated?

vi-What is the optimal management reporting structure for the sales organization?

After looking vividly into the above two options explained I finally decide to go for "Economic Environment" as the option. Thank you.

off course E: economic environment

the elements should not be considered in a firm's marketing strategy is the economic environment  

Of course the E , the Economic Environment.  This is something which is not in control of a marketer while deciding the Marketing Mix.  We can predict but it can change anytime by so many variables.