Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 1,3 (A), University of Brighton (Economics), course: Strategic Management, language: English, abstract: 1 Industry Definition2For the purpose of this business report the global brewing industry is defined asthe group of those companies, that are producing beer and operate on a national ora global scale. For diversified companies the report focuses on the beer brewingactivities of those respective firms.2 The Industry's Current Position3As already predicted by Stewart Gilliland4 of Whitbread PLC as well as manyother industry experts, during the last two years crucial developments have takenplace. First, in terms of industry concentration and global expansion of dominantplayers. Second in terms of consumer taste and behaviour which again had animpact on company's strategies and product portfolios.2.1 The MarketsThe industry's main markets are Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Americaincluding North- and South America, Africa and Asia including China and India.In each of those regions the industry is in a completely different stage of theindustry lifecycle.5 Moreover population and per capita consumption indicategrowth opportunities and hence potential attractiveness of the respective markets.6(See: Appendix A and B) [...]2 "If industries are defined by competitive relationships among firms ()" Grant, Robert M.(1998), Contemporary Strategic Analysis, p. 853 For the purpose of this report the "position of an industry" is defined as the stage of the industrywithin the industry life cycle.4 "The beer market will change more in the next 5 years than it has in the last 15.", StewartGilliland, Sales& Marketing Director of Whitbread PLC (today part of the Interbrew group),quoted by The Grocer, 6ht May 2000, in Key Note on "Premium Lagers, Beers& Ciders", MarketReport Plus 20005 Heineken, Annual Report 2001, Report of the Executive Board, p. 156 Saul Klein (2000), "South African Breweries: Achieving Growth in the Global Beer Market",ECCH-Collection, p. 6