The document discusses the components of a modern marketing information system and methods for gathering market intelligence. It describes how marketing information systems use internal records and external sources to provide data on customer preferences, buying behavior, and market trends. Examples are given of companies gathering customer data through surveys and segmenting their customers based on preferences like pillow sleeping styles. The key methods discussed for tracking macro environmental factors include scanning industry reports, consulting public data sources, and collecting customer feedback both online and from sales teams.