1. Introduction

PEST Analysis Australia’s Sports Industry: This writeup explains the internal and external analysis of Softball Victoria a top sports in Australia. The document explain internal environment and external environment of the sports and help reader understand the dynamics that are critical in defining a strategy that is critical for achieving organisational success. It is imperative to evaluate internal and external environment to effectively understand the factors that impact an organisation to shape it and factors that requires critical attention when designing an organisational strategy. 

2. Internal Environment Analysis

Analysis of internal environment is critical to understand factors within an organisation that impact its strategic outlook. These factors are controllable unlike external factors when evaluation of these factors assist in redesigning the organisational outlook to fully comply with changing environment and evolve accordingly.   

2.1 Organisational Structure

Softball Victoria follows the Committee Organisational structure to support the accountable delivery of the strategic objectives of the organisation. The board hold its position on the top and appoint different committees answerable to the board. These committees are divided into two major categories:

• Standing Committees: report directly to the board.
• Operational Committees: report directly to the executive officer.

These committees mostly consist of Recognised Volunteer Positions (RVP). These key volunteers’ positions have an identified position description with specified roles and responsibilities. They may or may not need to appear in the committee meetings, subject to the type of work they carry out. The standing committees report the Board on Finance and Governance. Whereas the operational committees are further subdivided in to following categories:

1. High Performance Committee
2. Participation and Development Committee
3. Competitions and Events Committee
4. Scoring Committee
5. Umpiring Committee

2.2 Services Offered

• Scoring Training Courses and Mentoring
• Umpire training courses – Technical Bulletins.
• Coaching courses and Pitch Training

2.3 Members of Softball Victoria

The following associations are the current members of Softball Victoria:

• ALBURY WODONGA SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION: Kathy Goode, Secretary
• CASEY SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION: Sandra Whalley, President
• DANDENONG SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION: Mark Scammell, President
• FRANKSTON SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION: Malcolm Jansen, President
• GEELONG SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION: Janine Jewell, President
• GLEN EIRA SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION: Lisa Cleland, President
• KEILOR PARK SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION
• KNOX & DISTRICT SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION: Richard Johnson, President
• NORTHERN DISTRICT SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION: Cathy Ferraro, Secretary
• SUNBURY SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION
• SUNSHINE SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION: Jo Ingram, Secretary
• WAVERLEY SOFTBALL ASOCIATION: Moira Teichert & Erik Steemers Presidents
• WERRIBEE SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION: Chris Holliday, President

All these associations have worked together to promote the cause collectively in the best way possible. Their teams and players not only played well in intra-state competitions but made it inter-state competitions. These associations promise their respective members to be provided with state-of-the-art facilities and coaching services to ensure hundred percent engagement and member retention.

2.4 Financial Statements

The audited financial report is attached herewith with special purpose of comprising the Profit and Loss statements, Balance Sheet for the last financial year and Cash flows statement. The audit of Softball Victoria’s financial has been carried out in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. The total income in the year 2014 was calculated to be $620,783 and decreased to an amount of $558,300 in 2015, whereas the total surplus in 2014 was $77,497 and reduced to just $20,107 in 2015.

3. External Organisation Environment: PEST Analysis Australia’s Sports Industry

3.1 PEST Analysis Australia’s Sports Industry: Softball Victoria

3.1.1 Political Factors

• The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy.
• Australia is a liberal-capitalist democracy. And the state keeps interfering in the national economy through various roles to protect the state from affairs concerning the policies, environment and legislation of the country.
• The Australian Sport Commission handles the sports-related-state-affairs and is governed by a board of commissioners including former athletes and business experts.
• Australian Government understands the zeal and passion of Australian people towards sports and the policies designed by ASC are quite lenient and cooperative, allowing organisations like Softball Victoria to operate with minimum legislations and regulations.
• ASC policies including ASC Anti-Doping Policy, ASC Funding for individuals and Australian Institute of Sport athlete scholarships are ensuring that maximum support and facilities are provided to sport enthusiasts by the sport associations of the respective states.
• The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) works faithfully with National Sporting Organizations (NSOs) and National Sporting Organizations for people with disability (NSODs) with minimum tariffs and participation fees to cultivate sport from public participation to high performance level.

3.1.2 Economic Factors:

• Australia is one of the largest capitalist economies in the world. And its economic growth is primarily dependent on its mining and agricultural sectors.
• On ease of doing business index, Australia is at 10th rank.
• Australia’s GDP for the year 2015 is 1.62 trillion AUD and GDP/capita has been calculated to be 67,458 USD in 2013 which makes it one of the largest mixed market economies in the world.
• High GDP/capita results in greater spending power of the people and their willingness to spend for sports.
• Businesses are also putting in a lot of time and money to provide the best facilities to their customers in the sports industry

3.1.3 Social Factors:

• A diverse society: Australia is a country of diverse people with different ethnic backgrounds and diverse cultures – making it a multi-cultural society.
• Factors such as greater ratio of male population as compared to female population can be a driving force for sports associations, though in Australia, female participation is as good as male.
• Australians have become very health conscious over the past few years and are adopting healthier, more active life styles.
• For well-informed customer, like an Australian, brand name and equity matters a lot and he would think twice before spending the money at the right place. This creates a great competition among different associations of the Australian sports industry to create and deliver the best to retain maximum members.

3.1.4 Technological Factors:

• Australian government spends great part of its budget on the R&D (Gross expenditure was $30 Billion in 2010-2011). There are government fund programs and grants to assist in the development of businesses in Australia and commercialise their IPs.
• With latest technological advancements, more people prefer information to be readily available on the web rather than traditional ways.
• Businesses like Softball Victoria have updated websites and latest news online to facilitate their customers and have online registration portals for maximum assistance and convenience.