Business sustainability is something, which no enterprise or organization has a control over. It mostly depends on the future events and trending business scenarios, which mostlyis uncertain. The future has the potentiality of bringing recurring income opportunities in the form of new business and new customers. However, with the ever-changing business environment, increasing costs, competition, and a variety of other factors, the list of probable business threats never extinguishes.

Today the economic, financial and geopolitical risks across the globe are changing with time. Businesses need to constantly monitor, identify and manage the emerging threats and risks, in order to sustain themselves in the cutthroatcompetition. Also, they need to leverage the upcoming opportunities to ensure a smooth workflow and a continousgrowth,in terms of both expansion beyond boundaries and yearly revenue reports.

To follow wehave the “Fortune 500” companies, which keep onupdatingtheir annual operational objectives, business forecasts and strategic plans in accordance with the changing global business threats.

Emerging Global Business Threats

Today, financial and economic crises are no longer considered as major business threats in the worldwide market. Big market leaders like the United States, Europe, Japan and China have taken relevant measures to empower themselves to such an extent, where revival from an economic crisis in future would be quick and easy.

Last year, Barack Obama, the President of the US and Congressional Republicans have agreed on a truce, which ensures no threats for another government shutdown over the need of raising the debt ceiling. The European Central Bank president has also ensured that the Eurozone remains no longer on the verge of an economical collapse. And even Japan’s economic strategy has managed to boost growth and stop deflation.

Following the steps of big markets, even small markets have managed to reduce the impact of worldwide financial crises with taking some big and powerful decisions.

But, what’s emerging today as a major global business threat are not these financial and economic crises, rather the geopolitical tensions, societal instability, and terrorism.

Geopolitical Tensions, Societal Instability and Terrorism - Who all are affected?

Every big and small business setup across the sphere is directly or indirectly affected by the adverse effects of these business threats. The Middle East countries are the ones, who have suffered the most from these threats. Many of them are still highly unstable, but at the same time have ensured that nothing actually messes up with the global oil and gas supply. However, the repercussions of these conflicts have mostly kept the energy security in threat.

Terrorism has always been a threat to each and every country around the globe. Even the United States was not spared with the destructive and negative impact of terrorism. The 9/11 attack shook the world, and the pain still remains. Terrorism has been more active and destructive in the recent years.

Every business sector across the globe is witnessing a hard time with terrorism expanding everywhere. The tourism and travel industry has marked a steep downfall with this. The recent attacks in Paris and the hotel attack in Mali together creates a tough time for the worldwide tourism industry. A few years back, Mumbai, the business capital of India also had a major terrorist attack on the Tajmahal Hotel, which is one of the most luxurious hotels in the world.

Worldwide Travel Alert by The U.S. State Department

On Monday, 23rd November 2015, the U.S. State Department has issued a worldwide travel alert and warning because of increased terror threats around the globe. This travel alert is for all those Americans who were planning to go abroad during the Thanksgiving and upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays. With these warnings and alerts, the travel and tourism business across the world is surely going to be affected.

Environmental Threat

Besides all these threats, one should also understand that business and environmental sustainability are interlinked. Every business organization depends on the environmental resources for raw materials, water, energy and their infrastructural setup. And with the growing environmental threats, the future of businesses is also under threat. Without a healthy and stable natural environment, businesses will not sustain and may fall.

The Need of Unity

Enterprises around the globe need to work on each and every potential threat with a strong strategy, so that a stable business platform is secured for the future. In this direction, the international bodies and national governments would have to come together for framing an effective strategy, which can deal with the geopolitical tensions, societal instability, terrorism and environmental threats.

A Positive Step

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), also known as Earth Summit is a great platform, where leading countries come together and discuss over the increasing environmental threats.

The G20 Leaders’ Summit, held on 15-16 November 2015 at Turkey witnessed a positive mark over these emerging threats. Reviving from the brutal terrorist attacks in Paris, the G20 leaders reaffirmed the need of unity in fighting terrorism. There is a need to understand the conditions leading to terrorism for which every participating country has agreed to work together for.

With all the best efforts and strategic plannings, we hope that business enterprises and organizations around the globe will be able to deal with the ever-changing business threats, and together we will be able to build a road towards success and innovation.

Author's Bio: 

Amit Prasad is the founder and CEO of QuickFMS and SatNav Group. QuicFMS provides SaaS solutions to small business owners which help in management and simplifying of businesses and facilities. We offer cloud-based facilities management system with CAFM, Enterprise Asset Management, Property & Maintenance Management.