Final answer:
The true statement about the external forces in the marketing environment is that they change quickly and require marketing strategies to be creative and consumer-focused. External forces are interconnected and influence marketing strategies both directly and indirectly. Option 5 is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the statements provided about the external forces comprising the marketing environment, the one that is true is that the external forces change quickly and dramatically, therefore marketing requires creativity and consumer focus.
The external forces that include economic and political forces, as well as social, technological, legal, and environmental factors, can directly and indirectly affect marketing strategies.
They are often interdependent, not independent, and while marketing managers may have limited influence over these forces, they can adapt strategies to better align with the changing environment.
Additionally, markets have been profoundly redefined by shifts in technology and globalization, with improvements in communication technologies and the development of the internet creating new competitive landscapes and business-to-business opportunities across the globe.