Final answer:
The external organizational environment consists of abiotic factors (non-living elements like climate and soil) and biotic factors (living or once-living organisms and their interactions), which together affect ecosystems and the organisms within them.
Step-by-step explanation:
The external organizational environment refers to the myriad conditions and factors outside of an organization that can potentially affect its performance and operations. It includes two key components: the abiotic factors and the biotic factors. Abiotic factors encompass all the non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment, such as climate, light, and soil, which affect ecosystems and the living organisms within them. These factors create a context in which organisms must adapt and operate. Biotic factors, on the other hand, include all living or once-living organisms in the ecosystem, like plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and protists, as well as their interactions.
Both abiotic and biotic factors are crucial in shaping the dynamics of the environment an organization operates within and are therefore factors each organism must respond to in order to survive and thrive. Understanding these environmental components is essential for conservation efforts and can influence human culture, economics, and politics, especially in an era characterized by climate change and environmental degradation.