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A Guide to Profile an Industry

A Template to Profile Any Industry.

Formulation

What is the role of the Industry? What activities, technologies, or processes constitute the core of this industry?

Dimension Description
Role What fundamental function does the industry serve in the economy or society? What need does it satisfy?
Production What activities, technologies, or processes constitute the core production system of the industry? What inputs are transformed and how?
Market Who are the primary customers? What problems are being solved? What is the nature of demand (elasticity, segmentation, drivers)?
Technology What key technologies enable the industry? What capabilities, knowledge bases, and R&D domains are essential?
Macro – Industry Structure How many firms? What level of concentration? What barriers to entry exist? What forms of competition dominate?
Macro – Industry Dynamics How is the industry evolving? What trends, disruptions, or cycles shape its trajectory? What historical forces led to its current form?
Value Chain (Generation) How does value get created? What upstream and downstream stages are essential? What economic functions do they perform?
Value Chain (Capture) Where do profits accrue? Which actors capture the largest share of economic rents? What mechanisms shape margin distribution?
Industry Context What regulatory, institutional, cultural, environmental, and geopolitical conditions shape the industry? What constraints and enablers exist?

Production

Which is the product space? Which are the teche underlying production? Which is teh arthicteure of supply?

Production Overview

Dimension Assessment
Production Function
Economies of Scale
Economies of Scope
Learning Curve
Competition Structure
Competitive Edges
Cost Structure
Revenue Architecture

Product Space

Which are the products (goods & services) offered?

Category Product Description

Technical Profile

What is the technical profile of the industry?

What is the intensity of its technical dynamics (e.g., R&D activity, emergence of new techniques, new production technical objects, new constitutive production goods, pace of technological renewal)?

Note: Technical Types are: Operative Technique, Production Technical Object (Capital Good), Constitutive Technical Object, etc.

Technical Type Technique Description Usage

Production Chain

Stage Type Stage Description Representative Firm(s)

Producer Diversification

What are the main axes of diversification?

Diversification Axis Description

Consumption

What are the market structure, dynamics, and size? What is the price sensitivity?

Consumption Overview

Dimension Description
Market Size
Market Growth
Market Seasonality
Market Volatility

Structure

What is the market decomposition (segments, subsegments, niches, etc.)?

Division Type Division Description Level

Customer Segmentation

Who are the customers?

Customer Type Description Role

Consumption Dyanmics

What are the demand drivers?

Driver Description

Trade-Off

Which trade-offs occur in the market «Firm (Producer) – Customer (Consumer)» interaction that affect firm behavior?

Trade-Off Description

Firm Space

Which firms represent or operate within the industry?

Firm Start Date End Date Description

Context

Context Type Factor Description Impact
Regulatory
Geopolitical
Macroeconomic
Environmental
Technological

Which industries are linked to or interact with this industry?

Industry Description Relation

References

  • Technology
  • Production
  • Industry Analysis
  • Porter, M. E. Competitive Strategy. Free Press, 1980.
  • Kotler, P., Keller, K. Marketing Management. Pearson, 2016.
  • Barney, J. B. Gaining and Sustaining Competitive Advantage. Pearson, 2011.
  • PESTEL Analysis guides from industry research portals (e.g., IBISWorld, Statista).
  • Harvard Business Review articles on industry analysis and value chains.