Final answer:
In a marketing plan, the key component of a situational analysis is the analysis of competitors. Understanding the competitive landscape helps in making strategic marketing and business decisions. Shareholders and bondholders become important in providing financial capital as the firm grows and its financial information becomes more widely available.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a marketing plan, a business should typically consider its competitors as the key component of its situational analysis. Competitors provide vital context for how a business will position its products or services in the marketplace. A thorough analysis of competitors can inform strategic decisions such as pricing, marketing campaigns, and product development.
For established firms that are likely to lead to profits, the importance of investors, such as bondholders and shareholders, grows because they are more willing to provide financial capital when they have access to information about the company's financial status and potential for profitability. This dynamic underscores the significance of these outside investors in the firm's overall strategy and expansion plans.